וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵׄלָׄ֔יׄוׄ אַיֵּ֖ה שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּ֥ה בָאֹֽהֶל׃
Mereka bertanya kepadanya, “Di manakah Sara, istrimu?” Jawabnya, “Itu, di dalam kemah.”
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
[(Gen. 24:1:) NOW ABRAHAM WAS OLD.] This text is related (to Prov. 31:10): WHO CAN FIND A GALLANT WIFE?11Cf. Tanh., Gen. 4:4. About whom were the words spoken? < They were spoken about Sarah > since it is written above (in Gen. 23:2): AND ABRAHAM PROCEEDED TO MOURN FOR SARAH AND WEEP FOR HER, < i.e., > he began to weep and eulogize. So he said: When shall I be able to get < another wife > like you?12The midrash is interpreting Prov. 32:10ff. as Abraham’s eulogy over Sarah. (Prov. 31:10:) A GALLANT WIFE. This was Sarah, as stated (in Gen. 12:11): SEE HERE NOW, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE A BEAUTIFUL-LOOKING WOMAN. (Prov. 31:10, cont.:) HER VALUE WAS FAR BEYOND THAT OF RUBIES, in that you came from afar. Thus it is stated (in Is. 46:11): SUMMONING A BIRD OF PREY FROM THE EAST, MY CONFIDANT FROM A FAR COUNTRY. (Prov. 31:11:) HER HUSBAND'S HEART HAD CONFIDENCE IN HER: This was Sarah, as stated (in Gen. 12:13): [PLEASE SAY YOU ARE MY SISTER] SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH ME BECAUSE OF YOU. (Prov. 31:11, cont.:) AND HE HAS NO LACK OF PROFIT. This refers to our father Abraham, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 13:2): NOW ABRAHAM WAS VERY RICH. (Prov. 31:12:) SHE DID GOOD FOR HIM AND NOT EVIL. This refers to Sarah, since it is stated (in Gen. 12:16): AND BECAUSE OF HER, IT WENT WELL WITH ABRAHAM. (Prov. 31:13:) SHE LOOKS FOR WOOL AND FLAX, < in choosing > between < flaxen > Ishmael and < the pure wool of > Isaac. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 21:9f.): THEN SARAH SAW THE SON OF HAGAR THE EGYPTIAN … AND SAID TO ABRAHAM: CAST OUT THIS SLAVE WOMAN < AND HER SON >…. (Prov. 31:14:) SHE WAS LIKE THE MERCHANT SHIPS, in that she was moving from place to place and from country to country. Like such a vessel which goes from place to place on the sea (according to Prov. 31:14, cont.): SHE BRINGS HER FOOD FROM AFAR. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 20:16): THEN HE SAID UNTO SARAH: SEE, I HAVE GIVEN YOUR BROTHER A THOUSAND SILVER PIECES. (Prov. 31:15:) SHE ALSO AROSE WHILE IT WAS STILL NIGHT AND GAVE FOOD TO HER HOUSEHOLD. When? (In Gen. 22:3:) SO ABRAHAM AROSE EARLY IN THE MORNING…. (Prov. 31:15, cont.:) AND GAVE FOOD TO HER HOUSEHOLD, EVEN A STATUTE13The usual translation here is PORTION, but STATUTE better fits the Tanhuma context. FOR HER YOUNG WOMEN. (Gen. 17:26:) ON THAT VERY DAY ABRAHAM WAS CIRCUMCISED…. Now STATUTE can only mean circumcision, as shown (in Ps. 105:10): AND HE ESTABLISHED IT (i.e., Abraham's covenant) FOR JACOB AS A STATUTE, FOR ISRAEL AS AN EVERLASTING COVENANT.14Of course, Abraham’s EVERLASTING COVENANT meant circumcision. (Prov. 31:16:) SHE SET HER MIND ON A FIELD AND BOUGHT IT. Thus, while she was alive, she had her mind on obtaining the cave of Machpelah AND BOUGHT IT, for here she is buried in it (cf. Gen. 23). (Prov. 31:16, cont.:) FROM THE FRUIT OF HER HANDS SHE PLANTED A VINEYARD, as stated (in Gen. 21:33): AND HE PLANTED A TAMARISK TREE. What is the meaning of AND HE PLANTED? < It is > as you say (in Gen. 9:20): AND HE PLANTED A VINEYARD. (Prov. 31:17:) SHE GIRDED HER LOINS WITH VIGOR, when Abraham said to her (in Gen. 18:6): HURRY UP WITH THREE SEAHS OF FINE MEAL…. (Prov. 31:18:) SHE PERCEIVED THAT HER MERCHANDISE WAS GOOD; AND (in Gen. 21:7) SHE SAID: WHO WOULD HAVE SAID TO ABRAHAM THAT SARAH WOULD SUCKLE CHILDREN? (Prov. 31:18, cont.:) HER LAMP WOULD NOT GO OUT AT NIGHT. When? (In Gen. 14:15:) THEN HE DEPLOYED < HIS FORCES > AGAINST THEM BY NIGHT.15The verse assumes that Sarah was waiting up for Abraham to return from battle. (Prov. 31:21:) SHE WOULD NOT BE AFRAID FOR HER HOUSEHOLD BECAUSE OF SNOW. When? When the Holy One showed him Gehinnom (with its snow), she foretold that none of her children would go down into its midst. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 15:17): THERE APPEARED A SMOKING OVEN AND A FLAMING TORCH. Why? Because they fulfilled two commandments, (as shown in Prov. 31:21, cont.): BECAUSE ALL HER HOUSEHOLD ARE CLOTHED TWOFOLD,16The traditional text vocalizes TWOFOLD to mean CRIMSON. i.e., with the Sabbath and with circumcision. (Prov. 31:22:) SHE MADE COVERINGS FOR HERSELF. When? When they said to him (in Gen. 18:9): WHERE IS YOUR WIFE SARAH? He said to her: You have received good news that you are to bear < children >, and from them will go forth high priests who will serve in the Tent of Meeting. (Prov. 31:22, cont.:) HER CLOTHING IS LINEN AND PURPLE, as stated (in Exod. 26:31): < AND YOU SHALL MAKE A VEIL OF > {LINEN} [BLUE] AND PURPLE…. (Prov. 31:23:) HER HUSBAND WAS KNOWN IN THE GATES. When Sarah died, old age sprang upon Abraham and he was called elderly. Now it is stated (in Gen. 23:6, after the report of Sarah's death): HEAR US, MY LORD, YOU ARE A PRINCE OF GOD IN OUR MIDST. Ergo, HER HUSBAND WAS KNOWN IN THE GATES; < and the verse continues > immediately: AS HE SAT AMONG THE ELDERS OF THE LAND. He had become old; therefore, it is stated (in Gen. 24:1): NOW ABRAHAM WAS OLD.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“All those counted of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron counted by the directive of the Lord, by their families, all males from one month old and above, were twenty-two thousand” (Numbers 3:39).
“All those counted of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron [ve’aharon] counted” – the vav in ve’aharon is dotted because Aaron was not part of the census.34He was not counted, nor did he participate with Moses in the census. Similarly, “may the Lord judge between me and you [uveinekha]” (Genesis 16:5) – as she said it only regarding Hagar alone.35There is a dot over the yod in uveinekha, indicating that Sarah did not demand that God punish Abraham. Some say, it was regarding those who introduce discord between him and her.36While this interpretation also maintains that Sarah was referring to Hagar, it is not based on the dot over the yod, but rather on understanding “between me and you” as referring to one who introduces discord between them.
Similarly, “They said to him [elav]: Where is Sarah?” (Genesis 18:9) – the alef in elav is dotted, as they knew where she was but made inquiries about her.
Similarly, “He did not know when she lay down and when she arose [uvkuma]” (Genesis 19:33) – the vav in the middle of uvkuma regarding the elder daughter is dotted; he did not know when she lay down, but he knew when she arose.
Similarly, “he kissed him [vayishakehu] (Genesis 33:4)37Esau kissed Jacob. – it is dotted, because he did not kiss him with all his heart.
Similarly, “his brothers went to herd et” (Genesis 37:12) – why is it dotted over et? It teaches that they did not go to herd, but rather to eat, drink, and be seduced.
Similarly, “or on a distant [reḥoka] journey” (Numbers 9:10) – the ḥet of reḥoka is dotted.38While the midrash here states that there is a dot on the ḥet, the Mishna (Pesaḥim 93b) and other sources state that the dot is on the heh. In our Torah scrolls the dot is on the heh. It teaches that even if it was not a distant journey, but just outside the threshold of the courtyard of the Temple. Some say, even if it was a near journey, but it39The path which he has to take to reach the Temple (Etz Yosef). is impure, he would not perform the rite of the paschal offering with them.
Similarly, “we laid waste until Nofaḥ that [asher]” (Numbers 21:30) – the reish in asher is dotted, as it was so even beyond there. Some say: It teaches that they did not destroy the entire country, but rather the large cities.
Similarly, “You shall offer one-tenth [isaron isaron] for each” (Numbers 29:15) – the first isaron of the first day of the festival is dotted. It teaches that there was only one one-tenth alone.40Namely, there was only a one-tenth measure, and for sacrifices which require two-tenths or three-tenths, each tenth would be measured separately.
Similarly, “The concealed are for the Lord our God, but the revealed are for us and for our children [lanu ulvaneinu] forever [ad olam]” (Deuteronomy 29:28) – why is it dotted over lanu ulvaneinu and the ayin of ad? He said to them: ‘If you perform the revealed, I will inform you of the concealed.’
Some say: Why is it dotted? Rather, this is what Ezra said: If Elijah will come and say: Why did you write them?41I.e., you should not have written them. I will say to him: I dotted above them. If he will say: You wrote them well, I will erase the dots from above them.
“All those counted of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron [ve’aharon] counted” – the vav in ve’aharon is dotted because Aaron was not part of the census.34He was not counted, nor did he participate with Moses in the census. Similarly, “may the Lord judge between me and you [uveinekha]” (Genesis 16:5) – as she said it only regarding Hagar alone.35There is a dot over the yod in uveinekha, indicating that Sarah did not demand that God punish Abraham. Some say, it was regarding those who introduce discord between him and her.36While this interpretation also maintains that Sarah was referring to Hagar, it is not based on the dot over the yod, but rather on understanding “between me and you” as referring to one who introduces discord between them.
Similarly, “They said to him [elav]: Where is Sarah?” (Genesis 18:9) – the alef in elav is dotted, as they knew where she was but made inquiries about her.
Similarly, “He did not know when she lay down and when she arose [uvkuma]” (Genesis 19:33) – the vav in the middle of uvkuma regarding the elder daughter is dotted; he did not know when she lay down, but he knew when she arose.
Similarly, “he kissed him [vayishakehu] (Genesis 33:4)37Esau kissed Jacob. – it is dotted, because he did not kiss him with all his heart.
Similarly, “his brothers went to herd et” (Genesis 37:12) – why is it dotted over et? It teaches that they did not go to herd, but rather to eat, drink, and be seduced.
Similarly, “or on a distant [reḥoka] journey” (Numbers 9:10) – the ḥet of reḥoka is dotted.38While the midrash here states that there is a dot on the ḥet, the Mishna (Pesaḥim 93b) and other sources state that the dot is on the heh. In our Torah scrolls the dot is on the heh. It teaches that even if it was not a distant journey, but just outside the threshold of the courtyard of the Temple. Some say, even if it was a near journey, but it39The path which he has to take to reach the Temple (Etz Yosef). is impure, he would not perform the rite of the paschal offering with them.
Similarly, “we laid waste until Nofaḥ that [asher]” (Numbers 21:30) – the reish in asher is dotted, as it was so even beyond there. Some say: It teaches that they did not destroy the entire country, but rather the large cities.
Similarly, “You shall offer one-tenth [isaron isaron] for each” (Numbers 29:15) – the first isaron of the first day of the festival is dotted. It teaches that there was only one one-tenth alone.40Namely, there was only a one-tenth measure, and for sacrifices which require two-tenths or three-tenths, each tenth would be measured separately.
Similarly, “The concealed are for the Lord our God, but the revealed are for us and for our children [lanu ulvaneinu] forever [ad olam]” (Deuteronomy 29:28) – why is it dotted over lanu ulvaneinu and the ayin of ad? He said to them: ‘If you perform the revealed, I will inform you of the concealed.’
Some say: Why is it dotted? Rather, this is what Ezra said: If Elijah will come and say: Why did you write them?41I.e., you should not have written them. I will say to him: I dotted above them. If he will say: You wrote them well, I will erase the dots from above them.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
(Gen. 18) And they said unto him, "Where is Sarah?" etc. R. Juda said in the name of Rab (according to others in the name of R. Isaac): "The angels knew very well that Sarah was in her tent. Why did they ask for her? In order to increase her grace in the eyes of her husband." R. Jose b. Chanina said: "For the purpose of sending her a cup of benediction." It was taught in the name of R. Jose: Why are the letters Aleph, Yud, Vav of the word (Elav) (unto him) dotted in the Holy Scrolls? The Torah teaches us a lesson in manners: that when one comes as a guest he should make inquiries of the host about the health of his wife. But did not Samuel say: "It is not proper to inquire about a woman?" Through her husband it is permitted.