meta: {"file": "/data/tomer/Sefaria-Export/txt/Tanakh/Commentary/Kli Yakar/Torah/Kli Yakar on Genesis/English/Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009.txt"}
text: Kli Yakar on Genesis
  כלי יקר על בראשית
  Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009
  
  
  Kli Yakar on Genesis
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  Heaven. The term <i>rakiya</i> — “firmament” — signifies a barrier, emphasizing the sky’s role as a source of division in creation. For this reason Hashem chose to use the word <i>shomayim</i> — “heaven,” indicating that <i>esh</i> (fire) and <i>mayim</i> (water) abide there together in peace.
  
  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
  
  And behold it was very good. There is a difference between <i>ki tov</i> — “<i>that</i> it was good” — and <i>hineih tov</i> — “<i>behold</i> it was good.” <i>Ki</i> has the additional connotation of “when,” lending it an aspect of conditionality. <i>Hineih</i>, by contrast, expresses an absolute. Thus the “goodness” of the rest of creation only became definite when human beings were brought into being. Note also that the letters of מְאֹד — very” — spell out the word אָדָם — “man”.
  
  The sixth day. Unlike the other days, the sixth is preceded by the definite article <i>hei</i>, which has a numerical value of five, indicating that the creation of the world was contingent upon Yisrael’s acceptance of the five books of the Torah on the sixth of <i>Sivan</i>. This is because the physical and spiritual components of creation are only held together by the Torah observance of human beings.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  The Tree of Life. Hashem did not command Adam to refrain from eating of this tree because it bore no seductive fruit. Rather it was the tree itself that granted immortality. By contrast the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge was extremely tempting and after they had eaten of it they understood the benefit to be had by partaking of the Tree of Life as well.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  That it was tempting to the eyes. The prospective sinner is always faced with a choice between spiritual reward in the next world, which no eye has ever beheld, and tangible pleasure that is evident to all.
  
  
  
  
  
  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
  
  [Kayin] was building a city. The verb is in the present tense to indicate that he continued building it his entire life, in the way of the avaricious who are never satisfied with what they possess.
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  Lemech married two women. Adah, whom he married to bear children, gave birth to two righteous men, one a shepherd like many of the righteous, and one the inventor of instruments for praising Hashem. But Tzillah, whom he married for pleasure, gave birth to a weapon maker in the spirit of Kayin.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  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
  
  Take for yourself (or “from your own”). He was forbidden to take from others, even though everything was about to be destroyed. This would also increase the miracle since Noach surely did not possess enough to feed them all without a special blessing.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  There he built an altar. God did not appear to Avraham when He gave him the order to go to Canaan because He does not grant visions outside of the Holy Land. Similarly, Avraham did not wish to build an altar where God does not allow His Presence to dwell.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  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
  
  Three hundred and eighteen. See Rashi. Yet in verse 24 Avraham refers to the “men” who went with him. Undoubtedly he took with him actual soldiers but the number 318 hinted that victory was impossible without Divine assistance. <i>Eli-ezer</i> means “My God helps”.
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  Possessor of heaven and earth. Malki Zedek uses this title here in honor of Avraham, who was the first to make known God’s involvement with the lower world. Alternatively, he mentions it in his blessing to indicate that all bounty derives from the “dew of heaven and the fatness of earth” (27:28). Alternatively, it was through the victory over the four kings that God’s sovereignty over the earth became known.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  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
  
  Sarah will <i>bear</i> you a son. In verse 16 God did not mention that Sarah would actually <i>bear</i> a son, so Avraham thought that perhaps she would adopt one.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  Will not inherit. Banishment does not prevent a son from inheriting. Rather, what she meant was that he would never inherit Avraham’s good character, hence he must be banished to prevent him from influencing Yitzchok.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  Father. Suspecting that Avraham intended to sacrifice him and not realizing that it was Hashem’s command, Yitzchok tested him to see whether he still responded to the name “Father.” Here I am, my son. Avraham assured him that he still his loving father. But where is the lamb. If he still loved him, what was he planning to offer? Elokim will show the lamb. Avraham hinted that he was indeed to be the offering, but it was Hashem who had chosen him.
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  
  
  Verse 17
  
  As the stars … and like the sand. In times of peace they will be like the stars. 
  And when the nations try to destroy them, they will resemble the sand upon which the conquering waves are broken. Your descendants will inherit. After they have descended to their lowest point they will seek Hashem with all their hearts and then ascend to inherit their enemies.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  To eulogize … and to weep. Usually weeping precedes eulogizing because the mourner’s sense of loss diminishes with time. In Sarah’s case, however, her absence was felt more each day.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  Among whom I live. If Yitzchok lived near his wife’s family, either in Canaan or in Charan, he would be subject to their influence. But if he married a woman from Charan and they lived in Canaan he would not be influenced by them.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  Avraham again took. The word <i>vayosef</i> — “again” — has connotations of continuing a previous relationship, hinting that this was the second time he married her. Keturah. See Rashi. Avraham named her in honor of the holy incense to make it known that she had repented fully after having lapsed into idolatry, so that now even her former deeds ascended to Heaven like the incense.
  
  
  
  
  
  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
  
  
  He named the well Eisek [Quarrel]. This well foreshadowed the First Holy Temple, in the time of which the kings of Judah and Israel, Israel’s “shepherds,” quarreled over the kingship and as an offshoot of their quarrel the shepherds of the nations also joined the fray.
  Sitnah [Obstruction] (or “Hatred”). This foreshadowed the Second Holy Temple, in the time of which baseless hatred became rampant. <i>Eisek</i> implies strife over a specific issue, whereas <i>sitnah</i> implies hatred for no reason.
  Rechovos [Wide Spaces]. This foreshadowed the Third Holy Temple, in the time of which the land will seem spacious because peace will reign among Israel.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  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
  
  That I have been in your house. Actually, he was only in Lavan’s house for a month (29:14). The rest of the time he was in the field and in his tents. However, that month was so unpleasant that it seemed as if he spent the entire twenty years there.
  
  Verse 42
  
  The Fear (or “fear”) of Yitzchok. Lavan did not fear Avraham — who was already dead — but only his God. Yitzchok, on the other hand, was still alive and very powerful and it was primarily out of fear of him that Lavan refrained from harming Yaakov.
  
  
  
  
  
  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
  
  Like the sands of the sea. In favorable times the Israelites are likened to the stars and in bad times they are trampled like the dust. But in intermediate times they are like the sand of the shore, which the waves continually threaten to overwhelm, but upon which they are broken instead.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  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
  
  A man found him. The word “found” implies that he was looking for him, yet only an angel could have known that he was astray. Going astray in the field. The angel saw that he was under the mistaken impression that his brothers were at peace with him and wanted to warn him.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  The chief butler did not remember. After he was restored to his position he considered it beneath his dignity to remember a lowly Hebrew slave.
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  They stood next to the cows. They were so weak that they could stand only by leaning upon the healthy ones. This indicated that the populous would only survive the years of famine by consuming what they saved during the years of plenty.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  Unstable as water. You lost the kingship because a ruler must be levelheaded. You have gone up your father’s bed. You lost the priesthood because you caused the Divine Presence to depart from your father’s bed and the Holy Temple is the “bed” of our heavenly Father. You profaned. You wished to prevent me from fathering more children so that your inheritance would not be reduced; therefore you have forfeited the extra portion of the firstborn.
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  
  Verse 11
  
  
  
  Verse 12
  
  
  
  Verse 13
  
  
  
  Verse 14
  
  
  He saw that rest is good. Unlike the pursuit of material wealth, the acquisition of Torah knowledge involves toil of the soul but quiescence of the body. For this reason the Torah was given on Shabbos.
  
  Verse 15
  
  
  
  Verse 16
  
  As one of the tribes. See Rashi’s alternate explanation. Although in the desert the tribe of Yehudah traveled first and Dan last, they were equal in that both produced leaders (David and Shimshon) who eliminated the wicked from their midst.
  
  Verse 17
  
  
  
  Verse 18
  
  
  
  Verse 19
  
  
  
  Verse 20
  
  From Asher will come rich food. Asher provided oil for the Temple service, upon which all prosperity depended, thus it was through Asher that the world enjoyed rich food. Delicacies for (or “of”) the king. Through the provisioning of the Temple Asher indirectly provided for the entire world, just as a king provides for his people. Alternatively, Asher was generous in the giving of charity.
  
  Verse 21
  
  
  
  Verse 22
  
  
  
  Verse 23
  
  
  
  Verse 24
  
  
  
  Verse 25
  
  
  
  Verse 26
  
  The blessings, etc. Alternatively, “The blessings that your father [gave you] are stronger than the blessings my forebears [gave me]” — Yaakov received the right of the firstborn through deceit, but he transferred it to Yoseif openly. Even to the boundaries. Therefore he was able to glory in it wherever he went.
  
  
  
  
  
  Verse 1
  
  
  
  Verse 2
  
  
  
  Verse 3
  
  
  
  Verse 4
  
  
  
  Verse 5
  
  
  
  Verse 6
  
  
  
  Verse 7
  
  
  
  Verse 8
  
  
  
  Verse 9
  
  
  
  Verse 10
  
  
  There they eulogized. The Egyptians mourned his passing bitterly because with his arrival the famine abated and with his death it returned.