(כז) וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת תֶּ֔רַח תֶּ֚רַח הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־אַבְרָ֔ם אֶת־נָח֖וֹר וְאֶת־הָרָ֑ן וְהָרָ֖ן הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־לֽוֹט׃ (כח) וַיָּ֣מָת הָרָ֔ן עַל־פְּנֵ֖י תֶּ֣רַח אָבִ֑יו בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מוֹלַדְתּ֖וֹ בְּא֥וּר כַּשְׂדִּֽים׃ (כט) וַיִּקַּ֨ח אַבְרָ֧ם וְנָח֛וֹר לָהֶ֖ם נָשִׁ֑ים שֵׁ֤ם אֵֽשֶׁת־אַבְרָם֙ שָׂרָ֔י וְשֵׁ֤ם אֵֽשֶׁת־נָחוֹר֙ מִלְכָּ֔ה בַּת־הָרָ֥ן אֲבִֽי־מִלְכָּ֖ה וַֽאֲבִ֥י יִסְכָּֽה׃ (ל) וַתְּהִ֥י שָׂרַ֖י עֲקָרָ֑ה אֵ֥ין לָ֖הּ וָלָֽד׃
(27) Now this is the line of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begot Lot. (28) Haran died in the lifetime of his father Terah, in his native land, Ur of the Chaldeans. (29) Abram and Nahor took to themselves wives, the name of Abram’s wife being Sarai and that of Nahor’s wife Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah. (30) Now Sarai was barren, she had no child.
1. Why is it important that it lists Abram and Nahor's wives?
2. Why is it important that it shares that Sarai was barren?
1. What happened to Abram in this story?
2. What happened to Sarai in this story?
3. What was the role of sex in this story?
4. Had you learned this story previously?
5. Does it change your view of Abram and/or Sarai?
6. What does this story have to do with holiness?
7. What may this story foreshadow?
1. How does this passage connect us back to the two stories of creation?
2. How does this conversation with God impact Abram?
3. How does this conversation with God impact Sarai?
1. What is the impact of barrenness on this story?
2. What is the impact of surrogate motherhood on this story?
3. How are both women's options expanded and constrained by their cultural roles?
1. What is the role of God in this procreation story? In procreation in general? In sexual encounters?
2. What is Sarai/Sarah's role in this story?
(10) Then one said, “I will return to you next year, and your wife Sarah shall have a son!” Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him. (11) Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years; Sarah had stopped having the periods of women. (12) And Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “Now that I am withered, am I to have enjoyment—with my husband so old?” (13) Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I in truth bear a child, old as I am?’ (14) Is anything too wondrous for the LORD? I will return to you at the same season next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” (15) Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was frightened. But He replied, “You did laugh.”
1. What is the role of the angels appearance?
2. How does Sarah's response compare to Abraham's response?
3. Why do you think the writer chose to say in verse 12, "Will I have pleasure, with my lord so old"?
4. Why did God question Sarah for laughing?
5. Who is the one that said, "You did laugh"?
גַם יִתְרוֹ הָיָה גֵּר, וְהַגֵּרִים בָּאִים מִקְּדֻשַּׁת הַזִּוּוּג שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיקִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית יב): וְאֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן, וְאִיתָא (בזוהר שלח לך דף קסח): שֶׁאַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה בְּעֵת שֶׁהָיוּ עֲקָרִים הוֹלִידוּ מִזִּוּוּגָם נַפְשׁוֹת הַגֵּרִים . וְעַל־כֵּן יִתְרוֹ שֶׁהָיָה גֵּר, שֶׁהוּא בָּא מִקְּדֻשַּׁת הַזִּוּוּג שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים, עַל־כֵּן הוּא יוֹדֵעַ גֹּדֶל יְקָר קְדֻשַּׁת הַצַּדִּיקִים, שֶׁלְּגֹדֶל קְדֻשָּׁתָם נַעֲשֶׂה מִזִּוּוּגָם נַפְשׁוֹת הַגֵּרִים, מִכָּל־שֶׁכֵּן קְדֻשַּׁת פְּרִישׁוּתָם, וְעַל־כֵּן הוּא יוֹדֵעַ, שֶׁלְּגֹדֶל קְדֻשַּׁת וּפְרִישׁוּת מֹשֶׁה הוּא יָכוֹל לַחֲזוֹת בָּעָם, וְעַל־יְדֵי רְאִיָּתוֹ לְבַד יִתֵּן לָהֶם הַגְּדֻלָּה כַּנַּ"ל.
Moreover, Yitro was a convert. Converts come from the sanctified marital relations of the tzaddikim, as it is written (Genesis 12:5), “and the souls which they made in Charan.” And it is brought (Zohar III, 168a) : During the time that Avraham and Sarah were barren, their marital relations bore the souls of converts. Therefore, Yitro, who was a convert and so came from the sanctity of the marital relations of tzaddikim, knew the great value of their holiness—that by virtue of their great holiness their marital relations produce the souls of converts, [and] all the more so the holiness of their abstinence. He therefore knew that by virtue of Moshe’s great holiness and abstinence he was able to gaze at the people and, through his gazing alone, give them the greatness, as mentioned above.
What does this teach us about sexual relations without producing children?
1. How does this story compare with the first time Abraham passes Sarah off as his sister?
2. In regards to "she is my sister" why do we not see this mentioned previously or later? What do we do with this in light on Deuteronomy 27:22 which condemns a sexual relationship between such siblings?
3. How does Abraham prayer tie into Sarah conceiving?
4. What is the role of Sarah in this story?
1. What is Abraham's role in this story and what is Sarah's role?
2. How has the role of laughter changed throughout Sarah's story?
3. Do you know of when Sarah's role as a mother later in life is mentioned again in the TaNaCh and why?
1. Why does this paragraph conclude the portion Vayeira? (We have looked at the end of Noach, most of Lech Lecha, and most of Vayeira today.)
2. Who was Milcah?