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: