Endangering Sarai in Egypt/2

Endangering Sarai in Egypt

Exegetical Approaches

This page is a stub.
Please contact us if you would like to assist in its development.

Unaware of Danger

Avram did not recognize that going down to Egypt was going to endanger Sarai until it was too late.

Sources:Bavli Bava Batra16aAbout the Bavli, TanchumaLekh Lekha 5About the Tanchuma, RambamCommentary on the Mishnah Avot 5:17About R. Moshe Maimonides, RadakBereshit 12:11-17About R. David Kimchi, AbarbanelBereshit 12:10Bereshit 12:16About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel¹

Descent to Egypt

"הִנֵּה נָא יָדַעְתִּי..."

Lying and leading Egypt to sin

Why a sister specifically?

"לְמַעַן יִיטַב לִי בַעֲבוּרֵךְ" - asking for riches?

Why punish Paroh?

Why does Avram repeat the actions in Gerar?

Preservation of Life Most Important

It was legitimate to put Sarai in potential danger if in so doing Avram's life was to be saved.

Sources:Iggeret Pirkoi b. BavoiGinze Shechter Part I, p. 19-20About Iggeret Pirkoi b. Bavoi (Ginze Shechter Part I, AbarbanelBereshit 12:10About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel²

Hoping to Protect Sarai

Avram had a plan which he hoped would protect both him and Sarai and had never intended to save himself at her expense.

Sources:Bereshit Rabbah40:5About Bereshit Rabbah, TanchumaLekh Lekha 5About the Tanchuma, RashiBereshit 12:10-14About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, Ba'alei HaTosafot, RanBereshit 12:11About R. Nissim Gerondi, AbarbanelBereshit 12:10Bereshit 12:16About R. Yitzchak Abarbanel, SefornoBereshit 12:13-16About R. Ovadyah Seforno, Ma'asei Hashem, ShadalBereshit 12:11-13About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto, R. S"R HirschBereshit 12:10-14About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch, MalbimBereshit 12:10-16About R. Meir Leibush Weiser, Hoil Moshe

Avram Sinned

Avram's actions in descending to Egypt and endangering Sari were problematic and Avram was punished for them.

¹ Abarbanel combines this approach with the others below.

² He combines this approach with others.