Chumashחומש

עגלה משלשת. שְׁלשָׁה עֲגָלִים; רֶמֶז לִשְׁלֹשָׁה פָרִים, פַּר יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וּפַר הֶעְלֵם דָּבָר שֶׁל צִבּוּר וְעֶגְלָה עֲרוּפָה:

עגלה משלשת means THREE HEIFERS: symbolical of three sacrifices of bullocks, viz., the bullock offered on the Day of Atonement, the bullock offered when the correct interpretation of a precept was unknown (העלם) to leaders of the nation (see Leviticus 4:13), and the heifer whose neck had to be broken (see Deuteronomy 21:4) (Genesis Rabbah 44:14).

ועז משלשת. רֶמֶז לְשָׂעִיר הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בִּפְנִים וּשְׂעִירֵי מוּסָפִין שֶׁל מוֹעֵד וּשְׂעִיר חַטַּאת יָחִיד:

ועז משולשת THREE GOATS — symbolical of the goat the blood of which was sprinkled in the Holy of Holies, of the goats of the additional sacrifices on Festivals, and of the goat brought as a sin-offering by an individual (Genesis Rabbah 44:14).

ואיל משלש. אֲשַׁם וַדַּאי וְאָשָׁם תָּלוּי וְכִבְשָׂה שֶׁל חַטַּאת יָחִיד:

ואיל משולש AND THREE RAMS—symbolical of the trespass offering brought by a man who knows for certain that he has committed certain offences, the offering brought by a man who is in doubt whether he has committed such offence, and the ewe brought by an individual as a sin-offering.

ותור וגוזל. תּוֹר וּבֶן יוֹנָה (בראשית רבה):

ותור וגוזל means A TURTLE DOVE AND A YOUNG PIGEON (Genesis Rabbah 44:14).

ויבתר אתם. חָלַק כָּל אֶחָד לִשְׁנֵי חֲלָקִים; וְאֵין הַמִּקְרָא יוֹצֵא מִידֵי פְשׁוּטוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה כוֹרֵת בְּרִית עִמּוֹ לִשְׁמֹר הַבְטָחָתוֹ לְהוֹרִיש לְבָנָיו אֶת הָאָרֶץ כְּדִכְתִיב בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כָּרַת ה' אֶת אַבְרָם בְּרִית לֵאמֹר וְגוֹמֵר, וְדֶרֶך כּוֹרְתֵי בְרִית לְחַלֵּק בְּהֵמָה וְלַעֲבֹר בֵּין בְּתָרֶיהָ, כְּמַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר לְהַלָּן הָעֹבְרִים בֵּין בִּתְרֵי הָעֵגֶל (ירמיה ל"ד), אַף כָּאן תַנּוּר עָשָׁן וְלַפִּיד אֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָבַר בֵּין הַגְּזָרִים הוּא שְׁלוּחוֹ שֶׁל שְׁכִינָה, שֶׁהוּא אֵשׁ.

ויבתר אתם AND HE SPLIT THEM — He divided each into two portions. This verse does not lose its literal meaning although there are various Midrashic explanations of it. Since He was making a covenant with him to keep His promise to give the land as an inheritance to his children — as it is written (Genesis 15:18), “In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying …” — and as it was the custom for parties to a covenant to divide an animal and to pass between its parts, as it is said elsewhere (Jeremiah 34:19) “who passed between the parts of the calf”, so also here the smoking furnace and the flaming torch which passed between the pieces (Genesis 15:17) were representative of the Divine Shechinah which is spoken of as fire.

ואת הצפור לא בתר. לְפִי שֶׁהָאֻמּוֹת נִמְשְׁלוּ לְפָרִים וְאֵילִים וּשְֹעִירִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר סְבָבוּנִי פָּרִים רַבִּים וְגוֹ' (תהל' כ"ב), וְאוֹמֵר הָאַיִל אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתָ בַּעַל הַקְּרָנָיִם מַלְכֵי מָדַי וּפָרָס (דניאל ח'), וְאוֹמֵר וְהַצָּפִיר הַשָּׂעִיר מֶלֶךְ יָוָן (שם), וְיִשְֹרָאֵל נִמְשְׁלוּ לִבְנֵי יוֹנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר יוֹנָתִי בְּחַגְוֵי הַסֶּלַע (שיר השירים ב'), לְפִיכָךְ בִּתֵּר הַבְּהֵמוֹת, רֶמֶז שֶׁיִּהְיוּ הָאֻמּוֹת כָּלִים וְהוֹלְכִים, ואת הצפור לא בתר, רֶמֶז שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְֹרָאֵל קַיָּמִין לְעוֹלָם:

ואת הצפור לא בתר BUT THE BIRDS SPLIT HE NOT — Because other nations are compared to bulls, rams and goats, as it is said (Psalms 22:13) “Many bulls have encompassed me”, and it says, (Daniel 8:20) “The ram which thou sawest having two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia” and it further says, (Daniel 8:21) “And the rough he-goat is the king of Greece” — and Israel is compared to young doves, as it is written, (Song 2:14) ‘‘O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock” — he therefore divided the animals indicating that other nations will gradually perish, ואת הצפור לא בתר but “the birds split he not”, suggesting thereby that Israel will live forever (Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer 28).

העיט. הוּא עוֹף, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהוּא עָט וְשׁוֹאֵף אֶל הַנְּבֵלוֹת לָטוּשׂ עֲלֵי אֹכֶל, כְּמוֹ וַתַּעַט אֶל הַשָּׁלָל (שמואל א ט"ו):

העיט THE BIRD OF PREY— It is a bird so called because it swoops down (עט) greedily upon dead bodies, darting quickly upon its food. Similarly we have the verbal form (1 Samuel 15:19) “And thou didst pounce down (ותעט) upon the spoil”.

על הפגרים. עַל הַבְּתָרִים. הַפְּגָרִים מְתַרְגְּמִינָן פַּגְלַיָּא, אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהֻרְגְּלוּ לְתַרְגֵּם "איש בִּתְרוֹ" וִיהַב פַּלְגַּיָּא, נִתְחַלֵּף לָהֶם תֵּבַת פַּגְלַיָּא לְפַלְגַּיָּא, וְתִרְגְּמוּ הַפְּגָרִים פַּלְגַּיָּא; וְכָל הַמְתַרְגֵּם כֵּן טוֹעֶה, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין לְהַקִּיש בְּתָרִים לִפְגָרִים, שֶׁבְּתָרִים תַּרְגּוּמוֹ פַּלְגַּיָּא, וּפְגָרִים תַּרְגּוּמוֹ פַּגְלַיָּא, לְשׁוֹן פִּגּוּל, כְּמוֹ פִּגּוּל הוּא (ויקרא ז') לְ' פֶּגֶר:

על הפגרים UPON THE CARCASSES i.e. the pieces of the carcasses. — The word הפגרים we should translate in the Targum by פגל) פגליא being the same as פגר); since, however, people were familiar with the Targum’s translation of the words איש בתרו (in Genesis 5:10) ‘‘each piece” by פלגיא (the halves), the word פגליא here was mistakenly changed by them into פלגיא and so they gave the Targum of פגרים (carcasses) by פלגיא (halves). But whoever renders it thus in the Targum is wrong for there is no comparison (similarity in meaning) between בתרים and פגרים; for the Targum of בתרים is פלגיא (“parts”, from פלג “to divide”,) whilst the Targum of פגרים is פגליא, which has the sense of פגול, something; abhorrent, as (Leviticus 7:18) פגול הוא “it shall be an abhorred thing”, similar in sense to פגר a carcass.

וישב. לְשׁוֹן נְשִׁיבָה וְהַפְרָחָה, כְּמוֹ יַשֵּׁב רוּחוֹ (תה' קמ"ז), רֶמֶז שֶׁיָּבֹא דָוִד בֶּן יִשַּׁי לְכַלּוֹתָם, וְאֵין מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ:

וישב [AND ABRAM] SCARED THEM AWAY — The word means “blowing upon a thing and making a thing fly away”, similar to (Psalms 147:18) יַשֵּׁב רוחו “He causeth His wind to blow”. It is a symbol that David, the son of Jesse, will wish to destroy them (the nations), but that he will not be permitted by God to do so until king Messiah comes (Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer 28).

והנה אימה וגו'. רֶמֶז לְצָרוֹת וְחשֶׁךְ שֶׁל גָּלִיּוֹת:

'והנה אימה וגו AND, LO, AN HORROR etc. — This is symbolic of the woes and the gloom of the Jews in Exile (Genesis Rabbah 44:17).

כי גר יהיה זרעך. מִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד יִצְחָק עַד שֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְֹרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה כֵּיצַד? יִצְחָק בֶּן שִׁשִּׁים שָׁנָה כְּשֶׁנּוֹלַד יַעֲקֹב, וְיַעֲקֹב כְּשֶׁיָּרַד לְמִצְרַיִם אָמַר יְמֵי שְׁנֵי מְגוּרַי שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה, הֲרֵי ק"צ, וּבְמִצְרַיִם הָיוּ מָאתַיִם וְעֶשֶׂר כְּמִנְיַן רְד"וּ, הֲרֵי אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה. וְאִם תֹּאמַר בְּמִצְרַיִם הָיוּ אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת, הֲרֵי קְהָת מִיּוֹרְדֵי מִצְרַיִם הָיָה, צֵא וַחֲשֹׁב שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל קְהָת וְשֶׁל עַמְרָם וּשְׁמוֹנִים שֶׁל משֶׁה שֶׁהָיָה כְּשֶׁיֶָּצְאוּ יִשְֹרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם, אֵין אַתָּה מוֹצֵא אֶלָּא שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים, וְאַתָּה צָרִיךְ לְהוֹצִיא מֵהֶן כָּל הַשָּׁנִים שֶׁחַי קְהָת אַחַר לֵדַת עַמְרָם וְשֶׁחַי עַמְרָם אַחַר לֵדַת משֶׁה:

כי גר יהיה זרעך THAT THY SEED SHALL BE A STRANGER — From the birth of Isaac until Israel left Egypt was a period of 400 years. How so? Isaac was 60 years old when Jacob was born, and Jacob when he went down to Egypt himself stated, (Genesis 47:9) “The days of the years of my sojournings are a hundred and thirty years”, making together 190 years. In Egypt they were 210 years — corresponding to the numerical value of the word רדו (see Rashi in Genesis 42:2) — making altogether 400 years. If, however, you say that they were in Egypt 400 years — well, Kohath was one of those who went down to Egypt with Jacob; go and add up the years of Kohath (130), those of Amram (137), and the 80 years that Moses was old when Israel left Egypt, and you only have about 350, and you really have to deduct all the years that Kohath lived after Amram was born, and those that Amram lived after the birth of Moses (Megillah 9a).

בארץ לא להם. לֹא נֶאֱמַר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, אֶלָּא לֹא לָהֶם – וּמִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד יִצְחָק וַיָּגָר אַבְרָהָם וְגוֹ' (בר' כ"א), וּבְיִצְחָק גּוּר בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹאת (שם כ"ו), וְיַעֲקֹב גָּר בְּאֶרֶץ חָם (תה' ק"ה), לָגוּר בָּאָרֶץ בָּאנוּ (בר' מ"ז):

בארץ לא להם IN A LAND THAT IS NOT THEIRS — It does not say here in the land of Egypt but in a land that is not theirs; for soon after Isaac was born it states, (Genesis 21:34) “And Abraham sojourned (ויגר) [in the land of the Philistines]”; in regard to Isaac it is said, (Genesis 26:3) “Sojourn (גור) in this land (Canaan)”, and of Jacob Scripture states, (Psalms 105:23) “Jacob sojourned (גר) in the land of Ham”, whilst of his sons it is said, (Genesis 47:4) “To sojourn (לגור) in the land (of Egypt) have we come”.

וגם את הגוי. וְגַם לְרַבּוֹת ד' מַלְכֻיּוֹת, שֶׁאַף הֵן כָּלִים עַל שֶׁשִּׁעְבְּדוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל:

וגם את הגוי AND ALSO THAT NATION — The word וגם and also—(that nation also will I judge)—suggests that other nations will be judged as well: it is used here to include the four Monarchies (of the book of Daniel) who also will perish because they enslaved Israel (Genesis Rabbah 44:19).

דן אנכי. בְּעֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת:

דן אנכי I WILL JUDGE with ten plagues (Genesis Rabbah 44:20).

ברכש גדול. בְּמָמוֹן גָּדוֹל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְנַצְּלוּ אֶת מִצְרָיִם (שמות י"ב):

ברכוש גדול WITH GREAT SUBSTANCE — with great wealth, as it is said, (Exodus 12:36) “And they despoiled the Egyptians.”

ואתה תבוא. וְלֹא תִרְאֶה כָּל אֵלֶה:

ואתה תבוא BUT THOU SHALT COME etc. Thou shalt not behold all this.

אל אבותיך. אָבִיו עוֹבֵד עֲ"זָ וְהוּא מְבַשְּׂרוֹ שֶׁיָּבֹא אֵלָיו? לִמֶּדְךָ שֶׁעָשָׂה תֶּרַח תְּשׁוּבָה:

אל אבותיך UNTO THY FATHERS — His father was an idolator and yet it (the text) announced to him that he (Abraham) would go to him! But this teaches you that Terah repented of his evil ways (Genesis Rabbah 30:4).

תקבר בשיבה טובה. בִּשְּׂרוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה יִשְׁמָעֵאל תְּשׁוּבָה בְּיָמָיו, וְלֹא יֵצֵא עֵשָׂו לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה בְּיָמָיו; וּלְפִיכָךְ מֵת ה' שָׁנִים קֹדֶם זְמַנּוֹ, וּבוֹ בַיּוֹם מָרַד עֵשָׂו:

תקבר בשיבה טובה THOU SHALT BE BURIED IN A GOOD OLD AGE — He announced to him that Ishmael would repent during his (Abraham’s) life-time (Genesis Rabbah 38:12). Esau, too, did, not become degenerate during Abraham’s life-time. It was just for this reason (in order that he might not witness Esau’s evil conduct) that Abraham died five years before his proper time, for the very day when he died Esau rebelled against God (Genesis Rabbah 63:12).

ודור רביעי. לְאַחַר שֶׁיִּגְלוּ לְמִצְרַיִם יִהְיוּ שָׁם ג' דּוֹרוֹת, וְהָרְבִיעִי יָשׁוּבוּ לָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, לְפִי שֶׁבְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן הָיָה מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, וְכָרַת בְּרִית זוֹ, כְּדִכְתִיב: לָתֶת לְךָ אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לְרִשְׁתָּהּ. וְכֵן הָיָה: יַעֲקֹב יָרַד לְמִצְרַיִם, צֵא וַחֲשֹׁב דּוֹרוֹתָיו: יְהוּדָה, פֶּרֶץ, וְחֶצְרוֹן, וְכָלֵב בֶּן חֶצְרוֹן מִבָּאֵי הָאָרֶץ הָיָה:

ודור רביעי BUT A FOURTH GENERATION — i.e. after they go into exile in Egypt they will be there three generations, and the fourth will return to this land (הֵנָה hither). For He was then speaking to him in the land of Canaan and it was there that He made this covenant, as it is written (v.7) “to give thee this land to inherit it”. Thus it really was: Jacob went down to Egypt. Go and count up his generations: Judah, Perez, Hezron— and Caleb (whose father Jephuneh is identified with Hezron, see Sotah 11b) was amongst those who entered the land of Canaan.

כי לא שלם עון האמרי. לִהְיוֹת מִשְׁתַּלֵּחַ מֵאַרְצוֹ עַד אוֹתוֹ זְמַן, שֶׁאֵין הַקָּבָּ"ה נִפְרָע מֵאֻמָּה עַד שֶׁתִּתְמַלֵּא סְאָתָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּסַאסְּאָה בְּשַׁלְחָהּ תְּרִיבֶנָּה (יש' כ"ז):

כי לא שלם עון האמורי FOR THE INIQUITY OF THE AMORITE IS NOT YET FULL enough that he should be driven out of his land until that time, for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not exact punishment from any nation until its measure is full, as it is said, (Isaiah 27:8) “In her full measure wilt thou contend with her when thou sendest her away” (Sotah 9a).

ויהי השמש באה. כְּמוֹ וַיְהִי הֵם מְרִיקִים שַׂקֵּיהֶם (בראשית מ"ב), וַיְהִי הֵם קֹבְרִים אִישׁ (מלכים ב י"ג), כְּלוֹמַר, וַיְהִי דָּבָר זֶה:

ויהי השמש באה AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE SUN WENT DOWN —Similar syntactical constructions are (42:35) ויהי הם מריקים שקיהם “And it came to pass when they were emptying their sacks”, and (2 Kings 13:21) ויהי הם קוברים איש “and it came to pass when they were burying a man” — as much as to say, and this thing happened (i. e. after ויהי supply the words דבר זה: “And this thing happened: the sun set etc.”)

השמש באה. שָׁקְעָה:

השמש באה THE SUN CAME — i.e. set.

ועלטה היה. חָשַׁךְ הַיּוֹם:

ועלטה היה THERE WAS THICK DARKNESS — darkness during the day-time

והנה תנור עשן וגו'. רָמַז לוֹ שֶׁיִּפְּלוּ הַמַּלְכֻיּוֹת בַּגֵּיהִנֹּם:

'והנה תנור עשן וגו BEHOLD A SMOKING FURNACE — He foreshadowed to him that these Monarchies would descend into Gehinom (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 28).

באה. טַעֲמוֹ לְמַעְלָה, לְכָךְ הוּא מְבֹאָר שֶׁבָּא כְבָר. וְאִם הָיָה טַעֲמוֹ לְמַטָּה, בָּאָלֶ"ף, הָיָה מְבֹאָר כְּשֶׁהִיא שׁוֹקַעַת; וְאִ"אֶ לוֹמַר כֵּן, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְבָר כְּתִיב וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לָבוֹא, וְהַעֲבָרַת תַּנּוּר עָשָׁן לְאַחַר מִכָּאן הָיְתָה, נִמְצָא שֶׁכְּבָר שָׁקְעָה; וְזֶה חִלּוּק בְּכָל תֵּבָה לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה שֶׁיְּסוֹדָהּ שְׁתֵּי אוֹתִיּוֹת, כְּמוֹ בָּא, קָם, שָׁב: כְּשֶׁהַטַּעַם לְמַעְלָה, לְשׁוֹן עָבַר הוּא, כְּגוֹן זֶה, וּכְגוֹן וְרָחֵל בָּאָה, קָמָה אֲלֻמָּתִי, הִנֵּה שָׁבָה יְבִמְתֵּךְ, וּכְשֶׁהַטַּעַם לְמַטָּה הוּא לְשׁוֹן הוֹוֶה, דָּבָר שֶׁנַּעֲשֶׂה עַכְשָׁו וְהוֹלֵךְ, כְּמוֹ בָּאָה עִם הַצֹּאן, בָּעֶרֶב הִיא בָאָה וּבַבֹּקֶר הִיא שָׁבָה:

באה IT (SHE) CAME — The accent is on the first syllable, consequently it must signify that it (the sun) had already set. If, however, the accent were on the last syllable, on the א, it would signify that there was darkness whilst it was setting (i. e. the former is a perfect, the latter a participle). It is impossible to explain it thus here (that it means the sun was setting) because it has already been stated (v. 12) “And it came to pass that when the sun was setting”, and the passing of the smoking furnace took place after this — consequently the sun had set already when it passed. This is the difference in the case of every word (verb), feminine gender, whose root has two letters, as בא ,קם ,שב: when the accent is on the first syllable, it is the perfect tense, as is this word באה here, and like (19:9) “And Rachel (באה) came”; (37:7) “And my sheaf קמה arose”; (Ruth 1:15) “Behold, thy sister-in-law (שבה) has gone back”; but when the accent is on the last syllable it is a present tense (participle), denoting an action being done now and continuing to be done, as for instance, (29:6) “She is coming (באה) with the sheep”; (Ester 2:14) “In the evening she used to come (באה) and in the morning (שבה) she used to return”.

לזרעך נתתי. אֲמִירָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּבָּ"ה כְּאִלוּ הִיא עֲשׂוּיָה:

לזרעך נתתי UNTO THY SEED HAVE I GIVEN — The promise of the Holy One, blessed be He, is as an accomplished fact. (Consequently the perfect tense is here used) (Genesis Rabbah 44:22).

הנהר הגדול. לְפִי שֶׁהוּא דָבוּק לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל קוֹרְאֵהוּ גָּדוֹל, אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁהוּא מְאֻחָר בְּאַרְבָּעָה נְהָרוֹת הַיּוֹצְאִים מֵעֵדֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהַנָּהָר הָרְבִיעִי הוּא פְרָת. מָשָׁל הֶדְיוֹט: עֶבֶד מֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ, הִדָּבֵק לַשַּׁחֲוָר וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ (בראשית רבה):

הנהר הגדול THE GREAT RIVER—Because it is associated with (mentioned in connection with; see Rashi on Deuteronomy 1:7) the land of Israel, Scripture calls it “great” although it is the last mentioned of the four rivers that went out of Eden — as it is said (Genesis 2:14). And the fourth river is the Euphrates”. There is a popular proverb: “A king’s servant is a king; attach yourself to a captain and people will bow down to you” (Genesis Rabbah 16:3).

את הקני. עֶשֶׂר אֻמּוֹת יֵשׁ כָּאן וְלֹא נָתַן לָהֶם אֶלָּא שִׁבְעָה גוֹיִם, וְהַשְּׁלשָׁה אֱדוֹם וּמוֹאָב וְעַמּוֹן, וְהֵם קֵינִי, קְנִזִּי, וְקַדְּמוֹנִי עֲתִידִים לִהְיוֹת יְרֻשָּׁה לֶעָתִיד (בראשית רבה), שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֱדוֹם וּמוֹאָב מִשְׁלוֹחַ יָדָם וּבְנֵי עַמּוֹן מִשְׁמַעְתָּם (ישעיה י"א):

The Kenites. Ten nations are listed here, [yet] He gave to them only [the land] of Seven Nations. The three [whose lands were not given], Edom, Moav, and Ammon which are [referred to here as]: Keini, Knizi, and Kadmoni are destined to be possessed in the future, as it is said: “They will overpower Edom and Moav and the Ammonites will obey them.”

ואת הרפאים. אֶרֶץ עוֹג, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּהּ: הַהוּא יִקָּרֵא אֶרֶץ רְפָאִים (דברים ג'):

ואת הרפאים AND THE REPHAIM — the land Og King of Bashan, of which it said, (Deuteronomy 3:13) “All that (Bashan) is called the land of the Rephaim”.

שׁפחה מצרית. בַּת פַּרְעֹה הָיְתָה, כְּשֶׁרָאָה נִסִּים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לְשָׂרָה אָמַר: מוּטָב שֶׁתְּהֵא בִתִּי שִׁפְחָה בְּבַיִת זֶה וְלֹא גְבִירָה בְּבַיִת אַחֵר:

שפחה מצרית A HANDMAID, AN EGYPTIAN — She was a daughter of Pharaoh; when he saw the miracles which had been performed for Sarah’s take he said, “It is better for my daughter to be a handmaid in this man’s house than be mistress in another man’s house” (Genesis Rabbah 45:1).

אולי אבנה ממנה. לִמֵּד עַל מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בָּנִים שֶׁאֵינוֹ בָנוּי אֶלָּא הָרוּס:

אולי אבנה ממנה IT MAY BE THAT I SHALL BE BUILDED UP THROUGH HER — This statement of Sarah teaches that a person who has no children is not firmly established (literally, built up: his name and future are not perpetuated) but is unstable (lit, demolished) (Genesis Rabbah 45:2).

אבנה ממנה. בִּזְכוּת שֶׁאַכְנִיס צָרָתִי לְתוֹךְ בֵּיתִי:

אבנה ממנה I SHALL BE BUILDED UP THROUGH HER— through the merit that I admit her as a rival into my house.

לקול שרי. לְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁבָּהּ (בראשית רבה):

לקול שרי TO THE VOICE OF SARAI— to the Holy (prophetic) Spirit that was in her (Genesis Rabbah 45:2).

ותקח שרי. לְקָחַתָּהּ בִּדְבָרִים, אַשְׁרַיִךְ שֶׁזָּכִית לִדָּבֵק בְּגוּף קָדוֹשׁ כָּזֶה (בראשית רבה):

ותקח שרי AND (SARAI TOOK [HAGAR] — She took (won her over) by kindly speech saying, “Happy are you in that you will be privileged to consort with so holy a person as this” (Genesis Rabbah 45:3).

מקץ עשר שנים. מוֹעֵד הַקָּבוּעַ לְאִשָּׁה שֶׁשָּׁהֲתָה עֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים וְלֹא יָלְדָה לְבַעֲלָהּ, חַיָּב לִשָֹּא אַחֶרֶת:

מקץ עשר שנים AFTER [ABRAM HAD DWELT] TEN YEARS — the period appointed for a woman who has lived with her husband for ten years without having borne children to him when he is bound to take another.

לשבת אברם וגו'. מַגִּיד שֶׁאֵין יְשִׁיבַת חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ עוֹלָה לוֹ מִן הַמִּנְיָן (יב' ס"ד), לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר לוֹ וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל, עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא לְאֶרֶץ יִשְֹרָאֵל:

'לשבת אברם וגו [TEN YEARS] AFTER ABRAHAM HAD DWELT IN THE LAND OF CANAAN — As Abraham had been married to Sarah before he entered Canaan this statement virtually informs us that the period he dwelt outside the land was not to be included in the number of these ten years (Yevamot 64a), for the promise, “And I will make of thee a great nation” was made to him with the intention of being fulfilled only after he had come into the land of Israel.

ויבא אל הגר ותהר. מִבִּיאָה רִאשׁוֹנָה (בראשית רבה):

ויבא אל הגר ותהר AND HE CAME UNTO HAGAR AND SHE CONCEIVED from the first union (Genesis Rabbah 45:4).

ותקל גברתה בעיניה. אָמְרָה שָׂרַי זוֹ אֵין סִתְרָהּ כִּגְלוּיָהּ מַרְאָה עַצְמָהּ כְּאִלּוּ הִיא צַדֶּקֶת וְאֵינָהּ צַדֶּקֶת, שֶׁלֹּא זָכְתָה לְהֵרָיוֹן כָּל הַשָּׁנִים הַלָּלוּ, וַאֲנִי נִתְעַבַּרְתִּי מִבִּיאָה רִאשׁוֹנָה (בראשית רבה):

ותקל גברתה בעיניה HER MISTRESS WAS SLIGHTED IN HER EYES — She said, “As regards this woman Sarai, her conduct in private can certainly not be like that in public: she pretends to be a righteous woman, but she cannot really be righteous since all these years she has not been privileged to have children, whilst I have had that blessing from the first union” (Genesis Rabbah 45:4).

חמסי עליך. חָמָס הֶעָשׂוּי לִי, עָלֶיךָ אֲנִי מֵטִיל הָעֹנֶשׁ; כְּשֶׁהִתְפַּלַּלְתָּ לְהַקָּבָּ"ה מַה תִּתֶּן לִי וְאָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ עֲרִירִי, לֹא הִתְפַּלַּלְתָּ אֶלָּא עָלֶיךָ, וְהָיָה לְךָ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל שְׁנֵינוּ, וְהָיִיתִי אֲנִי נִפְקֶדֶת עִמְּךָ, וְעוֹד דְּבָרֶיךָ אַתָּה חוֹמֵס מִמֶּנִי, שֶׁאַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ בִּזְיוֹנִי וְשׁוֹתֵק (בראשית רבה):

חמסי עליך MY WRONG BE UPON THEE — The wrong done to me (חמסי)— the punishment for it I call down on you (עליך). “When you prayed to the Holy One, blessed be He, (15:2) ‘what wilt Thou give me, seeing that I go childless’, you prayed only on behalf of yourself whereas you should have prayed on behalf of both of us — then would I have been borne in mind (by God) together with you” (i.e. when you had the gift of a child it would have been “my” child also — not that of a strange woman). Besides this, you deprive me (חומס) of your protecting words since you hear how I am despised and yet you keep silent (Genesis Rabbah 45:5).

אנכי נתתי שפחתי וגו' ביני וביניך. כָּל בֵּינֶיךָ שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא חָסֵר, וְזֶה מָלֵא, קְרִי בֵיהּ וּבָנַיִךְ, שֶׁהִכְנִיסָה עַיִן הָרָע בְּעִבּוּרָהּ שֶׁל הָגָר וְהִפִּילָה עֻבָּרָהּ; הוּא שֶׁהַמַּלְאָךְ אוֹמֵר לְהָגָר הִנָּךְ הָרָה, וְהֲלֹא כְבָר הָרְתָה, וְהוּא מְבַשֵּׁר לָהּ שֶׁתַּהַר? אֶלָּא מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִפִּילָה הֵרָיוֹן הָרִאשׁוֹן:

'אנכי נתתי שפחתי וגו ביני וביניך I HAVE GIVEN MY HANDMAID etc… [MAY THE LORD JUDGE] BETWEEN ME AND THEE — Wherever this word “between thee” (masc.) occurs in Scripture it is written defective (i.e. without the second yod) whilst here it is written plene, therefore read it as וּבֵינָיִךְ (the fem form that corresponds to ביניך in our text — as though Sarah turned to Hagar saying “May God judge between me and thee”). Thus she cast the evil eye on Hagar so that she miscarried on this occasion. This explains what the angel said to Hagar, (16:11) הנך הרה “behold, thou wilt conceive”; but had she not already conceived and yet he announces to her that she would conceive? This therefore informs us that she miscarried in this, her first conception (cf. verse 11) (Genesis Rabbah 45:5).

ותענה שׁרי. הָיְתָה מְשַׁעְבֶּדֶת בָּהּ בְּקֹשִׁי (בראשית רבה):

ותענה שרי AND SARAI AFFLICTED HER — She compelled her to work hard (Genesis Rabbah 45:6).

מזה באת. מֵהֵיכָן בָּאת? יוֹדֵע הָיָה, אֶלָּא לִתֵּן לָהּ פֶּתַח לִכָּנֵס עִמָּהּ בִּדְבָרִים. וּלְשׁוֹן אֵי מִזֶּה: אַיֵּה הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁתֹּאמַר עָלָיו מִזֶּה אֲנִי בָאָה?

אי מזה באת WHENCE CAMEST THOU? — He knew it, but he asked this in order to give her a starting-point so that he might converse with her. The expression אי מזה is to be explained thus: Where is (אי) that place of which thou canst say, “From this (מזה) have I come”.

ויאמר לה מלאך וגו'. עַל כָּל אֲמִירָה הָיָה שָׁלוּחַ לָהּ מַלְאָךְ אַחֵר, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר מַלְאָךְ בְּכָל אֲמִירָה וַאֲמִירָה:

'ויאמר לה מלאך ה' וגו AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SAID UNTO HER etc. (see also Genesis 16:10 & Genesis 16:11). For each statement (in these three verses) a different angel was sent to her, and this explains why in reference to each statement the phrase is used, “and an angel said to her” (Genesis Rabbah 45:7).

הנך הרה. כְּשֶׁתָּשׁוּבִי תַּהֲרִי, כְּמוֹ הִנָּךְ הָרָה דְאֵשֶׁת מָנוֹחַ:

הנך הרה BEHOLD THOU WILT BE WITH CHILD — when you return you will conceive, just as the same phrase הנך הרה (Judges 13:7) spoken of the wife of Manoah (where it certainly appears to be thou wilt conceive in the future).

וילדת בן. כְּמוֹ וְיוֹלֶדֶת, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ יֹשַׁבְתְּ בַּלְּבָנוֹן מְקֻנַּנְתְּי בָּאֲרָזִים (ירמיה כ"ב):

וְיֹלַדְתְּ בן AND THOU SHALT BEAR A SON — The word appears to be grammatically a combination of the perfect tense וְיָלַדְתְּ and the participle וְיֹלֶדֶת but it is similar in sense to וְיֹלֶדֶת (the participle); so, also, (Jeremiah 22:23) “O thou that dwellest יֹשַׁבְתְּ) in Lebanon, and art nestled (מְקֻנַּנְתְּ) in the cedars.”

וקראת שמו. צִוּוּי הוּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאוֹמֵר לְזָכָר וְקָרָאתָ אֶת שְׁמוֹ יִצְחָק (בר' י"ז):

וקראת שמו AND THOU SHALT CALL — This is a command, just as one would say to a man (וְקָרָאתָ), as (Genesis 17:19) “And thou shalt call his name Isaac”.

פרא אדם. אוֹהֵב מִדְבָּרוֹת לָצוּד חַיּוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וַיֵּשֶׁב בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיְהִי רֹבֶה קַשָּׁת (בראשית כ"א):

פרא אדם A WILD MAN — One who loves the open spaces to hunt wild animals, as it is written of him (Genesis 21:20) “And he dwelt in the wilderness and became an archer.”

ידו בכל. לִסְטִים:

ידו בכל HIS HAND SHALL BE AGAINST EVERY ONE — a highwayman.

ויד כל בו. הַכֹּל שׂוֹנְאִין אוֹתוֹ וּמִתְגָּרִין בּוֹ:

ויד כל בו AND EVERYONE’S HAND AGAINST HIM — everyone will hate him and attack him.

ועל פני כל אחיו ישכון. שֶׁיִּהְיֶה זַרְעוֹ גָּדוֹל (בראשית רבה):

ועל פני כל אחיו ישכון AND HE SHALL DWELL IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL HIS BRETHREN — his descendants will be numerous, (so that his territory must extend over that which his brethren have; cf. Genesis 25:18).

אתה אל ראי. נָקוּד חֲטַף קָמָץ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא שֵׁם דָּבָר, אֱלוֹהַּ הָרְאִיָּה, שֶׁרוֹאֶה בְעֶלְבּוֹן שֶׁל עֲלוּבִין:

אתה אל ראי THOU ART A GOD OF SEEING — The word is punctuated with a Chataph Kametz because it is a noun, and the meaning is “a God of seeing” — One who sees the humiliation to which people are subjected by others (Genesis Rabbah 45:10)

הגם הלם. לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ; וְכִי סְבוּרָה הָיִיתִי שֶׁאַף הֲלוֹם בַּמִּדְבָּרוֹת רָאִיתִי שְׁלוּחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם אַחֲרֵי רֹאִי אוֹתָם בְּבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם שֶׁשָּׁם הָיִיתִי רְגִילָה לִרְאוֹת מַלְאָכִים? וְתֵדַע שֶׁהָיְתָה רְגִילָה לִרְאוֹתָם, שֶׁהֲרֵי מָנוֹחַ רָאָה אֶת הַמַּלְאָךְ פַּעַם אַחַת וְאָמַר מוֹת נָמוּת (שופ' י"ג), וְזוֹ רָאֲתָה ד' זֶה אַחַר זֶה וְלֹא חָרְדָה:

הגם הלום HAVE I ALSO [SEEN] HERE — This is an exclamation of surprise: “could I have ever imagined that here also — in the wilderness — I would see the messengers of the Omnipresent after I have seen them in Abraham’s house, where I saw them regularly!” You may know that she used to see them there regularly from this: That Manoah saw the angel only once and exclaimed, (Judges 13:22) “We shall surely die”, and she saw angels four times, one after the other, and she showed no fear (Genesis Rabbah 45:7).

באר לחי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:

באר לחי ראי As the Targum takes it: the well at which the living angel had appeared to her.

ויקרא אברם שם וגו'. אַעַ"פִּ שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַע אַבְרָם דִּבְרֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ שֶׁאָמַר וְקָרָאת שְׁמוֹ יִשְׁמָעֵאל, שָׁרְתָה רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ עָלָיו וּקְרָאוֹ יִשְׁמָעֵאל:

'ויקרא אברם שם וגו AND ABRAM CALLED THE NAME [OF HIS SON] etc. — Although Abram had not heard the words of the angel when he said to Hagar “and thou shalt call his name Ishmael”, yet the Holy Spirit rested upon him and he called him Ishmael.

ואברם בן שמונים וגו'. לְשִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל יִשְׁמָעֵאל נִכְתַּב, לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁהָיָה בֶּן י"ג שָׁנָה כְּשֶׁנִּמּוֹל וְלֹא עִכֵּב:

'ואברם בן שמנים שנה וגו AND ABRAM WAS FOURSCORE AND SIX YEARS OLD etc. — This is written to Ishmael’s credit, pointing out that he was thirteen years old when he was circumcised (see Genesis 17:25) and yet he raised no objection.

שׁדי. אֲנִי הוּא שֶׁיֵּשׁ דַּי בֶּאֱלֹהוּתִי לְכָל בְּרִיָּה, לְפִיכָךְ הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וְאֶהְיֶה לְךָ לֶאֱלוֹהַּ ולְפַטְרוֹן; וְכֵן כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא בַּמִּקְרָא פֵּרוּשׁוֹ כָּךְ: דַּי שֶׁלּוֹ, וְהַכֹּל לְפִי הָעִנְיָן:

אני אל שדי I AM GOD ALMIGHTY — I am He whose (ש) Godship suffices (די) for every creature (Genesis Rabbah 46:3), therefore, ‘‘walk before Me”, and I will be your God and Protector. Similarly, wherever in the Scriptures this Divine Name שדי occurs, it signifies the idea of His sufficiency — but it all depends upon the context as to what the “sufficiency” refers to.

התהלך לפני. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ פְּלַח קֳדָמַי, הִדַּבֵּק בַּעֲבוֹדָתִי:

התהלך לפני WALK BEFORE ME — as the Targum takes it: worship before Me — cleave to My service.

והיה תמים. אַף זֶה צִוּוּי אַחַר צִוּוּי, הֱיֵה שָׁלֵם בְּכָל נִסְיוֹנוֹתַי; וּלְפִי מִדְרָשׁוֹ הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי בְּמִצְוַת מִילָה, וּבַדָּבָר הַזֶּה תִהְיֶה תָּמִים, שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָעָרְלָה בְךָ אַתָּה בַּעַל מוּם לְפָנַי. דָּבָר אַחֵר וֶהְיֵה תָמִים, (עַכְשָׁו אַתָּה חָסֵר ה' אֵבָרִים, ב' עֵינַיִם, ב' אָזְנַיִם, וְרֹאשׁ הַגְּוִיָּה) שֶׁאוֹסִיף לְךָ אוֹת עַל שִׁמְךָ, וְיִהְיוּ מִנְיַן אוֹתִיּוֹתֶיךָ רמ"ח כְּמִנְיַן אֵבָרֶיךָ:

והיה תמים AND BE PERFECT — This, too, is a command following upon the previous command: be whole-hearted in all the trials I impose upon you. According to the Midrash (Genesis Rabbah 46:4), however, it means: walk before Me by observing the precept of circumcision and through this you will become perfect, for so long as you are uncircumcised I regard you as having a blemish. Another explanation of היה תמים BE THOU PERFECT — at present you lack the power of controlling morally five organs, viz., two eyes, two ears and the membrum. Therefore will I add a letter (i. e. the letter 'ה the numerical value of which is five) to your name (אברם which equals 243) so that the total of the letters of your name (אברהם) will become 248, corresponding to the number of limbs of your body (cf. Nedarim 32b).

ואתנה בריתי. בְּרִית שֶׁל אַהֲבָה וּבְרִית הָאָרֶץ לְהוֹרִישָׁהּ לְךָ עַל יְדֵי מִצְוָה זוֹ:

ואתנה בריתי AND I WILL MAKE MY COVENANT — a covenant of love and a covenant regarding the land — to give it to you as an inheritance through your observance of this precept.

ויפל אברם על פניו. מִמּוֹרָא הַשְּׁכִינָה; שֶׁעַד שֶׁלֹּא מָל לֹא הָיָה בוֹ כֹחַ לַעֲמֹד וְרוּח הַקֹּדֶשׁ נִצֶּבֶת עָלָיו, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּבִלְעָם נֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינָיִם, בִּבְרַיְתָא דְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר:

ויפל אברם על פניו AND ABRAM FELL UPON HIS FACE through fear of the Shechinah, because before he was circumcised he did not have the strength to stand on his feet whilst the Holy Spirit stood over him; and it is to this that what is stated in the case of the heathen Balaam refers, (Numbers 24:4) “fallen down, yet with open eyes”. This is to be found in Baraitha of R. Eliezer (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 29).

כי אב המון גוים. לְשׁוֹן נוֹטָרִיקוֹן שֶׁל שְׁמוֹ; וְרֵי"ש שֶׁהָיְתָה בוֹ בַּתְּחִלָּה, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה אָב אֶלָּא לַאֲרָם שֶׁהוּא מְקוֹמוֹ וְעַכְשָׁו אָב לְכָל הָעוֹלָם, לֹא זָזָה מִמְּקוֹמָהּ, שֶׁאַף יוֹ"ד שֶׁל שָׂרַי נִתְרָעֲמָה עַל הַשְּׁכִינָה עַד שֶׁנִּתּוֹסְפָה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (במדבר י"ג):

כי אב המון גוים FOR A FATHER OF A MULTIDUDE OF NATIONS — An acrostic on his name [אב (ר) הם]. But the ר which was previously in his name — denoting that he was the father (chieftain) only of אב (א) רם] ארם] which was his native country (cf. Genesis 21:7 with verse Genesis 21:10 of the same chapter), whilst now he became father of the entire world — nevertheless was not taken out of his name. For we find also, that the 'י in Sarai’s name continued to complain to God that it had been removed from her name when this was changed to Sarah, until it was placed as an additional letter into the name יהושע, as it is said, (Numbers 13:16) “And Moses called Hoshea (הושע) the son of Nun, Joshua (יהושע)” (Genesis Rabbah 47:1).

ונתתיך לגוים. יִשְׂרָאֵל וֶאֱדוֹם, שֶׁהֲרֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל כְּבָר הָיָה לוֹ, וְלֹא הָיָה מְבַשְּׂרוֹ עָלָיו:

ונתתיך לגוים AND I WILL MAKE NATIONS OF THEE — Israel and Edom only are intended here for Ishmael was already born to him and He could not, therefore, have been making any announcement concerning him.