ב"ה

Learning & Values Parshah (Weekly Torah) Bereishit - Genesis Lech Lecha Texts & Summaries

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First Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 12

1God said to Abram, “Go from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you.		אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵֽאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ:
לֶךְ־לְךָ - (lit.) Go for yourself - means: Go for your own benefit and for your own good. There I will make you into a great nation, but here you will not merit having children. Furthermore, I will make your character known throughout the world.		לֶךְ־לְךָ. לַהֲנָאָתְךָ וּלְטוֹבָתְךָ, שָׁם אֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָדוֹל, כָּאן אִי אַתָּה זוֹכֶה לְבָנִים, וְעוֹד שֶׁאוֹדִיעַ טִבְעֲךָ בָּעוֹלָם:
מֵאַרְצְךָ - From your land. But had he not already left there with his father and come to Charan? However, this in effect is what God told him: “Move further away from there and leave your father’s house.”		מֵאַרְצְךָ. וַהֲלֹא כְבָר יָצָא מִשָּׁם עִם אָבִיו וּבָא עַד חָרָן? אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר לוֹ הִתְרַחֵק עוֹד מִשָּׁם וְצֵא מִבֵּית אָבִיךָ:
אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ - That I will show you. He did not reveal to him immediately which land it was, in order to make it precious in his eyes and to reward him for obeying every single command. A similar example of this concept: “Take your son, your only one, the one you love, Isaac.” 1 Similarly: “on one of the mountains that I will designate to you.” 2 Similarly: “and admonish it with the admonition that I will tell you.” 3		אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ. לֹא גִּלָּה לוֹ הָאָרֶץ מִיָּד כְּדֵּי לְחַבְּבָהּ בְּעֵינָיו, וְלָתֵת לוֹ שָׂכָר עַל כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר; כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ, אֶת בִּנְךָ אֶת יְחִידְךָ אֲשֶׁר אָהַבְתָּ אֶת יִצְחָק (ברא' כ"ב), כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ עַל אַחַד הֶהָרִים אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בַּזֶּה וּקְרָא אֵלֶיהָ אֶת הַקְּרִיאָה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי דֹּבֵר אֵלֶיךָ (יונה ג'):
2I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will become a source of blessing.		בוְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ֙ לְג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל וַֽאֲבָ֣רֶכְךָ֔ וַֽאֲגַדְּלָ֖ה שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וֶֽהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה:
וְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל - I will make you into a great nation. Since traveling causes three things – it restrains childbirth, it decreases one’s wealth and adversely affects one’s renown – he needed these three blessings, that God promise him children, wealth, and fame. This is the significance of “and I will make your name great”: I am hereby adding a letter to your name. Until now your name was Abram (אַבְרָם); from now on it is Abraham (אַבְרָהָם), and the numerical value of “Abraham” is 248, corresponding to the number of human organs.		וְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל. לְפִי שֶׁהַדֶּרֶךְ גּוֹרֶמֶת לִשְׁלֹשָׁה דְבָרִים, מְמַעֶטֶת פְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה וּמְמַעֶטֶת אֶת הַמָּמוֹן וּמְמַעֶטֶת אֶת הַשֵּׁם, לְכָךְ הֻזְקַק לִשְׁלֹשָׁה בְּרָכוֹת הַלָּלוּ, שֶׁהִבְטִיחוֹ עַל הַבָּנִים וְעַל הַמָּמוֹן וְעַל הַשֵּׁם. וְזֶהוּ "וַאֲגַדְּלָה שְׁמֶךָ“, הֲרֵינִי מֹוסִיף אֹות עַל שִׁמְךָ, שֶׁעַד עַכְשָׁו שִׁמְךָ "אַבְרָם“ מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ "אַבְרָהָם“, וְאַבְרָהָם עֹולֶה רְמָ"ח, כְּנֶגֶד אֵבָרָיו שֶׁל אָדָם:
וַֽאֲבָרֶכְךָ - I will bless you - with wealth. Bereshit Rabbah. 4		וַֽאֲבָרֶכְךָ. בְּמָמוֹן (בראשית רבה):
וֶֽהְיֵה בְּרָכָֽה - And you will become a source of blessing. This means: Blessings are entrusted to you. Until now they were entirely in My hands: I blessed Adam and Noah; but from now on you may bless whomever you wish. Another explanation of the verse: “I will make you into a great nation” – this refers to what we say in the first blessing of the Amidah prayer: “God of Abraham.” “I will bless you” – this refers to what we say: “God of Isaac.” “And I will make your name great” – this refers to what we say: “God of Jacob.” One might have thought that we should conclude the first blessing of the Amidah by mentioning all three of them. The Torah therefore says: “and you will become a blessing,” to indicate that we conclude with your name: מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם “Shield of Abraham,” and not with the names of Isaac and Jacob.		וֶֽהְיֵה בְּרָכָֽה. הַבְּרָכוֹת נְתוּנוֹת בְּיָדְךָ; עַד עַכְשָׁו הָיוּ בְיָדִי, בֵּרַכְתִּי לְאָדָם וְנֹחַ, וּמֵעַכְשָׁו אַתָּה תְבָרֵךְ אֶת אֲשֶׁר תַּחְפֹּץ (בראשית רבה). דָּבָר אַחֵר ואעשך לגוי גדול זֶה שֶׁאוֹמְרִים אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם, ואברכך זֶה שֶׁאוֹמְרִים אֱלֹהֵי יִצְחָק, ואגדלה שמך זֶה שֶׁאוֹמְרִים אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב. יָכוֹל יִהְיוּ חוֹתְמִין בְּכֻלָּן, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וֶהְיֵה בְּרָכָה, בְּךָ חוֹתְמִין וְלֹא בָהֶם:
3I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse he who curses you. All the families of the earth will be blessed using you as an example.”		גוַֽאֲבָֽרְכָה֙ מְבָ֣רֲכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ - And…will be blessed (lit.) with you. There are many aggadot explaining this, but this is its straightforward meaning: A man says to his son, “May you be like Abraham.” Similarly, wherever the phrase וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ “and they will be blessed with you” occurs in Scripture it has this meaning. This following example proves this: בְּךָ יְבָרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל “With your names will the Israelites invoke God’s blessings on their sons, saying to them, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” 5		וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ. יֵשׁ אַגָּדוֹת רַבּוֹת, וְזֶהוּ פְשׁוּטוֹ, אָדָם אוֹמֵר לִבְנוֹ תְּהֵא כְּאַבְרָהָם, וְכֵן כָּל וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא, וְזֶה מוֹכִיחַ בְּךָ יְבָרֵךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר יְשִׂמְךָ אֱלֹהִים כְּאֶפְרַיִם וְכִמְנַשֶּׁה (בר' מ"ח):
4Abram set out as God had directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was in his 75th year when he left Charan.		דוַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִתּ֖וֹ ל֑וֹט וְאַבְרָ֗ם בֶּן־חָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּצֵאת֖וֹ מֵֽחָרָֽן:
5Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all their possessions that they had acquired, as well as the people they had acquired in Charan. They set out, heading toward Canaan, and they entered Canaan.		הוַיִּקַּ֣ח אַבְרָם֩ אֶת־שָׂרַ֨י אִשְׁתּ֜וֹ וְאֶת־ל֣וֹט בֶּן־אָחִ֗יו וְאֶת־כָּל־רְכוּשָׁם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָכָ֔שׁוּ וְאֶת־הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂ֣וּ בְחָ֑רָן וַיֵּֽצְא֗וּ לָלֶ֨כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אַ֥רְצָה כְּנָֽעַן:
אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן - They had (lit.) made in Charan - i.e., the people whom he had brought “under the wings” of the Divine Presence. Abraham would convert the men and Sarah would convert the women, and Scripture here considers this as if they had made them. However, the straightforward meaning of the verse is: “bondmen and bondwomen that they had acquired,” as in: “he amassed (עָשָׂה) all this wealth”; 6 “and Israel will (lit.) acquire (עֹשֶׂה) wealth.” 7 It is an expression of acquiring and amassing.		אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן. שֶׁהִכְנִיסָן תַּחַת כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה; אַבְרָהָם מְגַיֵּר אֶת הָאֲנָשִׁים וְשָׂרָה מְגַיֶּרֶת הַנָּשִׁים, וּמַעֲלֶה עֲלֵיהֶם הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ עֲשָׂאוּם; וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא עֲבָדִים וּשְׁפָחוֹת שֶׁקָּנוּ לָהֶם, כְּמוֹ עָשָׂה אֵת כָּל הַכָּבֹד הַזֶּה (שם ל"א), וְיִשְׂרָאֵל עֹשֶׂה חָיִל (במדבר כד יח), לְשׁוֹן קוֹנֶה וְכוֹנֵס:
6Abram traveled through the land as far as the location of Shechem, as far as Elon, the plain of Moreh. The Canaanites were then in the land.		ווַיַּֽעֲבֹ֤ר אַבְרָם֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ עַ֚ד מְק֣וֹם שְׁכֶ֔ם עַ֖ד אֵל֣וֹן מוֹרֶ֑ה וְהַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֖י אָ֥ז בָּאָֽרֶץ:
וַיַּֽעֲבֹר אַבְרָם בָּאָרֶץ - (lit.) Abram traveled through the land - means: he entered it.		וַיַּֽעֲבֹר אַבְרָם בָּאָרֶץ. נִכְנַס לְתוֹכָהּ:
עַד מְקוֹם שְׁכֶם - As far as the location of Shechem - in order to pray for the sons of Jacob, prophetically anticipating the time when they would come to fight against Shechem.		עַד מְקוֹם שְׁכֶם. לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב, כְּשֶׁיָּבֹאוּ לְהִלָּחֵם בִּשְׁכֶם:
אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה - Elon, [the plain of] Moreh. This is Shechem, the name signifying that God showed him (הֶרְאָהוּ) Mount Gerizim and Mount Eival, where subsequently the people of Israel accepted the oath to observe the Torah.		אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה. הוּא שְׁכֶם. הֶרְאָהוּ הַר גְּרִיזִים וְהַר עֵיבָל, שֶׁשָּׁם קִבְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁבוּעַת הַתּוֹרָה:
וְהַכְּנַֽעֲנִי אָז בָּאָרֶץ - The Canaanites were then in the land. They were in the process of conquering the Land of Israel from the descendants of Shem, for it had fallen to the share of Shem when Noah divided the earth among his sons, as it says: “King Malki-Tzedek of Salem (Jerusalem).” 8 Therefore “God said to Abram: I will give this land to your offspring” 9 – i.e., I will return it in the future to your descendants, who are descendants of Shem.		וְהַכְּנַֽעֲנִי אָז בָּאָרֶץ. הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ וְכוֹבֵשׁ אֶת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִזַּרְעוֹ שֶׁל שֵׁם, שֶׁבְּחֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל שֵׁם נָפְלָה כְּשֶׁחָלַק נֹחַ אֶת הָאָרֶץ לְבָנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּמַלְכִּי צֶדֶק מֶלֶךְ שָׁלֵם (ברא' י"ב), לְפִיכָךְ וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל אַבְרָם לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, עָתִיד אֲנִי לְהַחֲזִירָהּ לְבָנֶיךָ שֶׁהֵם מִזַּרְעוֹ שֶׁל שֵׁם:
7God appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” Abram built an altar there and offered up a sacrifice to God, who appeared to him.		זוַיֵּרָ֤א יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לְזַ֨רְעֲךָ֔ אֶתֵּ֖ן אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את וַיִּ֤בֶן שָׁם֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה הַנִּרְאֶ֥ה אֵלָֽיו:
וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ - [Abram] built an altar there. In thanksgiving for the tidings that he would have descendants, and for the tidings that they would possess the Land of Israel.		וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ. עַל בְּשׂוֹרַת הַזֶּרַע וְעַל בְּשׂוֹרַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
8From there he moved on to the mountains east of Bethel and pitched his tent. Bethel was to the west and Ai to the east. He built an altar there, offered up a sacrifice on it, and invoked God.		חוַיַּעְתֵּ֨ק מִשָּׁ֜ם הָהָ֗רָה מִקֶּ֛דֶם לְבֵֽית־אֵ֖ל וַיֵּ֣ט אָֽהֳלֹ֑ה בֵּֽית־אֵ֤ל מִיָּם֙ וְהָעַ֣י מִקֶּ֔דֶם וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁ֤ם מִזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וַיִּקְרָ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה:
וַיַּעְתֵּק מִשָּׁם - From there he moved on – i.e., he moved his tent -		וַיַּעְתֵּק מִשָּׁם. אָהֳלוֹ:
מִקֶּדֶם לְבֵֽית־אֵל - East of Bethel. The mountain was to the east of Bethel. Thus Bethel was to its west, and that is what it says, “Bethel was to the west.”		מִקֶּדֶם לְבֵֽית־אֵל. בְּמִזְרָחָהּ שֶׁל בֵּית אֵל נִמְצֵאת בֵּית אֵל בְּמַעֲרָבוֹ, הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בֵּית אֵל מִיָּם:
אהלו - His tent. Although read with a masculine suffix as if it were written אָהֳלוֹ, it is written אָהֳלָהּ meaning “her tent.” This teaches us that he first pitched his wife’s tent and afterwards his own.		אהלו. אהלה כְתִיב, בַּתְּחִלָּה נָטָה אֶת אֹהֶל אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ (בראשית רבה):
וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ - He built an altar there. He perceived prophetically that his descendants would falter there on account of Achan’s sin, and he therefore prayed for them there.		וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ. נִתְנַבֵּא שֶׁעֲתִידִין בָּנָיו לְהִכָּשֵׁל שָׁם עַל עֲוֹן עָכָן, וְהִתְפַּלֵּל שָׁם עֲלֵיהֶם:
9Abram then continued on his way, moving steadily toward the south.		טוַיִּסַּ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם הָל֥וֹךְ וְנָס֖וֹעַ הַנֶּֽגְבָּה:
הָלוֹךְ וְנָסוֹעַ - Moving steadily - by stages. He would stay in one place for one month or more, and then travel on and pitch his tent elsewhere. All his travels were “toward the south,” i.e., toward the south of the Land of Israel. This is in the direction of Jerusalem, which was in the future portion of the tribe of Judah, who took possession of the southern part of the Land of Israel – toward Mount Moriah, which is part of Judah’s territory. Bereshit Rabbah. 10		הָלוֹךְ וְנָסוֹעַ. לִפְרָקִים יוֹשֵׁב כָּאן חֹדֶשׁ אוֹ יוֹתֵר, וְנוֹסֵעַ מִשָּׁם וְנוֹטֶה אָהֳלוֹ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, וְכָל מַסָּעָיו הַנֶּגְבָּה, לָלֶכֶת לִדְרוֹמָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְֹרָאֵל וְהִיא לְצַד יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, שֶׁהוּא בְּחֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל יְהוּדָה, שֶׁנָּטְלוּ בִּדְרוֹמָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְֹרָאֵל לְהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה שֶׁהִיא נַחֲלָתוֹ (בראשית רבה):
10There was a famine in the land of Canaan. Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, since the famine in the land of Canaan had grown severe.		יוַיְהִ֥י רָעָ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיֵּ֨רֶד אַבְרָ֤ם מִצְרַ֨יְמָה֙ לָג֣וּר שָׁ֔ם כִּֽי־כָבֵ֥ד הָֽרָעָ֖ב בָּאָֽרֶץ:
רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ - A famine in the land - i.e., in that land alone, in order to test him if he would question the words of the Holy One, blessed be He, who had told him to go to Canaan but now was forcing him to leave it.		רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ. בְּאוֹתָהּ הָאָרֶץ לְבַדָּהּ, לְנַסּוֹתוֹ, אִם יְהַרְהֵר אַחַר דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאָמַר לָלֶכֶת אֶל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן, וְעַכְשָׁו מַשִּׂיאוֹ לָצֵאת מִמֶּנָּה:
11As he approached Egypt, Abram said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know you now to be a woman of beautiful complexion.		יאוַיְהִ֕י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר הִקְרִ֖יב לָב֣וֹא מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־שָׂרַ֣י אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ הִנֵּה־נָ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֛י אִשָּׁ֥ה יְפַת־מַרְאֶ֖ה אָֽתְּ:
הִנֵּה־נָא יָדַעְתִּי - (lit.) Look, now I know. The aggadic explanation is: He was unaware of her real beauty until now, due to the modesty of both of them, but now he became aware of it through an incident. Another explanation: Usually, due to the strain of traveling a person becomes unattractive, but she retained her beauty. However, the straightforward meaning of the verse is: Look, now (הִנֵּה נָא) the time has come to be concerned about your beauty. I have known (יָדַעְתִּי) for a long time that you are of beautiful complexion, but now we are coming among black and repulsive people, who are brothers of the Cushites and are unaccustomed to see a beautiful woman. We find an example similar to this meaning of הִנֵּה נָא: “Now (הִנֵּה נָא) my lords, please (נָא) turn aside.” 11		הִנֵּה־נָא יָדַעְתִּי. מִדְרַש אַגָּדָה עַד עַכְשָׁו לֹא הִכִּיר בָּהּ מִתּוֹךְ צְנִיעוּת שֶׁבִּשְׁנֵיהֶם, וְעַכְשָׁו הִכִּיר בָּה עַל יְדֵי מַעֲשֶׂה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִנְהַג הָעוֹלָם שֶׁעַל יְדֵי טֹרַח הַדֶּרֶךְ אָדָם מִתְבַּזֶּה, וְזֹאת עָמְדָה בְּיָפְיָהּ. וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא הִנֵּה נָא הִגִּיעַ הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִדְאֹג עַל יָפְיֵךְ, יָדַעְתִּי זֶה יָמִים רַבִּים כִּי יְפַת מַרְאֶה אַתְּ, וְעַכְשָׁו אָנוּ בָאִים בֵּין אֲנָשִׁים שְׁחֹרִים וּמְכֹעָרִים, אֲחֵיהֶם שֶׁל כּוּשִׁים, וְלֹא הֻרְגְּלוּ בְאִשָּׁה יָפָה; וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ הִנֶּה נָּא אֲדֹנַי סוּרוּ נָא (בר' י"ט):
12When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife,’ and they will kill me, allowing you to live.		יבוְהָיָ֗ה כִּֽי־יִרְא֤וּ אֹתָךְ֙ הַמִּצְרִ֔ים וְאָֽמְר֖וּ אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ זֹ֑את וְהָֽרְג֥וּ אֹתִ֖י וְאֹתָ֥ךְ יְחַיּֽוּ:
13Please say that you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you. In this way, through you, my life will be spared.”		יגאִמְרִי־נָ֖א אֲחֹ֣תִי אָ֑תְּ לְמַ֨עַן֙ יִֽיטַב־לִ֣י בַֽעֲבוּרֵ֔ךְ וְחָֽיְתָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י בִּגְלָלֵֽךְ:
לְמַעַן יִֽיטַב־לִי בַֽעֲבוּרֵךְ - That it may go well with me. I.e., that they give me gifts.		לְמַעַן יִֽיטַב־לִי בַֽעֲבוּרֵךְ. יִתְּנוּ לִי מַתָּנוֹת:

Footnotes

Genesis 22:2.

Jonah 3:2.

Bereshit Rabbah 39:11.

Bereshit Rabbah 39:16.

11.

Genesis 19:2.

Second Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 12

14When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.		ידוַיְהִ֕י כְּב֥וֹא אַבְרָ֖ם מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיִּרְא֤וּ הַמִּצְרִים֙ אֶת־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּֽי־יָפָ֥ה הִ֖וא מְאֹֽד:
וַיְהִי כְּבוֹא אַבְרָם מִצְרָיְמָה - When Abram came to Egypt. It should have said: “As they came to Egypt.” However, by not mentioning Sarai, it teaches us that Abram hid her in a crate, and in the process of demanding the custom fees they opened it and discovered her.		וַיְהִי כְּבוֹא אַבְרָם מִצְרָיְמָה. הָיָה לוֹ לוֹמַר כְּבוֹאָם מִצְרַיְמָה? אֶלָּא לִמֵּד שֶׁהִטְמִין אוֹתָהּ בְּתֵבָה, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁתָּבְעוּ אֶת הַמֶּכֶס פָּתְחוּ וְרָאוּ אוֹתָהּ:
15Pharaoh’s ministers saw her and spoke highly of her, agreeing among themselves that she was fit to be a wife for Pharaoh, so the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s palace.		טווַיִּרְא֤וּ אֹתָהּ֙ שָׂרֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיְהַֽלֲל֥וּ אֹתָ֖הּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וַתֻּקַּ֥ח הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה בֵּ֥ית פַּרְעֹֽה:
וַיְהַֽלֲלוּ אותה אֶל־פַרְעֹה - (lit.) And they praised her for Pharaoh. They praised her among themselves, saying, “This woman is fit for the king.”		וַיְהַֽלֲלוּ אותה אֶל־פַרְעֹה. הִלְּלוּהָ בֵינֵיהֶם לוֹמַר הֲגוּנָה זוֹ לַמֶּלֶךְ:
16Pharaoh treated Abram well because of her; in this way Abram acquired flocks, cattle, donkeys, bondmen, bondwomen, she-donkeys, and camels.		טזוּלְאַבְרָ֥ם הֵיטִ֖יב בַּֽעֲבוּרָ֑הּ וַֽיְהִי־ל֤וֹ צֹֽאן־וּבָקָר֙ וַֽחֲמֹרִ֔ים וַֽעֲבָדִים֙ וּשְׁפָחֹ֔ת וַֽאֲתֹנֹ֖ת וּגְמַלִּֽים:
וּלְאַבְרָם הֵיטִיב - He treated Abram well - i.e., Pharaoh treated him well “because of her”; He gave him gifts.		וּלְאַבְרָם הֵיטִיב. פַּרְעֹה בעבורה:
17God struck Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues at the word of Sarai, the wife of Abram.		יזוַיְנַגַּ֨ע יְהֹוָ֧ה \| אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֛ה נְגָעִ֥ים גְּדֹלִ֖ים וְאֶת־בֵּית֑וֹ עַל־דְּבַ֥ר שָׂרַ֖י אֵ֥שֶׁת אַבְרָֽם:
וַיְנַגַּע ה' וגו' - God struck… He was smitten with the ra’atan skin disease, which makes marital relations painful. Bereshit Rabbah. 1		וַיְנַגַּע ה' וגו'. בְּמַכַּת רָאתָן לָקָה, שֶׁהַתַּשְׁמִישׁ קָשֶׁה לוֹ (בראשית רבה):
וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וְעַל אֱנַשׁ בֵּיתֵיהּ – “and on his household.” But its Midrashic explanation is: It comes to include in the curse his walls, his pillars, and his utensils.		וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְעַל אֱנַשׁ בֵּיתֵהּ וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ לְרַבּוֹת כֹּתָלָיו וְעַמּוּדָיו וְכֵּלָיו בְּרַשִׁ"י יָשָׁן):
עַל־דְּבַר שָׂרַי - At the word of Sarai - means: “by her orders.” She would tell the angel, “Smite!” and he smote.		עַל־דְּבַר שָׂרַי. עַל פִּי דִּבּוּרָהּ; אוֹמֶרֶת לַמַּלְאָךְ הַךְ, וְהוּא מַכֶּה;
18Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?		יחוַיִּקְרָ֤א פַרְעֹה֙ לְאַבְרָ֔ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַה־זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לִּ֑י לָ֚מָּה לֹֽא־הִגַּ֣דְתָּ לִּ֔י כִּ֥י אִשְׁתְּךָ֖ הִֽוא:
19Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to myself as a wife? Now here is your wife; take her and go!”		יטלָמָ֤ה אָמַ֨רְתָּ֙ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֔וא וָֽאֶקַּ֥ח אֹתָ֛הּ לִ֖י לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וְעַתָּ֕ה הִנֵּ֥ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֖ קַ֥ח וָלֵֽךְ:
קַח וָלֵֽךְ - Take her and go! Unlike Avimelech, who said to Abram, “My land is here before you…,” 2 Pharaoh told him: “Go, and do not remain here!” for the Egyptians are a lecherous people, as it says about them: “And whose issue is frequent like the issue of horses.” 3		קַח וָלֵֽךְ. לֹא כַאֲבִימֶלֶךְ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הִנֵּה אַרְצִי לְפָנֶיךָ, אֶלָּא אָמַר לוֹ לֵךְ וְאַל תַּעֲמֹד, שֶׁהַמִּצְרִים שְׁטוּפֵי זִמָּה הֵם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְזִרְמַת סוּסִים זִרְמָתָם: (יחזקאל כ"ג):
20Pharaoh charged men to escort and guard Abram, and they escorted him together with his wife and all that he possessed.		כוַיְצַ֥ו עָלָ֛יו פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וַיְשַׁלְּח֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ וְאֶת־אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ:
וַיְצַו עָלָיו - (lit.) He charged upon him - means: He commanded his men concerning him, to accompany him and to protect him.		וַיְצַו עָלָיו. עַל אוֹדוֹתָיו, לְשַׁלְּחוֹ וּלְשָׁמְרוֹ:
וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וְאַלְוִיאוּ “and they escorted him.”		וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְאַלְוִיאוּ:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 13

1From Egypt, Abram went up to the south of Canaan—he, his wife, and everything he owned—and Lot was with him.		אוַיַּ֩עַל֩ אַבְרָ֨ם מִמִּצְרַ֜יִם ה֠וּא וְאִשְׁתּ֧וֹ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־ל֛וֹ וְל֥וֹט עִמּ֖וֹ הַנֶּֽגְבָּה:
וַיַּעַל אַבְרָם וגו' הַנֶּֽגְבָּה - Abram went up…to the south. i.e., to come to the south of the Land of Israel – just as it says above: “traveling steadily toward the south” 4 – to Mount Moriah, in the southern part of the Land of Israel. However, when one travels from Egypt to Canaan, one goes from south to north, since Egypt is to the south of the Land of Israel, as is evident from the accounts of the Israelite’s travels from Egypt and from the description of the boundaries of the Land of Israel.		וַיַּעַל אַבְרָם וגו' הַנֶּֽגְבָּה. לָבֹא לִדְרוֹמָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְֹרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה הָלוֹךְ וְנָסוֹעַ הַנֶּגְבָּה, לְהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה; וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם כְּשֶׁהוּא הוֹלֵךְ מִמִּצְרַיִם לְאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן, מִדָּרוֹם לְצָפוֹן הוּא מְהַלֵּךְ, שֶׁאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בִּדְרוֹמָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמוֹ שֶׁמּוֹכִיחַ בַּמַּסָּעוֹת וּבִגְבוּלֵי הָאָרֶץ:
2Abram was heavily laden with cattle, silver, and gold.		בוְאַבְרָ֖ם כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד בַּמִּקְנֶ֕ה בַּכֶּ֖סֶף וּבַזָּהָֽב:
כָּבֵד מְאֹד - (lit.) Very heavy - means: heavily laden with burdens.		כָּבֵד מְאֹד. טָעוּן מַשָּׂאוֹת:
3He continued on his travels, from the south of Canaan toward Bethel, until he reached the place where he originally had his tent, between Bethel and Ai,		גוַיֵּ֨לֶךְ֙ לְמַסָּעָ֔יו מִנֶּ֖גֶב וְעַד־בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל עַד־הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר־הָ֨יָה שָׁ֤ם אָֽהֳלֹה֙ בַּתְּחִלָּ֔ה בֵּ֥ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֖ל וּבֵ֥ין הָעָֽי:
וַיֵּלֶךְ לְמַסָּעָיו - (lit.) He went on his travels. When he returned from Egypt to Canaan, he stayed in the same lodging-places as he had stayed on his way to Egypt. This teaches you correct behavior, that a man should not change his lodging-place. Another explanation: On his way back, he repaid his debts that he had incurred on his way there.		וַיֵּלֶךְ לְמַסָּעָיו. כְּשֶׁחָזַר מִמִּצְרַיִם לְאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן הָיָה הוֹלֵךְ וְלָן בָּאַכְסַנְיוֹת שֶׁלָּן בָּהֶם בַּהֲלִיכָתוֹ לְמִצְרַיִם, לִמֶּדְךָ דֶּרֶך אֶרֶץ, שֶׁלֹּא יְשַׁנֶּה אָדָם מֵאַכְסַנְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר בַּחֲזָרָתוֹ פָּרַע הַקָּפוֹתָיו (בראשית רבה):
מִנֶּגֶב - From the south. This refers to Egypt, for Egypt is to the south of Canaan.		מִנֶּגֶב. אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בִּדְרוֹמָהּ שֶׁל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן:
4the site of the altar that he had built there at first, where Abram had invoked God. And now again, Abram invoked God there.		דאֶל־מְקוֹם֙ הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ אֲשֶׁר־עָ֥שָׂה שָׁ֖ם בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֥א שָׁ֛ם אַבְרָ֖ם בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה:
אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה שָׁם בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָה - That he had built there at first and (lit.) [Abram] invoked there - i.e., “where Abram had invoked God.” However, it may also be understood to mean that Abram now invoked God there.		אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה שָׁם בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָה. וַאֲשֶׁר קָרָא שָׁם אַבְרָם בְּשֵׁם ה' וְגַם יֵשׁ לוֹמַר וַיִּקְרָא שָׁם עַכְשָׁו בְּשֵׁם ה':

Footnotes

Bereshit Rabbah 41:2.

Genesis 20:15.

Ezekiel 23:20.

Genesis 12:9.

Third Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 13

5Lot, who had accompanied Abram, had also acquired flocks, cattle, and tents.		הוְגַ֨ם־לְל֔וֹט הַֽהֹלֵ֖ךְ אֶת־אַבְרָ֑ם הָיָ֥ה צֹֽאן־וּבָקָ֖ר וְאֹֽהָלִֽים:
הַֽהֹלֵךְ אֶת־אַבְרָם - Who had accompanied Abram. What brought about that he had this wealth? His accompanying Abram.		הַֽהֹלֵךְ אֶת־אַבְרָם. מִי גָרַם שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ זֹאת? הֲלִיכָתוֹ עִם אַבְרָם:
6The pasturage of the land between Bethel and Ai could not support them living together, for their possessions were so extensive that they could not remain together.		ווְלֹֽא־נָשָׂ֥א אֹתָ֛ם הָאָ֖רֶץ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת יַחְדָּ֑ו כִּֽי־הָיָ֤ה רְכוּשָׁם֙ רָ֔ב וְלֹ֥א יָֽכְל֖וּ לָשֶׁ֥בֶת יַחְדָּֽו:
וְלֹֽא־נָשָׂא אֹתָם - (lit.) It could not support them - means: it could not provide sufficient pasture for all their livestock. It is an abbreviated phrase and a word must be added to it, i.e., the pasturage of the land could not support them. It is for this reason that וְלֹא נָשָׂא is written in the masculine.		וְלֹֽא־נָשָׂא אֹתָם. לֹא הָיְתָה יְכוֹלָה לְהַסְפִּיק מִרְעֶה לְמִקְנֵיהֶם, וְלָשׁוֹן קָצָר הוּא, וְצָרִיךְ לְהוֹסִיף עָלָיו, כְּמוֹ וְלֹא נָשָׂא אוֹתָם מִרְעֵה הָאָרֶץ, לְפִיכָךְ כָּתַב וְלֹא נָשָׂא בִּלְשׁוֹן זָכָר:
7A quarrel arose between the herdsmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle. The Canaanites and the Perizites were then living in the land.		זוַֽיְהִי־רִ֗יב בֵּ֚ין רֹעֵ֣י מִקְנֵֽה־אַבְרָ֔ם וּבֵ֖ין רֹעֵ֣י מִקְנֵה־ל֑וֹט וְהַכְּנַֽעֲנִי֙ וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י אָ֖ז ישֵׁ֥ב בָּאָֽרֶץ:
וַֽיְהִי־רִיב - A quarrel arose. Since Lot’s herdsmen were wicked and let their animals graze in other people’s fields, Abram’s herdsmen would admonish them about the theft thereby involved. They replied, “The land was given to Abram; since he has no heir, his nephew Lot will inherit him, and this is not considered theft.” But the verse says: “the Canaanites and the Perizites were then living in the land,” meaning that Abram had not yet acquired of it.		וַֽיְהִי־רִיב. לְפִי שְׁהָיוּ רוֹעִים שֶׁל לוֹט רְשָׁעִים וּמַרְעִים בְּהֶמְתָּם בִּשְׂדוֹת אֲחֵרִים, וְרוֹעֵי אַבְרָם מוֹכִיחִים אוֹתָם עַל הַגֶּזֶל, וְהֵם אוֹמְרִים נִתְּנָה הָאָרֶץ לְאַבְרָם, וְלוֹ אֵין יוֹרֵשׁ, וְלוֹט יוֹרְשׁוֹ, וְאֵין זֶה גֶּזֶל, וְהַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי אָז יֹשֵׁב בָּאָרֶץ, וְלֹא זָכָה בָהּ אַבְרָם עֲדַיִן (ב"ר):
8Abram said to Lot, “Please, let there not be contention between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen. After all, we are relatives.		חוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַבְרָ֜ם אֶל־ל֗וֹט אַל־נָ֨א תְהִ֤י מְרִיבָה֙ בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֔ךָ וּבֵ֥ין רֹעַ֖י וּבֵ֣ין רֹעֶ֑יךָ כִּֽי־אֲנָשִׁ֥ים אַחִ֖ים אֲנָֽחְנוּ:
אֲנָשִׁים אַחִים - (lit.) Brothers - means here: “relatives.” And the aggadic explanation is: They resembled each other in their facial features.		אֲנָשִׁים אַחִים. קְרוֹבִים, וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה דּוֹמִין בִּקְלַסְתֵּר פָּנִים:
9Look, the whole land is before you. So please, separate yourself from me. If you go to the north, I will go to the south; if you go to the south, I will go to the north.”		טהֲלֹ֤א כָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הִפָּ֥רֶד נָ֖א מֵֽעָלָ֑י אִם־הַשְּׂמֹ֣אל וְאֵימִ֔נָה וְאִם־הַיָּמִ֖ין וְאַשְׂמְאִֽילָה:
אִם־הַשְּׂמֹאל וְאֵימִנָה - (lit.) If you go to the left, I will go to the right - means: Wherever you settle, I will not go far from you, and I will stand by you for protection and assistance. In the end, he indeed needed him, as it says: “Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive….” 1		אִם־הַשְּׂמֹאל וְאֵימִנָה. בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר תֵּשֵׁב, לֹא אֶתְרַחֵק מִמְּךָ וְאֶעֱמֹד לְךָ לְמָגֵן וּלְעֵזֶר, וְסוֹף דָּבָר הֻצְרַךְ לוֹ, שְׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָם כִּי נִשְׁבָּה אָחִיו וְגוֹ':
וְאֵימִנָה - means “I will direct myself to the right,” just as וְאַשְׂמְאִילָה means “I will direct myself to the left.” If you ask that this word should be punctuated וְאַיְמִינָה as is usual in the hif’il (causative) form, I answer that we find elsewhere a similar form: אִם אִשׁ לְהֵמִין “Can one possibly turn to the right…?” 2 where it is not punctuated לְהַיְמִין.		וְאֵימִנָה. אַיְמִין אֶת עַצְמִי, כְּמוֹ וְאַשְׂמְאִילָה אַשְׂמְאִיל אֶת עַצְמִי. וְאִם תֹּאמַר הָיָה לוֹ לִנָּקֵד וְאַיְמִינָה, כָּךְ מָצִינוּ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר אִם יֵשׁ לְהֵמִין (שמואל ב י"ד) וְאֵין נָקוּד לְהַיְמִין:
10Lot looked up and saw that all of Kikar, the plain of the Jordan River, was well irrigated. Before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, it was like God’s own garden and like Egypt, and it extended as far as the city Tzo’ar.		יוַיִּשָּׂא־ל֣וֹט אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן כִּ֥י כֻלָּ֖הּ מַשְׁקֶ֑ה לִפְנֵ֣י \| שַׁחֵ֣ת יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶת־סְדֹם֙ וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָ֔ה כְּגַן־יְהֹוָה֙ כְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּֽאֲכָ֖ה צֹֽעַר:
כִּי כֻלָּהּ מַשְׁקֶה - That it was all well irrigated - i.e., it was a land of water streams.		כִּי כֻלָּהּ מַשְׁקֶה. אֶרֶץ נַחֲלֵי מַיִם:
לִפְנֵי שַׁחֵת ה' אֶת־סדום וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָה - Before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah - that plain was		לִפְנֵי שַׁחֵת ה' אֶת־סדום וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָה. הָיָה אוֹתוֹ מִישׁוֹר:
כְּגַן־ה' - like God’s own garden - with regard to the quality of its trees,		כְּגַן־ה'. לָאִילָנוֹת:
כְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם - and like Egypt. with regard to the quality of its plants.		כְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם. לַזְּרָעִים (בראשית רבה):
בֹּֽאֲכָה צֹֽעַר - (lit.) Towards Tzo’ar - means: as far as Tzo’ar. But the aggadic explanation explains this verse to Lot’s discredit: Lot chose their locality because they were steeped in immorality. So is it stated in the tractate Horayot.		בֹּֽאֲכָה צֹֽעַר. עַד צֹעַר. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה דוֹרְשָׁהּ לִגְנַאי, עַל שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁטוּפֵי זִמָּה בָּחַר לוֹ לוֹט בִּשְׁכוּנָתָם:
11So Lot chose for himself all of Kikar, the plain of the Jordan River. Lot journeyed first westward from the east. Thus they separated from one another.		יאוַיִּבְחַר־ל֣וֹ ל֗וֹט אֵ֚ת כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן וַיִּסַּ֥ע ל֖וֹט מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיִּפָּ֣רְד֔וּ אִ֖ישׁ מֵעַ֥ל אָחִֽיו:
כִּכַּר - Kikar. This is a plain, as Onkelos translates it.		כִּכַּר. מִישׁוֹר, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
מִקֶּדֶם - From the east. He traveled away from Abram and went to the west of Abram; thus he traveled from east to west. The aggadic explanation is that he journeyed away from the One who preceded the world (קַדְמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם), saying, “I want neither Abram nor his God.”		מִקֶּדֶם. נָסַע מֵאֵצֶל אַבְרָם וְהָלַך לוֹ לְמַעֲרָבוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָם; נִמְצָא נוֹסֵעַ מִמִּזְרָח לְמַעֲרָב. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה הִסִּיעַ עַצְמוֹ מִקַּדְמוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם; אָמַר אִי אֶפְשִׁי לֹא בְּאַבְרָם וְלֹא בֵאלֹהָיו:
12Abram lived in Canaan, while Lot dwelt in the cities of the Jordan River plain, and pitched his tents throughout the whole plain, as far as Sodom.		יבאַבְרָ֖ם יָשַׁ֣ב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־כְּנָ֑עַן וְל֗וֹט יָשַׁב֙ בְּעָרֵ֣י הַכִּכָּ֔ר וַיֶּֽאֱהַ֖ל עַד־סְדֹֽם:
וַיֶּֽאֱהַל - Pitched his tents. He pitched tents for his herdsmen and for his cattle throughout the district “as far as Sodom.”		וַיֶּֽאֱהַל. נָטָה אֳהָלִים לְרוֹעָיו וּלְמִקְנֵהוּ עַד סְדוֹם:
13The inhabitants of Sodom and its neighbors were wicked and sinners. They sinned against God deliberately, in order to anger Him.		יגוְאַנְשֵׁ֣י סְדֹ֔ם רָעִ֖ים וְחַטָּאִ֑ים לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה מְאֹֽד:
וְאַנְשֵׁי סדום רָעִים - The inhabitants of Sodom were evil - but nevertheless Lot did not refrain from living among them. Our rabbis 3 learned from this verse, where the Sodomites are spoken of with disdain, a source for the proverb: “and let the name of the wicked rot away.” 4		וְאַנְשֵׁי סדום רָעִים. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא נִמְנַע לוֹט מִלִּשְׁכֹּן עִמָּהֶם. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ לָמְדוּ מִכָּאן (יומא ל"ח) וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב (משלי י'):
רָעִים - Evil - with their bodies (i.e., immoral)		רָעִים. בְּגוּפָם:
וְחַטָּאִים - And sinners. with their possessions.		וְחַטָּאִים. בְּמָמוֹנָם (סנה' ק"ט):
לה' מְאֹֽד - Against God deliberately (lit., “extremely”). They knew their Master, yet they deliberately rebelled against Him.		לה' מְאֹֽד. יוֹדְעִים רִבּוֹנָם, וּמִתְכַּוְּנִים לִמְרֹד בּוֹ:
14After Lot had separated from him, God said to Abram, “Raise your eyes and, from the place where you are, look to the north, to the south, to the east, and to the west.		ידוַֽיהֹוָ֞ה אָמַ֣ר אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הִפָּֽרֶד־ל֣וֹט מֵֽעִמּ֔וֹ שָׂ֣א נָ֤א עֵינֶ֨יךָ֙ וּרְאֵ֔ה מִן־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֣ה שָׁ֑ם צָפֹ֥נָה וָנֶ֖גְבָּה וָקֵ֥דְמָה וָיָֽמָּה:
אַֽחֲרֵי הִפָּֽרֶד־לוֹט - After Lot had separated. As long as the wicked Lot was with him, the word of God (i.e., Divine Communication) kept away from him.		אַֽחֲרֵי הִפָּֽרֶד־לוֹט. כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָרָשָׁע עִמּוֹ הָיָה הַדִּבּוּר פּוֹרֵשׁ מִמֵֶּנּוּ:
15For I will give all the land that you see to you and to your offspring forever.		טוכִּ֧י אֶת־כָּל־הָאָ֛רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה רֹאֶ֖ה לְךָ֣ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֖ עַד־עוֹלָֽם:
16I will make your offspring as numerous as the dust of the earth: if a man will be able to count the particles of dust in the world, then your offspring, too, will be countable.		טזוְשַׂמְתִּ֥י אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ֖ כַּֽעֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר \| אִם־יוּכַ֣ל אִ֗ישׁ לִמְנוֹת֙ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ גַּם־זַרְעֲךָ֖ יִמָּנֶֽה:
אֲשֶׁר אִם־יוּכַל אִישׁ - If a man will be able to - means: just as it is impossible for dust to be counted, so, too, will it be impossible for your offspring to be counted.		אֲשֶׁר אִם־יוּכַל אִישׁ. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לֶעָפָר לְהִמָּנוֹת כָּךְ זַרְעֲךָ לֹא יִמָּנֶה:
17Rise, walk through the land, along its length and breadth, for I will give it to you in the future.”		יזק֚וּם הִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ בָּאָ֔רֶץ לְאָרְכָּ֖הּ וּלְרָחְבָּ֑הּ כִּ֥י לְךָ֖ אֶתְּנֶֽנָּה:
18Abram set up tents, and came and settled in Elonim, the plains of Mamre the Amorite, in Hebron. There, he built an altar to God and offered up a sacrifice on it.		יחוַיֶּֽאֱהַ֣ל אַבְרָ֗ם וַיָּבֹ֛א וַיֵּ֛שֶׁב בְּאֵֽלֹנֵ֥י מַמְרֵ֖א אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁ֥ם מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
מַמְרֵא - Mamre. This is the name of a man.		מַמְרֵא. שֵׁם אָדָם:

Footnotes

Genesis 14:14.

2 Samuel 14:19.

Yoma 38b.

Proverbs 10:7.

Fourth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 14

1In the days when King Amrafel of Shin’ar, King Aryoch of Elasar, King Kedorla’omer of Eilam, and King Tid’al of Goyim		אוַיְהִ֗י בִּימֵי֙ אַמְרָפֶ֣ל מֶֽלֶךְ־שִׁנְעָ֔ר אַרְי֖וֹךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֶלָּסָ֑ר כְּדָרְלָעֹ֨מֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ עֵילָ֔ם וְתִדְעָ֖ל מֶ֥לֶךְ גּוֹיִֽם:
אַמְרָפֶל - Amrafel. This is Nimrod, who said (אָמַר) to Abraham, “Plunge (פֹּל) into the fiery furnace.”		אַמְרָפֶל. הוּא נִמְרוֹד, שֶׁאָמַר לְאַבְרָהָם פֹּל לְתוֹךְ כִּבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ (בראשית רבה):
מֶֽלֶךְ־גּוֹיִֽם - King of Goyim. (lit., “nations”). There is a place called Goyim, so named because people from several nations and localities gathered there and appointed a man named Tid’al as their king. Bereshit Rabbah. 1		מֶֽלֶךְ־גּוֹיִֽם. מָקוֹם יֵשׁ שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ גּוֹיִם, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁנִּתְקַבְּצוּ שָׁמָּה מִכַּמָּה אֻמּוֹת וּמְקוֹמוֹת וְהִמְלִיכוּ אִישׁ עֲלֵיהֶם וּשְׁמוֹ תִדְעָל:
2waged war against King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shin’av of Admah, King Shem’ever of Tzevoyim, and the king of Bela, which is Tzo’ar, and subdued them,		בעָשׂ֣וּ מִלְחָמָ֗ה אֶת־בֶּ֨רַע֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ סְדֹ֔ם וְאֶת־בִּרְשַׁ֖ע מֶ֣לֶךְ עֲמֹרָ֑ה שִׁנְאָ֣ב \| מֶ֣לֶךְ אַדְמָ֗ה וְשֶׁמְאֵ֨בֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ צְבוֹיִ֔ם (כתיב צביים) וּמֶ֥לֶךְ בֶּ֖לַע הִיא־צֹֽעַר:
בֶּרַע - Bera. He was so called because he was evil (רַע) towards Heaven and evil towards humanity.		בֶּרַע. רַע לַשָּׁמַיִם וְרַע לַבְּרִיּוֹת:
בִּרְשַׁע - Birsha. He was so called because he exceeded Bera in his wickedness (רֶשַׁע).		בִּרְשַׁע. שֶׁנִּתְעַלָּה בְרֶשַׁע:
שִׁנְאָב - Shin’av. He was so called because he hated (שָׂנָא) his Father (אָב) in Heaven.		שִׁנְאָב. שׂוֹנֵא אָבִיו שׁבַּשָּׁמָיִם:
שמאבר - Shem’ever. He was so called because he “set” his “wings” (שָׂם אֵבֶר) to fly and to leap, in order to rebel against the Holy One, blessed be He.		שמאבר. שָׂם אֵבֶר לָעוּף וְלִקְפֹּץ וְלִמְרֹד בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
בֶּלַע - Bela. This was the name of the city of this king.		בֶּלַע. שֵׁם הָעִיר:
3all the latter joined forces in the Valley of Sidim, which later became part of the Dead Sea.		גכָּל־אֵ֨לֶּה֙ חָֽבְר֔וּ אֶל־עֵ֖מֶק הַשִּׂדִּ֑ים ה֖וּא יָ֥ם הַמֶּֽלַח:
עֵמֶק הַשִּׂדִּים - The valley of Sidim. So it was called because there were many fields (שָׂדוֹת) there.		עֵמֶק הַשִּׂדִּים. כָּךְ שְׁמוֹ, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהָיו בוֹ שָׂדוֹת הַרְבֵּה:
הוּא יָם הַמֶּֽלַח - (lit.) Which is the Dead Sea. At a later date, the sea flowed into this valley and it became the Dead Sea. But the aggadic explanation states that the rocks surrounding it split and streams flowed into it.		הוּא יָם הַמֶּֽלַח. לְאַחַר זְמַן נִמְשַׁךְ הַיָּם לְתוֹכוֹ וְנַעֲשָׂה יָם הַמֶּלַח. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה אוֹמֵר שֶׁנִּתְבַּקְּעוּ הַצּוּרִים סְבִיבוֹתָיו וְנִמְשְׁכוּ יְאוֹרִים לְתוֹכוֹ:
4For 12 years, the five kings of the Plain served Kedorla’omer and his allies, and for 13 years they rebelled.		דשְׁתֵּ֤ים עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה עָֽבְד֖וּ אֶת־כְּדָרְלָעֹ֑מֶר וּשְׁלֹֽשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵ֥ה שָׁנָ֖ה מָרָֽדוּ:
שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה עָֽבְדוּ - For 12 years they served – i.e., these five kings served – Kedorla’omer -		שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה עָֽבְדוּ. חֲמִשָּׁה מְלָכִים הַלָּלוּ אֶת כְּדָרְלָעֹמֶר:
5In the 14th year of their rebellion, Kedorla’omer and the other three kings who were with him came to quell the rebellion. On the way, they defeated the Rephaim in Ashterot-Karnayim, the Zuzim in Ham, and the Eimim in Shaveh-Kiryatayim.		הוּבְאַרְבַּע֩ עֶשְׂרֵ֨ה שָׁנָ֜ה בָּ֣א כְדָרְלָעֹ֗מֶר וְהַמְּלָכִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ וַיַּכּ֤וּ אֶת־רְפָאִים֙ בְּעַשְׁתְּרֹ֣ת קַרְנַ֔יִם וְאֶת־הַזּוּזִ֖ים בְּהָ֑ם וְאֵת֙ הָֽאֵימִ֔ים בְּשָׁוֵ֖ה קִרְיָתָֽיִם:
וּבְאַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה - And in the 14th year – of their rebellion, which was the 26th year of their subjugation - Kedorla’omer came - Since he was the one most involved, being the object of the rebellion, he took matters in hand.		וּבְאַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה. לְמִרְדָּן בָּא כְדָרְלָעֹמֶר לְפִי שֶׁהוּא הָיָה בַעַל הַמַּעֲשֶׂה נִכְנַס בְּעֹבִי הַקּוֹרָה:
וְהַמְּלָכִים - And the kings . These were the other three kings.		וְהַמְּלָכִים. אֵלֶּה שְׁלשָׁה מְלָכִים:
הַזּוּזִים - The Zuzim. These were the Zamzumim.		הַזּוּזִים. הֵם זַמְזֻמִּים:
6They also defeated the Horites at their mountain of Se’ir, as far as Eil, the Plain of Paran, which borders on the desert.		ווְאֶת־הַֽחֹרִ֖י בְּהַֽרֲרָ֣ם שֵׂעִ֑יר עַ֚ד אֵ֣יל פָּארָ֔ן אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הַמִּדְבָּֽר:
בְּהַֽרֲרָם - means “in their mountain.”		בְּהַֽרֲרָם. בְּהַר שֶׁלָּהֶם:
אֵיל פָּארָן - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “the plain of Paran.” I maintain, however, that the word Eil itself does not mean “plain,” but that the plain of Paran is called Eil, that of Mamre is called Elonei, 2 that of Yarden is called Kikar, 3 and that of Shitim is called Avel in Avel Hashitim; 4 and similarly Ba’al Gad, 5 the plain of Gad is called Ba’al. They are all translated by Onkelos as מִישׁוֹר “plain,” but each has its own particular name.		אֵיל פָּארָן. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ מִישׁוֹר. וְאוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁאֵין אֵיל לְשׁוֹן מִישׁוֹר, אֶלָּא מִישׁוֹר שֶׁל פָּארָן אֵיל שְׁמוֹ, וְשֶׁל מַמְרֵא אֵלוֹנֵי שְׁמוֹ, וְשֶׁל יַרְדֵּן כִּכָּר שְׁמוֹ, וְשֶׁל שִׁטִּים אָבֵל שְׁמוֹ, אָבֵל הַשִּׁטִּים, וְכֵן בַּעַל גָּד בַּעַל שְׁמוֹ; וְכֻלָּם מְתֻרְגָּמִין מִישׁוֹר, וְכָל א' שְׁמוֹ עָלָיו:
עַל־הַמִּדְבָּֽר - (lit.) On the desert. This meaning of עַל is similar to: “And next to them… (וְעָלָיו) the tribe of Manasseh.” 6		עַל־הַמִּדְבָּֽר. אֵצֶל הַמִּדְבָּר, כְּמוֹ וְעָלָיו מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה (במדבר ב'):
7They then turned back and arrived at Kadesh, which is also known as Ein-Mishpat. They conquered the entire field that would later be settled by the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Chatzatzon-Tamar.		זוַיָּשֻׁ֠בוּ וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ אֶל־עֵ֤ין מִשְׁפָּט֙ הִ֣וא קָדֵ֔שׁ וַיַּכּ֕וּ אֶת־כָּל־שְׂדֵ֖ה הָֽעֲמָֽלֵקִ֑י וְגַם֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י הַיּשֵׁ֖ב בְּחַֽצֲצֹ֥ן תָּמָֽר:
עֵין מִשְׁפָּט היא קָדֵשׁ - Kadesh, which is Ein-Mishpat - It is called here Ein-Mishpat, meaning “well of judgment,” on account of a future event, for Moses and Aaron would in the future be judged there because of what happened at that well. The waters of that well were thus later called “the water of contention.” Onkelos, however, translates it straightforwardly: the place where the inhabitants of the area would gather to hold all court cases.		עֵין מִשְׁפָּט היא קָדֵשׁ. עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד, שֶׁעֲתִידִין מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן לְהִשְָּׁפֵט שָׁם עַל עִסְקֵי אוֹתוֹ הָעַיִן וְהֵם מֵי מְרִיבָה. וְאֻנְקְלוֹס תִּרְגְּמוֹ כִפְשׁוּטוֹ מָקוֹם שֶׁהָיוּ בְנֵי הַמְּדִינָה מִתְקַבְּצִים שָׁם לְכָל מִשְׁפָּט:
שְׂדֵה הָֽעֲמָֽלֵקִי - Field of the Amalekites. Amalek was not yet born, but it is called here based on its future (name).		שְׂדֵה הָֽעֲמָֽלֵקִי. עֲדַיִן לֹא נוֹלַד עֲמָלֵק, וְנִקְרָא עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד:
בחצצון תָּמָֽר - In Chatzatzon-Tamar. This is Ein-Gedi, as is explicitly written in 2 Chronicles 7 in connection with Yehoshafat.		בחצצון תָּמָֽר. הוּא עֵין גֶּדִי, מִקְרָא מָלֵא בְּדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים (ב' כ') בִּיהוֹשָׁפָט:
8The king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Tzevoyim, and the king of Bela, which is Tzo’ar, went forth and engaged them in battle in the Valley of Sidim,		חוַיֵּצֵ֨א מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹ֜ם וּמֶ֣לֶךְ עֲמֹרָ֗ה וּמֶ֤לֶךְ אַדְמָה֙ וּמֶ֣לֶךְ צְבוֹיִ֔ם (כתיב צביים) וּמֶ֥לֶךְ בֶּ֖לַע הִוא־צֹ֑עַר וַיַּֽעַרְכ֤וּ אִתָּם֙ מִלְחָמָ֔ה בְּעֵ֖מֶק הַשִּׂדִּֽים:
9contending with King Kedorla’omer of Eilam, King Tid’al of Goyim, King Amrafel of Shin’ar, and King Aryoch of Elasar—four kings against the five.		טאֵ֣ת כְּדָרְלָעֹ֜מֶר מֶ֣לֶךְ עֵילָ֗ם וְתִדְעָל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ גּוֹיִ֔ם וְאַמְרָפֶל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ שִׁנְעָ֔ר וְאַרְי֖וֹךְ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֶלָּסָ֑ר אַרְבָּעָ֥ה מְלָכִ֖ים אֶת־הַֽחֲמִשָּֽׁה:
אַרְבָּעָה מְלָכִים וגו' - Four kings…. and nevertheless the few were victorious. This tells you that they were powerful, but nevertheless Abraham did not refrain from pursuing them.		אַרְבָּעָה מְלָכִים וגו'. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן נִצְּחוּ הַמֻּעָטִים, לְהוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁגִּבּוֹרִים הָיוּ, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא נִמְנַע אַבְרָהָם מִלִּרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם:
10The Valley of Sidim was full of clay pits. When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell there into the quagmire of clay. The other survivors fled to the mountains.		יוְעֵ֣מֶק הַשִּׂדִּ֗ים בֶּֽאֱרֹ֤ת בֶּֽאֱרֹת֙ חֵמָ֔ר וַיָּנֻ֛סוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹ֥ם וַֽעֲמֹרָ֖ה וַיִּפְּלוּ־שָׁ֑מָּה וְהַנִּשְׁאָרִ֖ים הֶ֥רָה נָּֽסוּ:
בֶּֽאֱרֹת בֶּֽאֱרֹת חֵמָר - Full of clay pits. There were many pits there from where they took earth for making clay for building. But the aggadic explanation is: The clay was actually mixed inside the pits, but a miracle happened to the king of Sodom that he escaped from there. God made this miracle occur because among the nations there were some who did not believe that Abraham was saved from Ur of the Chaldeans, from the fiery furnace, but once the king of Sodom escaped from the clay pits, they retroactively believed in the miracle that happened to Abraham.		בֶּֽאֱרֹת בֶּֽאֱרֹת חֵמָר. בְּאֵרוֹת הַרְבֵּה הָיוּ שָׁם, שֶׁנּוֹטְלִין מִשָּׁם אֲדָמָה לְטִיט שֶׁל בִּנְיָן. וּמִדְרַש אַגָּדָה שֶׁהָיָה הַטִּיט מֻגְבָּל בָּהֶם, וְנַעֲשָׂה נֵס לְמֶלֶךְ סְדוֹם שֶׁיָּצָא מִשָּׁם, לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ בָאֻמּוֹת מִקְצָתָן שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ מַאֲמִינִין שֶׁנִּצַּל אַבְרָהָם מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים מִכִּבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיָּצָא זֶה מִן הַחֵמָר, הֶאֱמִינוּ בְאַבְרָם לְמַפְרֵעַ:
הֶרָה נָּֽסוּ - means “they fled to a mountain.” הֶרָה is the equivalent of לְהָר. Any word that requires a ל prefix, Scripture sometimes uses a ה suffix instead. There is a difference in meaning, however, between the words הֶרָה and הָהָרָה, for the ה suffix takes the place of a ל prefix punctuated with a sheva (לְ), but cannot take the place of a ל prefix punctuated with a patach (לַ), meaning “to the.” Thus, הֶרָה is the same in meaning as לְהָר or אֶל הָר – “to a mountain” – that does not specify which mountain, so that here it means that each person fled to the first mountain he came across. However, when a ה is prefixed to a word having this ה suffix, e.g., by writing הָהָרָה or הַמִּדְבָּרָה, it is the equivalent of אֶל הָהָר or הָהָרָה – “to the mountain” – and refers to the known mountain specified in that passage.		הֶרָה נָּֽסוּ. לְהָר נָסוּ, הֶרָה, כְּמוֹ לְהָר; כָּל תֵּבָה שֶׁצְּרִיכָה לָמֶ"ד בִּתְחִלָּתָהּ, הֵטִיל לָהּ הֵ"א בְּסוֹפָהּ. וְיֵשׁ חִלּוּק בֵּין הֶרָה לְהָהָרָה, שֶׁהֵ"א שֶׁבְּסוֹף הַתֵּבָה עוֹמֶדֶת בִּמְקוֹם לָמֶ"ד שֶׁבְּרֹאשָׁהּ, אֲבָל אֵינָהּ עוֹמֶדֶת בִּמְקוֹם לָמֶ"ד וּנְקוּדָה פַּתָּח תַּחְתֶּיהָ, וַהֲרֵי הֶרָה כְּמוֹ לְהַר אוֹ כְּמוֹ אֶל הַר, וְאֵינוֹ מְפָרֵשׁ לְאֵיזֶה הַר, אֶלָּא שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד נָס בַּאֲשֶׁר מָצָא הַר תְּחִלָּה, וּכְשֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן הֵ"א בְרֹאשָׁהּ לִכְתֹּב הָהָרָה אוֹ הַמִּדְבָּרָה, פִּתְרוֹנוֹ כְּמוֹ אֶל הָהָר אוֹ כְמוֹ לְהָהָר, וּמַשְׁמַע לְאוֹתוֹ הַר הַיָּדוּעַ וּמְפֹרָשׁ בַּפָּרָשָׁה:
11The four kings seized all the belongings of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and they departed.		יאוַיִּקְח֠וּ אֶת־כָּל־רְכֻ֨שׁ סְדֹ֧ם וַֽעֲמֹרָ֛ה וְאֶת־כָּל־אָכְלָ֖ם וַיֵּלֵֽכוּ:
12When they left, they also took Abram’s nephew Lot and his possessions, since he had been living in Sodom.		יבוַיִּקְח֨וּ אֶת־ל֧וֹט וְאֶת־רְכֻשׁ֛וֹ בֶּן־אֲחִ֥י אַבְרָ֖ם וַיֵּלֵ֑כוּ וְה֥וּא ישֵׁ֖ב בִּסְדֹֽם:
וְהוּא ישֵׁב בסדום - Since he had been living in Sodom. What caused him this misfortune? His living in Sodom.		וְהוּא ישֵׁב בסדום. מִי גָרַם לוֹ זֹאת? יְשִׁיבָתוֹ בִסְדוֹם:
13The sole survivor of this battle came and told Abram, the Hebrew, who was living in Elonim, the plains of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshkol and brother of Aner, who were Abram’s allies.		יגוַיָּבֹא֙ הַפָּלִ֔יט וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְאַבְרָ֣ם הָֽעִבְרִ֑י וְהוּא֩ שֹׁכֵ֨ן בְּאֵֽלֹנֵ֜י מַמְרֵ֣א הָֽאֱמֹרִ֗י אֲחִ֤י אֶשְׁכֹּל֙ וַֽאֲחִ֣י עָנֵ֔ר וְהֵ֖ם בַּֽעֲלֵ֥י בְרִֽית־אַבְרָֽם:
וַיָּבֹא הַפָּלִיט - The survivor came. According to the straightforward meaning, this was Og who escaped from the battle, and so it is written: “For only King Og of Bashan was left from the remnant of the Rephaim,” 8 and the meaning of “was left” is that Amrafel and his allies did not kill him when they defeated the Rephaim in Ashterot-Karnayim – Tanchuma. 9 But in Midrash Bereshit Rabbah 10 it says that this was Og, who had escaped from the generation of the Flood, and this is to what “from the remnant of the Rephaim” refers, for it says, “The ‘fallen ones’ were on earth….” 11 In telling Abraham, he intended that Abram be killed trying to rescue Lot, and he would marry Sarah.		וַיָּבֹא הַפָּלִיט. לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ זֶה עוֹג, שֶׁפָּלַט מִן הַמִּלְחָמָה, וְהוּא שֶׁכָּתוּב כִּי רַק עוֹג נִשְׁאַר מִיֶּתֶר הָרְפָאִים (דבר' ג') וְזֶהוּ נִשְׁאַר, שֶׁלֹּא הֲרָגוּהוּ אַמְרָפֶל וַחֲבֵרָיו כְּשֶׁהִכּוּ הָרְפָאִים בְּעַשְׁתְּרוֹת קַרְנַיִם, תַּנְחוּמָא וּמִדְרַשׁ בּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה זֶה עוֹג, שֶׁפָּלַט מִדּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל; וְזֶהוּ מִיֶּתֶר הָרְפָאִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הַנְּפִלִים הָיוּ בָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ' (לְעֵיל ו') וּמִתְכַּוֵּן שֶׁיֵּהָרֵג אַבְרָם וְיִשָּׂא אֶת שָׂרָה:
הָֽעִבְרִי - The Hebrew. He was so called because he came from the east, the “other side” (עֵבֶר) of the Euphrates River.		הָֽעִבְרִי. שֶׁבָּא מֵעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר (בראשית רבה):
בַּֽעֲלֵי בְרִֽית־אַבְרָֽם - Abram’s allies - i.e., who had formed a covenant with him. Another explanation: They advised him about the circumcision, as is mentioned elsewhere.		בַּֽעֲלֵי בְרִֽית־אַבְרָֽם. שֶׁכָּרְתוּ עִמּוֹ בְּרִית:
14When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he armed his 318 attendants who had been born in his household. He set out in pursuit of Lot’s captors, following them as far as Dan.		ידוַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם כִּ֥י נִשְׁבָּ֖ה אָחִ֑יו וַיָּ֨רֶק אֶת־חֲנִיכָ֜יו יְלִידֵ֣י בֵית֗וֹ שְׁמֹנָ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ וּשְׁל֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף עַד־דָּֽן:
וַיָּרֶק - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וְזָרֵיז “he armed,” “armer” in Old French. Similarly we find: “I will unsheathe (וַהֲרִיקֹתִי) the sword after you,” 12 and “I will unsheathe (אָרִיק) my sword,” 13 and “And arm Yourself (וְהָרֵק) with a spear and protect me.” 14		וַיָּרֶק. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְזָרִיז, וְכֵן וַהֲרִיקֹתִי אַחֲרֵיכֶם חָרֶב (ויקרא כ"ו) – אֶזְדַּיֵּן בְּחַרְבִּי עֲלֵיכֶם, וְכֵן אָרִיק חַרְבִּי (שמות ט"ו), וְכֵן וְהָרֵק חֲנִית וּסְגֹר (תה' ל"ה):
חֲנִיכָיו - His attendants. This word is written חניכו suggesting the singular – חֲנִיכוֹ “his attendant.” This refers to Eliezer, whom he had educated (שֶׁחִנְּכוֹ) to observe mitzvot. חנך connotes initiating a person or an object to his or its designated occupation or purpose. Similarly we find: “Train (חֲנוֹךְ) the child according to his disposition”; 15 and “the dedication (חֲנֻכַּת) of the Altar,” 16 and “the dedication (חֲנֻכַּת) of the House.” 17 In Old French it is “enseigner” (“to instruct”).		חֲנִיכָיו. חנכו כְּתִיב (סְפָרִים אֲחֵרִים קְרֵי), זֶה אֱלִיעֶזֶר שֶׁחִנְּכוֹ לְמִצְוֹת וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן הַתְחָלַת כְּנִיסַת הָאָדָם אוֹ כְלִי לָאֻמָּנוּת שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לַעֲמֹד בָּהּ, וְכֵן חֲנֹךְ לַנַּעַר (משלי כ"ב), חֲנֻכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ (במד' ז'), חֲנֻכַּת הַבַּיִת (תה' ל') ובלע"ז קוֹרִין לוֹ אינצ"נייר:
שְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר וגו' - 318. Our rabbis said: It was Eliezer alone whom he armed, and 318 is the numerical value of his name.		שְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר וגו'. רַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ אֱלִיעֶזֶר לְבַדּוֹ הָיָה (נדרים ל"ב), וְהוּא מִנְיַן גִּימַטְרִיָּא שֶׁל שְׁמוֹ:
עַד־דָּֽן - As far as Dan. There his strength flagged because he saw prophetically that his descendants would in the future erect an idolatrous calf there.		עַד־דָּֽן. שָׁם תָּשַׁשׁ כֹּחוֹ, שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁעֲתִידִין בָּנָיו לְהַעֲמִיד שָׁם עֵגֶל (סנה' צ"ו):
15He and his servants had divided themselves in order to pursue the four kings should they flee in different directions. Continuing the pursuit into the night, Abram attacked before midnight. Afterward, as stated, Abram pursued them, but only as far as Dan—where Abram’s descendants would later incur guilt—which is north of Damascus.		טווַיֵּֽחָלֵ֨ק עֲלֵיהֶ֧ם \| לַ֛יְלָה ה֥וּא וַֽעֲבָדָ֖יו וַיַּכֵּ֑ם וַיִּרְדְּפֵם֙ עַד־חוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִשְּׂמֹ֖אל לְדַמָּֽשֶׂק:
וַיֵּֽחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם - According to its straightforward meaning, rearrange the verse to read: וַיֵּחָלֵק – He divided himself – הוּא וַעֲבָדָיו – he and his servants – עֲלֵיהֶם – against them – לַיְלָה – at night, in the way of pursuers who divide up to chase after those being pursued when they flee in different directions.		וַיֵּֽחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם. לְפִי פְשׁוּטוֹ סָרֵס הַמִּקְרָא "וַיֵּחָלֵק הוּא וַעֲבָדָיו עֲלֵיהֶם לַיְלָה" כְּדֶּרֶך הָרוֹדְפִים שֶׁמִּתְפַּלְּגִים אַחַר הַנִּרְדָּפִים, כְּשֶׁבּוֹרְחִין זֶה לְכָאן וְזֶה לְכָאן:
לַיְלָה - At night. This means that even after dark he did not refrain from pursuing them. The aggadic explanation, however, is: וַיֵּחָלֵק means that the night was divided into two: during its first half a miracle happened to him, and its second half was reserved for the miracle at midnight in Egypt.		לַיְלָה. כְּלוֹמַר אַחַר שֶׁחָשְׁכָה לֹא נִמְנַע מִלְּרָדְפָם. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה שֶׁנֶּחֱלַק הַלַּיְלָה, וּבְחֶצְיוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן נַעֲשָׂה לוֹ נֵס, וְחֶצְיוֹ הַשֵּׁנִי נִשְׁמַר וּבָא לוֹ לַחֲצוֹת לַיְלָה שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם:
עַד־חוֹבָה - (lit.) As far as Chovah. There is no place actually named Chovah, but the town of Dan is called Chovah (“guilt”) on account of the idol-worship that would be there in the future.		עַד־חוֹבָה. אֵין מָקוֹם שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ חוֹבָה, וְדָן קוֹרֵא חוֹבָה, עַל שֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁעֲתִידָה לִהְיוֹת שָׁם:
16He retrieved all the belongings; he also brought back his kinsman Lot along with his belongings, as well as the women and the other people.		טזוַיָּ֕שֶׁב אֵ֖ת כָּל־הָֽרְכֻ֑שׁ וְגַם֩ אֶת־ל֨וֹט אָחִ֤יו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ֙ הֵשִׁ֔יב וְגַ֥ם אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְאֶת־הָעָֽם:
17After Abram returned from his victory over Kedorla’omer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom came out to greet him at Open Valley, which was the king of Sodom’s sporting ground.		יזוַיֵּצֵ֣א מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹם֘ לִקְרָאתוֹ֒ אַֽחֲרֵ֣י שׁוּב֗וֹ מֵֽהַכּוֹת֙ אֶת־כְּדָרְלָעֹ֔מֶר וְאֶת־הַמְּלָכִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ אֶל־עֵ֣מֶק שָׁוֵ֔ה ה֖וּא עֵ֥מֶק הַמֶּֽלֶךְ:
עֵמֶק שָׁוֵה - (lit.) Shaveh valley. That was its name, to be understood as Onkelos translates it: לְמֵישַׁר מַפְנָא “to the open valley,” empty of trees and any kind of obstacle.		עֵמֶק שָׁוֵה. כָּךְ שְׁמוֹ, כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ לְמֵישַׁר מְפַנָּא – פָּנוּי מֵאִילָנוֹת וּמִכָּל מִכְשׁוֹל:
עֵמֶק הַמֶּֽלֶךְ - (lit.) The king’s valley. Onkelos translates it as בֵּית רֵיסָא דְּמַלְכָּא “the king’s expanse” – i.e., a stretch of land one ris (רִיס) long, which is thirty kanim – that was set aside for the king’s sport. The aggadic explanation, however, is: עֵמֶק שָׁוֵה הוּא עֵמֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ means: the valley where all the nations were unanimous (הֻשְׁווּ) and appointed (הִמְלִיכוּ) Abram as a prince of God and leader over them.		עֵמֶק הַמֶּֽלֶךְ. בֵּית רֵיסָא דְמַלְכָּא בֵּית רִיס א' שֶׁהוּא שְׁלֹשִׁים קָנִים, שֶׁהָיָה מְיֻחָד לַמֶּלֶךְ לְצַחֵק שָׁם. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה עֵמֶק, שֶׁהֻשְׁווּ שָׁם כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת וְהִמְלִיכוּ אֶת אַבְרָהָם עֲלֵיהֶם לִנְשִׂיא אֱלֹהִים וּלְקָצִין:
18King Malki-Tzedek of Salem brought forth bread and wine. He was also a priest to God, the Most High.		יחוּמַלְכִּי־צֶ֨דֶק֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ שָׁלֵ֔ם הוֹצִ֖יא לֶ֣חֶם וָיָ֑יִן וְה֥וּא כֹהֵ֖ן לְאֵ֣ל עֶלְיֽוֹן:
וּמַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק - Malki-Tzedek. The aggadic explanation is that he was Shem, the son of Noah.		וּמַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק. מִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה הוּא שֵׁם בֶן נֹחַ (נדרים ל"ב):
לֶחֶם וָיָיִן - Bread and wine. This is customarily served to the battle-weary. Malki-Tzedek thereby showed Abram that he bore no ill will against him for having killed his descendants. And the aggadic explanation is: He thereby intimated to him about the grain-offerings and wine libations that Abram’s descendants would offer there in Salem – Jerusalem.		לֶחֶם וָיָיִן. כָּךְ עוֹשִׂים לִיגִיעֵי מִלְחָמָה, וְהֶרְאָה לוֹ שֶׁאֵין בְּלִבּוֹ עָלָיו עַל שֶׁהָרַג אֶת בָּנָיו. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה רָמַז לוֹ עַל הַמְּנָחוֹת וְעַל הַנְּסָכִים שֶׁיַּקְרִיבוּ שָׁם בָּנָיו:
19He blessed Abram, and said, “Blessed be Abram before God the Most High, maker of heaven and earth.		יטוַיְבָֽרֲכֵ֖הוּ וַיֹּאמַ֑ר בָּר֤וּךְ אַבְרָם֙ לְאֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן קֹנֵ֖ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ:
קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָֽרֶץ - (lit.) Possessor of heaven and earth. This is similar to “Maker of heaven and earth”; 18 by making them He acquired them to be His possession.		קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָֽרֶץ. כְּמוֹ עֹשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ (תה' קל"ד); עַל יְדֵי עֲשִׂיָּתָן קְנָאָן לִהְיוֹת שֶׁלּוֹ:
20And blessed be God the Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Abram then gave Malki-Tzedek a tithe of everything he owned.		כוּבָרוּךְ֙ אֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן אֲשֶׁר־מִגֵּ֥ן צָרֶ֖יךָ בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֥וֹ מַֽעֲשֵׂ֖ר מִכֹּֽל:
אֲשֶׁר־מִגֵּן - means “who delivered.” A similar usage of this verb: “How could I hand you over to your enemies (אֲמַגֶּנְךָ), Israel?” 19		אֲשֶׁר־מִגֵּן. אֲשֶׁר הִסְגִּיר, וְכֵן אֲמַגֶּנְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל (הושע י"א):
וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ - [Abram] gave him a tithe of everything - that he had, since Malki-Tzedek was a priest.		וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ. אַבְרָהָם מעשר מכל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה כֹהֵן:

Footnotes

Bereshit Rabbah 42:4.

Chukat 25.

Bereshit Rabbah 42:8.

Fifth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 14

21The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people you have rescued from my kingdom and keep the belongings you have retrieved for yourself.”		כאוַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־סְדֹ֖ם אֶל־אַבְרָ֑ם תֶּן־לִ֣י הַנֶּ֔פֶשׁ וְהָֽרְכֻ֖שׁ קַח־לָֽךְ:
תֶּן־לִי הַנֶּפֶשׁ - Give me the people. This means: Of that which was captured from me and which you rescued, return only the people to me.		תֶּן־לִי הַנֶּפֶשׁ. מִן הַשְּׁבִי שֶׁלִּי שֶׁהִצַּלְתָּ, הַחֲזֵר לִי הַגּוּפִים לְבַדָּם:
22Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand and sworn to God, the Most High God, maker of heaven and earth,		כבוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אַבְרָ֖ם אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ סְדֹ֑ם הֲרִמֹ֨תִי יָדִ֤י אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ אֵ֣ל עֶלְי֔וֹן קֹנֵ֖ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ:
הרימתי יָדִי - (lit.) I have raised my hand. This is an expression of an oath: “I raise my hand to the Most High God.” Similarly we find the past tense used instead of the present: בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי 1 which means: “By Myself I swear,” and נָתַתִּי כֶּסֶף הַשָּׂדֶה קַח מִמֶּנִּי 2 which means: “I am giving you the money for the field; take it from me.”		הרימתי יָדִי. לְשׁוֹן שְׁבוּעָה, מֵרִים אֲנִי אֶת יָדִי לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן, וְכֵן בִּי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי (בר' כ"ב), נִשְׁבַּע אֲנִי, וְכֵן נָתַתִּי כֶּסֶף הַשָּׂדֶה קַח מִמֶּנִּי (שם כ"ג), נוֹתֵן אֲנִי לְךָ כֶּסֶף הַשָּׂדֶה, קָחֵהוּ מִמֶּנִּי:
23that I will not even retain a thread or a shoe strap from among the returned belongings! Nor will I take anything that you offer me from your treasury as payment, so you will not be able to say, ‘It was I who made Abram rich.’		כגאִם־מִחוּט֙ וְעַ֣ד שְׂרֽוֹךְ־נַ֔עַל וְאִם־אֶקַּ֖ח מִכָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָ֑ךְ וְלֹ֣א תֹאמַ֔ר אֲנִ֖י הֶֽעֱשַׁ֥רְתִּי אֶת־אַבְרָֽם:
אִם־מִחוּט וְעַד שְׂרֽוֹךְ־נַעַל - Not even a thread or a shoe strap. Will I retain for myself from what was captured.		אִם־מִחוּט וְעַד שְׂרֽוֹךְ־נַעַל. אַעֲכֵּב לְעַצְמִי מִן הַשְּׁבִי:
וְאִם־אֶקַּח מִכָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָךְ - Nor will I take anything of yours - Even if you wish to pay me out of your own treasury, I will not take it.		וְאִם־אֶקַּח מִכָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָךְ. וְאִם תֹּאמַר לָתֵת לִי שָׂכָר מִבֵּית גְּנָזֶיךָ, לֹא אֶקַּח:
וְלֹא תֹאמַר וגו' - So that you will not be able to say…. for the Holy One, blessed be He, has promised to make me wealthy, as it says: “I will bless you….” 3		וְלֹא תֹאמַר וגו'. שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִבְטִיחַנִי לְעַשְּׁרֵנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַאֲבָרֶכְךָ וְגוֹ':
24That is, except for what the young men have eaten, and the share due the men who came with me into battle, as well as what is due Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre. All these may take their share.”		כדבִּלְעָדַ֗י רַ֚ק אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽכְל֣וּ הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְחֵ֨לֶק֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָֽלְכ֖וּ אִתִּ֑י עָנֵר֙ אֶשְׁכֹּ֣ל וּמַמְרֵ֔א הֵ֖ם יִקְח֥וּ חֶלְקָֽם:
הַנְּעָרִים - The young men - i.e., my servants “who came with me.” And also “Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre may take their share.” Even though my servants went into battle, as it says, “He and his servants…attacked them,” 4 and Aner and his friends only remained with the equipment to guard it, nevertheless “they may take their share.” And King David learned from him, for he said, “Like the share of the one who goes into battle, so will be the share of the one who guards the equipment; they shall divide the spoil together.” 5 It therefore continues and says: “And so from that day, as was previously (וָמָעְלָה) the practice, David made it as a rule of law.” 6 It does not say “from that day on” (וָהָלְאָה), because the rule had already been instituted in Abram’s time.		הַנְּעָרִים. עֲבָדַי אֲשֶׁר הָלְכוּ אִתִּי וְעוֹד עָנֵר אֶשְׁכֹּל וּמַמְרֵא וְגוֹ'; אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעֲבָדַי נִכְנְסוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הוּא וַעֲבָדָיו וַיַּכֵּם, וְעָנֵר וַחֲבֵרָיו יָשְׁבוּ עַל הַכֵּלִים לִשְׁמֹר, אֲפִלּוּ הָכִי הֵם יִקְחוּ חֶלְקָם. וּמִמֶּנּוּ לָמַד דָּוִד, שֶׁאָמַר כְּחֵלֶק הַיֹּרֵד בַּמִּלְחָמָה וּכְחֵלֶק הַיֹּשֵׁב עַל הַכֵּלִים יַחְדָּו יַחֲלֹקוּ (שמואל א ל'), וּלְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וַיְהִי מֵהַיּוֹם הַהוּא וָמָעְלָה וַיְשִׂמֶהָ לְחֹק וּלְמִשְׁפָּט (שם), וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר וָהָלְאָה, לְפִי שֶׁכְּבָר נִתַּן הַחֹק בִּימֵי אַבְרָם:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 15

1After these words of Abram’s, God’s word came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear punishment, Abram; I am a shield for you. Furthermore, your reward will still be very great.”		אאַחַ֣ר \| הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה הָיָ֤ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם בַּמַּֽחֲזֶ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אַל־תִּירָ֣א אַבְרָ֗ם אָֽנֹכִי֙ מָגֵ֣ן לָ֔ךְ שְׂכָֽרְךָ֖ הַרְבֵּ֥ה מְאֹֽד:
אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה - After these words. Wherever it says the word אַחַר it signifies soon after the preceding event, whereas אַחֲרֵי signifies a long time afterward (Bereshit Rabbah 7). Thus “after these words” means after this miracle was performed for him, that he killed the kings, he was worried and said, “Maybe I have now received full reward for all my righteous deeds.” Therefore the Omnipresent said to him: “Do not fear, Abram; I am a shield for you” from punishment, so that you not be punished for all the people you killed; and concerning your anxiety about having received your reward: “your reward will still be very great.”		אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶאֱמַר אַחַר – סָמוּךְ, אַחֲרֵי – מֻפְלָג (בראשית רבה). אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אַחַר שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה לוֹ נֵס זֶה, שֶׁהָרַג אֶת הַמְּלָכִים וְהָיָה דוֹאֵג וְאוֹמֵר, שֶׁמָּא קִבַּלְתִּי שָׂכָר עַל כָּל צִדְקוֹתַי, לְכָךְ אָמַר לוֹ הַמָּקוֹם אַל תִּירָא אַבְרָם אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ, מִן הָעֹנֶשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא תֵּעָנֵשׁ עַל כָּל אוֹתָן נְפָשׁוֹת שֶׁהָרַגְתָּ; וּמַה שֶּׁאַתָּה דוֹאֵג עַל קִבּוּל שְׂכָרְךָ, שְׂכָרְךָ הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד (בראשית רבה):
2Abram said, “God, of what benefit would anything be that You would give me, seeing that I am childless, and because I have no son, the administrator of my household is Eliezer of Damascus?”		בוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָ֗ם אֲדֹנָ֤י יֱהֹוִה֙ מַה־תִּתֶּן־לִ֔י וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י הוֹלֵ֣ךְ עֲרִירִ֑י וּבֶן־מֶ֣שֶׁק בֵּיתִ֔י ה֖וּא דַּמֶּ֥שֶׂק אֱלִיעֶֽזֶר:
הוֹלֵךְ עֲרִירִי - Menachem ben Saruk explained עֲרִירִי as meaning “heir,” and so we find it with a similar meaning: עֵר וְעוֹנָה “son and grandson.” 8 However, in our context עֲרִירִי means “without an heir,” the same word being used with an opposite negative meaning, in the same way as it says: “and all my produce תְּשָׁרֵשׁ,” 9 meaning “it will uproot,” although תְּשָׁרֵשׁ can otherwise mean “take root.” So, too, עֲרִירִי means here “without children,” and in Old French “desenfantez” (“childless”). But to me it seems that עֵר וְעוֹנָה is of the same root as: “but my heart is awake (עֵר).” 10 עֲרִירִי, however, is an expression of destruction, and similarly we find: עָרוּ עָרוּ “Destroy! Destroy!” 11 and similarly: עָרוֹת יְסוֹד “destroying the foundation,” 12 and similarly: עַרְעַר תִּתְעַרְעַר “it shall surely be destroyed,” 13 and similarly: כִּי אַרְזָה עֵרָה “for its cedar-work will be destroyed.” 14		הוֹלֵךְ עֲרִירִי. מְנַחֵם בֶּן סָרוּק פֵּרְשׁוֹ לְשׁוֹן יוֹרֵשׁ, וְחָבֵר לוֹ עֵר וְעֹנֶה (מלאכי ב'), עֲרִירִי, בְלֹא יוֹרֵשׁ, כַּאֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר וּבְכָל תְּבוּאָתִי תְשָׁרֵשׁ (איוב ל"א), תְּעַקֵּר שָׁרָשֶׁיהָ, כָּךְ לְשׁוֹן עֲרִירִי חֲסַר בָּנִים, ובלע"ז דישאנפנטיש. וְלִי נִרְאֶה עֵר וְעֹנֶה מִגִּזְרַת וְלִבִּי עֵר (שיר השירים ה'), וַעֲרִירִי לְשׁוֹן חֻרְבָּן, וְכֵן עָרוּ עָרוּ (תה' קל"ז), וְכֵן עָרוֹת יְסוֹד (חבקוק ג'), וְכֵן עַרְעֵר תִּתְעַרְעָר (ירמ' נ"א), וְכֵן כִּי אַרְזָה עֵרָה (צפניה ב'):
וּבֶן־מֶשֶׁק בֵּיתִי - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “the provider in my house,” i.e., the person by whose orders my entire household is provided for, similar to: “and by your orders will all my people be provided for (יִשַּׁק),” 15 i.e., my administrator; were I, however, to have a son, my son would be in charge of my affairs.		וּבֶן־מֶשֶׁק בֵּיתִי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, שֶׁכָּל בֵּיתִי נִזּוֹן עַל פִּיו, כְּמוֹ וְעַל פִּיךָ יִשַּׁק (בר' מלכים א), אַפּוֹטְרוֹפּוֹס שֶׁלִּי, וְאִלּוּ הָיָה לִי בֵן, הָיָה בְנִי מְמֻנֶּה עַל שֶׁלִּי:
דַּמֶּשֶׂק - Damascus. According to Onkelos’ translation it means that he came from Damascus. But according to an aggadic explanation he was so called because he had pursued the kings until Damascus. In our Gemara 16 it is explained as an acrostic: דּוֹלֶה וּמַשְׁקֶה “one who draws and gives drink” to others of the teachings of his master.		דַּמֶּשֶׂק. לְפִי הַתַּרְגּוּם מִדַּמֶּשֶׂק הָיָה, וּלְפִי מִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה שֶׁרָדַף הַמְּלָכִים עַד דַּמֶּשֶׂק. וּבַתַּלְמוּד דָרְשׁוּ נוֹטָרִיקוֹן דּוֹלֶה וּמַשְׁקֶה מִתּוֹרַת רַבּוֹ לַאֲחֵרִים:
3Abram continued, “Look, You have given me no children. Eliezer, a mere member of my household, will inherit me.”		גוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַבְרָ֔ם הֵ֣ן לִ֔י לֹ֥א נָתַ֖תָּה זָ֑רַע וְהִנֵּ֥ה בֶן־בֵּיתִ֖י יוֹרֵ֥שׁ אֹתִֽי:
הֵן לִי לֹא נתת זָרַע - You have given me no children. So what purpose, then, is there in all that You will give me?		הֵן לִי לֹא נתת זָרַע. וּמַה תּוֹעֶלֶת בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר תִּתֵּן לִי?
4At that moment the word of God came to him, saying: “This person will not be your heir! Rather, one born from your own flesh will inherit you.”		דוְהִנֵּ֨ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א יִירָֽשְׁךָ֖ זֶ֑ה כִּי־אִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵצֵ֣א מִמֵּעֶ֔יךָ ה֖וּא יִֽירָשֶֽׁךָ:
5God took Abram outside his tent and said, “Look towards heaven and count the stars—if you can count them!” He said to him, “That is how numerous your descendants will be.”		הוַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֔יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֥ה יִֽהְיֶ֖ה זַרְעֶֽךָ:
וַיּוֹצֵא אֹתוֹ הַחוּצָה - [God] took him outside. According to the straightforward meaning, He brought him out of his tent to look at the stars. But according to its Midrashic explanation, He said to him, “Leave your astrological calculations that you have observed in the constellations that you are not destined to have a son. Abram will not have a son, but Abraham will have a son. Sarai will not give birth, but Sarah will. I will give you both another name and your constellation will thus be altered.” Another explanation: He took him outside the terrestrial atmosphere and lifted him above the stars, and thus the word הַבֶּט is used, indicating looking downward from above.		וַיּוֹצֵא אֹתוֹ הַחוּצָה. לְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ הוֹצִיאוֹ מֵאָהֳלוֹ לַחוּץ לִרְאוֹת הַכּוֹכָבִים, וּלְפִי מִדְרָשׁוֹ אָמַר לוֹ צֵא מֵאִצְטַגְנִינוּת שֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁרָאִיתָ בַּמַּזָּלוֹת שֶׁאֵינְךָ עָתִיד לְהַעֲמִיד בֵּן, אַבְרָם אֵין לוֹ בֵן, אֲבָל אַבְרָהָם יֵשׁ לוֹ בֵן, שָׂרַי לֹא תֵלֵד, אֲבָל שָׂרָה תֵלֵד; אֲנִי קוֹרֵא לָכֶם שֵׁם אַחֵר וְיִשְׁתַּנֶּה הַמַּזָּל. דָּבָר אַחֵר הוֹצִיאוֹ מֵחֲלָלוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם וְהִגְבִּיהוֹ לְמַעְלָה מִן הַכּוֹכָבִים, וְזֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן הַבָּטָה מִלְמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה:
6Abram believed in God, and God accounted it for him as an act of righteousness.		ווְהֶֽאֱמִ֖ן בַּֽיהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ לּ֖וֹ צְדָקָֽה:
והאמין בה' - [Abram] believed in God - i.e., he did not ask Him for a sign about this promise of having descendants. He did, however, ask for a sign about inheriting the land and said to Him, “By what sign can I know…?” 17		והאמין בה'. לֹא שָׁאַל לוֹ אוֹת עַל זֹאת; אֲבָל עַל יְרֻשַּׁת הָאָרֶץ שָׁאַל לוֹ אוֹת וְאָמַר לוֹ בַּמָּה אֵדַע.
וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָֽה - And He accounted it for him as an act of righteousness - i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He, considered the faith that Abram had in Him as a meritorious and righteous act. Another explanation of “How will I know…?”: He did not ask Him here for a sign about the inheritance of the land but asked Him: “Let me know by what merit my descendants will continue to remain in the land.” The Holy One, blessed be He, answered him: “Through the merit of the sacrifices.”		וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָֽה. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חֲשָׁבָהּ לאַבְרָם לִזְכוּת וְלִצְדָקָה עַל הַאֲמָנָה שֶׁהֶאֱמִין בּוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר בַּמָּה אֵדַע, לֹא שָׁאַל לוֹ אוֹת אֶלָּא אָמַר לְפָנָיו, הוֹדִיעֵנִי בְּאֵיזֶה זְכוּת יִתְקַיְּמוּ בָּהּ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בִּזְכוּת הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת:

Footnotes

Bereshit Rabbah 44:5.

Yoma 28b.

Sixth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 15

7He said to him, “I am God who took you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.”		זוַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑יו אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֽוֹצֵאתִ֨יךָ֙ מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֔ים לָ֧תֶת לְךָ֛ אֶת־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ:
8“God,” replied Abram, “by what sign can I know that I will take possession of it?”		חוַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֔ה בַּמָּ֥ה אֵדַ֖ע כִּ֥י אִֽירָשֶֽׁנָּה:
9God said to him, “Bring for Me three calves, three goats, three rams, a turtledove, and a young dove.”		טוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו קְחָ֥ה לִי֙ עֶגְלָ֣ה מְשֻׁלֶּ֔שֶׁת וְעֵ֥ז מְשֻׁלֶּ֖שֶׁת וְאַ֣יִל מְשֻׁלָּ֑שׁ וְתֹ֖ר וְגוֹזָֽל:
עֶגְלָה מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת - means “three calves.” They were an allusion to three sacrifices of cattle: the bull offered on Yom Kippur, 1 the bull offered when the community acts in accordance with an undetected erroneous ruling made by the Sanhedrin, 2 and the calf whose neck must be broken. 3		עֶגְלָה מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת. שְׁלשָׁה עֲגָלִים; רֶמֶז לִשְׁלֹשָׁה פָרִים, פַּר יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים וּפַר הֶעְלֵם דָּבָר שֶׁל צִבּוּר וְעֶגְלָה עֲרוּפָה:
וְעֵז מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת - Three goats. An allusion to the goat offered on Yom Kippur, whose blood was sprinkled in the Holy of Holies; 4 the goat of the additional offerings of each festival; 5 and the sin-offering goat of an individual. 6		וְעֵז מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת. רֶמֶז לְשָׂעִיר הַנַּעֲשֶׂה בִּפְנִים וּשְׂעִירֵי מוּסָפִין שֶׁל מוֹעֵד וּשְׂעִיר חַטַּאת יָחִיד:
וְאַיִל מְשֻׁלָּשׁ - Three rams - symbolizing the guilt-offering ram brought by a person who is aware of definitely committing certain specific sins, 7 the guilt-offering ram brought by a person in doubt if he committed an offense, 8 and the lamb brought by an individual as a sin-offering. 9		וְאַיִל מְשֻׁלָּשׁ. אֲשַׁם וַדַּאי וְאָשָׁם תָּלוּי וְכִבְשָׂה שֶׁל חַטַּאת יָחִיד:
ותור וְגוֹזָֽל - symbolizing the turtledove and the young dove brought as a sin-offering in accordance with one’s means. 10		ותור וְגוֹזָֽל. תּוֹר וּבֶן יוֹנָה (בראשית רבה):
10Abram brought Him all of these, slaughtered them, and cut the mammals in half, placing each piece opposite its counterpart. The birds, however, he did not cut in half.		יוַיִּקַּח־ל֣וֹ אֶת־כָּל־אֵ֗לֶּה וַיְבַתֵּ֤ר אֹתָם֙ בַּתָּ֔וֶךְ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אִֽישׁ־בִּתְר֖וֹ לִקְרַ֣את רֵעֵ֑הוּ וְאֶת־הַצִּפֹּ֖ר לֹ֥א בָתָֽר:
וַיְבַתֵּר אֹתָם - He cut them. He divided each one into two portions. Although we explained above the significance of these animals according to the Midrashic explanation, the verse does not lose its literal meaning: Since God was making a covenant with him to keep His promise of giving the land as an inheritance to his descendants, as it is written: “On that day, God made a covenant with Abram, saying…,” 11 and the custom of parties to a covenant is to divide an animal and pass between its parts, as it says elsewhere: “who passed between the parts of the calf,” 12 so here, too, “a smoking furnace and a flaming torch passed between the pieces,” 13 which was the representative of the Divine Presence, which is referred to as “fire.”		וַיְבַתֵּר אֹתָם. 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.
וְאֶת־הצפור לֹא בָתָֽר - The birds, however, he did not cut in half. Since the other nations are compared to bulls, rams, and goats, as it says: “Many bulls (mighty kingdoms) have surrounded me…,” 14 and it says: “The ram that you saw with horns refers to the kings of Media and Persia,” 15 and it says: “and the goat is the king of Greece,” 16 whereas Israel is compared to young doves, as it says: “My dove is in the cleft of the rock,” 17 he split the animals, indicating that the nations will gradually perish; but he did not split the birds, indicating that Israel will endure forever.		וְאֶת־הצפור לֹא בָתָֽר. 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:
11Vultures swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.		יאוַיֵּ֥רֶד הָעַ֖יִט עַל־הַפְּגָרִ֑ים וַיַּשֵּׁ֥ב אֹתָ֖ם אַבְרָֽם:
הָעַיִט - It is a specific kind of bird, so called because it swoops down (עָט) greedily on carcasses, darting quickly on the food. This word is related to the verbal form: “and you swooped (וַתַּעַט) upon the spoil.” 18		הָעַיִט. הוּא עוֹף, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהוּא עָט וְשׁוֹאֵף אֶל הַנְּבֵלוֹת לָטוּשׂ עֲלֵי אֹכֶל, כְּמוֹ וַתַּעַט אֶל הַשָּׁלָל (שמואל א ט"ו):
עַל־הַפְּגָרִים - On the carcasses - i.e., upon the pieces of the carcasses. The correct version of Onkelos’ translation of הַפְּגָרִים is פַּגְלַיָּא. However, since people were familiar with Onkelos’ translation of אִישׁ בִּתְרוֹ 19 – וִיהַב פַּלְגַיָּא (“and he put each piece”), they confused the word פַּגְלַיָּא with פַּלְגַיָּא and thus wrote the translation of הַפְּגָרִים as פַּלְגַיָּא. But whoever translates it so is mistaken, for one cannot compare בְּתָרִים “pieces” to פְּגָרִים “carcasses.” בְּתָרִים is translated as פַּלְגַיָּא, whereas פְּגָרִים is translated as פַּגְלַיָּא, which is from the word פִּגּוּל (contemptible), as in: פִּגּוּל הוּא “it is contemptible,” 20 a word similar in sense to פֶּגֶר – a carcass.		עַל־הַפְּגָרִים. 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:
וַיַּשֵּׁב - This word connotes blowing and causing to fly away, as in יַשֵּׁב רוּחוֹ “He causes His wind to blow.” 21 This indicates that David son of Jesse would aspire to destroy the nations, but he would not be allowed by heaven to do so until the Messianic King arrives.		וַיַּשֵּׁב. לְשׁוֹן נְשִׁיבָה וְהַפְרָחָה, כְּמוֹ יַשֵּׁב רוּחוֹ (תה' קמ"ז), רֶמֶז שֶׁיָּבֹא דָוִד בֶּן יִשַּׁי לְכַלּוֹתָם, וְאֵין מַנִּיחִין אוֹתוֹ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ:
12Then, as the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and he was overwhelmed by a dark and ominous dread.		יבוַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ֙ לָב֔וֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָ֖ה נָֽפְלָ֣ה עַל־אַבְרָ֑ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה אֵימָ֛ה חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה נֹפֶ֥לֶת עָלָֽיו:
וְהִנֵּה אֵימָה וגו' - Dread. An allusion to the troubles and darkness of the different exiles.		וְהִנֵּה אֵימָה וגו'. רֶמֶז לְצָרוֹת וְחשֶׁךְ שֶׁל גָּלִיּוֹת:
13God said to Abram, explaining this dread, “Know for sure that your descendants will be foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and the people will enslave them and oppress them for 400 years.		יגוַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְאַבְרָ֗ם יָדֹ֨עַ תֵּדַ֜ע כִּי־גֵ֣ר \| יִֽהְיֶ֣ה זַרְעֲךָ֗ בְּאֶ֨רֶץ֙ לֹ֣א לָהֶ֔ם וַֽעֲבָד֖וּם וְעִנּ֣וּ אֹתָ֑ם אַרְבַּ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָֽה:
כִּי־גֵר יִֽהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ - That your descendants will be foreigners. From when Isaac was born until the Israelites left Egypt was a period of 400 years. How is this reckoned? Isaac was 60 years old when Jacob was born, and when Jacob went down to Egypt he said, “The years of my sojourning have been 130,” 22 together being 190 years; and in Egypt they were 210 years, corresponding to the numerical value of the word רְדוּ, thus totaling 400 years. Should you suggest that they were actually 400 years in Egypt, this cannot be, for Kehat was among those who went down to Egypt with Jacob, and if you add together the years of Kehat (133) and of his son Amram (137), and the 80 years of Amram’s son Moses, which was his age when they left Egypt, you only have 350 years, and from this figure you must deduct all the years that Kehat lived after Amram’s birth and those that Amram lived after Moses’ birth.		כִּי־גֵר יִֽהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ. 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:
בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם - In a land that is not theirs. It does not say “in the land of Egypt” but “in a land that is not theirs,” for after Isaac was born it says: “Abraham sojourned (וַיָּגָר) in Philistia,” 23 and about Isaac it says: “Sojourn (גּוּר) in this land,” 24 and about Jacob it says: “Jacob sojourned (גָּר) in the land of Ham,” 25 and about his sons it says: “We have come to sojourn (לָגוּר) in the land.” 26		בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם. 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):
14I will also execute judgment upon the nation whom they will serve. After that they will leave with great wealth.		ידוְגַ֧ם אֶת־הַגּ֛וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַֽעֲבֹ֖דוּ דָּ֣ן אָנֹ֑כִי וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֥ן יֵֽצְא֖וּ בִּרְכֻ֥שׁ גָּדֽוֹל:
וְגַם אֶת־הַגּוֹי - (lit.) And also upon the nation. The word וְגַם “and also” comes to include the four kingdoms that will also be destroyed for enslaving Israel.		וְגַם אֶת־הַגּוֹי. וְגַם לְרַבּוֹת ד' מַלְכֻיּוֹת, שֶׁאַף הֵן כָּלִים עַל שֶׁשִּׁעְבְּדוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל:
דָּן אָנֹכִי - I will execute judgment - with 10 plagues.		דָּן אָנֹכִי. בְּעֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת:
בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדֽוֹל - means “with great wealth,” as it says: “They drained Egypt of its wealth.” 27		בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדֽוֹל. בְּמָמוֹן גָּדוֹל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְנַצְּלוּ אֶת מִצְרָיִם (שמות י"ב):
15As for you, you will join your fathers in the afterlife in peace, and you will be buried after reaching a good old age.		טווְאַתָּ֛ה תָּב֥וֹא אֶל־אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ בְּשָׁל֑וֹם תִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּשֵׂיבָ֥ה טוֹבָֽה:
וְאַתָּה תָּבוֹא - As for you, you will join - and you will not see all this.		וְאַתָּה תָּבוֹא. וְלֹא תִרְאֶה כָּל אֵלֶה:
אֶל־אבותיך - Your fathers. His father Terach was an idolater, and yet God announces to Abraham that he would join him?! This teaches you that Terach repented.		אֶל־אבותיך. אָבִיו עוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהוּא מְבַשְּׂרוֹ שֶׁיָּבֹא אֵלָיו? לִמֶּדְךָ שֶׁעָשָׂה תֶּרַח תְּשׁוּבָה:
תִּקָּבֵר בְּשֵׂיבָה טוֹבָֽה - You will be buried after a good old age. He thus informed him that Ishmael would repent in his lifetime and that Esau would not turn astray in his lifetime. Therefore Abraham died five years before his proper time, for on the very day of his death Esau rebelled against God.		תִּקָּבֵר בְּשֵׂיבָה טוֹבָֽה. בִּשְּׂרוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה יִשְׁמָעֵאל תְּשׁוּבָה בְּיָמָיו, וְלֹא יֵצֵא עֵשָׂו לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה בְּיָמָיו; וּלְפִיכָךְ מֵת ה' שָׁנִים קֹדֶם זְמַנּוֹ, וּבוֹ בַיּוֹם מָרַד עֵשָׂו:
16The fourth generation will return here, for not until then will the sin of the Amorites have run its course.”		טזוְד֥וֹר רְבִיעִ֖י יָשׁ֣וּבוּ הֵ֑נָּה כִּ֧י לֹֽא־שָׁלֵ֛ם עֲוֹ֥ן הָֽאֱמֹרִ֖י עַד־הֵֽנָּה:
וְדוֹר רְבִיעִי - The fourth generation. After they will go into exile to Egypt, they will remain there for three generations, and the fourth generation will return to this land. God said: “they will return here,” because He was speaking to him in Canaan and there He made this covenant, as it is written: “to give you this land to take possession of it.” 28 And so it was that the fourth generation returned: Jacob went down to Egypt; go and reckon his generations: Judah, Peretz, and Chetzron – and Kalev the son of Chetzron was of those who entered the land.		וְדוֹר רְבִיעִי. 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:
כִּי לֹֽא־שָׁלֵם עֲוֹן הָֽאֱמֹרִי - For the sin of the Amorites will not have run its course. To warrant their being driven away from their land until that time, for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not exact punishment from a nation until its measure of evil has been filled, as it says: “When Egypt reached her full measure, when Egypt was sent to destruction, retribution was exacted from her.” 29		כִּי לֹֽא־שָׁלֵם עֲוֹן הָֽאֱמֹרִי. לִהְיוֹת מִשְׁתַּלֵּחַ מֵאַרְצוֹ עַד אוֹתוֹ זְמַן, שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִפְרָע מֵאֻמָּה עַד שֶׁתִּתְמַלֵּא סְאָתָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּסַאסְּאָה בְּשַׁלְחָהּ תְּרִיבֶנָּה (יש' כ"ז):
17The sun having set, it became very dark, and behold, a smoking furnace and a flaming torch passed between those animal pieces.		יזוַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֨מֶשׁ֙ בָּ֔אָה וַֽעֲלָטָ֖ה הָיָ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֨ה תַנּ֤וּר עָשָׁן֙ וְלַפִּ֣יד אֵ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָבַ֔ר בֵּ֖ין הַגְּזָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה:
וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה - The sun having set. This is a similar syntactical construction to: וַיְהִי הֵם מְרִיקִים שַׂקֵּיהֶם “While they were emptying their sacks,” 30 and: וַיְהִי הֵם קוֹבְרִים אִישׁ “As they were burying a man,” 31 i.e., וַיְהִי is an abbreviated form of וַיְהִי דָּבָר זֶה “this thing happened.”		וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה. כְּמוֹ וַיְהִי הֵם מְרִיקִים שַׂקֵּיהֶם (בראשית מ"ב), וַיְהִי הֵם קֹבְרִים אִישׁ (מלכים ב י"ג), כְּלוֹמַר, וַיְהִי דָּבָר זֶה:
הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה - (lit.) The sun having come - means it had set.		הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה. שָׁקְעָה:
וַֽעֲלָטָה הָיָה - It became very dark - the day became dark.		וַֽעֲלָטָה הָיָה. חָשַׁךְ הַיּוֹם:
וְהִנֵּה תַנּוּר עָשָׁן וגו' - And behold, a smoking furnace… He thereby indicated to him that the kingdoms of the nations would descend into Purgatory.		וְהִנֵּה תַנּוּר עָשָׁן וגו'. רָמַז לוֹ שֶׁיִּפְּלוּ הַמַּלְכֻיּוֹת בַּגֵּיהִנֹּם:
בָּאָה - Its accent is on the first syllable and thus it means that the sun had already set; but if its accent were on the last syllable, on the א, it would mean that the sun was setting, and this is impossible to say, for it is already written: “As the sun was about to set,” 32 and the passing of the smoking furnace came after that. Consequently the sun had already set. This distinction applies to every verb in the feminine form whose root has two letters, such as בָּא (come), קָם (arise), שָׁב (return), that when the accent is on the first syllable it is in the past tense, as in this case, and as in: וְרָחֵל בָּאָה “Rachel arrived,” 33 and קָמָה אֲלֻמָּתִי “my sheaf stood up,” 34 and הִנֵּה שָׁבָה יְבִמְתֵּךְ “Look! Your sister-in-law has returned.” 35 But when the accent is on the last syllable it is in the present tense, denoting action that is happening now and is continuous, as in: בָּאָה עִם הַצֹּאן “approaching with the flocks,” 36 and בָּעֶרֶב הִיא בָאָה וּבַבֹּקֶר הִיא שָׁבָה “In the evening she would go (lit., “she enters”), and in the morning she would return (lit., “she returns”).” 37		בָּאָה. טַעֲמוֹ לְמַעְלָה, לְכָךְ הוּא מְבֹאָר שֶׁבָּא כְבָר. וְאִם הָיָה טַעֲמוֹ לְמַטָּה, בָּאָלֶ"ף, הָיָה מְבֹאָר כְּשֶׁהִיא שׁוֹקַעַת; וְאִי אֶפְשַָׁר 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:
18On that day, God made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, from the Stream of Egypt to the Euphrates, ‘the great river.’		יחבַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא כָּרַ֧ת יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־אַבְרָ֖ם בְּרִ֣ית לֵאמֹ֑ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֗ נָתַ֨תִּי֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את מִנְּהַ֣ר מִצְרַ֔יִם עַד־הַנָּהָ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל נְהַר־פְּרָֽת:
לְזַרְעֲךָ נָתַתִּי - To your descendants I have given. The word of the Holy One, blessed be He, is considered as if it were already fulfilled.		לְזַרְעֲךָ נָתַתִּי. אֲמִירָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּאִלוּ הִיא עֲשׂוּיָה:
הַנָּהָר הגדול - The great river. Because it is adjacent to the Land of Israel it is called “great,” even though it is the last mentioned of the four rivers flowing out of Eden, as it says: “The fourth river is Euphrates.” 38 This follows a common proverb: “The servant of a king is a king; attach yourself to a ruler, and people will bow down to you.”		הַנָּהָר הגדול. לְפִי שֶׁהוּא דָבוּק לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל קוֹרְאֵהוּ גָּדוֹל, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא מְאֻחָר בְּאַרְבָּעָה נְהָרוֹת הַיּוֹצְאִים מֵעֵדֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהַנָּהָר הָרְבִיעִי הוּא פְרָת. מָשָׁל הֶדְיוֹט: עֶבֶד מֶלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ, הִדָּבֵק לַשַּׁחֲוָר וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ (בראשית רבה):
19This Promised Land comprises the territories of the Keinites, the Kenizites, the Kadmonites,		יטאֶת־הַקֵּינִי֙ וְאֶת־הַקְּנִזִּ֔י וְאֵ֖ת הַקַּדְמֹנִֽי:
אֶת־הקני - The Keinites. There are ten nations mentioned here, but He gave them the territories of only seven nations. The other three – Edom, Moab, and Ammon, which are the Keinites, Kenizites, and Kadmonites – will be possessed in the future, as it says: “Edom and Moab will be subject to them, and the people of Ammon will obey them.” 39		אֶת־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):
20the Hittites, the Perizites, the Rephaim,		כוְאֶת־הַֽחִתִּ֥י וְאֶת־הַפְּרִזִּ֖י וְאֶת־הָֽרְפָאִֽים:
וְאֶת־הָֽרְפָאִֽים - The Rephaim. This is the land of Og, about which it says: “This is the land that is called the land of the Rephaim.” 40		וְאֶת־הָֽרְפָאִֽים. אֶרֶץ עוֹג, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָּה: הַהוּא יִקָּרֵא אֶרֶץ רְפָאִים (דברים ג'):
21the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”		כאוְאֶת־הָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְאֶת־הַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֔י וְאֶת־הַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֖י וְאֶת־הַיְבוּסִֽי:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 16

1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not borne him a child. She had an Egyptian bondwoman whose name was Hagar.		אוְשָׂרַי֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת אַבְרָ֔ם לֹ֥א יָֽלְדָ֖ה ל֑וֹ וְלָ֛הּ שִׁפְחָ֥ה מִצְרִ֖ית וּשְׁמָ֥הּ הָגָֽר:
שׁפחה מִצְרִית - An Egyptian bondwoman. She was the daughter of Pharaoh. When he saw the miracles performed for Sarah, he said, “It is better that my daughter be a bondwoman in this household than be a lady in another household.”		שׁפחה מִצְרִית. בַּת פַּרְעֹה הָיְתָה, כְּשֶׁרָאָה נִסִּים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לְשָׂרָה אָמַר: מוּטָב שֶׁתְּהֵא בִתִּי שִׁפְחָה בְּבַיִת זֶה וְלֹא גְבִירָה בְּבַיִת אַחֵר:
2Sarai said to Abram, “Look, God has kept me from having children. Therefore, come to my bondwoman, take her as a concubine; perhaps through the merit of sharing you with her I will bear children of my own and thereby be built up into a matriarch.” Abram heeded Sarai’s voice.		בוַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֜י אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם הִנֵּה־נָ֞א עֲצָרַ֤נִי יְהֹוָה֙ מִלֶּ֔דֶת בֹּא־נָא֙ אֶל־שִׁפְחָתִ֔י אוּלַ֥י אִבָּנֶ֖ה מִמֶּ֑נָּה וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע אַבְרָ֖ם לְק֥וֹל שָׂרָֽי:
אוּלַי אִבָּנֶה מִמֶּנָּה - Perhaps through her I will be built up. This teaches us that one who has no children is not “built up” but “ruined.”		אוּלַי אִבָּנֶה מִמֶּנָּה. לִמֵּד עַל מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בָּנִים שֶׁאֵינוֹ בָנוּי אֶלָּא הָרוּס:
אִבָּנֶה מִמֶּנָּה - Through her I will be built up - i.e., in the merit of my admitting her as my rival into my house.		אִבָּנֶה מִמֶּנָּה. בִּזְכוּת שֶׁאַכְנִיס צָרָתִי לְתוֹךְ בֵּיתִי:
לְקוֹל שָׂרַי - (lit.) To Sarai’s voice. I.e., to the Holy Spirit of prophecy within her.		לְקוֹל שָׂרַי. לְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁבָּהּ (בראשית רבה):
3Abram’s wife, Sarai, convinced Hagar the Egyptian, her bondwoman—after Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years—to marry Abram. In this way she gave her to her husband, Abram, as a second wife.		גוַתִּקַּ֞ח שָׂרַ֣י אֵֽשֶׁת־אַבְרָ֗ם אֶת־הָגָ֤ר הַמִּצְרִית֙ שִׁפְחָתָ֔הּ מִקֵּץ֙ עֶ֣שֶׂר שָׁנִ֔ים לְשֶׁ֥בֶת אַבְרָ֖ם בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַתִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛הּ לְאַבְרָ֥ם אִישָׁ֖הּ ל֥וֹ לְאִשָּֽׁה:
וַתִּקַּח שָׂרַי - (lit.) Sarai took. She “took” her with pleasant words: “How fortunate you are that you are privileged to consort with someone who has so sanctified his body.”		וַתִּקַּח שָׂרַי. לְקָחַתָּה בִּדְבָרִים, אַשְׁרַיִךְ שֶׁזָּכִית לִדָּבֵק בְּגוּף קָדוֹשׁ כָּזֶה (בראשית רבה):
מִקֵּץ עֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים - After…ten years. This is the fixed time-period given for a woman who has been married for ten years and not borne a child to her husband, when her husband is required to marry another.		מִקֵּץ עֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים. מוֹעֵד הַקָּבוּעַ לְאִשָּׁה שֶׁשָּׁהֲתָה עֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים וְלֹא יָלְדָה לְבַעֲלָהּ, חַיָּב לִשָֹּא אַחֶרֶת:
לְשֶׁבֶת אַבְרָם וגו' - Abram had lived… This tells us that Abram’s period of living outside the Land of Israel was not included in the calculation of the ten years, for the promise “I will make you into a great nation” 41 was not said to him until he came to the Land of Israel.		לְשֶׁבֶת אַבְרָם וגו'. מַגִּיד שֶׁאֵין יְשִׁיבַת חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ עוֹלָה לוֹ מִן הַמִּנְיָן (יב' ס"ד), לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר לוֹ וְאֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל, עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא לְאֶרֶץ יִשְֹרָאֵל:
4He conducted marital relations with Hagar and she conceived immediately. When Hagar later saw that she was pregnant, she regarded her mistress with disdain and told her as much.		דוַיָּבֹ֥א אֶל־הָגָ֖ר וַתַּ֑הַר וַתֵּ֨רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וַתֵּקַ֥ל גְּבִרְתָּ֖הּ בְּעֵינֶֽיהָ:
וַיָּבֹא אֶל־הָגָר וַתַּהַר - He conducted marital relations with Hagar and she conceived - from the first union.		וַיָּבֹא אֶל־הָגָר וַתַּהַר. מִבִּיאָה רִאשׁוֹנָה (בראשית רבה):
וַתֵּקַל גְּבִרְתָּהּ בְּעֵינֶֽיהָ - She regarded her mistress with disdain. She said, “This Sarai’s hidden behavior is obviously not like her open behavior. She gives the impression of being a righteous woman, but she is really not righteous, for she did not merit to conceive all these years, and I conceived from the first union.”		וַתֵּקַל גְּבִרְתָּהּ בְּעֵינֶֽיהָ. 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):
5Sarai said to Abram, “You are to blame for the wrong of my humiliation! It was I who selflessly placed my bondwoman in your bosom, and now that she sees that she is pregnant, she regards me with disdain and yet you do not admonish her! Let God judge between me and you!”		הוַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֣י אֶל־אַבְרָם֘ חֲמָסִ֣י עָלֶ֒יךָ֒ אָֽנֹכִ֗י נָתַ֤תִּי שִׁפְחָתִי֙ בְּחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וַתֵּ֨רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וָֽאֵקַ֖ל בְּעֵינֶ֑יהָ יִשְׁפֹּ֥ט יְהֹוָ֖ה בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֶֽיֹךָ:
חֲמָסִי עָלֶיךָ - (lit.) My wrong is upon you - means: “for the wrong done to me, I place on you the punishment.” When you prayed to the Holy One, blessed be He, saying, “Of what benefit would anything be that You would give me, seeing that I am childless?” 42 you only prayed for yourself. You should have prayed for both of us, and I would have been remembered together with you. Furthermore, you deprive (חוֹמֵס) me of your words, for you hear how I am being disgraced, yet you remain silent.”		חֲמָסִי עָלֶיךָ. חָמָס הֶעָשׂוּי לִי, עָלֶיךָ אֲנִי מֵטִיל הָעֹנֶשׁ; כְּשֶׁהִתְפַּלַּלְתָּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא 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):
אָֽנֹכִי נָתַתִּי שִׁפְחָתִי וגו' בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶֽיֹךָ - It was I who placed my bondwoman…between me and you. Every time “between you (בֵּינֶיךָ)” is mentioned in Scripture, it is written without a second י, but here it is written in full, that it may be read as וּבֵינֵיךְ as when addressing a female, and be referring to Hagar. This indicates that she cast an evil eye on the pregnancy of Hagar and she miscarried. This explains what the angel said to Hagar, “You will conceive.” 43 Was she not already pregnant, and yet he tells her that she will conceive! It thus teaches us that she miscarried the first pregnancy.		אָֽנֹכִי נָתַתִּי שִׁפְחָתִי וגו' בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶֽיֹךָ. 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:
6Abram replied to Sarai, “Here, your bondwoman’s fate is in your hands. Deal with her as you see fit.” Sarai dealt harshly with her. So Hagar ran away from her.		ווַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַבְרָ֜ם אֶל־שָׂרַ֗י הִנֵּ֤ה שִׁפְחָתֵךְ֙ בְּיָדֵ֔ךְ עֲשִׂי־לָ֖הּ הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינָ֑יִךְ וַתְּעַנֶּ֣הָ שָׂרַ֔י וַתִּבְרַ֖ח מִפָּנֶֽיהָ:
וַתְּעַנֶּהָ שׁרי - (lit.) Sarai oppressed her - i.e., she enslaved her harshly.		וַתְּעַנֶּהָ שׁרי. הָיְתָה מְשַׁעְבֶּדֶת בָּהּ בְּקֹשִׁי (בראשית רבה):
7An angel of God found her by a spring of water in the desert, next to the spring on the road to Shur.		זוַיִּמְצָאָ֞הּ מַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהֹוָ֛ה עַל־עֵ֥ין הַמַּ֖יִם בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר עַל־הָעַ֖יִן בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ שֽׁוּר:
8In order to initiate a conversation with Hagar, he said, “Hagar, bondwoman of Sarai! Where are you coming from, and where are you headed?” She replied, “I am running away from Sarai, my mistress.”		חוַיֹּאמַ֗ר הָגָ֞ר שִׁפְחַ֥ת שָׂרַ֛י אֵֽי־מִזֶּ֥ה בָ֖את וְאָ֣נָה תֵלֵ֑כִי וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִפְּנֵי֙ שָׂרַ֣י גְּבִרְתִּ֔י אָֽנֹכִ֖י בֹּרַֽחַת:
מִזֶּה בָאת - means: where are you coming from? He knew the answer but nevertheless asked her this in order to give her an opening so as to start a conversation with her. The expression אֵי מִזֶּה is explained as follows: Where (אַיֵּה) is the place about which you say, “From here (מִזֶּה) I come”?		מִזֶּה בָאת. מֵהֵיכָן בָּאת? יוֹדֵע הָיָה, אֶלָּא לִתֵּן לָהּ פֶּתַח לִכָּנֵס עִמָּה בִּדְבָרִים. וּלְשׁוֹן אֵי מִזֶּה: אַיֵּה הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁתֹּאמַר עָלָיו מִזֶּה אֲנִי בָאָה?
9A second angel of God appeared and said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her dominion.”		טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה שׁ֖וּבִי אֶל־גְּבִרְתֵּ֑ךְ וְהִתְעַנִּ֖י תַּ֥חַת יָדֶֽיהָ:
וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ מַלְאַךְ וגו' - An angel of God said to her… For each statement a different angel was sent to her. It therefore repeats the word מַלְאָךְ “angel” for each statement.		וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ מַלְאַךְ וגו'. עַל כָּל אֲמִירָה הָיָה שָׁלוּחַ לָהּ מַלְאָךְ אַחֵר, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר מַלְאָךְ בְּכָל אֲמִירָה וַאֲמִירָה:
10A third angel of God appeared and said to her, “I will grant you a multitude of descendants; they will be so numerous that they will be uncountable.”		יוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה הַרְבָּ֥ה אַרְבֶּ֖ה אֶת־זַרְעֵ֑ךְ וְלֹ֥א יִסָּפֵ֖ר מֵרֹֽב:
11A fourth angel of God appeared and said to her, “You will again conceive, and will give birth to a son. You must name him Ishmael, for God [i.e., God (El)] has heard [shama] your outcry.		יאוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה הִנָּ֥ךְ הָרָ֖ה וְיֹלַ֣דְתְּ בֵּ֑ן וְקָרָ֤את שְׁמוֹ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֥ע יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־עָנְיֵֽךְ:
הִנָּךְ הָרָה - (lit.) Behold, you are pregnant. This means: “When you return, you will conceive,” as in the הִנָּךְ הָרָה spoken to the wife of Mano’ach, 44 which also has this meaning.		הִנָּךְ הָרָה. כְּשֶׁתָּשׁוּבִי תַּהֲרִי, כְּמוֹ הִנָּךְ הָרָה דְאֵשֶׁת מָנוֹחַ:
וְיֹלַדְתְּ בֵּן - And will give birth to a son. וְיֹלַדְתְּ is similar in meaning to וְיוֹלֶדֶת. Similar verbal forms to this are: “You who dwells (יֹשַׁבְתְּ) in Lebanon, who nestles (מְקֻנַּנְתְּ) in cedars.” 45		וְיֹלַדְתְּ בֵּן. כְּמוֹ וְיוֹלֶדֶת, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ יֹשַׁבְתְּי בַּלְּבָנוֹן מְקֻנַּנְתְּי בָּאֲרָזִים (ירמיה כ"ב):
וְקָרָאת שְׁמוֹ - You must name him. This is a command, similar to what it says for a male: “and you must name (וְקָרָאתָ) him Isaac.” 46		וְקָרָאת שְׁמוֹ. צִוּוּי הוּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאוֹמֵר לְזָכָר וְקָרָאתָ אֶת שְׁמוֹ יִצְחָק (בר' י"ז):
12He will be a wild man—a robber—so his hand will be set against everyone, and therefore everyone will hate him and their hand will be set against him to attack him. But his progeny will be numerous, so he will dwell in the company of all his kin.”		יבוְה֤וּא יִֽהְיֶה֙ פֶּ֣רֶא אָדָ֔ם יָד֣וֹ בַכֹּ֔ל וְיַ֥ד כֹּ֖ל בּ֑וֹ וְעַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־אֶחָ֖יו יִשְׁכֹּֽן:
פֶּרֶא אָדָם - A wild man - i.e., one who loves the wilderness to hunt wild animals, as it is written of him: “He lived in the desert and became an archer.” 47		פֶּרֶא אָדָם. אוֹהֵב מִדְבָּרוֹת לָצוּד חַיּוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וַיֵּשֶׁב בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיְהִי רֹבֶה קַשָּׁת (בראשית כ"א):
יָדוֹ בַכֹּל - His hand will be set against everyone - i.e., he will be a robber.		יָדוֹ בַכֹּל. לִסְטִים:
וְיַד כֹּל בּוֹ - And everyone’s hand will be set against him - i.e., everyone will hate him and be in conflict with him.		וְיַד כֹּל בּוֹ. הַכֹּל שׂוֹנְאִין אוֹתוֹ וּמִתְגָּרִין בּוֹ:
וְעַל־פְּנֵי כֹּל אֶחָיו ישכון - And he will dwell in the company of all his kin - i.e., his offspring will be numerous.		וְעַל־פְּנֵי כֹּל אֶחָיו ישכון. שֶׁיִּהְיֶה זַרְעוֹ גָּדוֹל (בראשית רבה):
13Hagar gave a new name to God who had spoken to her through these angels, saying, “You are the God of Seeing!” For she said, “Would I have even dared to think that I would be privileged to see angels here, too, by myself, after having seen in Abram’s tents that one must be very righteous in order to merit such a privilege?”		יגוַתִּקְרָ֤א שֵֽׁם־יְהֹוָה֙ הַדֹּבֵ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יהָ אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל רֳאִ֑י כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה הֲגַ֥ם הֲלֹ֛ם רָאִ֖יתִי אַֽחֲרֵ֥י רֹאִֽי:
אַתָּה אֵל רֳאִי - The word רֳאִי is vocalized with a chataf-kamatz (רֳ) because it is a noun. Thus אֵל רֳאִי means: “God of Seeing,” who sees the humiliation of the humiliated. Another explanation: אַתָּה אֵל רֳאִי implies that He sees all but cannot be seen by anyone.		אַתָּה אֵל רֳאִי. נָקוּד חֲטַף קָמָץ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא שֵׁם דָּבָר, אֱלוֹהַּ הָרְאִיָּה, שֶׁרוֹאֶה בְעֶלְבּוֹן שֶׁל עֲלוּבִין:
הֲגַם הֲלֹם - Here, too. This is an expression of surprise: “Could I ever have imagined that even here, in the desert, I would have seen a messenger of the Omnipresent, after having seen them in Abraham’s house? For there I was used to seeing angels.” You can be sure that she was accustomed to seeing angels, for Mano’ach saw the angel just once and said, “We will surely die,” 48 yet Hagar saw four angels one after another and was not frightened.		הֲגַם הֲלֹם. לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ; וְכִי סְבוּרָה הָיִיתִי שֶׁאַף הֲלוֹם בַּמִּדְבָּרוֹת רָאִיתִי שְׁלוּחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם אַחֲרֵי רֹאִי אוֹתָם בְּבֵיתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם שֶׁשָּׁם הָיִיתִי רְגִילָה לִרְאות 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:
14The well was therefore called Be’er LaChai Ro’i (“the well where the living [angel] appeared”). It is between Kadesh and Bered.		ידעַל־כֵּן֙ קָרָ֣א לַבְּאֵ֔ר בְּאֵ֥ר לַחַ֖י רֹאִ֑י הִנֵּ֥ה בֵֽין־קָדֵ֖שׁ וּבֵ֥ין בָּֽרֶד:
בְּאֵר לַחַי - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “The well (בְּאֵר) where the living angel (לַחַי) appeared (רֹאִי).”		בְּאֵר לַחַי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
15Hagar again conceived and bore a son to Abram. Abram gave the name Ishmael to his son whom Hagar had borne.		טווַתֵּ֧לֶד הָגָ֛ר לְאַבְרָ֖ם בֵּ֑ן וַיִּקְרָ֨א אַבְרָ֧ם שֶׁם־בְּנ֛וֹ אֲשֶׁר־יָֽלְדָ֥ה הָגָ֖ר יִשְׁמָעֵֽאל:
וַיִּקְרָא אַבְרָם שֶׁם־וגו' - Abram gave the name… Even though Abram did not hear the words of the angel who said to Hagar, “You must name him Ishmael,” nevertheless Divine Inspiration rested on him and he called him Ishmael.		וַיִּקְרָא אַבְרָם שֶׁם־וגו'. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא שָׁמַע אַבְרָם דִּבְרֵי הַמַּלְאָךְ שֶׁאָמַר וְקָרָאת שְׁמוֹ יִשְׁמָעֵאל, שָׁרְתָה רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ עָלָיו וּקְרָאוֹ יִשְׁמָעֵאל:
16Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.		טזוְאַבְרָ֕ם בֶּן־שְׁמֹנִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֵׁ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֑ים בְּלֶֽדֶת־הָגָ֥ר אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל לְאַבְרָֽם:
וְאַבְרָם בֶּן־שמונים וגו' - Abram was 86 years old… This is written to Ishmael’s credit, to tell us that he was 13 years old when he was circumcised, yet he did not object.		וְאַבְרָם בֶּן־שמונים וגו'. לְשִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל יִשְׁמָעֵאל נִכְתַּב, לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁהָיָה בֶּן י"ג שָׁנָה כְּשֶׁנִּמּוֹל וְלֹא עִכֵּב:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 17

1When Abram was 99 years old, God appeared to Abram. God said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk in My ways and in addition, please be perfect—without any defect—in walking in My ways.		אוַיְהִ֣י אַבְרָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְתֵ֣שַׁע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיֵּרָ֨א יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔י הִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ לְפָנַ֖י וֶֽהְיֵ֥ה תָמִֽים:
שׁדי - means: I am the One who has sufficient power (שֶׁיֵּשׁ דַּי) in My Divinity to provide for every creature. Therefore, “walk in My ways” and I will be your God and Protector. Similarly, wherever שַׁדַּי is mentioned in Scripture its meaning is: “His sufficiency” – each time, however, in relation to the context.		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:
הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי - Walk in My ways. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: פְּלַח קֳדָמַי “serve before Me” – i.e., adhere to My service.		הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ פְּלַח קֳדָמַי, הִדַּבֵּק בַּעֲבוֹדָתִי:
וֶֽהְיֵה תָמִֽים - And be perfect. This, too, is a command, following the previous command: “Be perfect throughout all the tests that I give you.” But according to its Midrashic explanation it means: “walk in My ways” by fulfilling the commandment of circumcision, and thereby you will “be perfect,” for as long as you are uncircumcised I consider you as having a blemish. Another explanation of “and be perfect”: At present you are lacking the ability to control five organs: two eyes, two ears, and the reproductive organ. I will add a letter (ה – numerical value: 5) to your name, so that the total numerical value of the letters of your name (אַבְרָהָם) will be 248, corresponding to the number of your organs.		וֶֽהְיֵה תָמִֽים. 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:
2I will make a covenant between Me and you, and I will make you exceedingly numerous.”		בוְאֶתְּנָ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְאַרְבֶּ֥ה אֽוֹתְךָ֖ בִּמְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד:
וְאֶתְּנָה בְרִיתִי - I will make a covenant. A covenant of love, and a covenant regarding the land, to give it to you as an inheritance through your observance of this commandment.		וְאֶתְּנָה בְרִיתִי. בְּרִית שֶׁל אַהֲבָה וּבְרִית הָאָרֶץ לְהוֹרִישָׁהּ לְךָ עַל יְדֵי מִצְוָה זוֹ:
3Abram threw himself on his face. God spoke to him, saying,		גוַיִּפֹּ֥ל אַבְרָ֖ם עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֛וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר:
וַיִּפֹּל אַבְרָם עַל־פָּנָיו - Abram threw himself on his face - out of fear of the Divine Presence, for before he was circumcised he had no strength to stand up when the Holy Spirit was upon him. This clarifies what it says about Balaam: “lying down as if with open eyes.” 49 So I found in Baraita d’Rabbi Eliezer. 50		וַיִּפֹּל אַבְרָם עַל־פָּנָיו. מִמּוֹרָא הַשְּׁכִינָה; שֶׁעַד שֶׁלֹּא מָל לֹא הָיָה בוֹ כֹחַ לַעֲמֹד וְרוּח הַקֹּדֶשׁ נִצֶּבֶת עָלָיו, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בְּבִלְעָם נֹפֵל וּגְלוּי עֵינָיִם, בִּבְרַיְתָא דְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר:
4“As for Me, here is My covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations.		דאֲנִ֕י הִנֵּ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וְהָיִ֕יתָ לְאַ֖ב הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִֽם:
5No longer will you be named Abram, meaning ‘The father—i.e., ruler—of Aram.’ Rather, your name will be Abraham [Avraham], for I have made you the father of a multitude [av hamon] of nations.		הוְלֹֽא־יִקָּרֵ֥א ע֛וֹד אֶת־שִׁמְךָ֖ אַבְרָ֑ם וְהָיָ֤ה שִׁמְךָ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֛י אַב־הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִ֖ם נְתַתִּֽיךָ:
כִּי אַב־הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם - For…as the father of a multitude of nations. This is an acronym of his name (אַב הֲמוֹן – אַבְרָהָם). The ר which was part of his original name (אַבְרָם) signified that he was the father (אַב) of only Aram (אֲרָם), his native country, whereas now he became the father of the entire world. The ר which was part of his original name, even though it has no function within the current meaning, is nevertheless not removed. For even the י of שָׂרַי complained to the Divine Presence that it had been removed until He added it to the name of Joshua, as it says: “Moses changed the name of Hosea (הוֹשֵׁעַ) son of Nun to Joshua (יְהוֹשֻׁעַ).” 51		כִּי אַב־הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם. 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):
6I will make you exceedingly fruitful. I will make you into two more nations. The kings of these nations will also descend from you.		ווְהִפְרֵתִ֤י אֹֽתְךָ֙ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְגוֹיִ֑ם וּמְלָכִ֖ים מִמְּךָ֥ יֵצֵֽאוּ:
וּנְתַתִּיךָ לְגוֹיִם - I will make you into [two more] nations - i.e., Israel and Edom, for Ishmael was already born to him, so God was not informing him about him.		וּנְתַתִּיךָ לְגוֹיִם. יִשְׂרָאֵל וֶאֱדוֹם, שֶׁהֲרֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל כְּבָר הָיָה לוֹ, וְלֹא הָיָה מְבַשְּׂרוֹ עָלָיו:

Footnotes

Leviticus 16:3.

Leviticus 4:13.

Deuteronomy 21:3-4.

Leviticus 16:9, 16.

Numbers 28 and 29.

Leviticus 5:15, 25.

2 Kings 13:21.

Baraita d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 29.

51.

Numbers 13:16.

Seventh Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 17

7I will also maintain another aspect of My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations, as an everlasting covenant: to be God both to you and to your descendants after you.		זוַֽהֲקִֽמֹתִ֨י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֜י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֗ךָ וּבֵ֨ין זַרְעֲךָ֧ אַֽחֲרֶ֛יךָ לְדֹֽרֹתָ֖ם לִבְרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֑ם לִֽהְי֤וֹת לְךָ֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אַֽחֲרֶֽיךָ:
וַֽהֲקִֽמֹתִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי - I will maintain My covenant. And what is this covenant? “to be God to you.”		וַֽהֲקִֽמֹתִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי. וּמַה הִיא הַבְּרִית? לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים:
8I will give the land in which you are sojourning, the entire land of Canaan, as an everlasting heritage to you and to your descendants after you, and I will be God unto them.”		חוְנָֽתַתִּ֣י לְ֠ךָ֠ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֨ אַֽחֲרֶ֜יךָ אֵ֣ת \| אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֗יךָ אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן לַֽאֲחֻזַּ֖ת עוֹלָ֑ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָהֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹהִֽים:
לַֽאֲחֻזַּת עוֹלָם - As an everlasting heritage - and there “I will be God unto them,” but whoever lives outside the Land of Israel is considered as if he has no God.		לַֽאֲחֻזַּת עוֹלָם. וְשָׁם אֶהְיֶה לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים, אֲבָל הַדָּר בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ דּוֹמֶה כְמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ:
9God further said to Abraham, “As for you, you keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you, throughout their generations.		טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם וְאַתָּ֖ה אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֣י תִשְׁמֹ֑ר אַתָּ֛ה וְזַרְעֲךָ֥ אַֽחֲרֶ֖יךָ לְדֹֽרֹתָֽם:
וְאַתָּה - As for you. This ו of וְאַתָּה connects this verse to the previous subject: “As for Me, here is My covenant with you”; 1 and you, for your part – be careful to keep it. And what constitutes keeping it? “This is My covenant…for you to keep: to circumcise every male among you.” 2		וְאַתָּה. וָי"ו זוֹ מוֹסִיף עַל עִנְיָן רִאשׁוֹן, אֲנִי הִנֵּה בְרִיתִי אִתָּךְ, וְאַתָּה הֱוֵי זָהִיר לְשָׁמְרוֹ, וּמַה הִיא שְׁמִירָתוֹ? זֹאת בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמְרוּ הִמּוֹל לָכֶם וְגוֹ':
10This is My covenant, between Me and you—i.e., all the current members of your household—and your descendants after you, for you to keep: to circumcise every male among you.		יזֹ֣את בְּרִיתִ֞י אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְר֗וּ בֵּינִי֙ וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעֲךָ֖ אַֽחֲרֶ֑יךָ הִמּ֥וֹל לָכֶ֖ם כָּל־זָכָֽר:
בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם וגו' - Between Me and You. ie. those who are now alive		בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם וגו'. אוֹתָם שֶׁל עַכְשָׁו:
וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ אַֽחֲרֶיךָ - i.e., those who are now alive; – and your descendants after you. i.e., who are to be born in the future.		וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ אַֽחֲרֶיךָ. הָעֲתִידִין לְהִוָּלֵד:
הִמּוֹל - (lit.) To be circumcised. This word is like לְהִמּוֹל, in the same way as עֲשׂוֹת is the equivalent of לַעֲשׂוֹת.		הִמּוֹל. כְּמוֹ לְהִמּוֹל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר עֲשׂוֹת, כְּמוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת:
11You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a covenantal sign between Me and you.		יאוּנְמַלְתֶּ֕ם אֵ֖ת בְּשַׂ֣ר עָרְלַתְכֶ֑ם וְהָיָה֙ לְא֣וֹת בְּרִ֔ית בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵֽינֵיכֶֽם:
וּנְמַלְתֶּם - You must circumcise. This is the equivalent of וּמַלְתֶּם, the נ being an optional letter to the root which is sometimes dropped, like the נ of נוֹשֵׁךְ and the נ of נוֹשֵׂא. Thus וּנְמַלְתֶּם is like וּנְשָׂאתֶם “you must carry.” 3 But יִמּוֹל “must be circumcised” 4 is a nif’al (passive) form, like יֵעָשֶׂה “will be done” and יֵאָכֵל “it must be eaten.”		וּנְמַלְתֶּם. כְּמוֹ וּמַלְתֶּם, וְהַנּוּ"ן בּוֹ יְתֵרָה לִיסוֹד הַנּוֹפֵל בּוֹ לִפְרָקִים, כְּגוֹן נ' שֶׁל נוֹשֵׁךְ ונ' שֶׁל נוֹשֵׂא, וּנְמַלְתֶּם, כְּמוֹ וּנְשָׂאתֶם; אֲבָל יִמּוֹל לְשׁוֹן יִפָּעֵל, כְּמוֹ יֵעָשֶׂה, יֵאָכֵל:
12Throughout your generations, every male among you must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including every male born of a non-Jewish bondwoman, whether he was conceived when she was already owned by your household or whether he was bought for money—along with his non-Jewish mother when she was pregnant with him—from a stranger who is not one of your descendants.		יבוּבֶן־שְׁמֹנַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים יִמּ֥וֹל לָכֶ֛ם כָּל־זָכָ֖ר לְדֹרֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם יְלִ֣יד בָּ֔יִת וּמִקְנַת־כֶּ֨סֶף֙ מִכֹּ֣ל בֶּן־נֵכָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹ֥א מִזַּרְעֲךָ֖ הֽוּא:
יְלִיד בָּיִת - Born of your household. i.e., a child to whom the bondwoman gave birth in your house.		יְלִיד בָּיִת. שֶׁיְּלָדַתּוּ הַשִּׁפְחָה בַּבַּיִת:
מקנת כֶּסֶף - Or bought for money. i.e., whom you bought after he was born.		מקנת כֶּסֶף. שֶׁקְּנָאוֹ מִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד:
13In contrast, any male born in your household of a non-Jewish woman who was purchased not as a bondwoman herself but only with the understanding that her offspring be bondservants, and any non-Jewish male bought with your money as a bondman after he was born, must be circumcised immediately upon purchase, even if he is older or younger than eight days old. My covenant will thus be in your flesh as an everlasting covenant.		יגהִמּ֧וֹל \| יִמּ֛וֹל יְלִ֥יד בֵּֽיתְךָ֖ וּמִקְנַ֣ת כַּסְפֶּ֑ךָ וְהָֽיְתָ֧ה בְרִיתִ֛י בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֖ם לִבְרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם:
הִמּוֹל יִמּוֹל יְלִיד בֵּֽיתְךָ - Any male child born in your household…must be circumcised. Here it repeats this command, but does not say “eight days old” as in the previous verse. This is to teach you that some cases of those born in your household are circumcised even after eight days, as explained in Tractate Shabbat. 5		הִמּוֹל יִמּוֹל יְלִיד בֵּֽיתְךָ. כָּאן כָּפַל עָלָיו וְלֹא אָמַר לִשְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁיֵּשׁ יְלִיד בַּיִת נִמּוֹל לְאַחַר שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים (ס"א לְאֶחָד) כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּמַסֶּכֶת שַׁבָּת (דף קל"ה ב'):
14An uncircumcised male who does not circumcise his foreskin—that soul will be cut off from his people, for he has breached My covenant.”		ידוְעָרֵ֣ל \| זָכָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יִמּוֹל֙ אֶת־בְּשַׂ֣ר עָרְלָת֔וֹ וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מֵֽעַמֶּ֑יהָ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י הֵפַֽר:
וְעָרֵל זָכָר - An uncircumcised male. Here by the repetition of “male” it teaches us that circumcision is performed on that place where there is a distinction between male and female.		וְעָרֵל זָכָר. כָּאן לִמֵּד שֶׁהַמִּילָה בְּאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא נִכָּר בֵּין זָכָר לִנְקֵבָה (בראשית רבה):
אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יִמּוֹל - Who does not circumcise - when he reaches the age liable for punishment – “will be cut off.” His father, however, is not punished with “being cut off” for not circumcising his son, but he does transgress an active commandment.		אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יִמּוֹל. מִשֶּׁיַּגִּיעַ לִכְלַל עֳנָשִׁין וְנִכְרְתָה; אֲבָל אָבִיו אֵין עָנוּשׁ עָלָיו כָּרֵת, אֲבָל עוֹבֵר בַּעֲשֵׂה:
וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ - That soul will be cut off - i.e., he will be childless and die prematurely.		וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ. הוֹלֵךְ עֲרִירִי וּמֵת קֹדֶם זְמַנּוֹ (שבת כ"ד):
15God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—you must not call her anymore by the name Sarai, meaning ‘my princess,’ for Sarah, meaning ‘princess’ in general, is her name.		טווַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם שָׂרַ֣י אִשְׁתְּךָ֔ לֹֽא־תִקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמָ֖הּ שָׂרָ֑י כִּ֥י שָׂרָ֖ה שְׁמָֽהּ:
לֹֽא־תִקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמָהּ שָׂרַי - You must not call her by the name Sarai - which implies “my princess” (שָׂרַי) – a princess only to me and not to others – “for her name is now Sarah” (שָׂרָה) – a princess in unqualified terms, signifying that she will be a princess over everyone.		לֹֽא־תִקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמָהּ שָׂרַי. דְּמַשְׁמַע שָׂרַי, לִי וְלֹא לְאַחֵרִים, כי שרה סְתָם שְׁמָהּ, שֶׁתְּהֵא שָׂרָה עַל כֹּל (ברכות י"ג):
16I will bless her, and will also give you a son from her. I will also bless her with abundant lactation. She will give rise to nations; kings of peoples will issue from her.”		טזוּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֣י אֹתָ֔הּ וְגַ֨ם נָתַ֧תִּי מִמֶּ֛נָּה לְךָ֖ בֵּ֑ן וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֨יהָ֙ וְהָֽיְתָ֣ה לְגוֹיִ֔ם מַלְכֵ֥י עַמִּ֖ים מִמֶּ֥נָּה יִֽהְיֽוּ:
וּבֵֽרַכְתִּי אותה - I will bless her. And what was the blessing? That she regained her youthfulness, as it says: “Now that I am withered, will my skin become smooth?” 6		וּבֵֽרַכְתִּי אותה. וּמַה הִיא הַבְּרָכָה? שֶׁחָזְרָה לְנַעֲרוּתָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הָיְתָה לִּי עֶדְנָה (בר' י"ח):
וּבֵֽרַכְתִּיהָ - I will also bless her - with the ability to breastfeed. This refers particularly to when she needed it on the day of the feast of Isaac, for people were speaking rumors about them, saying that they had brought in a foundling from the street and said, “This is our son,” so every mother who came to the feast brought her child with her but did not bring her wet nurse, and Sarah nursed all of them. This is what is referred to when it says, “Sarah will nurse children.” 7 This is partially alluded to in Bereshit Rabbah. 8		וּבֵֽרַכְתִּיהָ. בַּהֲנָקַת שָׁדַיִם כְּשֶׁנִּצְרְכָה לְכָךְ בְּיוֹם מִשְׁתֶּה שֶׁל יִצְחָק, שֶׁהָיוּ מְרַנְּנִין עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁהֵבִיאוּ אֲסוּפִי מִן הַשּׁוּק וְאוֹמְרִים בְּנֵנוּ הוּא, וְהֵבִיאָה כָל אַחַת בְּנָה עִמָּהּ וּמֵנִקְתָּהּ לֹא הֵבִיאָה, וְהִיא הֵנִיקָה אֶת כֻּלָּם; הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הֵינִיקָה בָנִים שָׂרָה, בּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה רְמָזוֹ בְּמִקְצָת:
17Abraham threw himself on his face and laughed in joy, saying to himself, “Were it not for God, would a child be born to a 100-year-old man?! Would Sarah, at 90, give birth?!”		יזוַיִּפֹּ֧ל אַבְרָהָ֛ם עַל־פָּנָ֖יו וַיִּצְחָ֑ק וַיֹּ֣אמֶר בְּלִבּ֗וֹ הַלְּבֶ֤ן מֵאָֽה־שָׁנָה֙ יִוָּלֵ֔ד וְאִ֨ם־שָׂרָ֔ה הֲבַת־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה תֵּלֵֽד:
וַיִּפֹּל אַבְרָהָם עַל־פָּנָיו וַיִּצְחָק - Abraham threw himself upon his face and laughed. This word וַיִּצְחָק Onkelos translates as an expression of joy – וַחֲדִי – whereas the similar verb used concerning Sarah 9 he translates as an expression of derisive laughter (וְחַיְכַת). From this you learn that Abraham believed the prophecy and was happy, but Sarah did not believe it and mocked it. That is why the Holy One, blessed be He, censured Sarah for laughing but not Abraham.		וַיִּפֹּל אַבְרָהָם עַל־פָּנָיו וַיִּצְחָק. זֶה תַּרְגּוּם אוֹנְקֵלוֹס, לְשׁוֹן שִׂמְחָה, וַחֲדִי, וְשֶׁל שָׂרָה לְשׁוֹן מָחוֹךְ; לָמַדְתָּ שֶׁאַבְרָהָם הֶאֱמִין וְשָׂמַח וְשָׂרָה לֹא הֶאֱמִינָה וְלִגְלְגָה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁהִקְפִּיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל שָׂרָה וְלֹא הִקְפִּיד עַל אַבְרָהָם:
הַלְּבֶן - Would…to a [100-year-old] man?! There are expressions of astonishment which demonstrate affirmation and not doubt, like: “Did I reveal Myself?”; 10 and “Do you see?” 11 This question, too, is an affirmation, and this in effect is what he said to himself: “Has this kindness which the Holy One, blessed be He, is doing for me been done for another of my age?!”		הַלְּבֶן. יֵשׁ תְּמִיהוֹת שֶׁהֵן קַיָּמוֹת, כְּמוֹ הֲנִגְלֹה נִגְלֵיתִי? (שמואל א ב'), הֲרֹאֶה אַתָּה (יח' ח'), אַף זוֹ הִיא קַיֶּמֶת; וְכָךְ אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ, הֲנַעֲשָׂה חֶסֶד זֶה לְאַחֵר, מַה שֶּׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה לִי?
וְאִם־שָׂרָה הֲבַת־תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה - Would Sarah, at 90 - be worthy of giving birth? Although earlier generations gave birth even at the age of 500, by Abraham’s time the usual lifespan had already become shorter and weakness had come to the world. This you can learn from the 10 generations from Noah to Abraham who gave birth at the relatively early ages of 30 and 70.		וְאִם־שָׂרָה הֲבַת־תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה. הָיְתָה כְדַאי לֵילֵד; וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁדּוֹרוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הָיוּ מוֹלִידִין בְּנֵי ת"ק שָׁנָה, בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם נִתְמָעֲטוּ הַשָּׁנִים כְּבָר וּבָא תַּשּׁוּת כֹּחַ לָעוֹלָם, צֵא וּלְמַד מֵעֲשָׂרָה דּוֹרוֹת שֶׁמִּנֹּחַ וְעַד אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁמִּהֲרוּ תּוֹלְדוֹתֵיהֶן בְּנֵי ס' וּבְנֵי ע':
18Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael would live in awe of You and be worthy to succeed me!”		יחוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים ל֥וּ יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל יִֽחְיֶ֥ה לְפָנֶֽיךָ:
לוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל יִֽחְיֶה - means “if only Ishmael would live” – for I am unworthy of receiving such a reward of having another son.		לוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל יִֽחְיֶה. הַלְוַאי שֶׁיִּחְיֶה יִשְׁמָעֵאל; אֵינִי כְדַאי לְקַבֵּל מַתַּן שָׂכָָר כָּזֶה:
יִֽחְיֶה לְפָנֶֽיךָ - means “would live in awe of You.” This is a similar expression to הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי, 12 which Onkelos translates as פְּלַח קֳדָמַי “serve before Me.”		יִֽחְיֶה לְפָנֶֽיךָ. יִחְיֶה בְיִרְאָתֶךָ, כְּמוֹ הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי – פְּלַח קֳדָמַי:
19God said, “Still, Sarah your wife will indeed bear you a son, and you must name him Isaac [Yitzchak—‘will laugh’]. I will maintain My covenant only with Isaac as an everlasting covenant, for his descendants after him.		יטוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲבָל֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֗ יֹלֶ֤דֶת לְךָ֙ בֵּ֔ן וְקָרָ֥אתָ אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ יִצְחָ֑ק וַֽהֲקִֽמֹתִ֨י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֥י אִתּ֛וֹ לִבְרִ֥ית עוֹלָ֖ם לְזַרְע֥וֹ אַֽחֲרָֽיו:
אֲבָל - Still. This word connotes confirmation of a statement. Similar to this is: “We are indeed (אֲבָל) guilty,” 13 and: “The fact is (אֲבָל), she has no son.” 14		אֲבָל. לְשׁוֹן אֲמִתַּת דְּבָרִים, וְכֵן אֲבָל אֲשֵׁמִים אֲנַחְנוּ (בראשית מ"ב), אֲבָל בֵּן אֵין לָהּ (מלכים ב ד'):
וְקָרָאתָ אֶת־שְׁמוֹ יִצְחָק - And you must name him Isaac - on account of the laughter (צְחוֹק). Some say that it alludes to the numerical values of the letters of the name יצחק: the 10 (י) trials, the 90 (צ) years of Sarah, the 8 (ח) days after birth when Isaac was circumcised, and the 100 (ק) years of Abraham. I will maintain My covenant Why is this mentioned? It is already written: “As for you, you keep My covenant, you and your descendants….” 15 However, since it says: “I will maintain My covenant between Me and you and your descendants…,” 16 I might have thought that the descendants of Ishmael and of Keturah, also descendants of Abraham, are included in the promise of maintaining the covenant. Scripture therefore says here: “I will maintain My covenant with him” – and not with others. Why then does it say again: “But I will maintain My covenant with Isaac”? 17 It is only to teach us that he was holy from birth. Another explanation of the later repetition: Rabbi Abba said: From here one learns a logical conclusion regarding the mistress’ son, Isaac, from the bondwoman’s son, Ishmael. It is written: “I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and numerous” – referring to Ishmael, and all the more so – “I will maintain My covenant with Isaac.”		וְקָרָאתָ אֶת־שְׁמוֹ יִצְחָק. עַל שֵׁם הַצְּחוֹק, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמָרִים עַל שֵׁם הָעֲשָׂרָה נִסְיוֹנוֹת וצ' שָׁנָה שֶׁל שָׂרָה וח' יָמִים שֶׁנִּמּוֹל, וק' שָׁנָה שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי אִתּוֹ לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר, כְּבָר כְּתִיב וְאַתָּה אֶת בְּרִיתִי תִשְׁמֹר אַתָּה וְזַרְעֲךָ וְגוֹ'? אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁאוֹמֵר וַהֲקִמוֹתִי וְגוֹ', יָכוֹל בְּנֵי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וּבְנֵי קְטוּרָה בִּכְלַל הַקִּיּוּם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמָר וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתּוֹ – וְלֹא עִם אֲחֵרִים וְאֶת בְּרִיתִי אקים אֶת־יִצְחָק לָמָּה נֶאֱמַר? אֶלָּא לִמֵּד שֶׁהָיָה קָדוֹשׁ מִבֶּטֶן. דָּבָר אַחֵר אָמַר רַ' אַבָּא, מִכָּאן לָמַד קַל וָחֹמֶר בֶּן הַגְּבִירָה מִבֶּן הָאָמָה; כְּתִיב הִנֵּה בֵּרַכְתִּי אֹתוֹ וְהִפְרֵיתִי אֹתוֹ וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֹתוֹ, זֶה יִשְׁמָעֵאל, וְקַל וָחֹמֶר וְאֶת בְּרִיתִי אָקִים אֶת יִצְחָק:
אֶת בְּרִיתִי - My covenant. i.e., the covenant of circumcision will be transmitted only to the descendants of Isaac. 18		אֶת בְּרִיתִי. בְּרִית הַמִּילָה תְּהֵא מְסוּרָה לְזַרְעוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק:
20Regarding Ishmael, I have heard you: I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful and extremely numerous. He will father 12 princes, and I will make him into a great nation.		כוּלְיִשְׁמָעֵאל֘ שְׁמַעְתִּ֒יךָ֒ הִנֵּ֣ה \| בֵּרַ֣כְתִּי אֹת֗וֹ וְהִפְרֵיתִ֥י אֹת֛וֹ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֥י אֹת֖וֹ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד שְׁנֵֽים־עָשָׂ֤ר נְשִׂיאִם֙ יוֹלִ֔יד וּנְתַתִּ֖יו לְג֥וֹי גָּדֽוֹל:
שְׁנֵֽים־עָשָׂר נשיאים - 12 princes. They will vanish like the clouds. This is deduced from the fact that the word used here for princes is the same as in נְשִׂיאִים וְרוּחַ “clouds and wind.” 19		שְׁנֵֽים־עָשָׂר נשיאים. כַּעֲנָנִים יִכְלוּ; כְּמוֹ נְשִׂיאִים וְרוּחַ (משלי כ"ה):
21But I will maintain My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”		כאוְאֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י אָקִ֣ים אֶת־יִצְחָ֑ק אֲשֶׁר֩ תֵּלֵ֨ד לְךָ֤ שָׂרָה֙ לַמּוֹעֵ֣ד הַזֶּ֔ה בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה הָֽאַחֶֽרֶת:
22When He had finished speaking with him, God’s presence ascended from resting “above” Abraham.		כבוַיְכַ֖ל לְדַבֵּ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ וַיַּ֣עַל אֱלֹהִ֔ים מֵעַ֖ל אַבְרָהָֽם:
מֵעַל אַבְרָהָֽם - From above Abraham. This is a more fitting expression to use about the Divine Presence. And we also learn from here that righteous people are the “chariots” of the Omnipresent.		מֵעַל אַבְרָהָֽם. לְשׁוֹן נְקִיָּה הוּא כְּלַפֵּי שְׁכִינָה, וְלָמַדְנוּ שֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים מֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם (בראשית רבה):
23Abraham then took Ishmael his son, and all those born in his household, and all those he had bought for money—that is, every male among the people of Abraham’s household—and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins on the very same day on which God gave him the commandment, as God had spoken with him.		כגוַיִּקַּ֨ח אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בְּנ֗וֹ וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־יְלִידֵ֤י בֵיתוֹ֙ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־מִקְנַ֣ת כַּסְפּ֔וֹ כָּל־זָכָ֕ר בְּאַנְשֵׁ֖י בֵּ֣ית אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיָּ֜מָל אֶת־בְּשַׂ֣ר עָרְלָתָ֗ם בְּעֶ֨צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ אֱלֹהִֽים:
בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם - On the very same day. On the same day as he was commanded, and in the daytime and not at night, for he was not afraid of the pagans or of the scoffers; and also so that his enemies and his contemporaries not say, “If we would have seen him, we would not have allowed him to circumcise himself and to fulfill the commandment of the Omnipresent.”		בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם. בּוֹ בַּיּוֹם שֶׁנִּצְטַוָּה, בַּיּוֹם וְלֹא בַּלַּיְלָה; לֹא נִתְיָרֵא לֹא מִן הַגּוֹיִם וְלֹא מִן הַלֵּצָנִים, וְשֶׁלֹּא יִהְיוּ אוֹיְבָיו וּבְנֵי דּוֹרוֹ אוֹמְרִים אִלּוּ רְאִינוּהוּ לֹא הִנַּחְנוּהוּ לָמוּל וּלְקַיֵּם מִצְוָתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם:
וַיָּמָל - And he circumcised. This is a kal (simple active) form.		וַיָּמָל. לְשׁוֹן וַיִּפְעַל:
24Abraham was 99 years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised.		כדוְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים וָתֵ֖שַׁע שָׁנָ֑ה בְּהִמֹּל֖וֹ בְּשַׂ֥ר עָרְלָתֽוֹ:
בהמולו - When…was circumcised. This is a nif’al (passive) form, like בְּהִבָּרְאָם “when they were created.” 20 Abraham took a knife and held his foreskin. He wished to cut it but was afraid to do so, since he was old. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He figuratively stretched out His hand and held it with him, as it says: וְכָרוֹת עִמּוֹ הַבְּרִית “He cut with him the covenant” 21 – it does not say לוֹ “for him,” but rather עִמּוֹ “with him.” Bereshit Rabbah. 22		בהמולו. בְּהִפָּעֲלוֹ, כְּמוֹ בְּהִבָּרְאָם. נָטַל אַבְרָהָם סַכִּין וְאָחַז בְּעָרְלָתוֹ וְרָצָה לַחְתֹּךְ וְהָיָה מִתְיָרֵא, שֶׁהָיָה זָקֵן, מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדֹושׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שָׁלַח יָדוֹ וְאָחַז עִמּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר : "וְכָרֹות עִמּוֹ הַבְּרִית“, "לוֹ“ לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא "עִמּוֹ“. בְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה :
25Ishmael his son was only 13 years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised.		כהוְיִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בְּנ֔וֹ בֶּן־שְׁל֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה בְּהִ֨מֹּל֔וֹ אֵ֖ת בְּשַׂ֥ר עָרְלָתֽוֹ:
בהמולו אֵת בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתֽוֹ - When the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised. Regarding the circumcision of Abraham it does not say the word אֵת, because he lacked only the cutting of the foreskin, which had already been worn down through marital relationships, whereas Ishmael, who was a child, required cutting of the foreskin and also opening of the corona membrane (פְּרִיעָה). It therefore says אֵת concerning him. Bereshit Rabbah. 23		בהמולו אֵת בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתֽוֹ. בְּאַבְרָהָם לֹא נֶאֱמַר "אֵת", לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה חָסֵר אֶלָּא חִתּוּךְ בָּשָׂר, שֶׁכְּבָר נִתְמָעֵךְ עַל יְדֵי תַשְׁמִישׁ; אֲבָל יִשְׁמָעֵאל שֶׁהָיָה יֶלֶד, הֻזְקַק לַחְתֹּךְ עָרְלָה וְלִפְרֹעַ הַמִּילָה, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ "אֵת" (בראשית רבה):
26On that very day Abraham was circumcised, along with Ishmael his son,		כובְּעֶ֨צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה נִמּ֖וֹל אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל בְּנֽוֹ:
בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה - On that very day - that Abraham completed his 99th year and Ishmael his 13th year – “Abraham was circumcised along with Ishmael his son.” End of Parashat Lech Lecha		בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה. שֶׁמָּלְאוּ לְאַבְרָהָם צ"ט שָׁנָה וּלְיִשְׁמָעֵאל י"ג שָׁנִים נמול אברהם וישמעאל בנו:
27and all the men of his household, whether home-born or bought for money from a stranger, were circumcised with him.		כזוְכָל־אַנְשֵׁ֤י בֵיתוֹ֙ יְלִ֣יד בָּ֔יִת וּמִקְנַת־כֶּ֖סֶף מֵאֵ֣ת בֶּן־נֵכָ֑ר נִמֹּ֖לוּ אִתּֽוֹ:

Footnotes

Genesis 17:4.

Genesis 17:10.

Genesis 45:19.

Genesis 17:12, 13.

Shabbat 135b.

Genesis 18:12 18:12.

Genesis 21:7.

Bereshit Rabbah 53:9.

1 Samuel 2:27.

2 Kings 4:14.

Bereshit Rabbah 49:2.

23.

Bereshit Rabbah 47:8.

Maftir Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 17

24Abraham was 99 years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised.		כדוְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים וָתֵ֖שַׁע שָׁנָ֑ה בְּהִמֹּל֖וֹ בְּשַׂ֥ר עָרְלָתֽוֹ:
בהמולו - When…was circumcised. This is a nif’al (passive) form, like בְּהִבָּרְאָם “when they were created.” 1 Abraham took a knife and held his foreskin. He wished to cut it but was afraid to do so, since he was old. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He figuratively stretched out His hand and held it with him, as it says: וְכָרוֹת עִמּוֹ הַבְּרִית “He cut with him the covenant” 2 – it does not say לוֹ “for him,” but rather עִמּוֹ “with him.” Bereshit Rabbah. 3		בהמולו. בְּהִפָּעֲלוֹ, כְּמוֹ בְּהִבָּרְאָם. נָטַל אַבְרָהָם סַכִּין וְאָחַז בְּעָרְלָתוֹ וְרָצָה לַחְתֹּךְ וְהָיָה מִתְיָרֵא, שֶׁהָיָה זָקֵן, מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדֹושׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שָׁלַח יָדוֹ וְאָחַז עִמּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר : "וְכָרֹות עִמּוֹ הַבְּרִית“, "לוֹ“ לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא "עִמּוֹ“. בְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה :
25Ishmael his son was only 13 years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised.		כהוְיִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בְּנ֔וֹ בֶּן־שְׁל֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה בְּהִ֨מֹּל֔וֹ אֵ֖ת בְּשַׂ֥ר עָרְלָתֽוֹ:
בהמולו אֵת בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתֽוֹ - When the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised. Regarding the circumcision of Abraham it does not say the word אֵת, because he lacked only the cutting of the foreskin, which had already been worn down through marital relationships, whereas Ishmael, who was a child, required cutting of the foreskin and also opening of the corona membrane (פְּרִיעָה). It therefore says אֵת concerning him. Bereshit Rabbah. 4		בהמולו אֵת בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתֽוֹ. בְּאַבְרָהָם לֹא נֶאֱמַר "אֵת", לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה חָסֵר אֶלָּא חִתּוּךְ בָּשָׂר, שֶׁכְּבָר נִתְמָעֵךְ עַל יְדֵי תַשְׁמִישׁ; אֲבָל יִשְׁמָעֵאל שֶׁהָיָה יֶלֶד, הֻזְקַק לַחְתֹּךְ עָרְלָה וְלִפְרֹעַ הַמִּילָה, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ "אֵת" (בראשית רבה):
26On that very day Abraham was circumcised, along with Ishmael his son,		כובְּעֶ֨צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה נִמּ֖וֹל אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל בְּנֽוֹ:
בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה - On that very day - that Abraham completed his 99th year and Ishmael his 13th year – “Abraham was circumcised along with Ishmael his son.” End of Parashat Lech Lecha		בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה. שֶׁמָּלְאוּ לְאַבְרָהָם צ"ט שָׁנָה וּלְיִשְׁמָעֵאל י"ג שָׁנִים נמול אברהם וישמעאל בנו:
27and all the men of his household, whether home-born or bought for money from a stranger, were circumcised with him.		כזוְכָל־אַנְשֵׁ֤י בֵיתוֹ֙ יְלִ֣יד בָּ֔יִת וּמִקְנַת־כֶּ֖סֶף מֵאֵ֣ת בֶּן־נֵכָ֑ר נִמֹּ֖לוּ אִתּֽוֹ:

Footnotes

Genesis 2:4.

Nehemiah 9:8.

Bereshit Rabbah 49:2.

Bereshit Rabbah 47:8.

Haftarah

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 40

27Why should you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way has been hidden from the Lord, and from my God, my judgment passes"?		כזלָ֚מָּה תֹאמַר֙ יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וּתְדַבֵּ֖ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל נִסְתְּרָ֚ה דַרְכִּי֙ מֵֽיְהֹוָ֔ה וּמֵֽאֱלֹהַ֖י מִשְׁפָּטִ֥י יַֽעֲבֽוֹר:
Why should you say. My people ([K’li Paz, mss.:] the people of) Jacob, and speak in exile.		למה תאמר. עמי יעקב ותדבר בגלות:
My way has been hidden from the Lord. He hid from before His eyes all that we served Him, and gave those who did not know Him, dominion over us.		נסתרה דרכי מה'. העלים מנגד עיניו כל מה שעבדנוהו והמשיל עלינו אות' שלא ידעוהו:
and from my God, my judgment passes?. He ignores the judgment of the good reward He should have paid our forefathers and us.		ומאלהי משפטי יעבור. העביר מלפניו משפט הגמול הטוב שהי' לו לשלם לאבותינו ולנו:
28Do you not know-if you have not heard-an everlasting God is the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth; He neither tires nor wearies; there is no fathoming His understanding.		כחהֲל֨וֹא יָדַ֜עְתָּ אִם־לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֗עְתָּ אֱלֹהֵ֨י עוֹלָ֚ם \| יְהֹוָה֙ בּוֹרֵא֙ קְצ֣וֹת הָאָ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א יִיעַ֖ף וְלֹ֣א יִיגָ֑ע אֵ֥ין חֵ֖קֶר לִתְבֽוּנָתֽוֹ:
the Creator of the ends of the earth… there is no fathoming His understanding. And One who has such strength and such wisdom. He knows the thoughts. Why does He delay your benefit, only to terminate the transgression and to expiate the sin through afflictions.		בורא קצות הארץ וגו'. אין חקר לתבונתו ומי שיש לו כח כזה וחכמה כזו הוא יודע את המחשבות למה הוא מאחר טובתכם אלא כדי לכלות את הפשע ולהתם את החטאת ע"י היסורין:
29Who gives the tired strength, and to him who has no strength, He increases strength.		כטנֹתֵ֥ן לַיָּעֵ֖ף כֹּ֑חַ וּלְאֵ֥ין אוֹנִ֖ים עָצְמָ֥ה יַרְבֶּֽה:
Who gives the tired strength. And who will eventually renew strength for your tiredness.		נותן ליעף כח. וסופו להחליף כח לעייפותכם:
30Now youths shall become tired and weary, and young men shall stumble.		לוְיִֽעֲפ֥וּ נְעָרִ֖ים וְיִגָ֑עוּ וּבַֽחוּרִ֖ים כָּשׁ֥וֹל יִכָּשֵֽׁלוּ:
Now youths shall become tired. Heb. נְעָרִים. The might of your enemies who are devoid (מְנֹעָרִים) of commandments, shall become faint.		ויעפו נערים. גבורת הכשדי' המנוערים מן המצות תיעף:
and young men shall stumble. Those who are now mighty and strong, shall stumble, but you, who put your hope in the Lord shall gain new strength and power.		ובחורים כשול יכשלו. אותם שהם עכשיו גבורים וחזקים יכשלו ואתם קוי ה' תחליפו כח חדש וחזק:
31But those who put their hope in the Lord shall renew [their] vigor, they shall raise wings as eagles; they shall run and not weary, they shall walk and not tire.		לאוְקוֵֹ֚י יְהֹוָה֙ יַֽחֲלִ֣יפוּ כֹ֔חַ יַֽעֲל֥וּ אֵ֖בֶר כַּנְּשָׁרִ֑ים יָר֙וּצוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א יִיגָ֔עוּ יֵֽלְכ֖וּ וְלֹ֥א יִיעָֽפוּ:
wings. [The Hebrew אבר means] a wing.		אבר. כנף:

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 41

1Be silent to Me, you islands, and kingdoms shall renew [their] strength; they shall approach, then they shall speak, together to judgment let us draw near.		אהַֽחֲרִ֚ישׁוּ אֵלַי֙ אִיִּ֔ים וּלְאֻמִּ֖ים יַֽחֲלִ֣יפוּ כֹ֑חַ יִגְּשׁוּ֙ אָ֣ז יְדַבֵּ֔רוּ יַחְדָּ֖ו לַמִּשְׁפָּ֥ט נִקְרָֽבָה:
Be silent to Me. in order to hear My words.		החרישו אלי. כדי לשמוע דבר:
islands. Heathens ([mss. Kli Paz:] nations).		איים. אומות של עכו"ם:
shall renew [their] strength. They shall adorn themselves and strengthen themselves with all their might perhaps they will succeed in their judgment by force.		יחליפו כח. יתקשטו ויתחזקו בכל גבורתם אולי יעמדו בדין בכח:
they shall approach. here, and then, when they approach, they shall speak.		יגשו. הלום ואז משיגשו ידברו:
to judgment let us draw near. to reprove them to their faces.		למשפט נקרבה. להוכיח' על פניהם:
2Who aroused from the East, [the one] whom righteousness accompanied? He placed nations before him and over kings He gave him dominion; He made his sword like dust, his bow like wind-blown stubble.		במִ֚י הֵעִיר֙ מִמִּזְרָ֔ח צֶ֖דֶק יִקְרָאֵ֣הוּ לְרַגְל֑וֹ יִתֵּ֨ן לְפָנָ֚יו גּוֹיִם֙ וּמְלָכִ֣ים יַ֔רְדְּ יִתֵּ֚ן כֶּֽעָפָר֙ חַרְבּ֔וֹ כְּקַ֥שׁ נִדָּ֖ף קַשְׁתּֽוֹ:
Who aroused from the East. one whom righteousness accompanied? Who aroused Abraham to bring him from Aram which is in the East and the righteousness that he would perform that was opposite his feet wherever he went.		מי העיר ממזרח. אותו שצדק יקראהו לרגלו מי העיר את אברה' להביאו מארם שהוא במזרח וצדק שהיה עושה היא היתה לקראת רגליו בכל אשר הלך:
He placed nations before him. He, Who aroused him to leave his place to cause him to move, He placed before him four kings and their hosts.		יתן לפניו גוים. מי שהעירו ממקומו להסיע הוא נתן לפניו ארבעה מלכים וחיילותיהם:
He gave him dominion. Heb. יַרְדְּ, like יַרָדֶּה.		ירד. ירדה:
He made his sword like dust. [Jonathan paraphrases:] He cast slain ones before his sword like dust. He suffered his sword to take its toll of casualties as [numerous as] grains of dust, and his bow He suffered to take its toll of casualties who would fall like wind blown stubble.		יתן כעפר חרבו. רמא כעפרא קטולין קדם חרביה, נתן את חרבו ועושה חללים רבים כעפר ואת קשתו נתן מרבה הרוגים ונופלים כקש נדף:
3He pursued them and passed on safely, on a path upon which he had not come with his feet.		גיִרְדְּפֵ֖ם יַֽעֲב֣וֹר שָׁל֑וֹם אֹ֥רַח בְּרַגְלָ֖יו לֹ֥א יָבֽוֹא:
He pursued them and passed on safely. He traversed all his fords safely; he did not stumble when he pursued them.		ירדפם יעבור שלום. הלך על מעברותיו בשלום לא נכשל ברדפו אותם:
a path upon which he had not come with his feet. A road upon which he had not come previously with his feet. [The future tense of] יָבוֹא means that he was not accustomed to come.		אורח ברגליו לא יבא. דרך אשר לא בא קודם לכן ברגליו, לא יבא לא היה רגיל לבא:
4Who worked and did, Who calls the generations from the beginning; I, the Lord, am first, and with the last ones I am He.		דמִֽי־פָעַ֣ל וְעָשָׂ֔ה קֹרֵ֥א הַדֹּר֖וֹת מֵרֹ֑אשׁ אֲנִ֚י יְהֹוָה֙ רִאשׁ֔וֹן וְאֶת־אַֽחֲרֹנִ֖ים אֲנִי־הֽוּא:
Who worked and did. for him all this? He Who called the generations from the beginning, to Adam, He did this also for Abraham.		מי פעל ועשה. לו את זאת מי שהוא קורא הדורות מראש לאדם הראשון הוא עשה לאברהם גם את זאת:
I, the Lord, am first. to perform wonders and to aid.		אני ה' ראשון. להפליא פלא ולעזור:
and with the last ones I am He. Also with you, the last sons, I will be, and I will aid you.		ואת אחרונים אני הוא. אף עמכם בנים אחרונים אהיה ואעזור אתכם:
5The islands shall see and fear; the ends of the earth shall quake; they have approached and come.		הרָא֚וּ אִיִּים֙ וְיִירָ֔אוּ קְצ֥וֹת הָאָ֖רֶץ יֶֽחֱרָ֑דוּ קָֽרְב֖וּ וַיֶּֽאֱתָיֽוּן:
The islands shall see. [lit. saw.] The heathens shall see the mighty deeds that I will perform, and they shall fear.		ראו איים. עובדי עכו"ם הגבורות שאעשה וייראו:
they have approached and come. One to another they will gather to war when they see the redemption.		קרבו ויאתיון. זה אצל זה נאספים להלחם כשיראו הגאולה:
6Each one shall aid his fellow, and to his brother he shall say, "Strengthen yourself."		ואִ֥ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֖הוּ יַעְזֹ֑רוּ וּלְאָחִ֖יו יֹאמַ֥ר חֲזָֽק:
Each one… his fellow etc.. He shall say, “Strengthen yourself” for war, perhaps their gods will protect them [lit. stand up for them].		איש את רעהו וגו'. יאמר חזק למלחמה אולי יעמדו להם אלהיהם:
7And the craftsman strengthened the smith, the one who smooths with the hammer [strengthened] the one who wields the sledge hammer; he says of the cement, "It is good," and he strengthened it with nails that it should not move.		זוַיְחַזֵּ֚ק חָרָשׁ֙ אֶת־צֹרֵ֔ף מַֽחֲלִ֥יק פַּטִּ֖ישׁ אֶת־ה֣וֹלֶם פָּ֑עַם אֹמֵ֚ר לַדֶּ֙בֶק֙ ט֣וֹב ה֔וּא וַיְחַזְּקֵ֥הוּ בְמַסְמְרִ֖ים לֹ֥א יִמּֽוֹט:
And the craftsman strengthened. [i.e.,] the one who molds the idol.		ויחזק חרש. נוסך הפסל:
the smith. who plates it with gold.		את צורף. המרקעו בזהב:
the one who smoothes with the hammer. The final stage, when he taps lightly to flatten out the work.		מחליק פטיש. באחרונה כשהוא מכה בנחת להחליק את המלאכה:
the one who wields the sledge hammer. He is the one who commences on it when it is a block, and beats it with all his might.		את הולם פעם. הוא המתחיל בה כשהיא עשת ומכה בכל כחו:
he says of the cement, “It is good,”. Heb. דֶּבֶק. He alludes to those who seek suitable ground upon which to adhere iron plates.		אומר לדבק טוב הוא. על אותן שהיו מחזירין אחר קרקע טובה לדבק בה עששיות ברזל:
of the cement. דֶּבֶק is soudure in French, weld.		דבק. שולדור"א:
and he strengthened it. The idol.		ויחזקהו. לצלם:
with nails that it should not move. All of them will strengthen each other.		במסמרים לא ימוט. כולם יחזקו זה את זה:
8But you, Israel My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, who loved Me,		חוְאַתָּה֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל עַבְדִּ֔י יַֽעֲקֹ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּחַרְתִּ֑יךָ זֶ֖רַע אַבְרָהָ֥ם אֹֽהֲבִֽי:
But you, Israel My servant. and I am obliged to help you. The end of this sentence is (infra 10): “Do not fear.” This appears to me to be the sequence of the section according to its simple meaning. But the Midrash Aggadah in Gen. Rabbah 44:7 expounds the entire section as alluding to Malchizedek and Abraham.		ואתה ישראל עבדי. ועלי יש לעזור לך סוף המקרא אל תירא כי אתך אני כך נראה לי חבור הענין לפי פשוטו ומ"א בבראשית רבה דורש כל הענין במלכי צדק ואברה'
[5] Islands saw. the war and feared. Shem [Malchizedek] feared Abraham, lest he say to him, You begot these wicked men in the world. And Abraham feared Shem, since he slew his sons, the people of Elam, who was descended from Shem.		ראו איים. אותה מלחמ' וייראו שם נתיירא מאברהם פן יאמר לו העמדת רשעים אלו בעולם ואברהם נתיירא משם לפי שהרג את בני עילם שהם משם:
islands. Just as the islands of the sea are distinguished and recognized in the sea, so were Abraham and Shem distinguished in the world.		איים. כשם שאיי הים מסויימין בעולם כך אברהם ושם היו מסויימין בעולם:
[6] Each one aided his fellow. This one [Shem] aided this one [Abraham] with blessings, “Blessed be Abram” (Gen. 14:19), and this one [Abraham] aided this one [Shem] with gifts, “And he gave him tithe from everything” (ibid. verse 20).		איש את רעהו יעזורו. זה עוזר את זה בברכו' ברוך אברם (בראשית י״ד:כ׳) וזה עוזר את זה במתנות (שם) ויתן לו מעשר מכל:
[7] And the craftsman strengthened. This is Shem, who was a blacksmith, to make nails and bars for the ark.		ויחזק חרש. זה שם שהיה נפח לעשות מסמרות ובריחים לתבה:
the smith. This is Abraham, who purified (צוֹרֵף) the people, to bring them near to God [lit. to Heaven].		את צורף. זה אברהם שהוא צורף את הבריות לקרבן אל השכינה:
the sledge hammer. This is Abraham, who smote (הָלַם) all these kings at one time.		את הולם פעם. זה אברהם שהלם כל המלכים האלה פעם אחת:
He says of the cement. Heb. דֶּבֶק. The nations said, It is good to cleave to this one’s God [rather than to Nimrod’s idols].		אומר לדבק טוב הוא. טוב לידבק באלוה של זה:
And he strengthened him. Shem strengthened Abraham to cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He, and not to move.		ויחזקהו. שם לאברה' להיו' דבק בהקב"ה ולא ימוט:
[8] And you, Israel My servant. Abraham, who was not descended from righteous men, I did all this for him, and you, Israel My servant, who belong to Me by dint of two forefathers.		ואתה ישראל עבדי. אברהם שלא היה מזרע צדיקים עשיתי לו כל זאת ואתה ישראל עבדי. הקנוי לי משני אבות:
the seed of Abraham, who loved Me. who did not recognize Me because of the admonition and the teaching of his fathers, but out of love.		זרע אברהם אוהבי. שלא הכירני מתוך תוכחה ולימוד אבותיו אלא מתוך אהבה:
9Whom I grasped from the ends of the earth, and from its nobles I called you, and I said to you, "You are My servant"; I chose you and I did not despise you.		טאֲשֶׁ֚ר הֶֽחֱזַקְתִּ֙יךָ֙ מִקְצ֣וֹת הָאָ֔רֶץ וּמֵֽאֲצִילֶ֖יהָ קְרָאתִ֑יךָ וָֽאֹ֚מַר לְךָ֙ עַבְדִּי־אַ֔תָּה בְּחַרְתִּ֖יךָ וְלֹ֥א מְאַסְתִּֽיךָ:
whom I grasped. Heb. הֶחֱזַקְתִּי. I took you for My share. Comp. (Ex. 4:4) “And he stretched out his hand and grasped (וַיְּחֲזֵק) it.”		אשר החזקתיך. לקחתיך לחלקי כמו (שמות ד׳:ד׳) וישלח ידו ויחזק בו:
from the ends of the earth. from the other nations.		מקצות הארץ. משאר העכו"ם:
and from its nobles. from the greatest of them.		ומאציליה. מן הגדולים שבהן:
I called you. by name for My share, “My firstborn son, Israel” (ibid. v. 22).		קראתיך. בשם לחלקי בני בכורי ישראל:
and I did not despise you. like Esau, as it is said (Malachi 1:3), “And Esau I hated.”		ולא מאסתיך. כזה שנאמר בו (מלאכי א) שנאתי:
10Do not fear for I am with you; be not discouraged for I am your God: I encouraged you, I also helped you, I also supported you with My righteous hand.		יאַל־תִּירָא֙ כִּֽי עִמְּךָ֣־אָ֔נִי אַל־תִּשְׁתָּ֖ע כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ אִמַּצְתִּ֙יךָ֙ אַף־עֲזַרְתִּ֔יךָ אַף־תְּמַכְתִּ֖יךָ בִּימִ֥ין צִדְקִֽי:
be not discouraged. Heb. אַל תִּשְׁתָּע. Let your heart not melt like wax (שַׁעֲוָה). This is the rule: Every word whose first radical is ‘shin,’ when it is used in the reflexive present, past, or future, the ‘tav’ separates it and enters between the first two radicals. Comp. (infra 49:16) “And He was astounded (וַיַּשְׁתּוֹמֵם);” (Micah 6:16) “For the statutes of Omri shall be observed (וְיִשְׁתַּמֵּר);” (I Sam. 1:14) “will you be drunk (תִּשְׁתַּכָּרִין)?;” (Job 30:16) “My soul is poured out (תִּשְׁתַּפֵּךְ).”		אל תשתע. אל ימס לבך להיות כשעוה זו וזה הכלל כל תיבה שתחל' יסודה שי"ן כשבא לדבר בל' מתפעל התפעל או יתפעל התי"ו חולקת ונכנסת בין שתי אותיות שרשי התיבה כמו (ישעיה כט) וישתומם (מיכה ז) וישתמר חוקות עמרי (ש"א א) תשתכרין (איוב ל) תשתפך נפשי:
11Behold all those incensed against you shall be ashamed and confounded; those who quarreled with you shall be as nought and be lost.		יאהֵ֚ן יֵבֹ֙שׁוּ֙ וְיִכָּ֣לְמ֔וּ כֹּ֖ל הַנֶּֽחֱרִ֣ים בָּ֑ךְ יִֽהְי֥וּ כְאַ֛יִן וְיֹֽאבְד֖וּ אַנְשֵׁ֥י רִיבֶֽךָ:
12You may seek them but not find them, those who quarrel with you; those who war with you shall be as nought and as nothing.		יבתְּבַקְשֵׁם֙ וְלֹ֣א תִמְצָאֵ֔ם אַנְשֵׁ֖י מַצֻּתֶ֑ךָ יִהְי֥וּ כְאַ֛יִן וּכְאֶ֖פֶס אַנְשֵׁ֥י מִלְחַמְתֶּֽךָ:
13For I, the Lord your God, grasp your right hand; Who says to you, "Fear not, I help you."		יגכִּ֗י אֲנִ֛י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ מַֽחֲזִ֣יק יְמִינֶ֑ךָ הָֽאֹמֵ֥ר לְךָ֛ אַל־תִּירָ֖א אֲנִ֥י עֲזַרְתִּֽיךָ:
14Fear not, O worm of Jacob, the number of Israel; "I have helped you," says the Lord, and your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.		ידאַל־תִּֽירְאִי֙ תּוֹלַ֣עַת יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב מְתֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אֲנִ֚י עֲזַרְתִּיךְ֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְגֹֽאֲלֵ֖ךְ קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
O worm of Jacob. Heb. תּוֹלַעַת. The family of Jacob, which is weak like a worm, which has no strength except in its mouth. תּוֹלַעַת is vermener in O.F., [vermisseau in Modern French, a worm].		תולעת יעקב. משפחת יעקב החלשה כתולעת שאין לה גבורה אלא בפיה, תולעת וירמונ"א בלע"ז:
the number of Israel. Heb. מְתֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, the number of Israel.		מתי ישראל. מספר ישראל:
15Behold I have made you a new grooved threshing-sledge, with sharp points; you shall thresh the mountains and crush them fine, and you shall make hills like chaff.		טוהִנֵּ֣ה שַׂמְתִּ֗יךְ לְמוֹרָג֙ חָר֣וּץ חָדָ֔שׁ בַּ֖עַל פִּֽיפִיּ֑וֹת תָּד֚וּשׁ הָרִים֙ וְתָדֹ֔ק וּגְבָע֖וֹת כַּמֹּ֥ץ תָּשִֽׂים:
a… grooved threshing sledge. It is a heavy wooden implement made with many grooves, similar to the ironsmiths’ tool known as ‘lime’ in French, a file, and they drag it over the straw of the ears of grain and it cuts them until they become fine straw.		למורג חרוץ. כלי הוא של עץ וכבד ועשוי חריצים חריצים כעין כלי נפחים של ברזל שקורין לימ"א בלע"ז וגוררין על הקשין של שבלין ומחתכן עד שנעשו תבן דק:
new. When it is new, before the points of its grooves are smoothed off, it cuts very much, but when it becomes old, the points of the grooves are smoothed off.		חדש. כשהוא חדש עד שלא הוחלקו פיות חריציו הוא חותך הרבה אבל משנתישן הוחלקו פיות חריציו:
with sharp points. Heb. פִּיפִיוֹת. Those are the points of the grooves.		בעל פיפיות. הם חידודי החריצין:
you shall thresh the mountains. kings and princes.		תדוש הרים. מלכים ושרים:
16You shall winnow them, and a wind shall carry them off, and a tempest shall scatter them, and you shall rejoice with the Lord, with the Holy One of Israel shall you praise yourself.		טזתִּזְרֵם֙ וְר֣וּחַ תִּשָּׂאֵ֔ם וּסְעָרָ֖ה תָּפִ֣יץ אֹתָ֑ם וְאַתָּה֙ תָּגִ֣יל בַּֽיהֹוָ֔ה בִּקְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל תִּתְהַלָּֽל:
You shall winnow them. You shall scatter them, as with a pitchfork, to the wind.		תזרם. תזרה אותם כבמזרה לרוח:
and a wind shall carry them off. by themselves to Gehinnom.		ורוח תשאם. מאליהם לגיהנם:

Translation of Chumash and Rashi courtesy Chabad House Publications’ forthcoming English Chumash with an annotated translation of Rashi based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, published by Kehot Publications Society. Translated and adapted by Rabbi Moshe Wisnefsky, Editor-in-Chief. Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin, Director and General Editor.

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