Commentaire de citation sur Les Proverbes 15:27

"what is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine" -- [that's an] am ha'arets (uneducated person, literally the people of the land): who benefits and gives benefit equally, and this is [for] the [advancement of] the inhabitation of the land. But he doesn't know the verse (Proverbs 15:27) which writes, "and the one hates gifts will live." And this is the [meaning] of the expression, am ha'arets, in every place - that he wants the refinement of the land but he does not have the wisdom to distinguish [what are] proper refinements.

So that they give me gifts. Rashi is answering the question: Why does it say ייטב? Avoidance of death is called הצלה, not הטבה. Thus Rashi explains, “So that they give me gifts.” You might ask: This implies that Avraham wanted gifts. Why did he later reject gifts from the king of Sedom? There he said (14:23), “Neither a thread nor a shoelace! I will not take anything of yours,” although the wealth was rightfully due to him, since he took it from the four kings. If so, he surely would not want outright gifts, for it is written (Mishlei 15:27): “He who hates gifts will live.” An answer is: Avraham wanted only a small gift, for it says in Berachos 10b, “One who wishes to benefit from others may do so, as did the Prophet Elisha.” This means one may take food, drink and lodging. And the proof [that Avraham objected only to substantial gifts] is that it is written (14:21): “The king of Sedom said, ‘Take take the possessions for yourself,’” to which Avraham answered, “I have lifted my hand to Adonoy ... Neither a thread nor a shoelace! ...so you will not be able to say, ‘I have made Avram wealthy.’” A further answer is: Women desire money. So in order to appease her, he told her: “Please say ... my sister, so that it will go well with me.” But Avraham never intended to take gifts from Pharaoh. A further answer is: Avraham had not yet acquired wealth, so he took gifts. [We see he was poor when he went down to Egypt] because the verse later says (13:3), “He continued on his travels,” on which Rashi says: “On his return trip he paid the debts he incurred.” But when speaking to the king of Sedom he had acquired wealth, thus he refused even what was rightfully due to him, because of “He who hates gifts will live.” Some ask: Why would Avraham want to cause the Egyptians to sin and take a married woman, by telling them Sarah was his sister? The answer is: He told them she was his sister, who was married and whose husband was overseas. This also explains why he said, “And my life will be spared because of you.” Avraham said to Sarah, “I will tell them that you are my sister, and that you are married, but your husband left you. I am searching for him — perhaps I will find him and he will give you a get, or perhaps he has died, and then you can remarry. Thus they will spare my life, [since I am helping] to avoid the sin of taking you as a married woman.” This also explains why Sarah agreed: since he told them that she might be married, they surely will not take her. (see Chizkuni)