Parashat Lech Lecha.

Get thee out. (literally, go for thyself), for your own benefit, for your own good: there I will make of you a great nation whilst here you will not merit the privilege of having children (Rosh Hashanah 16b). Furthermore, I shall make known your character throughout the world (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 3)

And i will make of thee a great nation. Since travelling is the cause of three things, it decreases (breaks up) family life, it reduces one’s wealth and lessens one’s renown, he therefore needed these three blessings: that G-d should promise him children, wealth and a great name (Genesis Rabbah 39:11).

And i will bless thee. with wealth (Genesis Rabbah 39:11).

And be thou a blessing. Blessings are entrusted to you; hitherto they were in My power, I blessed Adam and Noah, but from now on you shall bless whomsoever you wish (Genesis Rabbah 39:11) Another explanation is: AND I WILL MAKE THEE A GREAT NATION, this alludes to the fact that we say in our prayer “G-d of Abraham”; AND I WILL BLESS THEE, that we say, “G-d of Isaac”; AND I WILL MAKE THY NAME GREAT, that we say, “G-d of Jacob”. One might think that we should conclude the benediction in which these invocations are recited by mentioning again the names of all the patriarchs, the text therefore states “Be thou a blessing” meaning, with you (i.e. with your name only) shall they conclude the benediction and not with them (their names) (Pesachim 117b).

From thy land. But had he not already departed from there together with his father and had reached as far as Haran (Genesis 11:31)? But thus G-d in effect said to him: Go still further away, leave now thy father’s house also.

Which i will show thee. He did not reveal to him at once which land it was in order that he should hold it in high esteem and in order to reward him for complying with each and every command. Similar is, (Genesis 22:2) “Take thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac”; similar is (Genesis 22:2) “upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of”; similar is, (Jonah 3:2) “And make unto it the proclamation that I shall tell thee of” (Genesis Rabbah 39:9).

And in thee shall be blessed. There are many Agadoth concerning this but the plain sense of the text is as follows: A man says to his son, “Mayest thou become as Abraham”. This, too, is the meaning wherever the phrase ונברכו בך “And in thee shall be blessed” occurs in Scripture, and the following example proves this: (Genesis 48:20) בך יברך “By thee shall Israel bless their children saying, “May G-d make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh”.

. [THE SOULS] THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN (literally, made) IN HARAN, The souls which he had brought beneath the sheltering wings of the Shechinah. Abraham converted the men and Sarah converted the women and Scripture accounts it unto them as if they had made them (Genesis Rabbah 39:14). However, the real sense of the text is that it refers to the men-servants and to the maidservants whom they had acquired for themselves. The word “עשה” is used here as (in Genesis 31:1), “he has acquired (עשה) all this wealth”, and (Numbers 24:8), “And Israel acquires (עושה) wealth”, an expression for acquiring and amassing.

And Abraham passed through the land. he entered it.

Unto the place of shechem. In order to pray on behalf of Jacob’s sons, anticipating the time when they would come to fight against Shechem.

The plain of moreh. This is Shechem (Sotah 32a). He showed him Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal where Israel took upon themselves the oath to observe the Torah (cf. Deuteronomy 11:29 and Deuteronomy 111:30).

And the canaanite was then in the land. They (the Canaanites) were gradually conquering the land of Israel from the descendants of Shem, for it had fallen to the share of Shem when Noah apportioned the earth amongst his sons, for it is said (Genesis 14:18) “And Melchizedek) king of Salem (Jerusalem)”. For this reason the Lord said to Abram (Genesis 12:7) “to thy seed will I give this land”, “I will in some future time return it to thy children who are descendants of Shem”.

And he builded there an altar. in thanksgiving for the good tidings that he would have children, and for the good tidings that they would possess the land of Israel.

And he removed from there. supply the word אהלו “his tent”.

. means ON THE EAST OF BETHEL. Consequently Bethel lay to his west, and that is what it states בית אל מים BETHEL ON THE WEST.

His tent. This word is written with a ה suffixed instead of the usual ו so that it may read אָהֳלָהּ “her tent” to intimate that first he pitched a tent for his wife and afterwards one for himself (Genesis Rabbah 39:15).

And he builded there an altar. He perceived by the gift of prophecy that his descendants would once stumble (fall into sin) there through Achan’s transgression (see, Joshua 7): therefore he prayed there for them (Genesis Rabbah 39:15).

Going on more and more towards the negeb. by stages: he stayed here a month or more, then travelled on and pitched his tent in another place. Yet all his journeys were towards the Negeb to proceed to the South of the land of Israel which is the direction where Jerusalem is, which is in the territory of Judah who had their portion in the South of the land of Israel, to Mount Moriah which is his (Judah’s) possession (cf. Genesis Rabbah 39:16).

A famine in the land. in that land only to test him whether he would take exception to G-d’s commands in that He had bidden him to go to the land of Canaan and now forced him to leave it (Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer 26).

Behold now i know. The Midrashic explanation is: Until now he had not perceived her beauty owing to the extreme modesty of both of them; now, however, through this event, he became cognisant of it (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 5). Another explanation: Usually, because of the exertion of travelling a person becomes uncomely, but she had retained her beauty (Genesis Rabbah 40:4). Still, the real sense of the text is this: Behold, now the time has come when I am anxious because of thy beauty. I have long known that thou art fair of appearance: but now we are travelling among black and repulsive people, brethren of the Ethiopians (Kushim), who have never been accustomed to see a beautiful woman. A similar example is, (Genesis 19:2) “Behold, now, my lords, turn aside I pray you.”).

That it may be well with me for thy sake. they may give me presents.

And it came to pass when abram was come into Egypt. It should have said, “when they were come into Egypt”; but the use of the singular teaches us that he hid her in a chest, and when they demanded the custom dues they opened it and discovered her (Genesis Rabbah 40:5).

And they praised her to Pharaoh. They praised her among themselves saying, “This woman is worthy of the king (i. e. they praised her as being suitable אל פרעה for Pharaoh).

And to abram he dealt well. he means Pharaoh, בעבורה FOR HER SAKE.

בַּעֲבוּרָהּ.

And the Lord plagued Pharaoh. etc., He was smitten with the disease of Raathon which demands close continence (Genesis Rabbah 41:2).

And his house. Take it as the Targum has it: “and the people of his house”. A Midrashic explanation is: the word את is used here to imply that included in the curse were also its walls, pillars and its utensils (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 5). The whole of this explanation of ואת ביתו is given in an old text of Rashi.

Because of sarai. (literally, by the word of Sarai), at her orders: she said to the angel “Smite” and he smote (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 5).

Take her and go away. Not as Abimelech who said to him (Genesis 20:15) “Behold, my land is before thee; dwell wherever it seemeth proper to thee”: but he (Pharaoh) said to him, “Go and do not stay here,” for the Egyptians are greatly addicted to lewd-living, as it is said. (Ezekiel 23:20). “And whose issue is like the issue of horses” (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 5). (The passage deals with the immoral practices of the Egyptians).

And Pharaoh gave command concerning him. עליו means for his sake, to escort him and to protect him.

And they accompanied him. as the Targum has it: they gave him an escort.)

And abram went up [out of Egypt] …towards the negeb. He went up to proceed to the Southern part of the land of Israel, as it is said above (Genesis 12:9) “going on more and more to the Negeb”, to the Mount Moriah. Still, when one goes from Egypt to the land of Canaan, one proceeds from South to North, because Egypt is to the South of the land of Israel, as may be proved from the account of the journeys that the Israelites made in the wilderness and from the description of the boundaries of the land of Israel (see Numbers 33 and Numbers 34).

Very rich. (literally, very heavy), heavily laden with burdens.

And he went on his journeys. When he returned from Egypt to the land of Canaan he went and lodged in the same inns as he had stayed when he travelled to Egypt. This teaches you good manners: that one should not change his inn (Arachin 16b); (where the reason is given that one who does this constantly brings discredit on himself and on others). Another interpretation: on his return he paid the debts he had previously incurred (Genesis Rabbah 41:3). (In both these comments emphasis is placed on “his”, he went on his journeys i.e. the routes he had taken before.)

From the south. the land of Egypt lies to the South of the land of Canaan.

. [UNTO THE PLACE OF THE ALTAR] WHICH HE HAD MADE THERE AT THE FIRST and WHERE ABRAM HAD CALLED [UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD] (that is, ויקרא does not introduce a further action of Abram done at that time, but refers to a former one when he had called upon the Name of the Lord); but it may also be explained that it means that Abram now called there upon the Name of the Lord.

Who went with abram. What brought it about that he possessed all this? The fact that he was accompanying Abram (Genesis Rabbah 41:3; Pesikta Rabbati, שמיני).

And the land was not able to bear them. It could not provide sufficient pasture for their cattle. The phrase is elliptical and a word must be supplied, for instance: the pasturage (מרעה) of the land was not able to bear them, for this reason the word נשא (masculine) is used (to agree in gender with מרעה; the suggestion is that נשא cannot have הארץ as subject since that noun is feminine).

And there was a quarrel. because Lot’s shepherds were wicked men and grazed their cattle in other people’s fields. Abram's shepherds rebuked them for this act of robbery, but they replied, “The land has been given to Abram, and since he has no son as heir, Lot will be his heir: consequently this is not robbery”. Scripture, however, states: “The Canaanite and the Perizzite abode then in the land”, so that Abram was not yet entitled to possession (Genesis Rabbah 41:5).

Brothers. i. e. kinsmen. The Midrashic explanation is: that they resembled each other in their facial features (Genesis Rabbah 41:6).

If thou wilt take the left hand, than i will go to the right. Wherever you settle down I will not go far from you and I will stand by you as a shield and as a helper. Ultimately, indeed, he (Lot) was really in need of him, as it is said, (Genesis 14:14) “And Abram heard that his brother was taken captive etc.”

I will go to the right. The word means “I will direct myself towards the right”, just as ואשמאילה means “I will direct myself towards the left.” If you say that it should be punctuated וְאַיְמִינָה (the regular Hiphil form) I answer that in another place also we find this form, (2 Samuel 14:19) אם יש לְהֵמִין “none can turn to the right hand”, where the punctuation is not לְהַיְמִין.

That it was well watered. a land of water-streams.

Before the Lord destroyed sodom and gomorrahh. that land was

Like the garden of G-d. in respect of trees

Like the land of Egypt. in respect of seed (vegetables) (Genesis Rabbah 41:7).

. means AS THOU GOEST עד צוער to Zoar. The Midrashic explanation (Horayot 10b; Genesis Rabbah 41:7) explains it to Lot’s discredit, just because they (the people of Sodom and Gomorrah) were addicted to lewdness did Lot choose their locality.

. The word means “a plain” as the Targum translates it.

From the east. He removed from Abram and went westward of Abram, consequently he travelled from the East to the West. A Midrashic explanation is: He wandered away from the Originator (מקדמונו) of the Universe, saying, “I want neither Abram nor his G-d” (Genesis Rabbah 41:7).

. means he pitched tents for his shepherds and cattle עד סדום throughout the whole district extending AS FAR AS SODOM.

But the men of sodom were wicked. and yet Lot did not refrain from living with them. Our Rabbis learned from here how the text (Proverbs 10:11) “and the name of the wicked shall rot” should be applied (Yoma 38b).

Wicked. in their persons

And sinners. with their wealth (Sanhedrin 109a)

Before the Lord, exceedingly. They knew their Master and yet intentionally rebelled against Him (Sifra, Bechukotai, Section 2 2).

[וְשַׂמְתִּי אֶת זַרְעֲךָ כַּעֲפַר הָאָרֶץ. שֶׁיְּהוּ מְפֻזָּרִין בְּכָל הָעוֹלָם כְּעָפָר הַמְפֻזָּר. וְעוֹד: שֶׁאִם אֵין עָפָר אֵין בָּעוֹלָם אִילָנוֹת וּתְבוּאָה, כָּךְ אִם אֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (להלן כב,יח; כו,ד): "וְהִתְבָּרְכוּ בְזַרְעֲךָ". אֲבָל לִימוֹת הַמָּשִׁיחַ מְשׁוּלִין כְּחוֹל שֶׁמַּקְהֶה שִׁנֵּי הַכֹּל, כָּךְ יִפְּלוּ וְיִקְהוּ כָּל הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (להלן מט,י): "וְלוֹ יִקְּהַת עַמִּים".]

So that if a man is able [to count]. just as it is impossible for the dust to be counted, so, too, your seed shall not be counted.

[וַיֶּאֱהַל אַבְרָם. שֶׁחָזַר לְאִשְׁתּוֹ. כְּשֶׁרָאָה שֶׁאֵינוֹ מוֹלִיד פֵּרַשׁ מִמֶּנָּה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא "וְשַׂמְתִּי אֶת זַרְעֲךָ" חָזַר לָהּ.]

Mamre. the name of a man.

[בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא. שֶׁמָרַד בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.]

[אֲשֶׁר בְּחֶבְרוֹן. שֶׁחִבֵּר אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.]

Amraphel. He is identical with Nimrod who said (אמר) to Abraham, “Plunge (פול) into the fiery furnace” (Eruvin 53a).

King of goiim. (nations), There was a place that was called Goiim because people from many nations and localities gathered there and proclaimed as their king a man named Tidal (Genesis Rabbah 42:4).

Bera. Evil (רע) towards G-d and evil towards mankind (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 8).

Birsha. Because he rose by means of wickedness (רָשַׁע) (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 8)).

Shinab. He hated (שנא) his Father (אב) in heaven (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 8)).

Shemeber. He set his wings (שם אבר) to fly, flapping them to rebel against the Holy One, blessed be He (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 8)).

Bela. is the name of this king’s city (but the king’s own name is not mentioned here).

Vale of siddim. So it was named because it contained many fields (שדות)

. There are many Midrashic explanations of this name. הוא ים המלח THE SAME IS THE SALT SEA, After some time the sea flowed into it (the vale) and thus the Salt Sea came into existence. The Midrashic explanation states that the rocks that surrounded it had cracked and streams thus flowed into it (Genesis Rabbah 42:5).

Twelve years did they. i. e. these five kings SERVE Chedorlaomer.

אֶת כְּדָרְלָעֹמֶר.

And in the fourteenth year. of their rebellion

Chedorlaomer came. Because the matter concerned him mostly, “he bore the heavier side of the beam" (Genesis Rabbah 42:6).

And the kings [that were with him]. These are the other three kings.

. These are the Zamzumim (see Deuteronomy 2:10 and Deuteronomy 2:20).

. means IN THEIR MOUNT (i. e.הרר is a form of הר, really an earlier form, with pronominal suffix ָ מ ;cf. הררי קדש etc.)

El-paran. As it is translated in the Targum: Plain of Paran. But I hold that איל does not signify a plain in general but that the lowland of Paran bore the name of El, and that of Mamre was named Elone; that of the Jordan was called Kikkar, whilst that of Shittim was called Abel, Abel-Shittim, and so, too, the lowland of [Baal] Gad was named Baal. All these are translated in the Targum by מישור, but each really had its own particular name.

By the wilderness. next to the wilderness; a similar use of על is (Numbers 2:20) “and next unto him (עליו) shall be the tribe of Manasseh”.

En-mishpat, the same is kadesh. It is here named EN-MISHPAT (“the well of judgment”) in reference to what would happen there in the future, where Moses and Aaron would once be judged because of what occurred at that fountain. It is identical with “the waters of Meribah” (cf. Numbers 20:1 and Numbers 20:13) (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 8). Onkelos, however, translates it according to its plain sense: the plain where the people of the district used to gather for every lawsuit.

The country of the amalekites. Amalek, it is true, was not yet born, but it is here named in reference to the name it would bear in the future (Genesis Rabbah 42:7).

In hazezon-tamar. This is En-Gedi: so a text plainly states in Chronicles (2 Chronicles 20:2) in the history of Jehoshaphat.

Four kings [against the five]. and yet the fewer were victorious; this statement is expressly made to tell you how powerful they were, and yet Abraham did not refrain from pursuing them.

Full of bitumen pits. There were many pits there from which they took earth as clay for building purposes. The Midrashic explanation is that the clay was closely kneaded together in them (was very sticky) so that it was only because a miracle was performed for the king of Sodom that he escaped from them. For amongst those nations there were some who did not believe that Abraham had been delivered from Ur-Kasdim, from the fiery furnace, but as soon as this one escaped from the slime they corrected their past disbelief regarding what had happened to Abraham (literally, they believed retrospectively in Abraham) (Genesis Rabbah 42:7).

. means THEY FLED TO A MOUNTAIN. The word הרה is the same as לְהַר. When a word requires a ל as a prefix one may put instead a ה as a suffix. There is a difference between הֶרָה and הָהָרָה, for the ה at the end takes the place of a לְ (with Shewa) prefixed (another version has: for the ה at the end does not take the place of a prefixed ל with Patach which would mean to “the”) so that הֶרָה is equal to לְהַר or to אֶל הַר to “a” mountain, without explaining which mountain, so that the meaning here is that each person fled to the first mountain he came across. When, however, a ה is prefixed to a word having this ה suffix so that it reads e. g., הָהרה or הַמדברה, it is the same as אל הָהר or לְהָהר (to “the” mount) signifying that mount which is well-known and has been definitely mentioned in the passage.

For he dwelt in sodom. What made this happen to him? The fact that he was dwelling in Sodom (Genesis Rabbah 42:7).

And there came the one who escaped. According to the real meaning this was Og who had escaped from the battle with the Rephaim (see Genesis 5:5) and it is to this that the text refers (Deuteronomy 3:11) “For only Og king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim”, and this is what is meant by נשאר “left”, for Amraphel and his allies did not kill him when they smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim. So is the statement in the Tanchuma 4:6:25 (Chukat). But according to the Midrash Genesis Rabbah (Genesis Rabbah 42:8) it refers to Og in allusion to him as the only one of the generation of the Flood who escaped that catastrophe, and this is what is meant (Deuteronomy 3:11) “of the remnant of the Rephaim”, for it is said. (Genesis 6:4) “The Nephilim (= Rephaim cf. Genesis Rabbah 26) were in the earth etc.” His intention in telling Abraham that his nephew was captured was that Abraham should wage war against the kings and that he should be killed so that he, himself, might marry Sarah.

The hebrew. the one who came from the other side (עבר) of the River (Euphrates) (Genesis Rabbah 42:8).

Confederate with abram. (literally, owners of a covenant with Abram), They had entered into a covenant with him. Other versions of Rashi have: another explanation is, they advised him to circumcise himself (to keep the [ברית] covenant), as is explained in another place (cf. Rashi on Genesis 18:1).

אַחֲרֵי הִפָּרֶד לוֹט. כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָרָשָׁע עִמּוֹ הָיָה הַדִּבּוּר פּוֹרֵשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ.

. Its meaning is as the Targum takes it: “he girded”. Similar are (Leviticus 24:33) “And I will gird myself (והריקותי) with the sword against you", and (Exodus 15:9) “I will gird on (אריק) my sword”, and (Psalms 35:3) “Gird thyself (הרק) with the spear and battle axe”.

His trained servants. The word is written without a י (after the כ) so it may be read חניכו “his trained one”, referring to Eliezer whom he had trained to the observance of religious duties. The word חנך signifies introducing a person or a thing, for the first time, to some particular occupation in which it is intended that he should remain (i. e. to dedicate or devote to some particular purpose). It has a similar sense in (Proverbs 22:6) “Train up (חנוך) a child”, and in (Numbers 7:84) חנוכת המזבח “the dedication of the altar”, and (Psalms 30:1) “The dedication (חנוכת) of the house” In old French enseigner; English: to teach, instruct.

Three hundred and eighteen. Our Rabbis said, “It was Eliezer alone whom he armed and it (318) is the numerical value of his name” (Nedarim 32a).

As far as dan. There his strength failed him for he saw prophetically that at some future time his descendants would there erect a calf (Sanhedrin 96a).

And he divided himself against them. In accordance with its plain sense you must invert the order of the words of the verse: “And he divided himself, he and his servants, against them, at night”, as is the manner of those who pursue their enemies, they divide themselves up to follow after those of whom they are in pursuit when these flee in different directions.

By night. meaning, even after it became dark they did not give up pursuing them. According to the Midrashic explanation, it was the night that was divided): during its first half a miracle was wrought for him, and the second half was kept in reserve for the miracle of the midnight in Egypt (Genesis Rabbah 43:3).

Unto hobah. There is no place bearing the name Hobah, but the city Dan is called Hobah (guilty city) on account of the idolatry which would once be practised there (Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 13).

The valley of shaveh. So was its name; but the Targum translates it, “to the empty plain”, clear of trees and all impediments.

The kings vale. Onkelos translates it by the king’s race-course: a hippodrome that was thirty “kona” (measuring rods) and was set apart for the king’s sport. The Midrashic explanation is that it was the valley where all the nations unanimously agreed (הושוו) in appointing Abraham as prince and leader over them (Genesis Rabbah 43:5).

And melchizedek. A Midrashic explanation is that he is identical with Shem, son of Noah (Nedarim 32b).

Bread and wine. Thus is done for those wearied through battle. He showed him (Abraham) that he bore him no malice for killing his descendants. The Midrashic explanation is that he (Melchizedek) thereby gave an intimation to him (Abraham) of the meal-offerings and libations which his descendants would offer there (in Salem which is Jeru-salem) (Genesis Rabbah 43:6).

Maker. or POSSESSOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, similar to (Psalms 134:3) עשה שמים וארץ “Maker of heaven and earth”: through His having made them He acquired them as His possession.

Who hath delivered [thy enemies into thy hands]. מגן means who has handed over or surrendered, as (Hosea 11:8) “How shall I give thee over, (אמגנך) Israel”

And he. Abraham, GAVE HIM מעשר מכל A TITHE OF EVERYTHING that he had, because he was a priest.

מַעֲשֵׂר מִכֹּל. אֲשֶׁר לוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה כֹהֵן (בראשית רבה מג,ח).

Give me the persons. Of that which was captured of mine and which you have rescued give me back the people only.

I have lifted up my hand. An expression signifying an oath: I lift up my hand to the Most High G-d (not, I have lifted up). Similarly, (Genesis 22:16) בי נשבעתי which means “By myself do I swear” and similarly, (Genesis 23:13) נתתי כסף השדה קח ממני which means “I give the price of the field, take it from me”.)

Not anything from a thread even to a sandal tie. shall I retain for myself from the spoil.

Nor anything that is thine will i take. And if you say that you will reward me from your own treasures I will still not accept anything

So that thou shouldst not say. etc., For the Holy One, blessed be He, has promised to give me riches, as it is said, (Genesis 12:2) “And I will bless thee” (see Rashi on this passage, where the blessing is explained to consist in ממון “wealth”).

The lads. My servants who went with me. Then, again, the others ANER, ESHCOL AND MAMRE [THEY MAY TAKE THEIR PORTION ], Although my servants took part in the battle as it is said (Genesis 14:15) “he and his servants and smote them”, whilst Aner and his friends remained with the baggage to guard it yet they may take their share. From him (Abraham) David took a lesson when he said, (1 Samuel 30:24) “But as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall share alike”; therefore it goes on to say (1 Samuel 30:25), “And this had been so from that day, ומעלה, and had been so from former times: therefore he (David) made it a statute and an ordinance”, it does not state והלאה “and henceforward”, for the statute had already been ordained) in the days of Abram (Genesis Rabbah 43:9).

. Wherever the term אחר is used it signifies immediately after the preceding event; whilst אחרי signifies a long time afterwards. אחר הדברים האלה AFTER THESE THINGS means: after this miracle has been wrought for him in that he slew the kings and he was in great anxiety, saying, “Perhaps I have already received, in this G-d-given victory reward for all my good deeds”, therefore the Omnipresent said to him, אל תירא אברם אנכי מגן לך FEAR NOT ABRAM, I AM THY SHIELD against punishment: for you shall not be punished on account of all these people whom you have slain. And as for your being anxious regarding the receipt of any further reward, know that שכרך הרבה מאד THY REWARD WILL BE EXCEEDING GREAT (Genesis Rabbah 44:5).

אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ. מִן הָעוֹנֶשׁ, שֶׁלֹּא תֵעָנֵשׁ עַל כָּל אוֹתָן נְפָשׁוֹת שֶׁהָרַגְתָּ. וּמַה שֶּׁאַתָּה דוֹאֵג עַל קִבּוּל שְׂכָרְךָ – "שְׂכָרְךָ הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד" (בראשית רבה מד,ה).

I go childless. Menachem ben Seruk explained it (ערירי) as meaning heir, and another example of it is (Malachi 2:12) ער ועונה “son and grandsonערירי, (״ then would mean “without child or heir” being an example of a word that has two opposite meanings, just as you say (Job 31:12) “and it would תשרש all my increase”, meaning it would tear up its roots, and the same word might also mean to take root. So, too, the meaning of ערירי is “without a child” although ער means “a child”. old French désenfanté; English childless. It, however, seems to me that the word ער in ער ועונה is of the same derivation as the same word in (Song 5:2). ולבי ער “and my heart awaketh”, whereas ערירי has the meaning of destroyed (a childless person being “demolished” so far as his memory in future generations is concerned; cf. Rashi on Genesis 16:2). Similarly (Psalms 137:7) ערו ערו “Rase it, rase it”; (Habakkuk 3:13) ערות יסוד “destroying the foundation”, and (Jeremiah 51:58) ערער תתערער “shall be utterly destroyed” and (Zephaniah 2:14) כי ארזה ערה “for the cedar-work thereof shall be destroyed”.

And the steward of my house. Explain it as the Targum has it, “the man of my household”, meaning the man by whose orders all my household is fed. Similarly, (Genesis 41:40) “And according to thy word shall all my people be fed (ישק)”, so that it signifies my administrator.

. If, however, I had a son, my son would be in charge of my affairs. דמשק OF DAMASCUS, According to the Targum he was of Damascus, but according to the Midrashic explanation (Genesis Rabbah 44:9) he bore this designation because he had pursued the kings as far as Damascus. In the Talmud (Yoma 28b) they explained it as an abbreviation of דולה ומשקה “One who drew up and gave to drink to others of the edifying waters of instruction given by his Teacher.

Behold, to me thou hast given no child. What use, then, is all else that thou givest me?

And he brought him forth outside. Its real meaning is: He brought him outside his tent so that he could look at the stars. Its Midrashic explanation is: Go forth from (give up) your astrological speculations, that you have seen by the planets that you will not raise a son; Abram indeed may have no son but Abraham will have a son: Sarai may not bear a child but Sarah will bear. I will give you other names, and your destiny (מזל planet, luck) will be changed. Another explanation: He brought him forth from the terrestrial sphere, elevating him above the stars, and this is why He uses the term הבט “look”, when He said “look at the heavens”, for this word signifies looking from above downward (Genesis Rabbah 44:12).

And he believed in the Lord. He did not ask Him for a sign regarding this; but in respect to the promise that he would possess the land he asked for a sign, inquiring of G-d, במה אדע “By what sign shall I know [that I shall possess it?]” (Genesis 15:8).

And he accounted it unto him for righteousness. The Holy One, blessed be He, accounted it unto Abraham as a merit, because of the faith with which he had trusted in Him. Another explanation of במה אדע is: he did not, by these words, ask for a sign regarding this promise that he would possess the land, but he said to Him, “Tell me by what merit they (my descendants) will remain in it (the land).” G-d answered him, through the merit of the sacrifices (Taanit 27b).

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

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

And three rams. symbolical of the trespass offering brought by a man who knows for certain that he has committed certain offences, the offering brought by a man who is in doubt whether he has committed such offence, and the ewe brought by an individual as a sin-offering.

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

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

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

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

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

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

And, lo, an horror. etc., This is symbolic of the woes and the gloom of the Jews in Exile (Genesis Rabbah 44:17).

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

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

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

I will judge. with ten plagues (Genesis Rabbah 44:20).

With great substance. with great wealth, as it is said, (Exodus 12:36) “And they despoiled the Egyptians.”

But thou shalt come. etc. Thou shalt not behold all this.

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

Thou shalt be buried in a good old age. He announced to him that Ishmael would repent during his (Abraham’s) life-time (Genesis Rabbah 38:12). Esau, too, did, not become degenerate during Abraham’s life-time. It was just for this reason (in order that he might not witness Esau’s evil conduct) that Abraham died five years before his proper time, for the very day when he died Esau rebelled against G-d (Genesis Rabbah 63:12).

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

For the iniquity of the amorite is not yet full. enough that he should be driven out of his land until that time, for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not exact punishment from any nation until its measure is full, as it is said, (Isaiah 27:8) “In her full measure wilt thou contend with her when thou sendest her away” (Sotah 9a).

And it came to pass, when the sun went down. Similar syntactical constructions are (42:35) ויהי הם מריקים שקיהם “And it came to pass when they were emptying their sacks”, and (2 Kings 13:21) ויהי הם קוברים איש “and it came to pass when they were burying a man”, as much as to say, and this thing happened (i. e. after ויהי supply the words דבר זה: “And this thing happened: the sun set etc.”)

The sun came. i.e. set.

There was thick darkness. darkness during the day-time

Behold a smoking furnace. He foreshadowed to him that these Monarchies would descend into Gehinom (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 28).

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

Unto thy seed have i given. The promise of the Holy One, blessed be He, is as an accomplished fact. (Consequently the perfect tense is here used) (Genesis Rabbah 44:22).

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

אֶת הַקֵּינִי. עֶשֶׂר אֻמּוֹת יֵשׁ כַּאן, וְלֹא נָתַן לָהֶם אֶלָּא שִׁבְעָה גוֹיִם? וְהַשְּׁלֹשָׁה אֱדוֹם וּמוֹאָב וְעַמּוֹן, וְהֵם "קֵינִי קְנִזִּי קַדְמֹנִי", עֲתִידִים לִהְיוֹת יְרוּשָּׁה לֶעָתִיד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו יא,יד): "אֱדוֹם וּמוֹאָב מִשְׁלוֹחַ יָדָם וּבְנֵי עַמּוֹן מִשְׁמַעְתָּם" (בראשית רבה מד,כג).

And the rephaim. the land Og King of Bashan, of which it said, (Deuteronomy 3:13) “All that (Bashan) is called the land of the Rephaim”.

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

It may be that i shall be builded up through her. This statement of Sarah teaches that a person who has no children is not firmly established (literally, built up: his name and future are not perpetuated) but is unstable (lit, demolished) (Genesis Rabbah 45:2).

I shall be builded up through her. through the merit that I admit her as a rival into my house.

To the voice of sarai. to the Holy (prophetic) Spirit that was in her (Genesis Rabbah 45:2).

And (sarai took [hagar]. She took (won her over) by kindly speech saying, “Happy are you in that you will be privileged to consort with so holy a person as this” (Genesis Rabbah 45:3).

After [abram had dwelt] ten years. the period appointed for a woman who has lived with her husband for ten years without having borne children to him when he is bound to take another.

[ten years] after Abraham had dwelt in the land of Canaan. As Abraham had been married to Sarah before he entered Canaan this statement virtually informs us that the period he dwelt outside the land was not to be included in the number of these ten years (Yevamot 64a), for the promise, “And I will make of thee a great nation” was made to him with the intention of being fulfilled only after he had come into the land of Israel.

And he came unto hagar and she conceived. from the first union (Genesis Rabbah 45:4).

Her mistress was slighted in her eyes. She said, “As regards this woman Sarai, her conduct in private can certainly not be like that in public: she pretends to be a righteous woman, but she cannot really be righteous since all these years she has not been privileged to have children, whilst I have had that blessing from the first union” (Genesis Rabbah 45:4).

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

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

And sarai afflicted her. She compelled her to work hard (Genesis Rabbah 45:6).

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

And the angel of the Lord said unto her. etc. (see also Genesis 16:10 & Genesis 16:11). For each statement (in these three verses) a different angel was sent to her, and this explains why in reference to each statement the phrase is used, “and an angel said to her” (Genesis Rabbah 45:7).

Behold thou wilt be with child. when you return you will conceive, just as the same phrase הנך הרה (Judges 13:7) spoken of the wife of Manoah (where it certainly appears to be thou wilt conceive in the future).

And thou shalt bear a son. The word appears to be grammatically a combination of the perfect tense וְיָלַדְתְּ and the participle וְיֹלֶדֶת but it is similar in sense to וְיֹלֶדֶת (the participle); so, also, (Jeremiah 22:23) “O thou that dwellest יֹשַׁבְתְּ) in Lebanon, and art nestled (מְקֻנַּנְתְּ) in the cedars.”

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

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

His hand shall be against every one. a highwayman.

And everyone’s hand against him. everyone will hate him and attack him.

And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. his descendants will be numerous, (so that his territory must extend over that which his brethren have; cf. Genesis 25:18).

Thou art a G-d of seeing. The word is punctuated with a Chataph Kametz because it is a noun, and the meaning is “a G-d of seeing”, One who sees the humiliation to which people are subjected by others (Genesis Rabbah 45:10)

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

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

And abram called the name. [OF HIS SON] etc., Although Abram had not heard the words of the angel when he said to Hagar “and thou shalt call his name Ishmael”, yet the Holy Spirit rested upon him and he called him Ishmael.

And abram was fourscore and six years old. etc., This is written to Ishmael’s credit, pointing out that he was thirteen years old when he was circumcised (see Genesis 17:25) and yet he raised no objection.

אֲנִי אֵל שַׁדַּי. אֲנִי הוּא שֶיֵּשׁ דַּי בֶּאֱלֹהוּתִי לְכָל בְּרִיָּה, לְפִיכָךְ "הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי" וְאֶהְיֶה לְךָ לֶאֱלוֹהַּ וּלְפַטְרוֹן. וְכֵן כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא בַמִּקְרָא, פֵּרוּשׁוֹ כָּךְ: "דַּי שֶׁלּוֹ", וְהַכֹּל לְפִי הָעִנְיָן (בראשית רבה מו,ג).

Walk before me. as the Targum takes it: worship before Me, cleave to My service.

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

And i will make my covenant. a covenant of love and a covenant regarding the land, to give it to you as an inheritance through your observance of this precept.

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

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

And i will make nations of thee. Israel and Edom only are intended here for Ishmael was already born to him and He could not, therefore, have been making any announcement concerning him.

And i will establish my covenant. And what is this Covenant? להיות לך לאלהים TO BE A G-D UNTO THEE.

For an everlasting possession. and there I will be your G-d; but whoever resides outside the land is as if he has no G-d (Ketubot 110b).

And as for thee. This ו (of ואתה) connects this verse with the preceding matter (v. Gensis 17:4, thus setting ואתה of here in contrast with the ואני of there): “As for Me, behold My covenant is with thee”, “and as for thee, thou shalt be careful to keep it”. And what constitutes the “keeping” of it? THIS IS MY COVENANT WHICH YE SHALL KEEP… EVERY MALE AMONGST YOU [SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED].

Between me and you. “you” is plural and refers to all those belonging to Abraham who were then alive.

And thy seed after thee. those who are yet to be born.

. is an infinitive equal to לְהִמּוֹל just as you may say עַשׂוֹת in place of לעשות (i.e. the infinitive may be with or without ל prefixed).

And ye shall circumcise. This word, in spite of the נ in it, is not Niphal but the same as ומלתם and the נ in it is an addition to the root, which only sometimes appears in it, as, for example, the נ of נושך and of ונמלתם ;(נושא is Kal like ונשאתם “and ye shall carry” (Genesis 45:19), but יִמּוֹל (Genesis 17:12 and Genesis 17:13) is a Niphal form, “shall be circumcised”, like יֵעָשֶׂה “it shall be done”, and יֵאָכֵל “it shall be eaten”.

He that is born in the house. one to whom a handmaid gave birth in the house.

He that is bought with thy money. one whom a person bought after his birth.

He that is born in thy house must needs be circumcised. Here the statement that one born in the house must be circumcised is repeated but it does not say “after eight days” as in 5:12, thus teaching you that there are some cases of those “born in the house” who have to be circumcised on the first day of birth, as is explained in Treatise Sabbath (Shabbat 135b).

And the uncircumcised male. This phrase teaches that circumcision must be at that place where the distinction between male and female is evident (Genesis Rabbah 46:13).

He who does not circumcise. HIMSELF) as soon as he reaches the age when he is legally liable to punishment, ונכרתה THEN HE SHALL BE CUT OFF, his father, however, who did not have him circumcised is not punished on his account with כרת (excision, “being cut off from his people”), but is merely transgressing an עשה “a positive commandment” (for which the punishment is flagellation).

That soul shall be cut off. i. e. he shall depart hence childless and shall suffer an untimely death.

Thou shalt not call her name sarai. which means “my princess”, a princess to me and not to others, BUT SARAH, in a more general sense, SHALL BE HER NAME: she shall be princess over all (Berakhot 13a).

And i will bless her. And in what did the blessing consist? In that she resumed her youthfulness, as it is said, (Genesis 18:12) “shall I have the pleasure of youth again?” (Genesis Rabbah 47:2)

And i will bless her. with teeming breasts. And this happened when she really needed this on the day of Isaac’s feast. For people were speaking spitefully about them, that they had adopted a foundling from the street saying, “This is our son.” Every one, therefore, brought her child with her, but did not bring the wet-nurse and she (Sarah) suckled all of them. To this refers that which is said (Genesis 21:7) “Sarah has given suck to children”. In Genesis Rabbah 47:2 this is alluded to in part.

And Abraham fell upon his face and laughed. This word ויצחק Onkelos translates by וחדי which signifies joy (“and he rejoiced”) but the similar verb in the case of Sarah (ותצחק Genesis 18:12) he translates as meaning laughter. From this you may understand that Abraham had faith and rejoiced, and that Sarah had no faith and sneered, and that is why G-d was angry with Sarah (when she laughed) but was not angry with Abraham.

Shall a child be born to one who is a hundred years old?. There are some questions expressing astonishment which do not imply a doubt but rather affirm the certainty that the circumstance referred to has happened or will happen, as (1 Samuel 2:2) “Did I reveal myself [unto thy father’s house?]” (Of course, I did) and (Ezekiel 8:6) “Seest thou what they do?” (You, of course, have seen it). This question, too, affirms the certainty that it is possible for G-d to cause Abraham, at the age of hundred, to beget a son and this is in effect what he said to himself: Would there be done to another man one hundred years old this favour that the Holy One, blessed be He, is doing to me”? (Rashi means that the words must be translated, “would a child be born to any other person who is a hundred years old?”).

Or shall Sarah, who is ninety years old. be worthy to bear a son? Although the previous generations used to beget at the age of five hundred years, yet in Abraham’s days the length of life had already become shorter and a diminution of strength had come upon people. Go and learn this from the ten generations from Noah to Abraham who begot their children at the then early age of sixty or seventy.

. means O THAT ISHMAEL MIGHT LIVE: I am unworthy to receive such a reward!

Live before thee. live in reverence of thee; similar in sense is Genesis 17:1, התהלך לפני, which Onkelos renders by “worship Me”.

Verily. This word implies confirmation of a statement, just as (Genesis 42:21) “Verily (אבל) we are guilty”, and (2 Kings 4:14) “Verily (אבל) she has no son”.

And thou shall call his name Isaac. with reference to his laughter. Some say the name has reference to the ten (י) trials, the ninety (צ) years of Sarah’s age, the eight (ח) days of the circumcision and the hundred (ק) years of Abraham’s age (Genesis Rabbah 53:7).

And i will establish my covenant with him. Why is this stated? Is it not already written (Genesis 17:9) “as for thee, thou shalt keep My Covenant, thou and thy seed etc.”? But since is said, (Genesis 17:7) and I will establish My Covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations”, it might be inferred that the children of Ishmael and the children of Keturah (who are all descendants of Abraham) are included in this promise of the establishment of the Covenant, therefore it states here (Genesis 17:19) “And I will establish My Covenant with him (Isaac), not with the others” (cf. Sanhedrin 59b). If so, why is there a repetition of the statement that the covenant will be established with Isaac in the words (Genesis 17:21) ואת בריתי אקים את יצחק “but My Covenant will I establish with Isaac”? But it is repeated in order to add the words אשר תלד so as to teach that he was holy from his birth (Shabbat 137b). Another explanation of why 5:21 is repeated is: R. Aba said, “from here Scripture draws a logical conclusion regarding the son of the Mistress (Sarah) from what is said regarding the son of the handmaid (Hagar): It is written (Genesis 17:20) “Behold I have blessed him and will make him fruitful”, and this refers to Ishmael: Surely then, it follows logically that “I must establish my covenant (of blessing) with Isaac also!” (Genesis Rabbah 47:5).

[i will establish] my covenant. The Covenant of circumcision shall be transmitted only to the descendants of Isaac.

Twelve princes. like clouds shall they vanish, the word נשיאים being explained here as the same word in (Proverbs 25:14) נשיאים ורוח “Clouds and wind”

[G-d went up] from Abraham. This is a more fitting expression to use of G-d, and we learn from it that the righteous are the Chariot of the Omnipresent G-d (Genesis Rabbah 47:6).

In the selfsame day. on the very day when he received the command of circumcision: by day and not by night, he was afraid neither of the heathens nor of the cynics. And he did it in broad daylight in order that his enemies and other people should not say, “If we had seen him we would never have allowed him to practise circumcision and carry out the commandment of the Omnipresent (Genesis Rabbah 47:9).

And he curcumcised. This is a Kal form (active).

When he was circumcised. a Niphal form (passive), like (Genesis 2:4) בהבראם “when they were created”.

בְּהִמֹּלוֹ אֵת בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ. בְּאַבְרָהָם לֹא נֶאֱמַר "אֵת", לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה חָסֵר אֶלָּא חִתּוּךְ בָּשָׂר, שֶׁכְּבָר נִתְמַעֵךְ עַל יְדֵי תַּשְׁמִישׁ. אֲבָל יִשְׁמָעֵאל שֶׁהָיָה יֶלֶד הוּזְקַק לַחֲתּוֹךְ עָרְלָה וְלִפְרוֹעַ הַמִּילָה, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ "אֵת" (בראשית רבה מז,ח).

On the selfsame day. when Abraham completed his ninety-ninth year and Ishmael his thirteenth year נמול אברהם וישמעאל בנו WAS ABRAHAM CIRCUMCISED AND ISHMAEL HIS SON.