“Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Avimelekh and his wife and his maidservants, and they bore children” (Genesis 20:17). “For the Lord had obstructed all wombs of the house of Avimelekh over the matter of Sarah, Abraham’s wife” (Genesis 20:18). “Abraham prayed to God” – Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: From the beginning of this book until here, this expression49Prayer on behalf of another person. has not been used.
Once Abraham prayed, this knot was untied.50From this point on, the gates of prayer were open. “For the Lord had obstructed [atzor atzar]” – atzira is stated regarding the mouth, atzira regarding the throat, atzira regarding the ear, atzira from above, atzira from below.51All this is derived from the use of the double verb – atzor atzar. All bodily orifices were sealed and unable to discharge what they usually do.
And everyone was saying: [This is] “over the matter of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.” Rabbi Berekhya said: All the insolent ones have come in to touch the noblewoman’s shoe.52This is a saying, referring to insolent behavior on the part of lowly people who dare to touch the princess’s shoes, and are severely punished. The Midrash applies this saying to the members of Avimelekh’s household who acted disrespectfully toward Sarah.
Throughout that night Sarah was prostrated on her face and saying: ‘Master of the universe, Abraham departed [from our home country] with a promise,53Abraham was told by God that He would protect him. and I departed only on faith. Abraham departed outside the cage, but I am in the cage.’54I am here in the cage with all these [beasts] – Avimelekh and his servants. The Holy One blessed be He said to her: ‘Everything I do, I do on your behalf.’
And all of them were saying: [It is] “over the matter of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.” Rabbi Levi said: Throughout that night, an angel was standing with a rod in his hand. He was consulting with Sarah. If she said to him: ‘Strike,’ he would strike; if she said to him: ‘Cease,’ he would cease.
Why [was Avimelekh punished] to such an extent? It is because she kept telling him: ‘I am a married woman,’ but he would not keep away from her.55“Over the matter of [al devar] Sarah, Abraham’s wife” is expounded to mean: “by the words of Sarah, who said that she was Abraham’s wife.” Rabbi Elazar taught it in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: We have heard that Pharaoh was afflicted with leprosy56The word nega’im (Genesis 12:17), translated there as “afflictions,” often refers specifically to leprosy. and Avimelekh was afflicted with obstruction.
From where is it derived to apply this [affliction] to there, and that [affliction] to here? It is from al devar, al devar57“The Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his household with great afflictions over the matter [al devar] of Sarai, Abram’s wife” (Genesis 12:17). for a verbal analogy.