meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Commentary/Rashi/Torah/Rashi on Genesis/English/Sefaria Community Translation.txt"}
text: Rashi on Genesis
  רש"י על בראשית
  Sefaria Community Translation
  
  
  Rashi on Genesis
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  Chaos (<i>tohu</i>) and void (<i>bohu</i>): <i>Tohu</i> is an expression of wonder and desolation that a person would wonder and be bewildered about the <i>bohu</i> of it.
  <i>Tohu</i>: <i>Estordision</i> (confusion) in [Old French].
  <i>Bohu</i>: An expression of emptiness and desolation.
  On the face of the deep: On the face of the waters that were on the earth.
  And the spirit of God was hovering: The Throne of Glory was standing in the air and floating over the face of the waters by the breath of the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, and his pronouncement - like a dove hovering over a nest. <i>Acoveter</i> (to cover) in [Old French]. 
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  And God saw the light that it was good, and He separated: Also here, we need the words of the aggadah (homiletical teachings): He saw it, [and saw] that it was not proper for the wicked to use it; so He separated it for the righteous in the future. And according to its simple meaning, explain it as follows: He saw it, that it was good, and it was unseemly that [light] and darkness should serve in a mishmash; so He established for this one its boundary by day, and for that one its boundary by night.
  
  Verse 5
  
  One day: According to the order [language] of the section, it should have written, "the first day," as it is written with the other days - second, third, fourth - [so] why is is written, "one?" Because the Holy One, blessed be He, was one in His world, as the angels were not created until the second day. Thus is it explained in Bereishit Rabbah 3:8.
  
  Verse 6
  
  "Let there be a firmament:" Let the firmament harden. Since, even though the heavens were created on the first day, they were still wet, and they solidified on the second from the scolding of the Holy One, blessed be He, in his saying, "Let there be a firmament." And this is what is written (Job 26:11), "The pillars of the heavens were shaking" the entire first day and on the second, "they were astounded by his scolding," like a person that is confounded and stops by the scolding of someone threatening him.   
  "In the midst of the waters:" In the middle of the waters, as there is a space between the higher waters and the firmament just like there is [one] between the firmament and the waters on the earth. Behold, you have learned that they are suspended by the word of the King. 
  
  Verse 7
  
  And God made the firmament: He arranged it in its position; and that is its making, as per (Deuteronomy 21:12), "and she made her nails." 
  From over (<i>me'al</i>) the firmament: It does not state, over (<i>al</i>) the firmament, but rather, from over the firmament; since they are suspended in the air. And why does it not state, "it was good," on the second day? Because the work of the water was not completed until the third day; and behold, He [only] started it on the second [day], and something that is not finished is not in its fullness and goodness. And on the third [day], when the work of the water was completed and He started a different work and completed it, He repeated "it was good" twice on it - one for the finishing of the work of the second [day] and one for the finishing of the work of that day.
  
  Verse 8
  
  And God called the firmament, heavens (<i>shamayim</i>): Lift waters (<i>sa mayim</i>); over there are waters (<i>sham mayim</i>; fire and water (<i>esh oumayim</i>) that He mixed together, one with the other, and made heavens from them.
  
  Verse 9
  
  "Let the waters gather:" They were spread over the face of the whole earth and he gathered them in the <i>Okiyanus</i> (the Ocean), which is the largest of all the seas.
  
  Verse 10
  
  He called seas: And is it not [all] one sea? Except that the taste of fish that comes up [from the sea] in Akko (Acre) is not the same as the taste of the fish that comes up [from the sea] in Espamia. 
  
  Verse 11
  
  "Let the earth bring forth grass (<i>desheh esev</i>):" <i>Desheh</i> is not an expression of <i>esev</i> and <i>esev</i> is not an expression of <i>desheh</i>, and [so] the expression of Scripture could not have [been], <i>taasiv haarets</i> [exchanging one word for the other]. Since types of <i>deshaim</i> are divided, each one by itself is called a certain <i>esev</i>. And it is not common parlance to say a certain <i>desheh</i>, since <i>desheh</i> is an expression of covering the earth when it is full of grasses. 
  "Let the earth bring forth:" Let it be filled and covered with a mantle of herbs. In [Old French], <i>desheh</i> is called <i>erbediz</i> [a collective of herbs] all of them in a mixture, whereas each root individually is called <i>esev</i>.
  "That produces seed:"That its seed should grow in it, so as to sow from it in a different place.
  "Fruit trees:" That the taste of the tree should be like the taste of the fruit. And [the earth] did not do so, but rather (verse 14) “the earth gave forth, etc. trees producing fruit,” and the trees [themselves] were not fruit. Therefore, when man was cursed because of his iniquity, it [the earth] too was remembered for its iniquity and was cursed.
  "The seed of which is in it:" These are the pits [seeds] of every fruit, from which the tree grows when it is planted.
  
  Verse 12
  
  And the earth brought forth, etc.: Even though "according to its species" is not stated concerning the grasses when they were commanded, [nonetheless] they heard that the trees were commanded thus; and they brought up an a fortiori argument (<i>kal vechomer</i>) regarding themselves, as is explained in the aggadah (homiletical teachings) in Chapter <i>Shechitat Chullin</i> (Chullin 60a).
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  "Let there be luminaries:" They were created from the first day; and on the fourth day, He commanded them to be suspended in the heavens. And so [too], all of the issue of the heavens and the earth were created from the first day, and each one was affixed on the day that was decreed about it. That is why it is written (verse 1), "<i>et</i> (a Hebrew preposition,  which can either proceed a direct object or mean 'with,' and so, is often seen as indicating additional meaning) <i>hashamayim</i> (the heavens)," in order  to include their issue,”and "<i>et haarets</i> (the earth)," in order  to include its issue.
  "Let there be luminaries:" Luminaries (<i>meorot</i>) is written [in its incomplete spelling] lacking the [letter,] <i>vav</i>. [It can thus also be read as the word, curses (<i>ma'arot</i>)], since it is the day of the curse that babies get sick with croup. And that is what we learned (Sofrim 17:5), “on the fourth day [Wednesdays], they would fast so that the babies would not get sick with croup.”
  "To separate between the day and the night:" [This happened] after the first light was hidden away, but during the seven days of Creation, the first light and the first darkness served - whether by day or whether by night.
  "And they will be for signs:" When the luminaries are eclipsed, it is a bad sign for the world, as it is stated (Jeremiah 10:2),  "from the signs of the sky do not fear;" [meaning that only] when you do the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, do you not need to fear from calamity.
  "And for appointed times:" [It was stated] based on the future, since in the future, Israel would be commanded regarding the festivals; and those would be [determined based] on the appearance of the [new] moon.
   "And for days:" The service of the sun is half a day and the service of the moon is [for the duration] of its [other] half; behold that is a full day. 
  "And for years:" At the end of 365 days, they complete their orbit through the twelve constellations that serve them - and that is a year.  (And they go back and begin to rotate around the circuit like their first trajectories a second time.)  
  
  Verse 15
  
  "And they shall be for luminaries:" They will also serve in this way - that they will illuminate the world.
  
  Verse 16
  
  The great luminaries: They were created equal; and the moon was reduced, since it complained and said, "it is impossible for two  kings to use one crown."
  And the stars: Given that He reduced the moon, he increased its hosts to appease it.
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  "Living souls:" That has life in it.
  "Swarming thing (<i>sherets</i>):" Every living thing that is not very high from the ground is called <i>sherets</i>: among flying creatures, such as flies; among insects, such as ants, beetles and worms; and among the [four legged] creatures, such as the weasel, the mouse, the lizard, and their like; and all of the fish. 
  
  Verse 21
  
  [Sea] monsters: These are large fish in the sea. And in the words of the aggadah (homiletical teachings), it is the Leviathan and his spouse - that He created male and female, and killed and cured the female for the righteous ones [to eat] in the future; since if they would be fruitful and multiply, the world would not be able to stand in front of them.
  The living souls: That has life in it.
  
  Verse 22
  
   And He blessed them: Because [man] eliminates and hunts from them and [he] eats them, the blessing was needed. And [so,] also the animals needed a blessing, except that because of the snake that would receive a curse in the future; for that reason He did not bless them, so that it would not be included.
  "Be fruitful:" It is an expression of fruit; which means to say, "make fruit."
  "And multiply:" If He had only said, "be fruitful," one would have given birth to one and no more; and [so] comes "and multiply," so that one [can] give birth [to] many.
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  "Let the earth bring forth:" That is what I explained (verse 14) - that everything was created from the first day and it was only necessary to bring them out.
  "Living souls:" That has life in it.
  "And crawling things (<i>remes</i>):" These are the creeping things, which are low and crawl upon the earth [and] appear as if they are dragging along, because their movement is not discernible. All expressions of <i>remes</i> and <i>sherets</i> in our language are <i>conmovres</i> (crawling things) in [Old French]. 
  
  Verse 25
  
  And he made: He refined them to be in their desired state and in their [full] stature.
  
  Verse 26
  
  "Let us make man:" We learn of the humility of the Holy One, blessed be He, from here. Since man was in the image of the angels and they would [hence] be jealous of him, therefore He took counsel with them. And when He judges kings, He consults with His retinue [of angels]; since thus we find with Achav, who was told by Micha (I Kings 22:19), "I have seen the Lord sitting on His throne, and the entire host of the heavens was standing over Him, on His right and on His left." And is there right and left in [His presence]? Rather [the intention is that], these were going to the right to find merit and those were going to the left to find guilt. And so [too] (Daniel 4:14), "The decree is in the word of the wakeful ones and in the statement of the holy ones is the proposition." Also here did He consult with His retinue and get their agreement: He said to them, "there are in the higher ones like my likeness, if there are not in the lower ones like my likeness, behold, there will be jealousy within the work of creation."
  "Let us make man:" Even though they did not help Him in [man's] formation and there is [now] room for the heretics to rebel, the verse did not stop from teaching proper behavior and the trait of humility - that the greater should consult with and get the agreement of the lesser. And had it written, "I will make man," we would not learn that He spoke with His court, but rather [only] with Himself. And the answer to the heretics is written at its side: "And God created (<i>yivra</i> which is singular) man," and it did not write <i>yivrau</i> (plural).
  "In our image:" In our mold.
  "According to our likeness:" To understand and to have insight.
  "And they shall have dominion (<i>yirdu</i>) over the fish of the sea:" This expression contains [both] an expression of dominion (<i>ridui</i>) and an expression of descent (<i>yeridah</i>). [Hence, it is saying that] if [man] merits [it], he will have dominion over the animals and the beasts; if he does not merit [it], he will become lowly in front of them and the animals will rule over him. 
  
  Verse 27
  
  And God created man in His image: In the mold that was made for him - since everything was created with a proclamation, but he was created manually, as it is written, (Psalms 139:5) "and you placed your palm upon me." He was made with an imprint like a coin that is made with an impression that is called <i>coin</i> (coin) in [Old French]. And so it states (Job 38:14), "The seal changes like clay." 
  In the image of God, did He create him: It explains to you that this image which was prepared for him is the image of the facsimile of his Creator.
  Male and female, He created them: And later it states (Genesis 2:21), "And He took one of his ribs, etc." There is a midrash aggadah [that explains] that He created him with two faces at the first creation and afterwards divided him. And the simple explanation is [that] here it is telling you that both of them were created on the sixth day and it does not explain how their creation [happened], and it explains [it] to you in a different place.
  
  Verse 28
  
  "And subdue it:" It is missing a [letter,] <i>vav</i> (and so could be read as <i>kavshah</i>, which means subdues her); to teach you that the male subdues the female from being unrestrained. And also, it is to teach you that since it is his way to conquer, the man is commanded in being fruitful and multiplying, and not the woman. 
  
  Verse 29
  
  "To you shall they be for food and for all of the animals of the earth:" The verse equated them with the beasts and the animals concerning food, and [so] did not permit Adam and his wife to kill a creature and eat meat. Rather, only all green herbs would they all eat together. And when the sons of Noach arrived (after the flood), He permitted meat to them, as it is stated (below, Genesis 9:3), "every crawling thing, which is alive, etc. like the green herb" which I permitted to Adam, "have I given you everything." 
  
  Verse 30
  
  
  
  Verse 31
  
  The sixth day: It added [the letter,] <i>hay</i>, to the word, sixth, (making it read, <i>the</i> sixth day, whereas all of the other days were not preceded with a <i>hay</i>), to say that He made a condition with [the acts of creation], that [the creation] was on condition that Israel would accept the five (which is the numerical equivalent of <i>hay</i>) books of the Torah. A different [explanation]: The sixth day - they were all dependent and waiting until <i>the</i> sixth day; that is the sixth of Sivan, which was [the day] prepared for the giving of the Torah. (Other editions: Since on the sixth day of Sivan, on which Israel received the Torah, the entire creation was strengthened; and it was considered as if the world was created then. And that is what is meant by <i>the</i> sixth day with a <i>hay</i>; that the day [referred to] was the sixth of Sivan.) 
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  And God completed on the seventh day: Rabbi Shimon said: [A human being of] flesh and blood, who cannot [exactly] know his times and his moments, must add from the profane to the holy [i.e., he must add some time to the Sabbath.] The Holy One, blessed be He, Who knows His times and His moments [exactly], entered it [the Sabbath] within a hairbreadth, and it therefore appeared as if He completed it [His work] on that day. Another explanation: What was the world lacking? Rest. The Sabbath came, and so came rest. The work was completed and finished. — [from Gen. Rabbah 10:9]
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  Because it had not rained (heading).  And what was the reason it had not rained, because man did not yet exist to work the land and could not recognize the goodness of rain, and when man came and knew that they were needed for the world, he prayed about them and they fell, and the trees and the grass sprouted.
  
  Verse 6
  
  according to the purpose of man's creation, God brought up the abyss and water the clouds, soaking the earth and man was created, as this baker that gives water  then kneads the dough, from here God watered [the earth] and then formed [him]. 
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  He gathered dust from all the land from the four directions, so that in every place he would die in, the earth would receive him for burial. Alternatively, he took his dust from the place upon which it says, "An altar of earth you shall make for Me" (Exodus 20), He said, 'If only it may serve as atonement for him, and he may be able to stand'.
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  "It is not good for man to be alone:" That they should not say that there are two powers: the Holy One, blessed be He, is unique in the upper beings and has no mate; and this one is unique in the lower beings and has no mate.
  "A help opposite him (<i>kenegdo</i>):" If he merits [it], a help. If he does not merit [it], against him (an alternative meaning of <i>kenegdo</i>) to fight.
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  "and they were not embarrassed". Because they were not aware of [the concept of] (lit. path of) modesty [which requires the ability] to distinguish between good and evil. And although he was given [enough] awareness to name all the animals, he was not given the Evil Inclination until he ate from the tree and [only then] was imbued with the Evil Inclination and became aware of the difference between good and evil.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  And…were opened: Scripture is referring to wisdom, and not to actual vision, and the end of the verse proves this. — [from Gen. Rabbah 19:7]
  and they knew that they were naked: Even a blind man knows when he is naked! What then is the meaning of “and they knew that they were naked” ? They had one commandment in their possession, and they became denuded of it.
  
  Verse 8
  
  (8) And they heard- there are many medrashic agadot, and they have already been organized in Bereishit Raba and in other Medrashot. I have only come to (arrive at or help explain) pshuto shel mikra, the plain meaning of the text, and to (bring at times) the agadic works that settle the words of the Torah, each word in its place.
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  Its explanation accords with that of the Targum.
  At the opening of your grave, your sin will be waiting for you...
  The sin [desires you]; this is the yetzer hara, which forever desires and yearns to trip you up.
  If you wish, you may overcome it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  Verse 28
  
  
  
  Verse 29
  
  This one will provide ease for us: The toil of our hands will be eased. Until Noach arrived nobody had a plow, and he created one for them. The land would produce thistles and thorns when wheat was planted, as a result of the curse of Adam, but in the times of Noach this was eased. And that is "will provide ease for us" - will be eased from us. And if you do not interpret in this manner, the meaning of the word does not align with his name, and instead he should be called Menachem. 
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  the sons of the nobles. Another explanation: בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים are the princes who go as messengers of the Omnipresent. They too mingled with them. Every אֱלֹהִים in Scripture is an expression of authority, and the following proves it (Exod. 4:16): “And you shall be to him as a lord (לֵאלֹהִים)”; (Eodus 7:1): “See, I have made you a lord (אֶלֹהִים).”
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  "In his generation..." -  (Sanhedrin 109) Some of our rabbis interpret this as praise, meaning, all the more so, if he had been in a generation filled with righteous people, he would have been even more righteous.  And there are those who interpret it as criticism, meaning, if he had been in Abraham's generation, he would not have been thought of as anything special.
  "Noah walked with God..." - And with Abraham it says (Genesis 24): "Walk before Me!"  Noah needed support to keep him up, but Abraham would strengthen himself and walk righteously on his own.
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  Make yourself an ark of: Salvation and relief are abundant before God - so why should God task him with this construction project? So that when the people of the generation of the Flood saw him busy with it for 120 years and they asked him: "What are you doing?" He could respond to them: "In the future, the Holy One of Blessing will bring a flood upon the earth" - and thus perhaps they would repent.
  Gopher wood: That is its name. And why of this material? [Hinting] at the name of brimstone ("<i>gofrith</i>"), which they were decreed to be erased with.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  "Sillä sinut Minä näin oikeamieliseksi": Mutta tässä ei sanota ""oikeamielinen mies, joka oli täydellinen" [cf. Genesis 6:9]. Tästä [voimme oppia] että kerromme joitakin ylistyksen sanoja ihmiselle kasvotustem, mutt'emme sano kuitenkaan  kaikkea[ylistystä] hänelle kasvotusten.
  
  Verse 2
  
  Pure: That will be "pure" [i.e. kosher] for Israel in the future, teaching us that Noah learned the Torah.
  Seven and seven: So as to sacrifice from them-- the sacrifice upon exiting. 
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  "Before the flood waters..." - Even Noah had little faith. He believed and didn't believe that the flood would come, and he didn't enter the ark until the water was pushing him in.
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  In the second month: Rabbi Elazar says this means [the month of] Bitter Heshvan, Rabbi Yehoshua says this means [the month of] Iyar 
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  "And Elokim remembered" - This name (Elokim) is associated with the attribute of (strict) Judgement. (God' interaction with the world was) switched to the attribute of mercy through the teffilot of the righteous, as the wickedness of the wicked transform (God's interaction with the world from) the attribute of mercy to the attribute (strict) judgement as it is stated "and Hashem saw that the wickedness of man had become great...", "and Hashem said, I will erase..." and Hashem is the name associated with the attribute of mercy. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  "Go, yourself" - For your benefit, and for your own good, and there I will make you into a great nation.  Here you will not merit children.  And what's more, I will let the world know all about you.
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  "and you will be a blessing". The [rights to give] blessings are given into your hand. Until now, [the rights to give blessings] were in my hands. I blessed Adam, Noah, and You. From now on, you will bless whoever you want. Another understanding [of the idea behind "and you will be a blessing"]: "and I will make you into a great nation" [refers] to that which is said [in the Shmoneh Esreh prayer] "the God of Abraham". "and I will bless you" [refers] to that which is said [in the Shmoneh Esreh prayer] "the God of Isaac". "and I will make your name great" [refers] to that which is said [in the Shmoneh Esreh prayer] "the God of Jacob". [You might think that the first paragraph of the Shmoneh Esreh] should be concluded [with a blessing formulated to include mention of] all [of the forefathers], [but really the Torah] says "and YOU will be a blessing", [meaning] [the nation of Israel] will conclude [first paragraph of the Shmoneh Esreh] with you, but not with them (i.e. the other forefathers).
  
  Verse 3
  
  "And be blessed through you" - there are many Legends and Traditions on this idea and this is their essence: A man will say to his son 'Be like Avraham'.  And this is the meaning of all expressions of 'be blessed through you' in Scripture.  And the proof is (Genesis 48) 'Through you shall Israel be blessed, May God make you like Ephraim and Menasheh'.
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  "that they 'made' in Haran"-they brought them under the wings of the Shechina (God's presence); Abraham would convert the men and Sarah would convert the women, the Torah writes it as if they 'created' them (that's why it says 'made')...
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  Continually traveling: lit. going and traveling. [He traveled] in intervals, staying here for a month or more, traveling from there, and pitching his tent elsewhere. And all his travels were southward, to go to the south of the Land of Israel, and that is to the direction of Jerusalem, which is in the territory of Judah, who took [his portion] in the south of the Land of Israel, to Mount Moriah, which was his [Judah’s] heritage. (Gen. Rabbah 39:16).
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  He went from being with Avraham and went to the west of Avraham. He traveled from east to west. The Madras says that he removed himself from the beginnings and said I don't want to have anything to do with Avraham or his G-d.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  The Holy Blessed One considered as meritorious and righteous the faith that Avram demonstrated. Another interpretation: "By what will I know?" He did not ask Him for a sign. Rather he said before Him, "Let me know by what merit they will uphold it." The Holy Blessed One replied to him: "By the merit of the sacrifices."
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  And the birds of prey: Heb. הָעַיִט. This is a bird, and [it is called עַיִט] because it swoops down [עָט] and seeks the carcasses. Like (Job 9:26): “to swoop upon food,” and like (I Sam. 15:19): “and you flew (וַתַּעַט) upon the spoil.”
  upon the carcasses: upon the parts. (Other editions: הַפְּגָרִים is translated into Aramaic as פַּגְלַיָא, [meaning “carcass,” and not “parts,” as Rashi interprets]. But because they [the Targumim] were accustomed to translating אִישׁ בִּתְרוֹ [verse 10] as וִיהַב פַּלְגַּיָא [meaning: “He placed each part”], the word פַּגְלַיָא was mistakenly changed to פַּלְגַּיָא, and they therefore translated הַפְּגָרִים as פַּלְגַיָא. But whoever translates that way is in error, because we cannot equate בְּתָרִים, parts, to פְּגָרִים, carcasses, for בְּתָרִים should be translated פַּלְגַּיָא, and פְּגָרִים should be translated פַּגְלַיָא, an expression of פִּגוּל, an abominable thing, as (Lev. 19:7): “it is an abominable thing (פִּגוּל),” an expression of a carcass. (So I heard from Rabbi Judah the son of Rabbi Samuel.) And so it was emended in a Rashi ms., and in another ms. was written: So did Rabbi Meir the son of Rabbi Samuel explain.)
  and Abram drove them away: Heb. וַיַּשֵּׁב, an expression of blowing and causing to fly away, like (Ps. 147:18): “He causes His wind to blow (יַשֵּׁב).” This is an allusion that David the son of Jesse will come to destroy them, but they will not permit him from heaven [to do so] until the King Messiah arrives. [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 28]
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  And the fourth generation: After they will have been exiled to Egypt, they will be there for three generations, and the fourth will return to this land (Mishnath Rabbi Eliezer ch. 5), for in the land of Canaan He spoke with him, and formed this covenant, as it is written (above verse 7): “to give you this land to inherit it.” And so it was: Jacob descended to Egypt. Go forth and figure his generations: Judah, Perez, and Hezron, and Caleb the son of Hezron was one of those who entered the land (Sotah 11b).
  for the iniquity of the Amorites will not be complete: that they should be sent out of their land until that time, for the Holy One, blessed be He, does not punish a nation until its measure is full, as it is said: (Isa. 27:8):“When her measure is full, when You send her away, then You will strive with her.” - [from Zohar, vol. 1, p. 113b]
  
  Verse 17
  
  Now it came to pass that the sun had set: Heb. וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה. [The subject apparently does not agree with the predicate, because שֶׁמֶשׁ is a feminine noun, whereas וַיְהִי is a masculine verb. Therefore, Rashi explains as follows:] This is similar to (below 42:35): “And it came to pass that they were emptying their sacks”; (II Kings 13:21): “And it came to pass that they were burying a man”; meaning: this event took place. [The subject of וַיְהִי is not הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ but דָבָר זֶה (i.e., it is as if the masculine noun דָבָר זֶה (this event) were inserted after וַיְהִי.] The same is true in the two instances quoted by Rashi, in which the subject is plural, whereas the predicate is singular. There too, the subject of וַיְהִי is דָבָר זֶה.]
  the sun had set: Heb. בָּאָה. It had set.
  and it was dark: The day darkened.
  and behold, a smoldering furnace, etc.: He hinted to him that the kingdoms of the pagans would fall into hell. — [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 28]
  had set: Heb. בָּאָה Its accent is on the first syllable. Therefore, it is explained that it had already set; but if its accent were at the end, on the “alef,” it would be explained to mean: as it was setting. but it is impossible to say this, for it is already written (above verse 12): “Now the sun was setting,” and the passing of the smoking furnace happened after this. It is found that it had already set. And this difference exists in every word in the feminine gender, whose radical consists of two letters, such as בא (to come), קם (to arise), שב (to return). When the accent is on the first syllable, it is in the past tense, e.g., this case and e.g., (below 29:9): “and Rachel came (בָּאָה)”; (below 37:7): “my sheaf arose (קָמָה)”; (Ruth 1:15): “Lo! Your sister-in-law has returned (שָׁבָה).” However, when the accent is on the final syllable, it is in the present tense, denoting a thing that is happening now and is continuing to happen, like (below 29:6): “She is coming בָּאָה with the flocks”; (Esther 2:14): “In the evening she would come (בָּאָה), and in the morning she would return (שָׁבָה).”
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  את הקיני THE KENITE — There are ten nations mentioned here but He gave them only the territory of seven nations (Deut. VII. 1); the other three, Edom, Moab and Ammon, — who are the Kenites, the Kenizzites and the Kadmonites — will only at some future time become Israel’s possession, as it is said, (Isa. XI. 14) “They shall put forth their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them” (Genesis Rabbah 44:23).
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  וירא אליו. [Hashem] appeared to him. To visit the sick (Sotah 14a, Tanchuma Yashan 1). The amora R' Chama the son of Chanina said: It was the third day since his circumcision, and the Holy One, Blessed is He, came and inquired about [Abraham's] welfare. 
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  "she is in the tent"--she was modest
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  And I am old. The Scripture changed it for peace, for she said: "And my husband is old".
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  ונדעה אותם AND WE SHALL KNOW THEM — with homosexuality, as in "who have not known a man" (Bereishit Rabbah). 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  "he will laugh to me" - He will be happy for me. The Midrash Agadah says, "many barren women were remembered with her, many sick were healed on that day, many prayers were answered with her, and much laughter was in the world."
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  "and he was weaned" - after 24 months (Gitin 75).
  "great party" - The greatest individuals of the generation were there: Shem, Ever, and Avimelech.
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  "Bread and bottle of water" - and not silver and gold because [Avraham] had hatred for him because [Ishmael] went out into a bad culture.
  "And the boy" - (Bereishis Rabbah) Even the boy was placed on [Hagai's] shoulder, since Sarah placed in him an evil eye and he got a fever and couldn't walk on his feet.
  "And she went and she wandered" - She returned to the idols of her father's house (Bereishis Rabbah).
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  "The voice of the boy" - From here, [we learn that] the prayer of a sick person is better than the prayers of others on his behalf, since the prayer continues to be received.
  "From where he was" - (Rosh HaShanah 16) - Based on the actions that [Ishmael] is doing now, he is considered, and not according to what he will do in the future. This is because the Angels accuse him and say "Creator of the Universe! In the future his offspring will kill your sons through thirst, and you're giving him a well [to drink from]? And [G-d] replies, "now is he a righteous person or a wicked person?" [The Angels] say, "he's a righteous person." (In other words, regarding this matter, [Ishmael] isn't fitting to receive a punishment of death through thirst). [G-d] said to them, "according to the actions of a person now do I judge them....
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  Verse 28
  
  
  
  Verse 29
  
  
  
  Verse 30
  
  
  
  Verse 31
  
  
  
  Verse 32
  
  
  
  Verse 33
  
  
  
  Verse 34
  
  Many Days. This is more than those days in Hebron, [since] Hebron was 25 years and here it's 26 years. Since he was 75 when he left Haran, the same year (Genesis 13:18) "He came to sit in the tents of Mamre, that beforehand we don't find that he settles in any place other than that, that in every place he goes He was a guest who reside then leaves and goes. As it says (Genesis 12:6) "And Abram passed by," (Genesis 12:8) "And he moved from there," (Genesis 12:10) "And there was a great famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt." And in Egypt he was only there for three months until Pharaoh sent him away, from (Genesis 13:3) "and he went on his journey," until (13:8) "he came and sat at the tents of Mamre in Hebron." There he remained until the destruction of S'dom, [and] immediately [afterward] (Genesis 20:1) "And Moses travled from there because of Lot's embarrassment and came to the land of the Phillistines." And then he was 99 years old, that on the third day of his circumcision the angels came to him, that this was twenty five years and thus it is written "many days," [i.e.] more than the first set. And the text does not come to limit [the understanding] but to expand it -- and if you would increase [the years] to more than two or more [than the time he spent in Hebron], it would have been explained. But you don't need this [explatation] when you do not have more than a year, that is to say 26 years. Immediately afterward he'd go and return to Hebron, and it was the same year right before the Binding of Isaac [when he was] 12 years. Thus, it was taught in "Seder Olam" (Chapter 1).
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  There are some Sages who say [that this event occurred] “After the words of Satan” who said accusingly [to God], “From all the feasts that Avraham prepared, he did not offer as sacrifice to You a single bull or ram.” He [God] responded to him, “He does everything for the sake of his son. Yet, if I were to say to him, ‘Sacrifice him to Me,’ he would not refuse.” There are those [other Sages] who say “After the words of Yishmael” who would boast to Yitzhak that he was circumcised when he was thirteen and did not resist. Yitzhak responded to him: “You try to intimidate me with one limb. If God would tell me, ‘Sacrifice yourself to Me,’ I would not refuse.”
  This is the response of the pious— an expression of humility and readiness.
  
  Verse 2
  
  Na is an expression of a request. He [God] said to him, “I plead with you, withstand this test so that no one can say that the first [tests] were not real.”
  He [Avraham] responded, “I have two sons.” He [God] said to him, “Your only one.” He responded, “This one is an only son to his mother and the other is an only son to his mother.” He [God] said to him, “Who you love.” “I love them both,” he [Avraham] answered. Then, He said, “Yitzhak!” Why didn’t God reveal this from the beginning? So as not to confuse him suddenly, and he become bewildered and deranged. And, also, so that he value the mitzvah and he would get the reward for each and every expression.
  [This refers to] Jerusalem. As in II Chronicles 3:1, “To build the House of God in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah.” Our rabbis explained [that it is called this] because from there instruction (lit. “Torah”) goes forth to Israel. Onkelos’ translation is based on the incense service which contains myrrh, nard, and other spices.
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  Return. (He) prophesied two will return
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  And beheld a ram: (the ram) had been ready since the 6 days of creation
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years: The reason that the word “years” was written after every digit is to tell you that every digit is to be expounded upon individually: when she was one hundred years old, she was like a twenty-year-old regarding sin. Just as a twenty-year-old has not sinned, because she is not liable to punishment, so too when she was one hundred years old, she was without sin. And when she was twenty, she was like a seven-year-old as regards to beauty. — from Gen. Rabbah 58:1]
  The years of the life of Sarah: All of them equally good.
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  To mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. And Sarah's death relied on the Binding of Isaac, because the Binding which almost slaughter her son, but did not slaughter him, took her soul from her and she died.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  Because he saw that the waters had risen to meet her.
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  Verse 28
  
  
  
  Verse 29
  
  And [Laban] ran. Why did he run and for what did he run? "And it came to pass, when he saw the ring," he said 'this man is rich,' and he focused his eyes on the money.
  
  Verse 30
  
  
  
  Verse 31
  
  
  
  Verse 32
  
  
  
  Verse 33
  
  
  
  Verse 34
  
  
  
  Verse 35
  
  
  
  Verse 36
  
  
  
  Verse 37
  
  
  
  Verse 38
  
  
  
  Verse 39
  
  Perhaps the woman will not follow me: It [the word אֻלַי (perhaps)] is written [without a“vav” and may be read] אֵלַי (to me). Eliezer had a daughter, and he was looking for a pretext so that Abraham would tell him, to turn to him, to marry off his daughter to him (Isaac). Abraham said to him,“My son is blessed, and you are cursed [Eliezer was a descendant of Canaan who had been cursed by Noah], and an accursed one cannot unite with a blessed one.”
  
  Verse 40
  
  
  
  Verse 41
  
  
  
  Verse 42
  
  
  
  Verse 43
  
  
  
  Verse 44
  
  
  
  Verse 45
  
  
  
  Verse 46
  
  
  
  Verse 47
  
  
  
  Verse 48
  
  
  
  Verse 49
  
  
  
  Verse 50
  
  
  
  Verse 51
  
  
  
  Verse 52
  
  
  
  Verse 53
  
  
  
  Verse 54
  
  
  
  Verse 55
  
  
  
  Verse 56
  
  
  
  Verse 57
  
  
  
  Verse 58
  
  She said, "I will go". By myself, even if they don't want me to go.
  
  
  Verse 59
  
  
  
  Verse 60
  
  
  
  Verse 61
  
  
  
  Verse 62
  
  
  
  Verse 63
  
  
  
  Verse 64
  
  
  
  Verse 65
  
  
  
  Verse 66
  
  
  
  Verse 67
  
  The tent of his mother, Sarah: He brought her to Sarah's tent and she recreated the likeness of Sarah, as if to say she was like Sarah his mother. As long as Sarah was alive there was a candle lit from Erev Shabbat to Erev Shabbat, there was a blessing found in the dough and a protective cloud attached to the tent. When she died they left, and when Rivka entered they reappeared. 
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  Ketura: This is Hagar, and she was called "Ketura" because her deeds were pleasant like incense. And she tied up her opening so that she was not coupled with a man from the day she separated from Avraham.
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  "These are the generatations of Yitzchak": Yaakov and Eisav who are spoken of (further on) in the passage
  "Avraham fathered Yitzchak": Since the Scriptures wrote "Yitzchak son of Avraham",it was compelled to say "Avraham fathered Yitzchak". For the scoffers of the generation said that Sarah became pregnant from Avimelech, for after all, she resided many years with Avraham and didn't become pregnant from him. What did the Hakadosh Baruch Hu do? He formed Yitzchak's visage to resemble that of Avraham, and so all testified "Avraham fathered Yitzchak". And this is what is written here, that Yitzchak was the son of Avraham, for there was testimony that Avraham fathered Yitzchak.
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  ... it is spelled as "gaayim" i.e."the proud ones". These are Antoninus and Rebbi, for neither radish nor lettuce ceased to be found on their tables during the sunny or rainy season.
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  
  
  "Dweller of tents" refer to the tent of Shem and Aver
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  
  My statutes: Things that the evil inclination and the nations of the world oppose, such as eating pig or wearing "mingled together" (<i>sha'atnez</i>), where there is no reason for the thing except the decree of the King and His statutes for His servants.
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  He had grown very great:  For they would say,“Rather the manure of Isaac’s mules than Abimelech’s silver and gold”
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  1 I am Esav your firstborn. I am the one bringing to you, and Esav is your firstborn. 
  2. I have done. Many things, as you told me. 
  3. Sit. An expression of reclining on the table, and therefore the Targum renders "estachar."
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  Verse 28
  
  
  
  Verse 29
  
  
  
  Verse 30
  
  
  
  Verse 31
  
  
  
  Verse 32
  
  
  
  Verse 33
  
  
  
  Verse 34
  
  
  
  Verse 35
  
  
  
  Verse 36
  
  
  
  Verse 37
  
  
  
  Verse 38
  
  
  
  Verse 39
  
  
  
  Verse 40
  
  
  
  Verse 41
  
  
  
  Verse 42
  
  "And it was told to Rivkah" - Through divine inspiration it was told to her what Esav thought in his heart.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  Padenah:  As in, "le-Padan" ["to Padan"].
  Beitah Betuel [To the house of Bethuel]:  "Le-veit Betuel" ["to the house of Bethuel"].  Any word that requires a "lamed" at its beginning, a "hei" was placed for it at its end.
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  "And [he] left" — It was only necessary to write "And Jacob travelled to Charan", so why does it mention his departure? It tells us that the departure of a righteous person from a place makes a mark, because when a righteous person is in a city, he is its glory, he is its radiance, he is its beauty. When he leaves there, the glory departs, the radiance departs, the beauty departs. And similarly (in Ruth 1) "and she left from the place" which is said about Naomi and Ruth.
  "And he travelled to Charan" — he left to travel to Charan.
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  
  ...He set them in the form of a gutter-pipe surrounding his head, since he feared the wild animals. The rocks began arguing with each other, each one stating "upon me should the righteous one lay his head". Hashem joined all of them into one rock, as the verse states, "and he took the rock that he had placed".
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  And I did not know. For if I had known, I would not have slept in such a holy place as this.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  "The eyes of Leah were soft".  For she supposed that she would be fated to become Esau's [wife] and she wept. For everyone used to say: "Rebecca has two two sons; Lavan has two daughters - the older [daughter] for the older [son] and the younger [daughter] for the younger [son]."
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  Verse 28
  
  
  
  Verse 29
  
  
  
  Verse 30
  
  
  
  Verse 31
  
  
  
  Verse 32
  
  
  
  Verse 33
  
  
  
  Verse 34
  
  
  
  Verse 35
  
  This time, I will thank: since I have taken more than my share. Consequently, I must offer up thanks. — [from Gen. Rabbah 71:4]
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  Rachel envied her sister: She envied her her good deeds. She said, "If she wasn't more righteous than me, she wouldn't have merited to have sons."
  Give me: "And did your father act thus to your mother? Didn't he pray over her?"
  I die: From here, [we know] that one who has no children is considered like deceased.
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  neither good or bad.  Even the good of evil persons is considered evil with the righteous.
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  Verse 28
  
  
  
  Verse 29
  
  
  
  Verse 30
  
  
  
  Verse 31
  
  
  
  Verse 32
  
  1 shall not live.  And it was from this very curse that Rachel died along the way.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  I have sojourned: I was not a vizier or an important person, but a foreigner. There is no point hating me because of the blessings of your father that I was blessed, about me being the master of my brethren. It was not fulfilled. Another thing: I have sojourned in Gematria is 613, meaning that I managed to live with the evil Laban and still keep the 613 commandments, I didn't learn from his bad actions. 
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  'He was afraid' that he [Esau] might kill him [Jacob] and he was 'distressed' that he [Esau] might kill others.
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  "And Jacob remained".  He had forgotten [some] small vessels, and returned for them.
  and a man wrestled: Heb. וַיֵאָבֵק. Menachem (p. 14) explains: And a man became covered with dust, derived from אָבָק, dust, for they were raising dust with their feet through their movements. I believe, however, that it is a term meaning that he attached himself, and it is an Aramaic expression [found in the Talmud] (Sanh. 63b):“After they became attached (דָּאִבִיקוּ) to it,”“and he would tie it (וְאָבִיק לֵיהּ מֵיבַק),” for so is the habit of two people who make strong efforts to throw each other down, that one embraces the other and attaches himself to him with his arms. Our Rabbis explained (Gen. Rabbah 77:3, 78:3) that this was the prince (guardian angel) of Esau.
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  Verse 28
  
  
  
  Verse 29
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  "And he hugged him-" His mercy was aroused (lit. rolled) when he saw him bowing down all of these bows.
  "And he kissed him-" There are dots upon it, and there is an argument in this matter in the Braita (Tannaitic teachings outside the Mishnah) of Sifri, Beha'alotcha 69. There are those who expound the dots to mean that he did not kiss him with all his heart. Rabbi Shimon the son of Yochai said, "It is plainly known that Esau hated Jacob, but his mercy was aroused in this moment and he kissed him with all his heart."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  And he lay.  In the midst that he disturbed his bed, Scripture accounts it to him as if he had sexual relations with her.  And why did he disturb his bed?  That when Rachel died, Jacob removed his bed that had been regularly in the tent of Rachel and not in the other tents and he placed in the tent of Bilhah.  Reuben came and saw this as an insult to his mother.  He said, " If my mother's sister was my mother's rival, why then would the handmaid of my mother's sister, become my mother's rival?  For this, he disturbed (the bed).  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  
  Any bad which he saw in his brothers the children of Leah he told his father. [He told Jacob] they ate from a living animal, that they insulted the sons of the maids (Bilha and Zilpa) calling them slaves, and that they were suspected of illicit relationships and was punished with all three. For [saying that they] ate from a living animal, they slaughtered a goat when they sold him and did <i>not</i> eat it alive. For slandering them that they called their brothers slaves, he was sold as a slave and for the sexual slanders, his masters wife laid eyes on him etc.
  
  Verse 3
  
  Son of old age...for he was born to him at the time of his old age, but Onkelos translated: "wise son," all that he learned from Shem and Ever he passed to him.  Another explanation: his appearance was like his, similar to him. 
  פסים. expression for garment of fine wool, like“green wool (כַּרְפַּס) and blue” (Esther 1:6), and like the k'tonet passim of Tamar and Amnon (2 Sam. 13:18). But Midrash Agadah references his troubles,  that he was sold to Potiphar , to the sochrim, to the Yishmaelim, and to the Midyanim. 
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  Since the verse says "the pit was empty", did I not already know that it didn't contain water? So what is the verse trying to communicate by pointing out that it does not contain water -  namely, that while it doesn't contain water, there is something that it DOES contain: snakes and scorpions.
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  Verse 28
  
  "And Midianite men passed by". This refers to a diferent caravan, and [therefore] the verse is informing you that he was sold multiple times.
  "and they pulled". The sons of Jacob [pulled] Joseph from the pit and sold him to Ishmaelites, and the Ishmaelites [sold him] to the Midianites, and the Midianites [sold him] to the Egyptians.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  ...She was being brought out: to be burned.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  Verse 27
  
  
  
  Verse 28
  
  
  
  Verse 29
  
  
  
  Verse 30
  
  
  
  Verse 31
  
  
  
  Verse 32
  
  
  
  Verse 33
  
  
  
  Verse 34
  
  
  
  Verse 35
  
  
  
  Verse 36
  
  
  
  Verse 37
  
  
  
  Verse 38
  
  
  
  Verse 39
  
  
  
  Verse 40
  
  
  
  Verse 41
  
  
  
  Verse 42
  
  
  
  Verse 43
  
  
  Avrech. According to the Targum (onkelos): "father of the king". Rach is king in Aramaic. In (Bava Batra 4a): "[Herod is] not the king nor the son of a king". In the words of the aggadata, R Yehuda says: "Avrech is Yosef, because he was the master (av) of wisdom but short (rach) in years." R. Yose said to him: "until when will you corrupt the scriptures for us? Avrech is only the word for knee, because everyone would enter and exit under his hand, as it is stated "and they appointed him..."
  
  Verse 44
  
  
  
  Verse 45
  
  
  
  Verse 46
  
  
  
  Verse 47
  
  
  
  Verse 48
  
  
  
  Verse 49
  
  
  
  Verse 50
  
  
  
  Verse 51
  
  
  
  Verse 52
  
  
  
  Verse 53
  
  
  
  Verse 54
  
  
  
  Verse 55
  
  
  because he decreed on the produce and it rotted, what (if) he decrees on us and we die
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  (2) "From the praises of the land" -- From [the translation known as] Targum, "from the praised [produce] of the land," that all [of the praised produce] praises [the land of Israel] when it comes into the world.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  "Come to me" - He saw them backing away and told himself "Now my brothers are embarrassed." He called to them in soothing language and showed them that he was circumcised.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  "And I, when I came from Padan", etc. - Even though I am burdening you with [the task of] bringing me to Canaan, even though I did not do the same for your mother, whom I buried near Bet Lechem...
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  He wanted to reveal the end of days and the Divine Presence left him, so he began saying other matters.
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  
  And our rabbis expounded, AND HE BROUGHT BACK HIS BOW WITH STRENGTH, as being about the suppressing of his impulse with the wife of his master. And it calls it a bow, because the seed shoots out like an arrow.
  ויפזו זרעי ידיו AND HIS FOREARMS WERE GILDED (<i>VAYAFOZU</i>) — (is read) like, 'and they were spread' (<i>vayafotsu</i>), since his seed went out from between the fingers of his hands. 
  מידי אביר יעקב FROM THE HANDS OF THE STRENGTH OF JACOB — As an image of the replica of his father was shown to him, etc., as it is found in Sotah 36b.
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  "to embalm his father"- meaning, with the spreading of the special salts used by the embalmers
  
  Verse 3
  
  And they filled for him.  They completed for him the days of embalming until he was filled, forty days.
  And Egypt wept for seventy days.  Forty for embalming, and thirty for weeping, because blessing came to them, and the famine was forgotten, and the waters of the Nile were blessed.
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  Which I dug.  Literally, as in Exodus 21:33, "If a man digs", and as the Midrash says it is like "I bought".  Rabbi Akiva said that when he went to seaside cities, it meant "to sell".  Another Midrash says it is derived from the word "a stack", Jacob burdened himself with all the silver and gold that he brought from Lavan's house and made a stack, and he said to Esau "take this for your share of the cave".
  
  Verse 6
  
  As you swore to him.  And if it was not for the sworn oath, Pharaoh would not allow this.  However, Pharaoh was afraid to say this, because Joseph would break the oath he swore to Pharaoh that he would not reveal that he speaks Hebrew and all 70 languages, while Pharaoh cannot even understand Hebrew, as written in Tractate Sotah, Page 36B.
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  Threshing floor of bramble.  It was surrounded, and our Rabbis interpret this to mean that all the kings and princes of Ishmael came to Cana'an for war, and when they saw Jacob's crown on Jacob's coffin they stood and hung their crowns surrounding the coffin like a threshing floor surrounded by thorns.
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  As he commanded.  What is is that he commanded?