NOW IT CAME TO PASS THAT WHEN ABRAM WAS COME TO EGYPT THE EGYPTIANS BEHELD THE WOMAN THAT SHE WAS VERY FAIR. R. Judah said: He brought her in a box, and they opened it to levy duty. When it was opened a light like that of the sun shone forth, as it says “that she was very fair”.
The word “very” indicates that they saw in the box another figure; for when they took her out, they saw a figure in the box as before. Hence the Scripture repeats, AND THE PRINCES OF PHARAOH SAW HER, and on this account THEY PRAISED HER TO PHARAOH.’
R. Isaac said: ‘Woe to the sinners of the world who do not know and do not observe the work of the Holy One, blessed be He, nor do they reflect that all which takes place in the world is from God, who knows from the outset what will be at the end, as it is written, “declaring the end from the beginning” (Is. 46, 10). He looks ahead and lays a train now for developments in the distant future.
Thus had not Sarai been taken to Pharaoh, he would not have been plagued, and it was his castigation which caused the subsequent castigation of the Egyptians. The word “great” is applied here to the plagues inflicted on Pharaoh and also to the “signs and wonders which God showed upon Egypt” (Deut. 6, 22), to indicate that here, as there, were ten plagues, and that just as God performed wonders for Israel by night, so He performed wonders for Sarai by night.’
R. Jose expounded the text: Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me, my glory and the lifter up of mine head (Ps. 3, 4). He said: ‘What David meant was: “though the whole world should come to make war on me, thou, O Lord, art a shield about me”. David further said to God: “Sovereign of the Universe, wherefore do not the Israelites conclude one of their blessings with my name as they do with the name of Abraham,1The first blessing of the Amidah. of whom it is written ‘I am thy shield’ (Gen. 15, 1)?”
God replied: “Abraham I have already tried and tested and found to be wholly stedfast.” Said David: “If so, ‘examine me, O Lord, and prove me, try my reins and my heart’ (Ps. 26, 2).” When he sinned in the matter of Bathsheba, David remembered what he had said, and he exclaimed “‘Thou hast proved mine heart, thou hast visited me in the night, thou hast tried me and hast not found,
my thoughts should not have passed my mouth’ (Ps. 17, 3). I said, Examine me, O Lord, and prove me, and thou hast proved my heart; I said, Try my reins, and thou hast tried me; but thou hast not found me as I should be; would that what was in my mind had not passed my lips.”
(And with all this the Israelites do conclude a blessing with his name.1The third blessing after the Haftarah. Therefore David said: “‘Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me, my glory and the lifter up of my head’: this grade assuredly is my glory with which I am crowned.”’
AND PHARAOH GAVE MEN CHARGE CONCERNING HIM, AND THEY SENT HIM ON HIS WAY. Assuredly God is a shield to the righteous to save them from falling into the power of men, and so God shielded Abram that the Egyptians should not have power to harm him and his wife.
For the Shekinah did not leave Sarai all that night. When Pharaoh tried to approach her, the angel came and smote him. Whenever Sarai said “smite”, he smote, and meanwhile Abram firmly trusted in God that He would allow no harm to come to Sarai, as it is written, “the righteous are bold as a lion” (Prov. 28, 1). This is one of the trials which Abram endured without complaining against God.
R. Isaac said that God purposely refrained from telling Abram to go down to Egypt, and allowed him to go of his own accord, in order that people might not be able to say that after making him go there He brought trouble on him through his wife.
R. Isaac here expounded the text The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree, he shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon (Ps. 92, 13). ‘Why is the righteous man compared to a palm tree? Because just as, if a palm tree is cut down, it takes a long time for one to grow again, so if the world loses a righteous man, it is a long time before another arises in his place.
Further, just as a palm tree does not grow unless the male be accompanied by the female, so the righteous cannot flourish save when they are male and female together, like Abram and Sarai.
Again, “he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon”: just as a cedar is pre-eminent and all can sit under it, so the righteous man is pre-eminent and all sit under him. The world is supported upon one righteous one, as it is written, “the righteous is the foundation of the world” (Prov. 10, 25).’
Said R. Judah, ‘Is it not a dictum of the Rabbis that the world rests on seven supports, as it is written, “Wisdom hath hewn out her seven pillars” (Prov. 9, 1)?’ R. Jose replied: ‘That is so, but those others depend on one who is the real support of the world. This is the Zaddik who waters and refreshes the world and feedeth all, and of whom it is written, “Say of the Zaddik that he is good, for (through him) they eat of the fruit of their works” (Is. 3, 10), and again, “The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Ps. 145, 9).’
R. Isaac said: ‘The Scripture tells us that “a river went forth from Eden to water the garden” (Gen. 2, 10). It is this river which is the support upon which the world rests. It waters the Garden and causes it to bear fruits which spring up and blossom in the world, and which uphold the world and make possible the study of the Torah. What are these fruits? They are the souls of the righteous which are the fruit of God’s handiwork. Therefore every night the souls of the righteous mount on high,
וַיְהִי כְּבֹא אַבְרָם מִצְרָיְמָה וַיִּרְאוּ הַמִּצְרִים אֶת הָאִשָּׁה כִּי יָפָה הִיא מְאֹד. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּתֵיבָה אָעִיל לָהּ, וּפְתָחוּ לָהּ לְמֵיסַב מִנָּה קוּסְטוּנָא. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְפַּתַּח הֲוָה נְהוֹרָא כִּנְהוֹרָא דְּשִׁמְשָׁא הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב כִּי יָפָה הִיא מְאֹד.
NOW IT CAME TO PASS THAT WHEN ABRAM WAS COME TO EGYPT THE EGYPTIANS BEHELD THE WOMAN THAT SHE WAS VERY FAIR. R. Judah said: He brought her in a box, and they opened it to levy duty. When it was opened a light like that of the sun shone forth, as it says “that she was very fair”.
מַאי מְאֹד, אֶלָּא דְּחָמוּ בַּתֵּיבָה דִיוּקְנָא (נ"א נהורא) אָחֳרָא. אַפִּיקוּ לָהּ וְחָמוּ לָהּ כְּמִלְקַדְמִין הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב וַיִּרְאוּ אוֹתָהּ שָׂרֵי פַרְעֹה. כֵּיוָן דִּכְתִיב וַיִּרְאוּ הַמִּצְרִים אֶת הָאִשָּׁה מַאי וַיִּרְאוּ אוֹתָהּ שָׂרֵי פַרְעֹה, אֶלָּא דְּאֲפִיקוּ לָהּ וְחָמוּ לָהּ כְּמִלְקַדְּמִין וּכְדֵין וַיְהַלְּלוּ אוֹתָהּ אֶל פַּרְעֹה וְגו'. (כאן שייך מה שבז"ח דף לח ע"ב)
The word “very” indicates that they saw in the box another figure; for when they took her out, they saw a figure in the box as before. Hence the Scripture repeats, AND THE PRINCES OF PHARAOH SAW HER, and on this account THEY PRAISED HER TO PHARAOH.’
אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק. וַוי לְאִנּוּן חַיָּיבַיָא דְעָלְמָא דְּלָא יָדְעִין וְלָא מַשְׁגִּיחִין בַּעֲבִידְתֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִנּוּן לָא מִסְתַּכְּלֵי (בכלא) דְּכָל מַה דְּהֲוֵי בְּעָלְמָא מֵעִם קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִיהוּ, דְּאִיהוּ יָדַע בְּקַדְמִיתָא מַה דִּלְהוֵי בְּסוֹפָא דִּכְתִיב, (ישעיהו מ״ו:י׳) מַגִּיד מֵרִאשִׁית אַחֲרִית. וְאִיהוּ אִסְתָּכֵי וְעֲבִיד עֲבִידָן בְּקַדְמִיתָא בְּגִין לְסָלְקָא לוֹן לְבָתַר יוֹמִין.
R. Isaac said: ‘Woe to the sinners of the world who do not know and do not observe the work of the Holy One, blessed be He, nor do they reflect that all which takes place in the world is from God, who knows from the outset what will be at the end, as it is written, “declaring the end from the beginning” (Is. 46, 10). He looks ahead and lays a train now for developments in the distant future.
תָּא חֲזֵי אִלְמָלֵא דְּאִנְסִיבַת שָׂרַי לְגַבֵּי פַּרְעֹה, לָא אַלְקֵי הוּא, וְאַלְקָאוּתָא דָּא גָּרִים אַלְקָאוּתָא לְבָתַר כֵּן דְּיִלְקוּן מִצְרַיִם בִּנְגָעִים גְּדוֹלִים, כְּתִיב הָכָא נְגָעִים גְּדוֹלִים וּכְתִיב הָתָם (דברים ו׳:כ״ב) וַיִּתֵּן יְיָ אוֹתוֹת וּמוֹפְתִים גְּדוֹלִים וְרָעִים בְּמִצְרַיִם. מַה לְּהַלָּן עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת אַף כָּאן עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת. כְּמָה דְּעֲבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נִסִּין וּגְבוּרָן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לֵילְיָא, אוּף הָכָא עֲבַד לָהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְשָׂרָה נִסִּין וּגְבוּרָאן לֵילְיָא.
Thus had not Sarai been taken to Pharaoh, he would not have been plagued, and it was his castigation which caused the subsequent castigation of the Egyptians. The word “great” is applied here to the plagues inflicted on Pharaoh and also to the “signs and wonders which God showed upon Egypt” (Deut. 6, 22), to indicate that here, as there, were ten plagues, and that just as God performed wonders for Israel by night, so He performed wonders for Sarai by night.’
רַבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח וְאָמַר (תהילים ג׳:ד׳) וְאַתָּה יְיָ מָגֵן בַּעֲדִי כְּבוֹדִי וּמֵרִים רֹאשִׁי. אָמַר דָּוִד אַף עַל גַּב דְּכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא יֵיתוּן לַאֲגָחָא בִּי קְרָבָא, וְאַתָּה יְיָ מָגֵן בַּעֲדִי. תָּא חֲזֵי, כְּתִיב מָגֵן בַּעֲדִי. אָמַר דָּוִד לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם מִפְּנֵי מָה לָא עַבְדֵי בִּי חֲתִימָה דִבְרָכָה כְּמָה דְּחָתְמֵי בְּרָכָה בְּאַבְרָהָם דִּכְתִיב אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ. וְאָמְרֵי מָגֵן אַבְרָהָם.
R. Jose expounded the text: Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me, my glory and the lifter up of mine head (Ps. 3, 4). He said: ‘What David meant was: “though the whole world should come to make war on me, thou, O Lord, art a shield about me”. David further said to God: “Sovereign of the Universe, wherefore do not the Israelites conclude one of their blessings with my name as they do with the name of Abraham,1The first blessing of the Amidah. of whom it is written ‘I am thy shield’ (Gen. 15, 1)?”
אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְדָוִד, אַבְרָהָם כְּבָר בְּחַנְתִּיו וּצְרַפְתִּיו וְקָאִים קַמָּאי בְּקִיּוּמָא שְׁלִים. אָמַר לֵיהּ דָּוִד אִי הָכִי (תהילים כ״ו:ב׳) בְּחָנֵנִי יְיָ וְנַסֵּנִי צָרְפָה כִלְיוֹתַי וְלִבִּי. כֵּיוָן דְּעֲבַד הַהִיא מִלָּה דְּבַת שֶׁבַע אִדְכַּר דָּוִד קַמֵּיהּ עַל מַה דְּאָמַר. אָמַר (תהילים י״ז:ג׳) בָּחַנְתָּ לִבִּי פָּקַדְתָּ לַיְלָה צְרַפְתַּנִּי בַּל תִּמְצָא זַמּוֹתִי בַּל יַעֲבָר פִּי.
God replied: “Abraham I have already tried and tested and found to be wholly stedfast.” Said David: “If so, ‘examine me, O Lord, and prove me, try my reins and my heart’ (Ps. 26, 2).” When he sinned in the matter of Bathsheba, David remembered what he had said, and he exclaimed “‘Thou hast proved mine heart, thou hast visited me in the night, thou hast tried me and hast not found,
אָמַר אֲנָא אֲמִינָא בְּחָנִנִי יְיָ וְנַסֵּנִי וְאַנְתְּ בָּחַנְתָּ לִבִּי. אֲנָא אֲמִינָא צָרְפָה כִלְיוֹתַי וְאַתְּ צְרַפְתַּנִּי בַּל תִּמְצָא לָא אַשְׁכַּחְתְּ לִי כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. זַמּוֹתִי בַּל יַעֲבָר פִּי. מַאן יִתֵּן וְהַאי מִלָּה דַּחֲשָׁבִית דְּלָא יַעֲבָר לִי פּוּמָאי,
my thoughts should not have passed my mouth’ (Ps. 17, 3). I said, Examine me, O Lord, and prove me, and thou hast proved my heart; I said, Try my reins, and thou hast tried me; but thou hast not found me as I should be; would that what was in my mind had not passed my lips.”
וְעִם כָּל דָּא חָתְמִין בֵּיהּ בְּרָכָה דְּקָאֲמָרָן מָגֵן דָּוִד, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אָמַר דָּוִד וְאַתָּה יְיָ מָגֵן בַּעֲדִי, כְּבוֹד וּמֵרִים רֹאשִׁי. (ד"א ל"ג והאי) וַדַּאי דַּרְגָּא דָּא יְקָרָא דִילִי דְּאֲנָא מִתְעַטַּרְנָא בֵּיהּ:
(And with all this the Israelites do conclude a blessing with his name.1The third blessing after the Haftarah. Therefore David said: “‘Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me, my glory and the lifter up of my head’: this grade assuredly is my glory with which I am crowned.”’
וַיְצַו עָלָיו פַּרְעֹה אֲנָשִׁים וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ אוֹתוֹ. תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִיהוּ מָגֵן לְצַדִּיקַיָּיא דְּלָא יִשְׁלְטוּן בְּהוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא, וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָגִין עַל אַבְרָהָם דְּלָא יִשְׁלְטוּן בֵּיהּ וּבְאִתְּתֵיהּ.
AND PHARAOH GAVE MEN CHARGE CONCERNING HIM, AND THEY SENT HIM ON HIS WAY. Assuredly God is a shield to the righteous to save them from falling into the power of men, and so God shielded Abram that the Egyptians should not have power to harm him and his wife.
תָּא חֲזֵי, שְׁכִינְתָּא לָא אִתְעֲדֵי מִנָּהּ דְּשָׂרָה כָּל הַהוּא לֵילְיָא, אֲתָא פַּרְעֹה לְמִקְרַב בַּהֲדָהּ, אֲתָא מַלְאַךְ וְאַלְקֵי לֵיהּ, כָּל אֵימַת דְּאֲמְרָה שָׂרָה אַלְקֵי הוּא מַלְקֵי, וְאַבְרָהָם הֲוָה מַתְקִיף בְּמָארֵיהּ דְּהָא שָׂרָה לָא יָכְלִין לְשַׁלְטָאָה עֲלָהּ הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (משלי כ״ח:א׳) וְצַדִּיקִים כִּכְפִיר יִבְטָח, וְהָכָא נִסְיוֹנָא הוּא דְּלָא הִרְהֵר אֲבַתְרֵיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
For the Shekinah did not leave Sarai all that night. When Pharaoh tried to approach her, the angel came and smote him. Whenever Sarai said “smite”, he smote, and meanwhile Abram firmly trusted in God that He would allow no harm to come to Sarai, as it is written, “the righteous are bold as a lion” (Prov. 28, 1). This is one of the trials which Abram endured without complaining against God.
אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק תָּא חֲזֵי, דִּבְגִין כָּךְ לָא פַקֵּיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְנַחֲתָא לְמִצְרַיִם אֶלָּא הוּא עַצְמוֹ מִגַרְמֵיהּ נָחַת, בְּגִין דְּלָא יְהֵא פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לִבְנֵי עָלְמָא דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ כֵּן וּלְבָתַר אִצְטַעֵר עַל אִתְּתֵיהּ.
R. Isaac said that God purposely refrained from telling Abram to go down to Egypt, and allowed him to go of his own accord, in order that people might not be able to say that after making him go there He brought trouble on him through his wife.
רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח וְאָמַר (תהילים צ״ב:י״ג) צַדִּיק כַּתָּמָר יִפְרָח כְּאֶרֶז בַּלְּבָנוֹן יִשְׂגֶּא. צַדִּיק כַּתָּמָר יִפְרָח. מִפְּנֵי מָה אַקִּישׁ צַדִּיק לְתָמָר. מַה תָּמָר כֵּיוָן דְּגָזְרִין לֵיהּ לָא סָלִיק עַד זְמַן סַגְיָא, אוּף הָכִי צַדִּיק כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְאֲבִיד מֵעָלְמָא לָא סָלִיק אַחֵר תְּחוֹתוֹי עַד זְמַן סַגְיָא. כְּאֶרֶז בַּלְּבָנוֹן יִשְׂגֶא אוּף הָכִי נָמֵי.
R. Isaac here expounded the text The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree, he shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon (Ps. 92, 13). ‘Why is the righteous man compared to a palm tree? Because just as, if a palm tree is cut down, it takes a long time for one to grow again, so if the world loses a righteous man, it is a long time before another arises in his place.
כַּתָּמָר יִפְרָח מַה תָּמָר לָא סָלִיק אֶלָּא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא. אוּף הָכִי צַדִּיק לָא סָלִיק אֶלָּא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא, דְּכַר צַדִּיק וְנוּקְבָא צַדֶּקֶת, כְּגַוְונָא דְּאַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה.
Further, just as a palm tree does not grow unless the male be accompanied by the female, so the righteous cannot flourish save when they are male and female together, like Abram and Sarai.
כְּאֶרֶז בַּלְּבָנוֹן יִשְׂגֶא מָה אֶרֶז בַּלְּבָנוֹן עִלָּאָה עַל כֹּלָּא וְכֹלָּא יַתְבֵי תְּחוֹתוֹי, אוּף הָכִי צַדִּיק הוּא עִלָּאָה עַל כֹּלָּא וְכֹלָּא יַתְבֵי תְּחוֹתוֹי. וְעָלְמָא לָא קָיְימָא אֶלָּא עַל צַדִּיק חַד דִּכְתִיב, (משלי י׳:כ״ה) וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם. וְעֲלֵיהּ קָאִים עָלְמָא, וּבְגִינֵיהּ אִסְתְּמִיךְ, וְעֲלֵיהּ אִשְׁתִּיל.
Again, “he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon”: just as a cedar is pre-eminent and all can sit under it, so the righteous man is pre-eminent and all sit under him. The world is supported upon one righteous one, as it is written, “the righteous is the foundation of the world” (Prov. 10, 25).’
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר וְהָא תָּנִינָן דְּעַל שִׁבְעָה סָמְכִין עָלְמָא קָיְימָא דִּכְתִיב, (משלי ט׳:א׳) חָצְבָה עַמּוּדֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה. אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, אֲבָל (הכא) כֻּלְהוּ אָחֳרָנִין בִּשְׁבִיעָאָה קָיְימֵי דְּאִיהוּ סָמְכָא דְעָלְמָא, וְאִיהוּ צַדִּיק וְדָא אַשְׁקֵי (לעלמא) וְרָוִי עָלְמָא (ס"א מן כלא) וְזָן כֹּלָּא. וְעֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב (ישעיהו ג׳:י׳) אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי טוֹב כִּי פְּרִי מַעַלְלֵיהֶם יאכֵלוּ. וּכְתִיב, (תהילים קמ״ה:ט׳) טוֹב יְיָ לַכֹּל וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו.
Said R. Judah, ‘Is it not a dictum of the Rabbis that the world rests on seven supports, as it is written, “Wisdom hath hewn out her seven pillars” (Prov. 9, 1)?’ R. Jose replied: ‘That is so, but those others depend on one who is the real support of the world. This is the Zaddik who waters and refreshes the world and feedeth all, and of whom it is written, “Say of the Zaddik that he is good, for (through him) they eat of the fruit of their works” (Is. 3, 10), and again, “The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Ps. 145, 9).’
אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, הָא כְּתִיב, (בראשית ב׳:י׳) וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן. דָּא הוּא סָמְכָא דְעָלְמָא קָאִים עֲלֵיהּ, וְאִיהוּ אַשְׁקֵי לְגִנְתָא (דעדן) וְגִנְתָא אִשְׁתַּקֵּי מִנֵּיהּ וּמִנֵּיהּ עֲבִידָא פֵּירִין. וְכֻלְהוּ פֵּירִין פָּרְחִין בְּעָלְמָא וְאִנּוּן קִיּוּמָא דְעָלְמָא קִיּוּמָא דְאוֹרַיְיתָא, וּמַאן נִינְהוּ, נִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָיא דְּאִנּוּן פְּרִי עוֹבָדוֹי דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ בְּכָל לֵילְיָא וְלֵילְיָא נִשְׁמַתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָיא סָלְקָן.
R. Isaac said: ‘The Scripture tells us that “a river went forth from Eden to water the garden” (Gen. 2, 10). It is this river which is the support upon which the world rests. It waters the Garden and causes it to bear fruits which spring up and blossom in the world, and which uphold the world and make possible the study of the Torah. What are these fruits? They are the souls of the righteous which are the fruit of God’s handiwork. Therefore every night the souls of the righteous mount on high,