In parshas Lech L'cha Hashem tells
Avraham avinu to leave his home in Ur Kasdees (Sumer )
and travel to the Holy Land . After arriving, a
famine ensues; therefore Avraham decides to go to seek food in Egypt . Noting
the beauty of Sarah, his wife, and concerned about the rampant immorality in Egypt , Avraham
is fearful that the Egyptians will kill him in order to steal his wife. Therefore
they decide to claim that they are brother and sister rather than husband and
wife.
The plan quickly goes awry. The
Midrash Tanhuma (Genesis 5) brings a legend as to how Sarah was taken to
Pharaoh. When they were approaching the official border crossing, Avraham hid
Sarah in a large basket. The guards, interested in collecting a customs tax and
asked Avraham what was in the basket. When he replied barley they responded
that he was saying that because it had the lowest tariff, therefore the basket
must contain wheat. When Avraham promptly agreed to pay the tax on wheat, the
guards said in that case it must contain spices. This continued until Avraham
agreed to pay the tax on pearls. At that point the guards said that the basket
must be opened. Upon seeing Sarah they said this woman is a jewel fit for the
king.
Things go badly for Pharaoh after
that. He and his household are struck with disease. When the sores make
relations impossible he realizes that Sarah is in fact Avraham's wife and
restores her to him. Pharaoh then rebukes Avraham for the ruse and expels him
from the country.
Pharaoh's actions are
inconsistent with the general point of view of the Torah. To marry a woman a
man must first obtain her agreement. In addition the family approval may also
be necessary. Even a king may not simply seize a woman for his harem.
The Ramban (Bereshis 12:10) is
critical of Avraham because of this ploy saying he mistakenly committed a big
sin. He should have trusted in G-d and not exposed his wife to this hazard.
Upon examining this situation it seems that Avraham over reacted to the
potential dangers. Pharaoh was a very unsavory character; however it does not
seem that he would have gone so far as to kill Avraham in order to steal his
wife. It would also seem that this encounter was arranged by Providence so as to uproot the negative
characteristics that are found in both the righteous and the less than
righteous.
There is a similar interplay
between Moshe and the children of Israel when the nation has no water
(see Exodus 17:4-5). When Moshe is afraid that the people will stone him, G-d
tells him to walk right in front of them. Rashi explains this was to show Moshe
that his negative estimation of the people was excessive.
A major objective of the Chumash
is the purification and perfection of man. For this reason it provides case
studies of sins. In the physical world the Ribono shel Olam (Master/Teacher of
the Universe) puts the righteous into situations which will reveal and uproot
their shortcomings, even those that are very slight.
Ultimately a road to redemption
is expressed by King David in Psalm 139. Much of the Psalm explores the
omnipresence of G-d. It concludes with a prayer that G-d should search his
heart, test him, and know his thoughts to see if there is any sorrowful path in
him, and place him in the path of eternity.
I would like to thank my
friend Ed Eriksen whose recent comments to me provided the inspiration for much
of this article.
To view on YouTube click:
Hava NaGila at 6:57
תרגום
לעברית ע"י Google
http://dyschreiber.blogspot.com/2013/10/39.html
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