Not just for a little while, but potentially… forever. What would you do? How far would your trust in the divine stretch?
That’s the kind of situation Abraham faced, according to Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating early collection of Biblical stories and expansions. This text frames the story of Sarah being taken by Pharaoh as one of Abraham’s ten great trials.
The Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer asks a pretty pointed question: Wouldn't any normal person, seeing their wife taken by another man, tear their clothes in despair? Of course! That’s a completely natural reaction. But Abraham, according to this tradition, doesn't. Why? Because his faith in HaShem, the Holy One, blessed be He, was so profound that he trusted God would protect Sarah.
Where do we even get this idea that Sarah was intended to become Pharaoh’s wife? Well, the text points us to Genesis 12:15: "And the princes of Pharaoh saw her.” It wasn't just a casual glance; they saw her with intention, likely considering her as a potential addition to Pharaoh's household.
And here’s where it gets even more interesting. Rabbi Joshua, son of Ḳorchah, brings in a fascinating parallel. He says that the night Sarah was taken was actually Pesach – Passover – night! On that very night, the Holy One, blessed be He, brought great plagues upon Pharaoh and his house. Why? To show a preview, a kind of divine trailer, of what was to come when He would later strike the Egyptians to liberate the Israelites. The same divine power that protected Sarah in Pharaoh's house would ultimately free an entire nation from slavery. It’s a powerful connection.
The text then quotes Genesis 12:17, "And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues.” It then directs us to Exodus 11:1, "Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt.” The text asks, is the slaying of the firstborn really considered just one more plague? Wasn’t it the ultimate plague? The answer given is that the slaying is compared to the plagues that befell Pharaoh during Sarah's abduction, hence the verse "And the Lord plagued Pharaoh". The Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer is telling us to see these events as interconnected demonstrations of God's power and protection.
So, what do we take away from this? It’s more than just a story about a historical event. It's about unwavering faith in the face of unimaginable adversity. It’s about recognizing the threads of divine intervention woven throughout our history. It’s about trusting, even when everything seems lost, that we are not alone and that a power greater than ourselves is watching over us. Can we all muster that level of trust in our own lives? That's the challenge.