Abraham in Egypt

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Divine Protection in Egypt

TANAKH

God's direct intervention through plagues on Pharaoh's household underscores the divine protection over Abram and Sarai. The Torah recounts how Sarai was taken into Pharaoh’s palace, leading to divine retribution and their eventual release.

Pharaoh’s courtiers saw her and praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s palace. And because of her, it went well with Abram; he acquired sheep, oxen, asses, male and female slaves, she-asses, and camels. But יהוה afflicted Pharaoh and his household with mighty plagues on account of Sarai, the wife of Abram. Pharaoh sent for Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me! Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her as my wife? Now, here is your wife; take her and begone!”…

Genesis 12:15-20

The Moral Dilemma in Egypt

COMMENTARY

The Egyptians' preference to kill Abraham rather than commit adultery with Sarah requires explanation. Jacob ben Asher, in his 13th-century commentary, explores the implications of Abraham's deception in Egypt.

והרגו אותי ואותך יחיו, “they will kill me while allowing you to live.” They will let you live thanks to your physical beauty. As a result they will feel that they have to kill me. As to why they would rather kill Avraham instead of simply sleeping with Sarai while her husband was alive, even though all of mankind had been warned not to commit murder, no less a sin than to commit adultery with someone else’s wife, the reason is psychological. Murder is committed only once on the same person, while illegal sexual intercourse and the desire to perform it is an ongoing temptation…

Tur HaArokh, Genesis 12:12:1

Abraham's Deception in Egypt

JEWISH THOUGHT

Why did Abraham not use the same defense for his deception in Egypt as he did later at the Court of Avimelech? Rabbi Isaac Arama’s medieval work, Akeidat Yitzchak, delves into the moral and philosophical questions surrounding Abraham's actions in these biblical narratives.

12) Since the Egyptians never even enquired about Sarah's marital status, but took her to the palace as soon as they set eyes on her, why did Abraham not use the same defense for his deception as he used later at the Court of Avimelech? He said then that "I was afraid that there was no fear of the Lord in this place." After all, Abraham had not practiced any deception until after violence had been perpetrated? What defense would Pharaoh have been able to offer?

Akeidat Yitzchak 16:1:22

The Perils of Beauty in Egypt

COMMENTARY

Sarai's extraordinary beauty posed a specific danger to Avram, leading him to devise a strategy to protect himself. Chizkuni, a medieval Torah commentary, delves into Genesis 12:11, where Avram expresses concern about Sarai's beauty as they enter Egypt.

כי אשה יפת מראה את, “for you are an extraordinarily beautiful woman.” This comment is an introduction to the verse following in which Avram suggests how to neutralise the danger to him that Sarai’s beauty now poses.

Chizkuni, Genesis 12:11:3

Abraham's Reliance on Sarah's Merit

KABBALAH

Abraham, despite his own fear of sin, relied on the merit of his wife, Sarah, to gain wealth and protection. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, offers a unique interpretation of Abraham's journey in Egypt, emphasizing the spiritual and practical significance of Sarah's merit.

R. Eleazar was once going to see his father-in-law, accompanied by R. Abba. He said: ‘Let us discourse on the Torah as we go.’ R. Eleazar then took as his text the verse: “Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister” (Gen. 12, 13). ‘This’, he said, ‘is very strange. Can we believe that a God-fearing man like Abram should speak thus to his wife in order that he might be well treated? The truth is, however, that Abram relied on the merit of his wife, and not on his own merit, to procure for him the money of the heathen, for a man obtains money through the merit of his wife…

Zohar, Tazria 35:181-182

Abraham's Chastity Revealed

COMMENTARY

Abraham's chastity was so far-reaching that he had not even seen Sarah's beauty until they approached Egypt. Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar, in his 18th-century Torah commentary Or HaChaim, cites a rabbinic interpretation of Genesis 12:11.

ויהי כאשר הקריב לבא מצרימה, It happened as he came closer to Egypt, etc. Our sages (Baba Batra 16) use this verse to demonstrate how chaste Abraham was, that he had not even seen Sarah's beauty up until now. We need to understand why Abraham spoke to Sarah about her beauty.

Or HaChaim on Genesis 12:11:1

Abraham's Moral Dilemma in Egypt

COMMENTARY

Abraham's actions in Egypt, including his deception about Sarah's identity, are complex and morally nuanced. The Siftei Chakhamim, a supercommentary on Rashi’s Torah commentary, explores multiple explanations for Abraham's behavior, including his poverty and his strategy to prevent sin.

So that they give me gifts. Rashi is answering the question: Why does it say ייטב? Avoidance of death is called הצלה, not הטבה. Thus Rashi explains, “So that they give me gifts.” You might ask: This implies that Avraham wanted gifts. Why did he later reject gifts from the king of Sedom? There he said (14:23), “Neither a thread nor a shoelace! I will not take anything of yours,” although the wealth was rightfully due to him, since he took it from the four kings. If so, he surely would not want outright gifts, for it is written (Mishlei 15:27): “He who hates gifts will live…

Siftei Chakhamim, Genesis 12:13:1

When Silence Speaks Volumes

COMMENTARY

Pharaoh's terse command to 'take and go' showed he was not interested in explanations, which is why Avram did not respond. Rabbeinu Bahya, a 13th-14th century commentator, provides ethical and mystical insights into Avram's interactions with Pharaoh and Avimelech.

הנה אשתך קח ולך, “here is your wife, take her and go!” Avram did not bother to make a response to Pharaoh although he did make a response to Avimelech in chapter twenty. In the latter case he excused his conduct by saying he had feared for his life if he would have declared that Sarai was his wife. The obvious question is that seeing that both kings had asked him about his relationship to Sarai, why did Avram see fit to explain his conduct to Avimelech whereas he did not do so vis-a-vis Pharaoh?
We must conclude that the manner in which Pharaoh restored his wife to him by saying only the…

Rabbeinu Bahya, Bereshit 12:19:1

Abraham and Sarah in Egypt

MIDRASH

Pharaoh's priests identified the cause of a plague, leading to Pharaoh's respectful treatment of Sarah and the rich gifts given to Abraham and Sarah before their departure from Egypt. Louis Ginzberg’s early 20th-century work, Legends of the Jews, synthesizes a vast array of midrashim into a continuous narrative, offering a rich tapestry of Jewish folklore and biblical stories.

Horrified by the plague sent upon him, Pharaoh inquired how he could rid himself thereof. He applied to the priests, from whom he found out the true cause of his affliction, which was corroborated by Sarah. He then sent for Abraham and returned his wife to him, pure and untouched, and excused himself for what had happened, saying that he had had the intention of connecting himself in marriage with him, whom he had thought to be the brother of Sarah. He bestowed rich gifts upon the husband and the wife, and they departed for Canaan, after a three months' sojourn in Egypt.

Legends of the Jews 1:5:100

Abraham's Faith in Egypt

MIDRASH

Abraham's unwavering trust in God is exemplified by his belief that Pharaoh would not approach Sarah, despite her being taken to be his wife. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, an eighth-century midrashic work, elaborates on biblical narratives and provides moral lessons, including Abraham's trials.

The fifth trial was when Sarah his wife was taken to Pharaoh to be (his) wife. And is there any man, who seeing his wife taken away to another man, would not rend his garments? But (he trusted in the Holy One, blessed be He,) that he would not approach her. Whence do we know that Sarah was taken to Pharaoh to be his wife? Because it is said, "And the princes of Pharaoh saw her" (Gen. 12:15).

Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 26:5

Sarai Is Taken to Pharaoh's Palace, James Tissot, 1896-1902

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