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How could Yitzchok institute tefillas mincha while Avrohom was still alive? The shiur develops a yesod that the role of Av of Klal Yisroel can be transferred during the father's lifetime—not through inheritance but through active decision. Avrohom transferred this role when he gave all his wealth to Yitzchok, making Yitzchok responsible for building the nation, which is why Yitzchok could establish mincha and why he arranged Avrohom's marriage to Keturah.
Rabbi Zweig opens with a question from Tosfos: the Gemara (גמרא) in Brachos states that Yitzchok was masaken tefillas mincha, yet in Yoma the Gemara refers to the time of mincha as "tefilaso shel Avrohom." Tosfos answers that after Yitzchok instituted mincha, Avrohom also davened it. But this raises the fundamental question: why is it called "tefilaso shel Avrohom" if Yitzchok was the one who established it? Additionally, the Rav (Rav Soloveitchik) asked on the Rambam (רמב"ם) in Hilchos Melachim: the Rambam says Yitzchok was masaken ma'aser, yet Avrohom already gave ma'aser to Malki-Tzedek in Parshas Lech Lecha—so how can Yitzchok be credited with establishing ma'aser? The shiur develops a fundamental chakira: when does a son become an Av of Klal Yisroel? Are there three possibilities: (1) the son becomes Av only after the father dies, like an inheritance; (2) both can function as Avos simultaneously during the father's lifetime; or (3) the father can transfer the role of Av to the son while still alive, at which point the father ceases to be the Av. Rabbi Zweig argues that only an Av can institute takanos that obligate future generations. If Yitzchok was masaken tefillas mincha, he must have already been functioning as the Av—even while Avrohom was still alive.
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Bereishis 24:62-63 (Parshas Chayei Sarah)
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