Yalkut Shimoni on Torah Reader

"And she called his name Moab" (Genesis 19:37-38). Rabbi Chiya bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: the Holy One, blessed be He, does not withhold the reward even for refined speech. For whereas the firstborn, who said "Moab" [meaning "from father"], openly naming the disgrace - the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Do not provoke them to war" (Deuteronomy 2:9). War He forbade, but He did permit forced labor to be imposed upon them. But the younger daughter, who said "Ben-Ammi" ["son of my people," discreetly] - the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "and when you draw near opposite the children of Ammon, do not harass them and do not provoke them" (Deuteronomy 2:19), [meaning] that you may not even impose forced labor upon them.

And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korchah said: a person should always hasten to a matter of mitzvah, for on account of the one night by which the firstborn preceded the younger, she preceded her by four generations in Israel - Obed, Jesse, David, and Solomon - whereas the younger [merited royal descent only] as late as Rehoboam, as it is said, "and his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess" (1 Kings 14:21).

Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Eivo: the firstborn, because she disgraced her father's honor by saying "Moab" ["from father"], Scripture said, "Do not provoke them to war" (Deuteronomy 2:9) - but you may divert their rivers and set their grain-stacks on fire. But the younger, because she spared her father's honor and said "Ben-Ammi" ["son of him who was with me"], "do not provoke them to war" at all. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon and Rabbi Chanin said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: the daughters of Lot were going to commit a transgression, and yet they were granted children. By whose merit? By the merit of Abraham. "Moab" - from "father" (av); "for a father of a multitude of nations I have made you" (Genesis 17:5).

"And Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev" (Genesis 20:1). "But the falling mountain crumbles away" (Job 14:18) - this is Lot, who fell from greatness. "And the rock is moved from its place" (Job 14:18) - this is Abraham, who caused him to be removed from his place.

Another interpretation: because the region of Sodom had been laid waste, and the travelers passing to and fro had ceased, Abraham said, "Shall I let the giving of charity stop from my house?" So he went and pitched his tent in Gerar. This is the meaning of what is written, "And Abraham journeyed from there" (Genesis 20:1). "A brother who has transgressed is harder to win than a fortified city" (Proverbs 18:19) refers to Lot, who was Abraham's nephew and who sinned against Abraham. You denied him, you dealt falsely with him. And what did this cause him? It brought upon him "and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress" [reading the verse as bringing strife against] the palace of the Holy One, blessed be He, which is the Temple. Just as it says elsewhere, "no unclean thing of any kind shall enter" the Temple (compare 2 Chronicles 23:19), so too here, "No Ammonite or Moabite shall enter the assembly of the LORD" (Deuteronomy 23:4). Therefore the verse "And Abraham journeyed from there" is placed adjacent. "The wise of heart will accept commandments" (Proverbs 10:8) refers to Abraham: because the region was laid waste, and so on. "And he journeyed from there" means he cleared out from his place because of the foul rumor, for people were saying, "Lot, Abraham's nephew, lay with his daughters." "To the land of the Negev" (the South): seven names are given to the south: darom, negev, yam, teimanah, yamin, cheder, and sinim. They raised an objection: is it not written, "not from the wilderness of the mountains" (Psalms 75:7)? He said to them: that too is the south. Rabbi Chiya bar Abba said: I was passing before the synagogue of the Babylonians in Sepphoris and I heard little children sitting and reciting, "And Abraham journeyed from there to the land of the Negev." I said: Great are the words of the sages, who say, "Be careful with their coals, lest you be burned, for their bite is the bite of a fox, and all their words are like coals of fire." From the hour that our father Abraham parted from Lot, his separation was a separation forever. "And he sojourned in Gerar," in Gardiko.

"And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah" (Genesis 20:2). Is it possible that she went of her own will? Rather, he took her against her will and without her consent. "And God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night" (Genesis 20:3). What is the difference between the prophets of Israel and the prophets of the nations of the world? The Holy One, blessed be He, reveals Himself to the prophets of the nations only in a half-utterance, as it says, "And God chanced upon Balaam" (Numbers 23:4). The expression "chanced upon" denotes nothing but impurity, as you say, "if there be among you a man who is not clean because of a nocturnal occurrence" (Deuteronomy 23:11). But to Israel He reveals Himself in language of purity, in language of holiness, in clear language: "And He called to Moses," in the language with which the ministering angels praise Him, as it says, "And one called to another and said" (Isaiah 6:3). "The LORD is far from the wicked" (Proverbs 15:29) refers to the prophets of the nations of the world; "but the prayer of the righteous He hears" refers to the prophets of Israel. The Holy One, blessed be He, reveals Himself to the prophets of the nations only at an hour when people normally part from one another, as it is written, "In thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, a word was stolen to me" (Job 4:12-13). What is the difference between the prophets of Israel and the prophets of the nations? It is like a king who was with his friend in a hall, and a curtain hung between them, and he would fold it back and speak with his friend. But the rabbis say: it is like a king who had a wife and a concubine; when he goes to his wife he goes openly, and when he goes to his concubine he goes in secret. So too the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals Himself to the nations only at night, as it says, "And God came to Balaam at night" (Numbers 22:20), "And God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night" (Genesis 31:24); but to the prophets of Israel by day: "and he sat at the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day" (Genesis 18:1), "And it was on the day the LORD spoke" (Exodus 6:28), "And these are the generations of Aaron and Moses on the day the LORD spoke" (Numbers 3:1). "And He said to him, You are a dead man because of the woman": from here we learn that there is no formal warning required for the descendants of Noah.

It was stated: one who supposed it was an animal and it turned out to be a person, or supposed it was a gentile and it turned out to be a resident alien. Rava said: he is liable. Rav Chisda said: he is exempt. Rava said he is liable, because one who says "it is permitted" is close to acting deliberately. Rav Chisda said he is exempt, because one who says "it is permitted" acts under compulsion. Rava raised an objection to Rav Chisda: "You are a dead man because of the woman you have taken" (Genesis 20:3). Does this not mean by human hands? No, by the hands of Heaven, for it is written, "from sinning against Me" (Genesis 20:6). Rav Chisda replied: by your own reasoning, "and I would have sinned against God" (Genesis 20:6) means against God and not against a human being. Rather, his judgment was handed over to a human; here too his judgment was handed over to a human. Rava further objected from "Will You slay even a righteous nation?" (Genesis 20:4). There the answer was as they responded to him, and so on.

Our rabbis taught: all those amounts that the sages stated concern the payment for a person's humiliation, but for his pain, even if he brought all the rams of Nebaioth, he is not forgiven until he asks pardon of the injured party himself, as it says, "And now, restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet" (Genesis 20:7). Is it only a prophet's wife that is to be restored, and the wife of one who is not a prophet need not be restored? Rather, this is what He said to him: "And now, restore the man's wife in any case"; and as for what you said, "Will You slay even a righteous nation? Did he not himself say to me, She is my sister?" (Genesis 20:4-5) He is a prophet, and he has already learned from you. A guest who comes to a town, do you ask him about matters of food and drink, or do you ask him about matters of his wife, whether "She is your wife" or "She is your sister"? From here we learn concerning a descendant of Noah that he is put to death for what he ought to have learned and did not learn.

There we learned: a woman is acquired in marriage in three ways: by money, by a document, and by intercourse. From where do we know intercourse? Rabbi Abahu said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: Scripture says, "and she is a married woman" (literally, possessed by a husband; Deuteronomy 22:22), teaching that the husband became her husband through the act of intercourse. Rabbi Zeira said to Rabbi Abahu: this is unseemly; but Rabbi taught from "and he has had relations with her" (Deuteronomy 24:1), teaching that she is acquired through intercourse. If we learned only from there, I would have said that he must first betroth and only then have relations; this verse teaches otherwise. Rabbi Abba bar Mamal objected: if so, the betrothed maiden whom the Merciful One declared to be punished by stoning, how can you find such a case? If he betrothed her and had relations, she is already a non-virgin; and if he betrothed her and did not have relations, his act is nothing. Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said: you find it where he betrothed her with a document, since the document that completes a marriage and the document that releases from one both function to bring her in. As for Rabbi Yochanan, why does he need "and he has had relations with her"? To teach that this woman is acquired through intercourse, but a Hebrew maidservant is not acquired through intercourse. You might have thought, since it is written "if he takes another for himself" (Exodus 21:10), that Scripture likens her to another wife: just as another is acquired through intercourse, so too the Hebrew maidservant; therefore this teaches otherwise. And how does Rabbi derive this principle? If so, let the Merciful One write merely "and he beds her"; what does "and he has had relations with her" add? Learn two things from it. And for Rava, who said that bar Ahina explained to him "when a man takes a wife and has relations with her" (Deuteronomy 24:1) means that betrothal which is fit for intercourse is valid betrothal, and that which is not fit for intercourse is not valid betrothal, what can be said? If so, let the Merciful One write merely "or he beds her"; what does "and he has had relations with her" add? Learn all of it from it. And what does Rabbi do with "possessed by a husband"? He needs it to teach that the husband renders her a non-virgin even through an unnatural act, while another man does not render her a non-virgin in that way. And Rabbi concedes regarding the fine that all who violate her pay it. And how does this differ from the death penalty, concerning which Rabbi said that if ten men had relations with her and she is still a virgin, the first is punished by stoning and all the rest by strangulation? It is different there, for Scripture says, "and the man who lay with her, he alone, shall die" (Deuteronomy 22:25). And how does Rabbi Yochanan derive his principle? If so, let the Merciful One write merely "possessed by a man"; what does "possessed by a husband" add? Learn two things from it.

Rabbi Chanina taught: "and she is a married woman" (literally, possessed by a husband; Deuteronomy 22:22). A woman possessed by a husband is included; but one who has entered the wedding canopy and has not had relations is not included.

"And she is a married woman" (literally, possessed by a husband; Deuteronomy 22:22) means by the elevation of the husband. "And she is a married woman": Rav said, the husband was crowned through her, but she was not crowned through her husband. The rabbis say: she was the mistress of her husband. Everywhere the man decrees, but here, "all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice" (Genesis 21:12). So too here, "All that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice."

"And Abimelech had not come near her, and he said, Lord, will You slay even a righteous nation?" (Genesis 20:4). He said: if You judged this way the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion, were they righteous? Rabbi Berekhiah said: "if You will slay this nation, You will be slaying a righteous one." "Did he not himself say to me, She is my sister, and she, even she herself said, He is my brother" (Genesis 20:5); even the donkey drivers and camel drivers and the members of his household, all of them said so. "In the innocence of my heart and the cleanness of my hands I have done this." He said to him: as for innocence, you have it; as for cleanness of hands, you do not, as is shown by His answer, "I also knew that you did this in the innocence of your heart" (Genesis 20:6); this teaches that there had been a touching of hands there. "Therefore I did not let you touch her" (Genesis 20:6). It is like a mighty horseman riding upon his horse, and the horse was galloping beneath him, and he saw a child thrown in the road, and he reined in the horse and it caused no harm. Whom does one praise, the horse or the rider? You must say the rider. So too, "Therefore I did not let you touch her, from sinning against Me": your inclination, which would have led you to sin, was given into My hand, and I prevented you from sinning, I held you back from the sin, and the credit is Mine and not yours. "And now, restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet" (Genesis 20:7). He said to Him: who will persuade him and let him know that I did not touch her? He said to him: for he is a prophet. He said: and who will make it known to all? He said to him: "and let him pray for you, and live." And if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die. From here we learn that there is no formal warning for the descendants of Noah. "And Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants" (Genesis 20:8). Because they saw the smoke of Sodom rising like the smoke of a furnace, he said: perhaps these are the angels who were sent to Sodom and have come here; therefore, "and the men were greatly afraid." "Deeds that ought not to be done you have done to me" (Genesis 20:9): everywhere relief used to precede your coming, but here famine preceded you. "And Abraham said, Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and also indeed she is my sister, my father's daughter" (Genesis 20:11-12). "What have you done to us; you are a dead man because of the woman"; "and what wrong did I do to you; know that you shall surely die, for you brought upon me"; "for the LORD had closed up every womb" (Genesis 20:18).

"And besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father" (Genesis 20:12). He answered them according to their own method. "And it came to pass, when they caused me to wander" (Genesis 20:13). Rabbi Hanan said: Would that I might expound this verse in three ways and fulfill my duty with it. Thus said Abraham: At the hour when the nations of the world sought to join themselves to me while I was still in my father's house, the Holy One, blessed be He, upheld me. And at the hour when the nations of the world sought to afflict me, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to me. And at the hour when the nations of the world sought to make me wander from the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, the Holy One, blessed be He, set over them two great men of my father's house, such as Shem and Eber, and they kept warning them. "And to Sarah he said: Behold, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your brother" (Genesis 20:16). [Abimelech said to her:] You went down to Egypt and traded upon her; you came here and traded upon her. If it is money you want, here is money for you, only cover your eyes from me.

Another interpretation: "Make for yourself a covering" [reading the silver gift as a veil], so that all would look at the covering and not at her beauty. He took a royal garment and clothed her in it, and made her into a noblewoman. And why? So that no man would demand her, but rather they would hear that she is a queen and be afraid to demand her, since she is covered from the eye. Resh Lakish said: He sought to provoke her against her husband, as if to say: all these years she was with him and he did nothing for her, yet she was with this one for a single night and he did her all this honor.

Another interpretation. He said to them: Since you covered the matter from me [hid Sarah's true status], the son whom you raise up will be a covering of the eyes [blind, or one who must shield his eyes].

It is forbidden to gaze upon the likeness of a wicked man, as it is said (concerning the prophet who would not look at Jehoram): "Were it not for the presence of Jehoshaphat I would not look toward you nor see you" (II Kings 3:14). Rabbi Eleazar said: his eyes grew dim, as it is said, "And it came to pass when Isaac was old, that his eyes were too dim to see" (Genesis 27:1), because he had gazed upon Esau the wicked. But was it this that caused it? Did not Rabbi Yitzchak say: Never let the curse of an ordinary man be light in your eyes, for behold, Abimelech cursed Sarah, and it was fulfilled in her offspring, as it is said, "Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes" (Genesis 20:16). Read not "covering" [kesut] but "dimming" [kehut] of the eyes, as it is said, "and his eyes grew dim." So this and that together caused it. He said to her: Since you covered it from me and did not reveal to me that he is your husband, and caused me this distress, may it be His will that you have children with covered eyes.

"And before all she was set right" (Genesis 20:16). He said to her: the reproof of that man [Abimelech, or a husband] is already with him, as we have learned: A wife who rebels against her husband, they reduce from her marriage settlement seven dinars each week. Why seven? Because she was obligated in seven kinds of work, and so on. And likewise a husband who rebels against his wife, they add to her marriage settlement three dinars each week, because he is obligated to her in three things: food, clothing, and conjugal duty. "And Abraham prayed to God" (Genesis 20:17). From the beginning of the book until here this expression had not been used; and once Abraham prayed, that knot was loosed. "For the LORD had firmly closed up" (Genesis 20:18) - there was a closing in the mouth, a closing in the throat, a closing in the ear, a closing from above, a closing from below, and all of it on account of Sarah, the wife of Abraham. Rabbi Berekhiah said: because he dared to approach the sandal of the noblewoman, and so on.

Rabbi Eleazar said: these two closings, why? One in the man, the emission of seed; two in the woman, the emission of seed and birth. In a baraita it was taught: two in the man, seed and the small openings; three in the woman, seed, the small openings, and birth. Ravina said: three in the man, seed, the small openings, and the anal passage; four in the woman, seed, the small openings, the anal passage, and birth. "For every womb" (Genesis 20:18) - even the hen of Abimelech did not lay its egg. From where do we learn that if a person does not forgive his fellow he is cruel? As it is said, "And Abraham prayed to God" (Genesis 20:17). Rava said to Rabbah bar Mari: from where comes this matter that the Rabbis said, whoever asks for mercy on behalf of his fellow while he himself needs that very thing is answered first? As it is said, "And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his fellow" (Job 42:10). He said to him: you said it from there, I say it from here: "And Abraham prayed to God," and it is written, "And the LORD remembered Sarah as He had said" - as Abraham had said concerning Abimelech.

One who injures his fellow, even though the injurer did not seek pardon from the one injured, must seek mercy on his behalf, as it is said, "And Abraham prayed" (Genesis 20:17). And so you find with Job, "And My servant Job will pray for you" (Job 42:8). And likewise it says, "And He will grant you mercy" (Deuteronomy 13:18) - so long as you are merciful, the Omnipresent will show mercy upon you.

"And the LORD remembered Sarah" (Genesis 21:1). This is what Scripture says, "And all the trees of the field shall know" (Ezekiel 17:24) - these are the creatures, as you say, "For man is the tree of the field" (Deuteronomy 20:19). "That I the LORD have brought low the high tree" - this is Abimelech, "for the LORD had firmly closed up." "And have exalted the low tree" - this is Sarah. "I the LORD have spoken and have done it" - not like those who speak and do not act. "I have spoken": "At the appointed time I will return to you" (Genesis 18:14); "and done it": "And the LORD did to Sarah as He had spoken." "Can a mortal be more righteous than God?" (Job 4:17) - is it possible for flesh and blood to be more righteous than its Creator? "Can a man be purer than his Maker?" - is it possible to be purer than one's Creator? Just as Elisha said to the Shunammite, "At this appointed time, at this season, you shall embrace a son" (II Kings 4:16), and what is written there, "And she conceived and bore a son at the appointed time of which Elisha had spoken to her" - if the words of flesh and blood are fulfilled, how much more the words of the Holy One, blessed be He: "And the LORD remembered Sarah." "Though the fig tree does not blossom" (Habakkuk 3:17) - this is Abraham, as it is said, "like the first fruit on the fig tree." "And there is no yield on the vines" - this is Sarah, as you say, "your wife like a fruitful vine." "The labor of the olive fails" - were those angels who brought tidings to Sarah liars? "The labor of the olive" means they made her face shine like an olive. "And the fields produce no food" - those breasts produced no milk. "The flock is cut off from the fold" - as you say, "You are My flock, the flock of My pasture, you are man" (Ezekiel 34:31). "And there is no herd in the stalls" - as you say, "Ephraim is a trained heifer." Sarah turned and said: shall I lose my hope in my Maker? Heaven forbid, I will not lose my hope in my Maker, but rather "yet I will rejoice in the LORD" (Habakkuk 3:18). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her: you did not lose your hope, neither will I lose your hope, but "the LORD remembered Sarah." "The grass withers, the flower fades" (Isaiah 40:8) - the grass of Abimelech withered, the flower of Abimelech faded, "for the LORD had firmly closed up." "But the word of our God stands forever" - "And the LORD remembered Sarah." "God is not a man that He should lie" (Numbers 23:19). Rabbi Shmuel said: this verse - neither does its beginning fit its end nor its end its beginning. "God is not a man that He should lie," "Has He said and will not do?" Rather, when the Holy One, blessed be He, decrees to bring good into the world, "God is not a man that He should lie"; and when He decrees to bring evil into the world, "Has He said and will not do?" When He said to Abraham, "For in Isaac shall your seed be called," "God is not a man that He should lie"; and when He said to him, "Take now your son" (Genesis 22:2), "Has He said and will not do?" When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "I have surely remembered you and what is done to you in Egypt" (Exodus 3:16), "God is not a man that He should lie"; and when He said to him, "Let Me alone that I may destroy them" (Deuteronomy 9:14), "Has He said and will not do?" "He seats the barren woman of the house" (Psalms 113:9) - this is Sarah, "and Sarai was barren" (Genesis 11:30). "A joyful mother of children" - "Sarah nursed children." "And the LORD remembered Sarah as He had said" - what He said to her by speech; "And the LORD did to Sarah as He had spoken" - by an angel. Rabbi Yehudah says: "The LORD remembered Sarah" - to give her a son; "And the LORD did to Sarah as He had spoken" - to bless her with milk. Rabbi Nechemiah said to him: had she already been promised milk? Rather, it teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, restored her to the days of her youth. Rabbi Abahu in the name of Rabbi Yosi bar Chanina: I place the awe of her upon all the nations of the world, that they should not taunt her and cry out to her, barren one. Rabbi Yehudah in the name of Resh Lakish: she had no chief organ of the womb, and the Holy One, blessed be He, fashioned for her a womb. Rabbi Acha said: the Holy One, blessed be He, is a keeper of deposits. Amalek deposited with the Holy One, blessed be He, bundles of thorns, and the Holy One, blessed be He, returned to him bundles of thorns, as it is said, "I have remembered what Amalek did to Israel" (I Samuel 15:2). Sarah deposited with Him commandments and good deeds, and the Holy One, blessed be He, returned to her commandments and good deeds: "And the LORD remembered Sarah." Rabbi Yitzchak said: the Holy One, blessed be He, said: it is written, "If the woman was not defiled and is pure, she shall be cleared and shall conceive seed" (Numbers 5:28); and this one, who entered the house of Pharaoh and the house of Abimelech and came out pure, is it not right that she be remembered? Rabbi Yehudah bar Rabbi Simon said: although Rav Huna said there is an angel appointed over desire, Sarah needed none of these things, rather the Holy One, blessed be He, in His glory remembered her, as it is said, "And the LORD remembered Sarah." "And the LORD remembered Sarah" - He and His council. What is written above the matter? "And Abraham prayed" (Genesis 20:17). A parable of a king who had a beloved friend whom he cherished exceedingly, and whatever the friend asked of him he would do. When they knew this, everyone who sought office would come to the friend, and he would ask of the king, and the king would do his desire; yet to that friend himself he had given no office. The members of his court said to him: our lord the king, this friend of yours seeks office for others and for himself he seeks nothing. The king said: it is only right that I give it to him.

On Rosh Hashanah, Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah were remembered. From where do we learn this? Rabbi Eleazar said: it is derived by a verbal analogy, "remembering" from "remembering," and "visiting" from "visiting." It is written of Rachel, "And God remembered Rachel" (Genesis 30:22), and it is written of Hannah, "And the LORD remembered her" (I Samuel 1:19); and "remembering" is derived from "remembering" from Rosh Hashanah, as it is written, "a remembrance of the blast" (Leviticus 23:24). And "visiting" is derived from "visiting": it is written of Hannah, "For the LORD had visited Hannah" (I Samuel 2:21), and it is written of Sarah, "And the LORD visited Sarah" (Genesis 21:1). Wherever you find the words of Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yosi the Galilean in aggadah, make your ear like a funnel. By thirty-two rules is the aggadah expounded. One of them is amplification. How does amplification work? There are three terms: "et," "af," and "gam." "Et" comes to include. How so? "And the LORD visited et [the object marker] Sarah." Had it said only "He visited Sarah," I would say Sarah alone was visited; when it says "et," it teaches that all the barren women were visited like her, and so it says, "He has made laughter" (Genesis 21:6). Likewise, "et the face of the discerning is wisdom" (Proverbs 17:24) - had it said only "the face of the discerning," I would say for his time alone; when it says "et," it includes all, for generations upon generations, and so it says, "Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come" (Proverbs 31:25). "Gam" comes to include. How so? "Take gam your flocks gam your herds" (Exodus 12:32) - had it said only "your flocks and your herds," I would say He gave them only their own flocks and herds; when it says "gam," it includes, teaching that He gave them a gift from His own, to fulfill what is said, "gam you shall give into our hands sacrifices" (Exodus 10:25). Likewise you say, "and gam the two of them shall die" - had it said only "the two of them," I would say a woman liable to death they wait for until she gives birth; the text teaches "gam" to include the unborn child for death. "Af" comes to include. How so? "And he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, af he too struck the waters" (II Kings 2:14) - it teaches that greater miracles were done for Elisha at the splitting of the Jordan than for Elijah, for the first time the merit of two righteous men stood by, but the second time only the merit of one righteous man, and so he said, "Let a double portion of your spirit be upon me." You find eight wonders by the hand of Elijah and sixteen wonders by Elisha. Likewise, "af He loads the thick cloud with moisture" (Job 37:11) - it teaches that the rain clouds are made firm, and the Creator burdens them to supply rain. One might think the rain does not fall in full measure; the text teaches "af" - it includes. "And Sarah conceived and bore" (Genesis 21:2) - it compared her conceiving to her bearing: just as her conceiving was without pain, so her bearing was without pain.

"A son for his old age" (Genesis 21:7) - it teaches that the radiance of his features resembled his own. "At the appointed time of which God had spoken to him" (Genesis 21:2). Rabbi Yudan said: he was born at nine months, so that they would not say he was swept out of the house of Abimelech. Rabbi Chama said: at seven full months, which are nine partial ones. Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Chizkiyah: he was born at midday. "Appointed time" is said here, and "appointed time" is said elsewhere, "at the going down of the sun, the appointed time of your going out from Egypt" (Deuteronomy 16:6). "And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac" (Genesis 21:3). A decree of freedom went forth to the world. Yitzchak [Isaac]: the yod is ten, corresponding to the Ten Commandments which his children would in the future receive. The tzadi is ninety, "shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?" (Genesis 17:17). The kof is one hundred, "shall a child be born to one who is a hundred years old?" (Genesis 17:17). The chet is eight, corresponding to the eight days of circumcision. "And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac at eight days, as God had commanded him" (Genesis 21:4); and where had He spoken? "And he who is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male" (Genesis 17:12).

All the commandments of a son that fall upon the father to perform for his son: men are obligated and women are exempt. We learned this from what the Rabbis taught: A man is obligated regarding his son to circumcise him, to redeem him, to teach him Torah, to marry him to a wife, and to teach him a craft; and some say even to teach him to swim in the river. Rabbi Yehudah says: Anyone who does not teach his son a craft, it is as though he teaches him robbery. From where do we learn the obligation to circumcise him? As it is written, "And Abraham circumcised Isaac his son when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him." "Him" [the son] and not "her" [a daughter]. And where the father does not circumcise him, the court is obligated to circumcise him, as it is written (Genesis 17:10), "Every male among you shall be circumcised." And where the court does not circumcise him, he is obligated to circumcise himself, as it is written, "And an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised" and so on. We have found the obligation for the immediate case; from where do we learn it for future generations? The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: Wherever "command" is stated, it means nothing other than an urging, both immediately and for future generations. Urging, as it is written (Deuteronomy 3:28), "And command Joshua and strengthen him and embolden him." Immediately and for future generations, as it is written, "From the day that the LORD commanded and onward, throughout your generations."

(Genesis 21:6) "And Sarah said: God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh for me." Rabbi Berekhiah son of Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Simon, in the name of Rabbi Shmuel son of Rabbi Yitzchak: Reuben rejoices, what does it matter to Simeon? If Sarah was remembered, what does it matter to other women? Rather, at the hour that Sarah our mother was remembered, many barren women were remembered along with her, many sick people were healed along with her, many deaf people had their ears opened along with her, many blind people had their eyes opened, and many deranged people were restored to their senses. "Making" is stated here, and "making" is stated elsewhere (Esther 2:18), "And he granted a release to the provinces, and gave gifts." Just as the "making" stated elsewhere means he gave release to the world, so too the "making" stated here means He gave release to the world. Rabbi Levi said: He added to the luminaries. "Making" is stated here, and "making" is stated elsewhere (Genesis 1:16), "And God made the two great luminaries." (Genesis 21:7) "And she said: Who would have spoken [milel] to Abraham?" It is not written here "who would have said [diber]," but rather "who would have spoken [milel]." They hinted that he fathered a child at one hundred years. Rabbi Pinchas in the name of Rabbi Chilkiah: Their father's stalks were dried out [yeveishot], and they became ripened ears of grain [melilot].

Rabbi Berekhiah in the name of Rabbi Levi: You find that once our mother Sarah gave birth to Isaac, the nations of the world were saying, God forbid, Sarah did not give birth to Isaac; rather Hagar, Sarah's maidservant, gave birth to him. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He dried up the breasts of the women of the nations of the world, and the noble ladies would come and kiss the dust of Sarah's feet and say to her, Do an act of kindness and nurse our children. Sarah was exceedingly modest. Abraham our father said to her: Sarah, this is not an hour for modesty; rather, uncover your breasts so that the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, may be sanctified, and sit in the marketplace and nurse their children, so that all may know that the Holy One, blessed be He, has begun to do miracles for us. She uncovered her breasts and they flowed like two springs, and the noble ladies came and nursed their children from her, saying, We are not worthy to nurse our children from the milk of Isaac. This is what is written, "She nursed children." It is not written here "she nursed a son," but rather "children." The Rabbis and Rabbi Acha. The Rabbis said: Whoever came for the sake of Heaven became one who fears Heaven. Rabbi Acha said: Even one who did not come for the sake of Heaven was given dominion in this world; but once they held themselves apart at Sinai and did not accept the Torah, that dominion was taken from them. This is what is written, "He loosens the bond of kings" and so on.

"Who would have spoken to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children?" And how many children did she nurse? It was taught: On that very day that Abraham our father weaned his son Isaac, he made a great feast. And the nations of the world were saying: Have you seen this old man and old woman, who brought a foundling from the marketplace and say, He is our son? And not only that, but they have made a great feast in order to uphold their claim. What did Abraham our father do? He arose and invited all the great ones of the generation, and Sarah our mother too invited their wives. And each and every one brought her child but did not bring her wet-nurse. A miracle occurred, and Sarah's breasts opened like two springs, and she nursed them all. And still they said, Could Sarah, ninety years old, give birth? Could Abraham, one hundred years old, father a child? Immediately the form of Isaac's face was transformed and made to resemble Abraham. At that hour they declared (Genesis 25:19), "Abraham fathered Isaac."

(Genesis 21:8) What is meant by what is written, "And the child grew"? In the future the Holy One, blessed be He, will make a banquet for the righteous on the day He bestows lovingkindness upon the seed of Isaac. After they eat and drink, they give Abraham the cup of blessing to recite the grace. He says, I will not recite the blessing, for Ishmael came forth from me. He says to Isaac, Take it and bless. He says, I will not recite the blessing, for Esau came forth from me. He says to Jacob, Take it and bless. He says, I will not recite the blessing, for I married two sisters in their lifetimes, which the Torah was destined to forbid me. He says to Moses, Take it and bless. He says, I will not recite the blessing, for I did not merit to enter the Land of Israel, neither in my life nor in my death. He says to Joshua, Take it and bless. He says, I will not recite the blessing, for I did not merit a son, as it is written (1 Chronicles 7:27), "Nun his son, Joshua his son." He says to David, Take it, you, and bless. And he says, I will bless, and it is fitting for me to bless, as it is said (Psalms 116:13), "I will lift up the cup of salvations" and so on.

"And the child grew and was weaned." That he was weaned from the evil inclination to the good inclination. And the Rabbis said: That he was weaned from his milk.

"And Abraham made a great feast." The Eternal One of the worlds was there. "And the king made a great feast" (Esther 1:3), the Eternal One of the worlds was there. This is what is written (Deuteronomy 30:9), "For the LORD will again rejoice over you for good," in the days of Mordecai and Esther; "as He rejoiced over your fathers," in the days of Abraham. Another interpretation: the great ones [gedolim] were there. Og and all the great ones of the kingdom were with him. They said to Og: Were you not saying that Abraham was a barren mule who does not father children? He said to them: And now, what is his gift? Is it not a feeble thing? If I put my finger on it, I would crush it. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You mock My gift. By your life, you shall see a thousand thousands and myriads of myriads come forth from his children's children, and the end of that man will be to fall by none other than their hand, as it is said (Numbers 21:34), "And the LORD said to Moses: Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand." Rabbi Levi said: No cradle was ever rocked before, except in the house of Abraham our father. For Rabbi Yehoshua son of Menachem said: Those thirty-two kings whom Joshua killed were all present at the feast in the house of Abraham our father. And were there not thirty-one? But it is as Rabbi Berekhiah and Rabbi Chelbo and Rabbi Parnach said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan (Joshua 12:9), "the king of Jericho, one": there is no need for Scripture to say "one," except that it means him and his viceroy.

The ninth trial: Ishmael was born and grew up skilled with the bow, as it is said, "And God was with the lad" and so on. He took a bow and arrows and would shoot from behind the curtain, and he saw Isaac sitting alone and shot an arrow at him to kill him. Sarah saw and told Abraham, saying to him: Thus and so did Ishmael do to Isaac. Arise and write for Isaac all that the Holy One, blessed be He, swore to give to you and to your seed, for the son of this maidservant shall not inherit together with my son Isaac. Sarah said: Write a bill of divorce, send away this maidservant and her son from me and from Isaac my son, from this world and from the world to come. And of all the evils that came upon Abraham, this matter was evil in his eyes.

"Whatever Sarah says to you, listen to her voice" (Genesis 21:12). There is one who listens and is rewarded (as is written in remez 33). "For through Isaac shall offspring be called to you" (Genesis 21:12): through Isaac, but not all of Isaac. The word "through Isaac" [be-Yitzchak, whose letter bet has the numerical value two] hints at two: through the one who acknowledges the two worlds [this world and the world to come]. "And he took bread and a skin of water" (Genesis 21:14), for such is the way of servants, who draw water in their jugs. "He placed it on her shoulder, and the child": but Ishmael was seventeen years old, and you say He placed him on her shoulder? Rather, this teaches that Sarah cast an evil eye upon him, and because of this he fell ill, and a fever and pains entered him. You may know this is so, for it is written, "And the water in the skin was used up" (Genesis 21:15), since it is the way of a sick person to drink at every hour. "And she cast the child under one of the bushes" (Genesis 21:15): it was a broom shrub, for such bushes [retamim] grow in the wilderness. They are called "bushes" [sichim] because there the ministering angels conversed [hesichu] with her. "And she went and sat herself down at a distance" (Genesis 21:16). Here it says "at a distance," meaning far off, while elsewhere it says, "Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure" (Joshua 3:4). From this we learn that "opposite" [neged] in "at a distance" [mi-neged] means far off, derived from the word "far" [rachok].

Another interpretation of "as far as a bowshot" (Genesis 21:16): the distance of two bowshots is a mil. Rabbi Berechiah said: it means she was flinging words [matachat] against her Creator. She said: Yesterday You told me, "I will greatly multiply your offspring," and now he is dying of thirst! This is the meaning of what is written, "You have counted my wanderings; put my tears in Your bottle; are they not in Your record?" (Psalms 56:9). Like that woman with the bottle: "Are they not in Your record?" Just as it is written in Your book, "Be not deaf to my tears" (Psalms 39:13). To Hagar's tears You were not deaf; will You then be deaf to mine? And should you say it was because she was a convert that she was beloved, I too am one, as it says, "For I am a stranger with You, a sojourner like all my fathers" (Psalms 39:13). "And an angel of God called to Hagar" (Genesis 21:17): through the merit of Abraham. "Where he is" (Genesis 21:17): through his own merit. The prayer of the sick person for himself is better than the prayer of others on his behalf. The ministering angels sprang forward to accuse him. They said before Him: Master of the universe, a man whose descendants are destined to kill Your children with thirst, will You raise up a well for him? He said to them: What is he now, righteous or wicked? They said to Him: Righteous. He said to them: I judge a person only according to his present hour.

If a person said, "It is forbidden to me as a vow that I derive no benefit from the seed of Abraham," he is forbidden to benefit from Israel but permitted to benefit from the nations of the world. But is there not Ishmael, who is also of Abraham's seed? The verse states, "For through Isaac shall offspring be called to you" (Genesis 21:12), so Ishmael is excluded. But is there not Esau, who descends from Isaac? Scripture says "through Isaac," meaning through some of Isaac, but not all of Isaac, so Esau too is excluded.

"And Abraham rose early... and took bread... and sent her away" (Genesis 21:14): with a writ of divorce. And he took the veil and tied it about her waist, to make known that she was a maidservant. Moreover, he wished to see his son Ishmael, and to know the road by which they would go. Ishmael was seventeen years old when he left his father's house, and through the merit of Abraham our father the water did not run out from the skin. But when they reached the edge of the wilderness, Hagar began to stray after the idolatry of her father's house, and at once the water ran out, and Ishmael's soul fainted with thirst. He went and cast himself under the desert thornbushes to sleep, and he said: O God of my father Abraham, there are issues of death before You; take my soul that I not die of thirst. And his prayer was granted, as it says, "For God has heard the voice of the lad" (Genesis 21:17). And there was opened for him the well that was created at twilight. They went and drank and filled the skin, and from there they set out and went through the whole wilderness until they reached the wilderness of Paran, where they found springs of water and settled. Ishmael sent and took a wife from the daughters of Moab, and her name was Asiyah. After three years Abraham went to see Ishmael, having sworn to Sarah that he would not dismount from the camel in the place where Ishmael dwelt. He arrived there at midday and found Ishmael's wife. He said to her: Where is Ishmael? She said: He and his mother have gone to bring fruit and dates from the wilderness. He said to her: Give me a little bread and a little water, for my soul is faint from the journey of the wilderness. She said: I have neither bread nor water. He said to her: When Ishmael comes, tell him these words, and say to him: Change the threshold of your house, for it is not good for you and not fitting for you. When Ishmael came, she told him the words. A wise son is like half a sage: Ishmael understood and sent her away. His mother sent and took for him a wife from her father's house, and her name was Fatimah. After another three years Abraham went again to see Ishmael, having sworn to Sarah that he would not dismount from the camel in the place where Ishmael dwelt. He arrived there at midday and found Ishmael's wife (and so forth, until) at once she brought out food and gave it to him. Abraham stood and prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, for his son, and Ishmael's house was filled with all good things, with wealth and blessings. When Ishmael came, she told him of this, and Ishmael knew that even now his father's mercy was upon him, "as a father has mercy on his children" (Psalms 103:13). "Arise, lift up the lad" (Genesis 21:18): "And she went and filled the skin" (Genesis 21:19): this tells you she was deficient in faith.

"And God was with the lad, and he grew" (Genesis 21:20). Rabbi Ishmael asked Rabbi Akiva: Because you served Nahum of Gimzo for twenty-two years, who would expound that the words "akh" and "rak" indicate limitations, and "et" and "gam" indicate inclusions, what does the word "et" written here mean? He said to him: Had it been written "And God was with the lad," the matter would have been difficult; but it says "with [et] the lad." Rabbi Ishmael said to him: "For it is not an empty thing" (Deuteronomy 32:47), and if it is empty, the emptiness is from you, for you do not know how to expound. Rather, "et the lad" includes him and his donkey drivers and his camel drivers and the members of his household. "And he became an archer" [rove keshet] (Genesis 21:20): he grew great, and his hardness [kashyuto] remained with him, great over all who shoot the bow. "And his mother took for him a wife from the land of Egypt" (Genesis 21:21). Rabbi Yitzchak said: Throw a stick into the air and it lands back on its root. So, because it is written, "And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar" (Genesis 16:1), therefore "his mother took for him a wife from the land of Egypt."

Let a person keep matters in his heart, that he not enter into a partnership of affairs with a gentile, for in the end he will cut a covenant with him. Abraham cut a covenant with Abimelech, as it says, "And Abraham took sheep and oxen" and so forth. The ministering angels said: Master of the universe, You chose for Yourself one unique man out of seventy nations, and he has cut a covenant with the nations of the world! He said to them: I gave him an only son, and I say to him, "Offer him up before Me"; if he offers him up, well and good, and if not, you are right to speak. As it says, "And it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham" (Genesis 22:1). From here they said: there is no nation in the world that subjugated Israel more than this one, as the reward for the covenant that Abraham cut with Abimelech king of the Philistines (alone). From here they said: anyone who enters into a partnership of affairs with a gentile will in the end cut a covenant with him. And if he is a Torah scholar, he degrades his Torah and degrades his father's name, and he widows his wife and orphans his children, and he does not fill out his days, and he attaches an evil name to himself and to his children and to his children's children until the end of all generations.

"And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech said" (Genesis 21:22). "When the LORD is pleased with a man's ways" (Proverbs 16:7) refers to Abraham; "even his enemies are at peace with him." "Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his host": Rabbi Yehuda says Phicol was his name; Rabbi Nechemiah says it means "the mouth that all his hosts kiss [noshkin] upon his command [piv]." "God is with you in all that you do" (Genesis 21:22). The nations of the world used to say: if he were righteous he would have begotten children. Once he begot a child, they said to him, "God is with you in all that you do." If he were righteous he would not have listened to his wife's voice to drive out his son; but once God said, "In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice," they said, "God is with you in all that you do." If he were righteous he would not have driven out his firstborn son; once they saw his deeds, they said, "God is with you." "Since God is with you, swear to me that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my grandson" (Genesis 21:23): up to here the mercy of a father reaches for a son; up to here for partner brothers. It is written, "My enemies are vigorous and strong" (Psalms 38:20): what was given to Abraham for seven generations was given to Abimelech for three. Why? "God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines" (Exodus 13:17), because his grandson was still alive. "According to the kindness I have done you" (Genesis 21:23): what kindness did he do him? "Behold, my land is before you" (Genesis 20:15), yet Abraham did not accept it. "And Abraham reproved Abimelech" (Genesis 21:25): any love without reproof is not love; reproof brings peace, and any peace without reproof is not peace. "Concerning the well of water which they had seized": who is a robber? One who robs in public, as it says, "And they robbed all who passed by them on the road"; just as a road is public, so robbery is in public. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai brings it from here: "You bring what is stolen, and the lame, and the sick" (Malachi 1:13); just as lame and sick are blemishes in the open, so robbery is in the open. Resh Lakish said: before ten witnesses it is robbery. Rabbi Tanchum said: he is not truly a robber until he seizes it from the victim's own hand, as it says, "And he seized the spear from the Egyptian's hand." "And Abimelech said: I do not know who did this thing; you did not tell me, and I also did not hear of it" (Genesis 21:26): you did not tell me by your own word, and I also did not hear of it by means of an angel. "For these seven ewe-lambs you shall take from my hand" (Genesis 21:30). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You gave him seven ewe-lambs; by your life, I will delay the joy of your descendants for seven generations. You gave him seven ewe-lambs; correspondingly, seven righteous ones of your descendants will be slain: Samson, Hophni, Phinehas, Saul and his three sons. You gave him seven ewe-lambs; by your life, correspondingly seven sanctuaries of your descendants will be destroyed: the Tent of Meeting, Nob, Gilgal, Gibeon, Shiloh, and the two eternal Houses. You gave him seven ewe-lambs; correspondingly My ark will dwell in the field of the Philistines seven months. The rabbis say: the shepherds of Abimelech were disputing with the shepherds of Abraham. These said the well is ours, and those said the well is ours. The shepherds of Abraham said: whoever's flock the waters rise to greet, the well is his. When the waters saw Abraham's flock, they immediately rose. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: you are a sign for your children. Just as for you, when the waters saw your flock they immediately rose, so for your children, when the well sees them it will immediately rise of itself, as it is written, "Then Israel sang... spring up, O well" (Numbers 21:17). Rabbi Yitzchak said: it does not say "because it was for me," but "that it may be a witness for me."

"And he planted a tamarisk [eshel] in Beer-sheba" (Genesis 21:33): this teaches that he planted an orchard and planted in it every kind of choice fruit. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nechemiah differed: one said it was an orchard, and one said it was an inn. According to the one who said an orchard, this is why it is written "and he planted"; but according to the one who said an inn, what is the source? As it is written, "And he shall plant the tents of his palace [apadno]" (Daniel 11:45). "And he called there on the name of the LORD, God of the world" (Genesis 21:33): do not read "and he called" [vayikra], but "and he caused to call" [vayakri]. This teaches that Abraham our father caused the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, to be proclaimed by the mouth of every passerby. After they had eaten and drunk, they rose to bless him. He said to them: Did you then eat of what is mine? You ate of what belongs to the One to whom the whole world belongs. Give thanks and bless and praise the One who spoke and the world came into being.

Rabbi Judah says: the word eshel means "ask" [reading it as a place where a traveler could say], "Ask whatever you wish to ask: grapes, figs, pomegranates." Rabbi Nehemiah says: the eshel was an inn, [where Abraham] would say to them, "Ask whatever you wish to ask: meat, wine, eggs." Rabbi Ze'ira in the name of Rabbi Judah bar Simon said: this eshel is the Sanhedrin, as you say, "And Saul was sitting in Gibeah under the tamarisk tree (eshel) on the height" (1 Samuel 22:6). According to the opinion of Rabbi Nehemiah, who said the eshel was an inn, Abraham, and so forth. "And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days" (Genesis 21:34): more than those years he spent in Hebron, for in Hebron he spent twenty-five years, and in Gerar he spent twenty-six years.

"And it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham" (Genesis 22:1). [It is written,] "You have given a banner (nes) to those who fear You, to be raised up (lehitnoses), because of the truth, Selah" (Psalms 60:6): trial (nisayon) after trial, greatness after greatness. What is the meaning of "You have given a banner to those who fear You"? In order to raise them up, to test them in the world. Another interpretation: to make them great like the banner of a ship. And why all this? For the sake of "the truth, Selah": so that the attribute of justice may be made beautiful in the world. For if a person should say to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, makes rich whomever He wishes, makes poor whomever He wishes, and makes king whomever He wishes, and that Abraham, when He wished, He made him rich, and when He wished, He made him king, you may answer him: Can you do what Abraham did? "Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him" (Genesis 21:5), and after all this anguish it was said to him, "Take now your son," and he did not hold back.