מדרש אויף בראשית 16:1

Scripture says elsewhere And the souls that they made in Haran (Gen. 12:5). R. Alexandri stated: The fact is that if all mankind assembled to make just one mosquito, they would not be able to do so. What then is the meaning of this verse, And the souls that they made in Haran? It means that he taught them about the fear of heaven and instructed them in the law (in that place).²⁰Tradition teaches that one who converts a gentile is considered to have created him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You have sown righteousness and have made Me known in this world, hence you will be rewarded, as it is said: Thy reward shall be exceedingly great (Gen. 16:1).

Rabbi Joshua ben Ḳorchah said: Because of his love for her, (Pharaoh) wrote in her marriage document (giving her) all his wealth, whether in silver, or in gold, or in man-servants, or land, and he wrote (giving) her the land of Goshen for a possession. Therefore the children of Israel dwelt in the land of Goshen, in the land of their mother Sarah. He (also) wrote (giving) her Hagar, his daughter from a concubine, as her handmaid. And whence do we know that Hagar was the daughter of Pharaoh? Because it is said, "Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children; and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar" (Gen. 16:1). Pharaoh rose up early in the morning confused because he had not approached her, and he sent and called Abraham, and said to him: Behold, Sarai thy wife is before thee, and all the deeds of her marriage contract are with her, take (her) and go, do not tarry in this land, as it is said, "Now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go" (Gen. 12:19). "And Pharaoh gave men charge concerning him, and they sent him forth" (Gen. 12:20). And he had Abraham led so as to come to the land of Canaan. He sojourned in the land of the Philistines in order to be refreshed there. And he went away. And everything is foreseen by the Holy One, blessed be He, and Abimelech sent and took Sarah, thinking to raise up children from her, as it is said, "And Abimelech… sent, and took Sarah" (Gen. 20:2).

Chapter 37: Torah [1] "These are the generations of Isaac" (Genesis 25:19). This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said across the river, "Come and see how righteous these sons are, they are a great gift. How great was the gift that God gave to Abraham when He said, "I will make you into a great nation" (Genesis 12:2). And because he had no son, he began to ask God, "How will I know that I will inherit it?" (Genesis 15:8). "What benefit have you given me, seeing I have no children?" (Genesis 15:2). As it says, "Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I am childless?" (Genesis 15:2). God said to him, "I will give you," as it is said, "I cause those who love me to inherit substance" (Proverbs 8:21), and it is also written, "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children" (Proverbs 13:22). Therefore, He gave him the great gift of Isaac, as it is said, "And I will give him Isaac" (Joshua 24:3). And why did Abraham ask, "What will you give me?" It was not because he doubted God's ability to provide, but because he was an astrologer and saw that he would not have children, neither he nor Sarah, and all the astrologers agreed. He asked God, "Is it possible for me to have children?" because even though everyone said it was impossible, he didn't believe it until he saw for himself in the stars. God said to him, "Stop looking at these things and leave this state of mind," as it is said, "And He brought him forth abroad" (Genesis 15:5). When they told Abraham that he would not have children and Sarah would not give birth, as it is written, "And Sarai Abram's wife bore him no children" (Genesis 16:1), he asked, "When will you give me children?" And God said to him, "Your name shall no longer be called Abram, but Abraham," as it is written, "Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham" (Genesis 17:5). God said to him, "Abram cannot have children, but Abraham can," and Sarah gave birth, as it is written, "And Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son" (Genesis 21:2). Therefore, it is said, "These are the generations of Isaac."