Chasidut sur La Genèse 26:7
וַֽיִּשְׁאֲל֞וּ אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ לְאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא כִּ֤י יָרֵא֙ לֵאמֹ֣ר אִשְׁתִּ֔י פֶּן־יַֽהַרְגֻ֜נִי אַנְשֵׁ֤י הַמָּקוֹם֙ עַל־רִבְקָ֔ה כִּֽי־טוֹבַ֥ת מַרְאֶ֖ה הִֽיא׃
Les habitants du lieu s’enquérant au sujet de sa femme, il dit: "Elle est ma sœur" car il n’osait dire ma femme: "les gens du lieu pourraient me tuer à cause de Rébecca, car elle est d’une grande beauté."
Baal Shem Tov
Even if foreign thoughts arrive, my master taught me how to discern whether a thought is from the pillar of kindness, hesed, that fell through the breaking of the vessels and needs to be elevated. Some thoughts, however, are thoughts of transgression, and when such a thought arrives, you should know that there is judgement against you that want you to be punished, and you should tremble greatly at this understanding. By doing so, you can unite Awe and Awed, and "all evildoers will disappear." In this way he interpreted the verses "I know that you are a beautiful woman" (Genesis 12:11) and "Lest they kill me" (Genesis 26:7) - a hint at the punishment of one who harbours this type of thoughts of sexuality.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy