ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף בראשית 17:15

למועד אשר דבר אותו אלוקים, “at the appointed time G’d had spoken of.” In this instance the word מועד is a time which G’d announced directly to Avraham when he was about to circumcise himself (compare 17,21) when He said “at this time in the coming year.” It was when Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah and Avram’s name to Avraham.

According to a Midrashic approach as found both in Tanchuma and Bereshit Rabbah, Joseph was selected as Yaakov’s prime issue as he was so like his father. This is what the Torah meant when writing כי בן זקונים הוא לו, that his features resembled those of his father. He also resembled his father in that many experiences which Yaakov endured were more or less duplicated in the life of Joseph. Whereas Yaakov had been pursued by his brother Esau, Joseph was persecuted by his brothers. Just as Yaakov’s mother had been barren for many years, so Joseph’s mother had been barren for many years. Just as Yaakov was born without a foreskin, so Joseph was born without a foreskin. We derive this from the fact that Yaakov was described by the Torah as איש תם, a perfectly formed human being, i.e. one that did not need to be circumcised in order to make him whole. The term תם is only used in connection with circumcised people as G’d told Avraham that in order to become תמים, perfect, whole, he had to circumcise himself (Genesis 17,1). The reason the sages believe that Joseph too was born without a foreskin is because the Torah equates Yaakov and Joseph in writing יעקב יוסף, as if to say that what applied to Yaakov applied to Joseph also. These similarities also showed up in that just as Yaakov’s mother experienced a difficult pregnancy and birth, so did Joseph’s mother experience difficulty when giving birth to Binyamin. Just as Yaakov’s mother gave birth to only two sons so did Joseph’s mother give birth to only two sons. Yaakov and Joseph both married while outside the land of Canaan. The children of both Yaakov and Joseph were born outside the land of Canaan. Both Yaakov and Joseph experienced the company of angels protecting them. Rabbi Yannai (compare Bereshit Rabbah 84,14) claims that Joseph was met by three angels while he searched for his brothers. He bases himself on the word איש, “man,” appearing three separate times in verses 15-16 in our chapter. Just as Yaakov emerged from a dream containing a vision spiritually uplifted, so Joseph emerged similarly uplifted after having certain dreams. Just as the environment of Yaakov (the house of Lavan, and, according to some sources the entire region) experienced G’d’s blessing, as well as the famine coming to an end when he descended to Egypt, so Joseph’s presence both in the house of Potiphar and in Egypt generally proved a blessing for all those around him. Just as Yaakov died in Egypt and his remains were embalmed there only to be buried in the land of Israel eventually, so Joseph died in Egypt, was embalmed there and eventually was reburied in the land of Israel.

AND ABRAM FELL ON HIS FACE. The purpose of this expression was to direct his mind towards the prophecy. When the prophecy concerning the commandment of circumcision was completed, Abraham rose and stood. When the word from heaven came to him a second time, saying to him, As for Sarai thy wife, etc.,³⁹⁷Further, Verse 15. he once again fell on his face to direct his mind towards the prophecy, and he also prayed concerning Ishmael.³⁹⁸Verse 18 here. in line with the verses: And they fell upon their faces, and said, O G-d, the G-d of the spirits, etc.;³⁹⁹Numbers 16:22. That I may consume them in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.⁴⁰⁰Ibid., Verses 21-22.

כי אב המון גוים FOR A FATHER OF A MULTIDUDE OF NATIONS — An acrostic on his name [אב (ר) הם]. But the ר which was previously in his name — denoting that he was the father (chieftain) only of אב (א) רם] ארם] which was his native country (cf. Genesis 21:7 with verse Genesis 21:10 of the same chapter), whilst now he became father of the entire world — nevertheless was not taken out of his name. For we find also, that the 'י in Sarai’s name continued to complain to God that it had been removed from her name when this was changed to Sarah, until it was placed as an additional letter into the name יהושע, as it is said, (Numbers 13:16) “And Moses called Hoshea (הושע) the son of Nun, Joshua (יהושע)” (Genesis Rabbah 47:1).