Five Gifts Abraham Gave Isaac and the Glory of Old Age

Thus did R. Tanchuma expound (Genesis 27:1): "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old," and so forth. You find that there are twenty generations from Adam to Abraham, and old age is not written concerning any of them except concerning Abraham, as it is said (Genesis 24:1): "And Abraham was old." Isaac arose, and concerning him too it is written (Genesis 27:1): "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old." Jacob arose, and concerning him too it is written (Genesis 48:10): "Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age." This is what Scripture says (Psalms 90:16): "Let Your work appear unto Your servants, and Your glory upon their children." And "glory" is nothing other than old age and gray hair, as it is said (Proverbs 20:29): "The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is the gray head." Hence, "and Your glory upon their children" — for Abraham endowed Isaac with five things. Thus did our Rabbis teach: A father endows his son with five things — with beauty, with strength, with wealth, with wisdom, and with years. Beauty — from where? For Isaac was as handsome as Joseph. It is written of Joseph (Genesis 39:6): "And Joseph was of beautiful form." And when he went to his brothers, they said (Genesis 37:19): "Behold, this one (hallazeh), the master of dreams, comes." And it is said of Isaac (Genesis 24:65): "Who is this man (hallazeh)?" and so forth — that Isaac was as handsome as Joseph. From where that Isaac was mighty in strength? See how many wells he dug, as it is said (Genesis 26:18): "And Isaac dug again," and so forth; (Genesis 26:19): "And Isaac's servants dug," and so forth; (Genesis 26:21): "And they dug another well," and so forth; (Genesis 26:22): "And he removed from there and dug." See the might that was in his hand. Wealth — from where? As it is said (Genesis 26:13): "And the man grew great," and so forth; and it says (Genesis 26:14): "And he had possession of flocks," and so forth. Wisdom — from where? For he said to his father (Genesis 22:7): "Behold the fire and the wood," and so forth. And years — [from where]? For he was one hundred and eighty years old, while Abraham was one hundred and seventy-five. On account of these five things {by which he attained merit}, five years more than his father were added to him. Therefore it is said (Psalms 90:16): "Let Your work appear unto Your servants," and so forth. Everyone who has merit attains these five things, and everyone who has no merit does not attain them, and receives in their stead five retributions. And who was this? This was Joab, as it is said (2 Samuel 3:29): "Let it fall upon the head of Joab and upon his son, [and let there not be cut off from the house of Joab one that has a discharge, or that is a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls by the sword, or that lacks bread]." "One that has a discharge" — corresponding to strength; one who has a discharge, there is none weaker than he. "A leper" — corresponding to beauty; one who is a leper, even a young man, there is none more disfigured than he. "One that leans on a staff (handles the spindle)" — corresponding to wealth, for he is {like a poor woman} who, if she does not spin flax, has nothing from which to eat. "One that lacks bread" — corresponding to wisdom, as it is said (Proverbs 9:5): "Come, eat of my bread." "One that falls by the sword" — corresponding to years; one who sins is smitten through them, but one who has merit receives, just as Isaac did. And David gave praise (Psalms 45:17): "Instead of your fathers shall be your sons."