| 1And the Lord said to Abram, "Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you. |
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אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵֽאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ: |
| Go forth. Heb. לֶךְ לְךָ, lit. go to you, for your benefit and for your good, and there I will make you into a great nation, but here, you will not merit to have children. Moreover, I will make your character known in the world. — [from Rosh Hashanah 16b, Tan.] |
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לֶךְ־לְךָ.
לַהֲנָאָתְךָ וּלְטוֹבָתְךָ, שָׁם אֶעֶשְׂךָ לְגוֹי גָדוֹל, כָּאן אִי אַתָּה זוֹכֶה לְבָנִים, וְעוֹד שֶׁאוֹדִיעַ טִבְעֲךָ בָּעוֹלָם:
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| from your land. Now had he not already gone out of there with his father and come as far as Haran? Rather, thus did He say to him, “Distance yourself more from there and leave your father’s house.” |
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מֵאַרְצְךָ.
וַהֲלֹא כְבָר יָצָא מִשָּׁם עִם אָבִיו וּבָא עַד חָרָן? אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמַר לוֹ הִתְרַחֵק עוֹד מִשָּׁם וְצֵא מִבֵּית אָבִיךָ:
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| that I will show you. He did not reveal the land to him immediately, in order to make it dear in his eyes and to give him reward for every command. Similarly (below 22:2): “your son, your only one, whom you love, Isaac.” Similarly (ibid.): “on one of the mountains that I will say to you.” Similarly (Jonah 3:2): “and proclaim upon it the proclamation that I will speak to you.” [from Gen. Rabbah 39:9] |
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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'):
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| 2And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will aggrandize your name, and [you shall] be a blessing. |
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בוְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ֙ לְג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל וַֽאֲבָ֣רֶכְךָ֔ וַֽאֲגַדְּלָ֖ה שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וֶֽהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה: |
| And I will make you into a great nation. Since traveling causes three things: 1) it diminishes procreation, 2) it diminishes money, and 3) it diminishes fame (lit. name), therefore, he required these three blessings, namely that He blessed him concerning children, concerning money, and concerning fame. (Other editions: And this is the meaning of and I will aggrandize your name. I will add a letter to your name, for until now, your name was אַבְרָם. From now on [your name will be] אַבְרָהָם, and אַבְרָהָם equals 248, corresponding to a person’s limbs. (Found in an old Rashi . — [from Gen. Rabbah 39:11; Tan. Buber, Chaye Sarah 6) |
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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:
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| and I will bless you. with money (Genesis Rabbah 39:11). |
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וַֽאֲבָרֶכְךָ.
בְּמָמוֹן (בראשית רבה):
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| and [you shall] be a blessing. The blessings are entrusted into your hand. Until now, they were in My hand; I blessed Adam and Noah. From now on, you may bless whomever you wish. (Gen. Rabbah) (ad loc.). Another explanation: “And I will make you into a great nation”: This is [the basis] of saying “the God of Abraham.” “And I will bless you”: This is [the basis] of saying “the God of Isaac.” “And I will aggrandize your name”: This is [the basis] of saying “the God of Jacob” [in the initial benediction of the Silent Prayer]. You might think that [the first benediction of the Silent Prayer] should be concluded [by mentioning] them all. Therefore, Scripture states: “and [you shall] be a blessing”: with you they will conclude, and not with them. [i.e., the closing of the blessing is “the shield of Abraham,” and not “the shield of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”] [from Pes. 117b] |
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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:
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| 3And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you." |
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גוַֽאֲבָֽרְכָה֙ מְבָ֣רֲכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָֽאֲדָמָֽה: |
| shall be blessed in you. There are many aggadoth, but this is its simple meaning: A man says to his son, May you be like Abraham. And so is every instance of [the words] “shall be blessed with you” in Scripture. And the following [text] proves this (below 48:20): “With you, Israel shall bless, saying: May God make you like Ephraim and like Manasseh.” - [from Sifrei, Naso 18] |
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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):
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| 4And Abram went, as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him, and Abram was seventy five years old when he left Haran. |
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דוַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אַבְרָ֗ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ אִתּ֖וֹ ל֑וֹט וְאַבְרָ֗ם בֶּן־חָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ וְשִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּצֵאת֖וֹ מֵֽחָרָֽן: |
| 5And Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had acquired, and the souls they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go to the land of Canaan, and they came to the land of Canaan. |
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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: |
| and the souls they had acquired in Haran. whom he had brought under the wings of the Shechinah. Abraham would convert the men, and Sarah would convert the women, and Scripture ascribes to them [a merit] as if they had made them (Gen. Rabbah 39:14). (Hence, the expression אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ, lit. that they made.) The simple meaning of the verse is: the slaves and maidservants that they had acquired for themselves, as in [the verse] (below 31:1): “He acquired (עָשָׂה) all this wealth” [an expression of acquisition]; (Num. 24:18): “and Israel acquires,” an expression of acquiring and gathering. |
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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:
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| 6And Abram passed through the land, until the place of Shechem, until the plain of Moreh, and the Canaanites were then in the land. |
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ווַיַּֽעֲבֹ֤ר אַבְרָם֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ עַ֚ד מְק֣וֹם שְׁכֶ֔ם עַ֖ד אֵל֣וֹן מוֹרֶ֑ה וְהַכְּנַֽעֲנִ֖י אָ֥ז בָּאָֽרֶץ: |
| And Abram passed through the land. He entered therein. |
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וַיַּֽעֲבֹר אַבְרָם בָּאָרֶץ.
נִכְנַס לְתוֹכָהּ:
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| until the place of Shechem. to pray for Jacob’s sons when they would come to wage war in Shechem. [from unknown midrashic source, also quoted by Redak] |
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עַד מְקוֹם שְׁכֶם.
לְהִתְפַּלֵּל עַל בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב, כְּשֶׁיָּבֹאוּ לְהִלָּחֵם בִּשְׁכֶם:
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| until the plain of Moreh. That is Shechem. He showed him Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, where Israel accepted the oath of the Torah. [from aforementioned midrashic source] |
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אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה.
הוּא שְׁכֶם. הֶרְאָהוּ הַר גְּרִיזִים וְהַר עֵיבָל, שֶׁשָּׁם קִבְּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁבוּעַת הַתּוֹרָה:
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| and the Canaanites were then in the land. He [the Canaanite] was gradually conquering the Land of Israel from the descendants of Shem, for it fell in Shem’s share when Noah apportioned the land to his sons, as it is said (below 14: 18): “And Malchizedek the king of Salem.” Therefore, (below verse 7): And the Lord said to Abram: To your seed will I give this land. I am destined to restore it to your children, who are of the descendants of Shem. [from Sifra, end of Kedoshim] |
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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:
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| 7And the Lord appeared to Abram, and He said, "To your seed I will give this land," and there he built an altar to the Lord, Who had appeared to him. |
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זוַיֵּרָ֤א יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לְזַ֨רְעֲךָ֔ אֶתֵּ֖ן אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את וַיִּ֤בֶן שָׁם֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה הַנִּרְאֶ֥ה אֵלָֽיו: |
| and there he built an altar. [in thanksgiving] for the good tidings concerning his descendants and the good tidings concerning the Land of Israel. [from Gen. Rabbah 39:15-16] |
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וַיִּבֶן שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ.
עַל בְּשׂוֹרַת הַזֶּרַע וְעַל בְּשׂוֹרַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
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| 8And he moved from there to the mountain, east of Beth el, and he pitched his tent; Beth el was to the west and Ai was to the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord, and he called in the name of the Lord. |
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חוַיַּעְתֵּ֨ק מִשָּׁ֜ם הָהָ֗רָה מִקֶּ֛דֶם לְבֵֽית־אֵ֖ל וַיֵּ֣ט אָֽהֳלֹ֑ה בֵּֽית־אֵ֤ל מִיָּם֙ וְהָעַ֣י מִקֶּ֔דֶם וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁ֤ם מִזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה וַיִּקְרָ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה: |
| And he moved from there. his tent. |
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וַיַּעְתֵּק מִשָּׁם.
אָהֳלוֹ:
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| east of Beth-el. Heb. מִקֶּדֶם, from the east of Beth-el. Hence, Beth-el was to his west. That is what the Torah means by “Beth-el was in the west.” |
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מִקֶּדֶם לְבֵֽית־אֵל.
בְּמִזְרָחָהּ שֶׁל בֵּית אֵל נִמְצֵאת בֵּית אֵל בְּמַעֲרָבוֹ, הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בֵּית אֵל מִיָּם:
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| his tent. According to the masoretic text, it is written אהלה, which can be read אָהֳלָה, her tent. First he pitched his wife’s tent and afterwards his own (Gen. Rabbah 39:15). |
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אָֽהֳלֹה.
אהלה כְתִיב, בַּתְּחִלָּה נָטָה אֶת אֹהֶל אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ (בראשית רבה):
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| and there he built an altar. He prophesied that his sons were destined to stumble there because of the iniquity of Achan, and he prayed there for them. [from Gen. Rabbah 39:16, Yelammedenu] |
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וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ.
נִתְנַבֵּא שֶׁעֲתִידִין בָּנָיו לְהִכָּשֵׁל שָׁם עַל עֲוֹן עָכָן, וְהִתְפַּלֵּל שָׁם עֲלֵיהֶם:
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| 9And Abram traveled, continually traveling southward. |
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טוַיִּסַּ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם הָל֥וֹךְ וְנָס֖וֹעַ הַנֶּֽגְבָּה: |
| continually traveling. lit. going and traveling. [He traveled] in intervals, staying here for a month or more, traveling from there, and pitching his tent elsewhere. And all his travels were southward, to go to the south of the Land of Israel, and that is to the direction of Jerusalem, (The meaning is that Jerusalem was in the middle of the world and the end of the Land of Israel. So it is explained in Isaiah.) which is in the territory of Judah, who took [his portion] in the south of the Land of Israel, to Mount Moriah, which was his [Judah’s] heritage. (Gen. Rabbah 39:16). [Note that the parenthetic addendum appears in several editions of Rashi, but its connection to this verse is obscure, because the location of Jerusalem in the middle of the world is irrelevant.] |
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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):
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| 10And there was a famine in the land, and Abram descended to Egypt to sojourn there because the famine was severe in the land. |
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יוַיְהִ֥י רָעָ֖ב בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיֵּ֨רֶד אַבְרָ֤ם מִצְרַ֨יְמָה֙ לָג֣וּר שָׁ֔ם כִּֽי־כָבֵ֥ד הָֽרָעָ֖ב בָּאָֽרֶץ: |
| a famine in the land. in that land alone, to test him, whether he would think ill of the words of the Holy One, blessed be He, Who ordered him to go to the Land of Canaan, and now He was forcing him to leave it. [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer , ch. 26] |
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רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ.
בְּאוֹתָהּ הָאָרֶץ לְבַדָּהּ, לְנַסּוֹתוֹ, אִם יְהַרְהֵר אַחַר דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאָמַר לָלֶכֶת אֶל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן, וְעַכְשָׁו מַשִּׂיאוֹ לָצֵאת מִמֶּנָּה:
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| 11Now it came to pass when he drew near to come to Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "Behold now I know that you are a woman of fair appearance. |
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יאוַיְהִ֕י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר הִקְרִ֖יב לָב֣וֹא מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־שָׂרַ֣י אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ הִנֵּה־נָ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֛י אִשָּׁ֥ה יְפַת־מַרְאֶ֖ה אָֽתְּ: |
| Behold now I know. The Midrash Aggadah (Tan. Lech Lecha 5) [states that] until now, he did not recognize her [beauty] because of the modesty of both of them, but now he recognized her [beauty] through an incident. Another explanation: It is customary that through the hardship of travel, a person becomes unattractive, but she remained with her beauty. The simple meaning of the verse is: Behold, now the time has arrived when we must be concerned about your beauty. I have known already for a long time that you are of fair appearance, but now we are coming among black and ugly people, the brothers of the Cushites, and they are not accustomed to a beautiful woman. Similar to this (below 19:2): “Behold now, my lords, please turn.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 40:4] |
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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):
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| 12And it will come to pass when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife,' and they will slay me and let you live. |
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יבוְהָיָ֗ה כִּֽי־יִרְא֤וּ אֹתָךְ֙ הַמִּצְרִ֔ים וְאָֽמְר֖וּ אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ זֹ֑את וְהָֽרְג֥וּ אֹתִ֖י וְאֹתָ֥ךְ יְחַיּֽוּ: |
| 13Please say [that] you are my sister, in order that it go well with me because of you, and that my soul may live because of you." |
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יגאִמְרִי־נָ֖א אֲחֹ֣תִי אָ֑תְּ לְמַ֨עַן֙ יִֽיטַב־לִ֣י בַֽעֲבוּרֵ֔ךְ וְחָֽיְתָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י בִּגְלָלֵֽךְ: |
| in order that it go well with me because of you. They will give me gifts. |
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לְמַעַן יִֽיטַב־לִי בַֽעֲבוּרֵךְ.
יִתְּנוּ לִי מַתָּנוֹת:
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