Parshas Lech Lecha
1. On what Avraham said to Sarah before arriving in Egypt — "And it will be, when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife,' and they will kill me and let you live. Please say that you are my sister, so that it may be well with me for your sake, and my soul shall live because of you"[1] — there is a well-known question[2]: How could Avraham place Sarah in such a situation, that the Egyptians would take her, so that he would thereby be saved?
The commentators[3] explain how Avraham did not thereby transgress any prohibition, and the Zohar[4] states that Avraham was certain that Sarah's merit would stand by her and they would not be able to touch her.
However, what Avraham concluded with — "so that it may be well with me for your sake," which means that because of her saying "you are my sister" they would give him gifts[5] — is entirely incomprehensible: Is it possible that when speaking of so grave a matter — placing Sarah in such an undesirable situation (in any event) in order to protect himself from mortal danger — the fact that he would receive gifts should play any part (to the extent that it is actually the first reason given for "Please say that you are my sister, so that it may be well with me for your sake")[6]?
2. The Zohar[7] dwells on this and asks: "Would Avraham, who feared sin and was beloved of the Holy One, blessed be He, say such a thing about his wife, in order that they should do good to him?" And it answers that Avraham "did not rely on his own merit, nor did he ask the Holy One, blessed be He, to draw on his merit, but rather on the merit of his wife, that he would profit through her the wealth of the other nations, for a man merits wealth through his wife" (and it explains at length how through "an intelligent wife" one "merits everything"). The Zohar then continues: "And he relied on her merit, that they would not be able to punish him or to defile her, and therefore he did not hesitate[8] to say, 'She is my sister.'"[9]
This too requires examination: The main question of the Zohar, "Would Avraham … say such a thing about his wife in order that they should do good to him?" is, as above, how Avraham could place his wife (Sarah) in such a situation "in order that they should do good to him." To this the plain answer is that Avraham was certain that "they would not be able … to defile her," and therefore "he did not hesitate to say, 'She is my sister.'" Why then does the Zohar say, at the beginning of its answer, that Avraham was confident "that he would profit through her wealth," and elaborate on this, while the main point — that he was certain they would be able to do nothing to her — the Zohar brings only at the end?
Furthermore: At the beginning of its answer the Zohar says, "he did not rely on his own merit, nor did he ask the Holy One, blessed be He, to draw on his merit, but rather etc." — which seemingly has no bearing at all on answering the question, "Would Avraham … say such a thing about his wife in order that they should do good to him?"
3. The explanation of this:
Since G‑d had told Avraham that through "Go for yourself from your land etc." he would merit "and I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great"[10] — and "I will bless you" means with wealth[11] — it was settled in Avraham's mind that the fact that G‑d brought about that Avraham had to leave the Land of Israel ("which was forcing him to leave it"[12]) and "go down to Egypt" was (also) connected with the fulfillment of G‑d's promise "and I will bless you," which is brought about through "Lech Lecha."
And since he saw a way, within the natural order, by which the "I will bless you" with wealth could be accomplished in Egypt[13] — through Sarah's saying that she was his sister[14] — he therefore said, "Please say that you are my sister, so that it may be well with me for your sake"; and so it indeed was in actual fact, that (through her saying so) "and he treated Avram[15] well for her sake, and he had sheep and cattle and donkeys etc."
And just as this is so in the plain sense, so too is it in the inner dimension of the matter: Through "Lech Lecha," Avraham was to attain an ascent (a "going") in spiritual levels, through refining and elevating the sparks of holiness in the world. And the intent was (also) in his descent to Egypt — to refine the sparks of holiness that are found there[16].
And since matters of mitzvos, whose content is the refinement of the sparks of holiness of the world, must generally be carried out in a natural manner[17] — Avraham therefore said to Sarah, "Please say that you are my sister," through which the purpose of his descent into Egypt (Avraham's ascent through the refinement of the sparks) would be accomplished in a natural manner — "so that it may be well with me for your sake."
The question of the Zohar is that according to this approach it will turn out that "they should do good to him" — the "it may be well" (the ascent through the refinement of the sparks) — will be for Avraham alone and not for Sarah. On the contrary: Sarah will find herself among the Egyptians (as was in fact the case — "and the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh"[18]), even though they will not be able to touch her.
The question is thus: How can one say that Avraham should cause such a descent for Sarah (to be in the house of Pharaoh) for the sake of the ascent[19] that he[20] would gain from it?
And although it was clear to Avraham that the purpose of his descent to Egypt was for the sake of the ascent — "it may be well with me" — still, G‑d has many ways; Avraham should have relied on G‑d that this would be accomplished in another manner[21], but not through the descent of Sarah?
To this the Zohar answers: "He did not rely on his own merit … but rather on the merit of his wife, that he would profit through her wealth etc., for a man merits wealth through his wife" — a person merits the gaining of wealth through "his wife." And from this it is understood that so it is in spiritual matters: In order that the ascent through the refinement of the sparks in Egypt be accomplished (his descent to Egypt is not enough; he cannot rely on his own merit; rather) there must be "the merit of his wife"; specifically through her descent into "the house of Pharaoh" will the sparks be elevated ("that he would profit through her the wealth of the other nations").
And since the purpose of the descent is the ascent that will be accomplished through the "intelligent wife" — Sarah — it is understood that in her merit "they would not be able to punish him" (it would not cause any descent for Avraham) "or to defile her" (nor any descent for Sarah).
4. Like all matters of "the deeds of the Fathers," the above matter too is "a sign for the children"[22] — a directive in man's service in the overall descent of the soul into the body in general (and especially in the descent into exile), for Avraham and Sarah allude to the levels of soul and body (as is explained at length in the Zohar[23]).
That is: In the service of Torah and mitzvos and the refinement of the sparks there are two general modes: a) The service is (primarily) through the soul, and it is only that its service is also felt in the body. b) The service is accomplished through the body and with the body; the person serving is not separated and set apart from worldly matters; on the contrary, he descends from his level and enclothes himself in the matters and deeds of this world, which are "harsh and evil, and the wicked prevail in it"[24], and there he fulfills Torah and mitzvos and refines the sparks of holiness that are found there.
In general terms, this is along the lines of what is explained at length in Chassidus[25] regarding the two modes of service of the level of "my sister" and the level of "my wife": these are the two degrees in the love of G‑d, which are akin to the two kinds of love — between brother and sister and between husband and wife:
The hidden love that every Jew has by virtue of his G‑dly soul — a love that is innate to their very nature, and in which no interruption is possible — is akin to the love of brother and sister, which is a natural love stemming from their very birth, and in which no interruption is possible (unlike the love between husband and wife, in which an interruption through divorce is possible).
On the other hand, for this very reason — because the love of brother and sister is a natural matter — there is in this love no thirst and yearning of the soul, and there is in it no complete union, since they are separate bodies.
In contrast, the love that is aroused in (and through) the refinement of the body and the animal soul is akin to the love between husband and wife — for although an interruption is possible in it (since it does not stem from their innate nature), yet specifically in it there is the thirst and yearning of the soul, and the union brought about through it is a complete union, to the point that they become (as) one flesh.
And this is the directive we derive from Avraham's conduct — that the "livelihood" is "in the merit of his wife"[25*] — Sarah: The purpose and completion of the soul's ascent comes through its being sent to descend into the body in a manner of enclothement in the matters of this world, akin to[26] Egypt, even to the house of Pharaoh. And since the intent of the descent is the ascent (through refining the body and the animal soul and its portion in the world), it is understood that "they would not be able to punish him" — there will be no descent in the soul — and also "they would not be able to defile her" — the body will not, G‑d forbid, be sunk in kelipah; on the contrary, both of them are elevated from one height to a greater height.
5. However, this must be understood: All matters of Torah are utterly precise. Since "that he would profit through her the wealth of the other nations" — the refinement of the sparks and the ascent of Avraham — comes by virtue of "the merit of his wife," because she is his wife, how is it that the profit came (in actual fact) through[27] (as Avraham emphasizes, that the "so that it may be well with me" is "for your sake" through) "Please say that you are my sister"?
And similarly in the spiritual service of soul and body: The main ascent comes not through the level of "my sister," through the service of the soul itself, but specifically through the level of "wife" — the service with the body, as above. What then does the "my sister" accomplish in one's service (and as is brought in Chassidus[28], Avraham's saying "my sister"[29] refers to the natural love of the soul, as above)?
This will be understood by first explaining what the Zohar says there[30] (at the beginning of the above passage): "Rabbi Elazar was going to see his father, and Rabbi Abba was with him. Rabbi Abba said: Let us say words of Torah and go on. Rabbi Elazar opened and said: 'Please say that you are my sister' — this verse is difficult etc." (as above).
My father explains in his notes on the Zohar[31]: "He began to expound specifically this verse, because Avraham said this when he was traveling on the way to Egypt with Sarah, and Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Abba are analogous to Avraham and Sarah: for Avraham and Sarah are the levels of Abba and Imma etc., and similarly Rabbi Elazar is the level of Chochmah and Rabbi Abba the level of Binah etc. If so, their traveling on the way is like the traveling of Avraham and Sarah on the way, and Avraham then said, 'Please say that you are my sister'; therefore Rabbi Elazar also began to expound this verse."
It may be said that what was brought to teach is itself taught: From the content of the matter as it relates to Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Abba, the levels of Abba and Imma (Chochmah and Binah), we will understand in greater detail regarding Avraham and Sarah, soul and body:
In the order of the Sefiros, Binah receives the intellect and comprehension of Chochmah[32]; but specifically through the intellect descending into Binah, in a manner of understanding, comprehension and explanation, down to details and details of details[33], an additional elevation is added to the very essence of the idea, which was not present in the idea itself as it stood in Chochmah.
The reason for this is that Binah has a higher root in the intellective power than Chochmah, and therefore through Binah something new is brought about in Chochmah.
However, Binah's effecting an elevation in Chochmah can come only after Binah receives the idea from Chochmah, whereby its root, which is higher than Chochmah, is revealed in Binah, and through this an elevation is added to the idea of Chochmah.
And similarly with regard to husband and wife — as is explained at length[34] in the matter of "an extra measure of understanding (binah) was given to the woman more than to the man"[35] — that although the child comes specifically through the influence of the seed of the man, the formation of the child is specifically through the woman. But since the woman's superiority is an essential matter and concealed, it can come to revelation only through her receiving the influence of the man.
And through this a revelation of supernal light from Above is drawn down also to the man, as well as a blessing that includes both of them: "Male and female He created them, and G‑d blessed them, and G‑d said to them: Be fruitful and multiply etc."[36]
6. Along these lines, and in a similar way, is the explanation also of the above matter of Rabbi Abba and Rabbi Elazar:
The import of their traveling on the way is the descent to refine the matters of the world [as it is in the plain sense: for Rabbi Elazar, the son of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, and Rabbi Abba (of the companions of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai) were people for whom "Torah was their occupation"[37] — detached from worldly matters — traveling on the way (even "to see his father"[38]) was an interruption and a descent — a departure from their state and standing[39]].
And therefore (also) Rabbi Abba says, "Let us say words of Torah," because in order to accomplish in the world one must have the empowerment and assistance of the light of Torah[40]
[as has been spoken of many times[41], that the empowerment for the service of refinement of a businessman, to make the world a dwelling place for Him, may He be blessed, comes not only from the study of Torah at the beginning of the day, when he goes from the synagogue to the house of study[42] (and only afterwards "conducts himself with them in the way of the world"[43]), but also during the business itself he must have the assistance and empowerment of the light of Torah; the elevation of Torah must be felt in him[44] (and this also brings him to "steal" from his business hours for the study of Torah)].
And therefore Rabbi Abba said to Rabbi Elazar (so named after "the G‑d of my father was my help"[45]) that in the traveling on the way itself one needs the help from Above, which comes through "Let us say words of Torah" (also) while they are on the way;
And through this the superiority of the refinement of the sparks within worldly matters (traveling on the way) — by which one makes the world a dwelling place for Him, may He be blessed — is revealed over the service of Torah study in itself.
7. According to this, it is understood also with regard to Avraham and Sarah, and similarly — soul and body:
In the traveling on the way, the descent into Egypt, into exile[46], and similarly the descent of the soul into the body in general, there must be the saying (the influence) of Avraham to Sarah — of the soul into the body;
And this influence consists of "Please say that you are my sister" — that the body should sense the level of "my sister," the superiority of the service and the revelation of the light of the soul.
And through this, the service of "wife" is afterwards properly accomplished — the service and superiority of the body in itself, which has a higher root than the soul; the superiority of the level of "my wife" (the service of the body) over "my sister" (the service of the soul) is revealed.
And this effects the ascent also in the soul — "so that it may be well with me for your sake" — that "one who merits an intelligent wife merits everything"; livelihood in the merit of his wife.
In somewhat different words: Through the service of the soul in the body and by means of the body in its portion in the world — the body in itself being "material, resembling in its materiality the bodies of the nations of the world"[47], so that with the materiality of the world, Egypt — "the nakedness of the land" — one might entertain the notion that the body belongs to them (as with Sarah, "and the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh") — yet through the love and light of the soul, the level of "my sister," shining in it, the love in the body and the animal soul is afterwards also accomplished: the service that is bound up with refining and purifying the body and (through it) its portion in the world. Then the choice of the Essence, which is specifically in the body[48], is revealed also to the soul,
which will be openly so in the Time to Come, when the soul will be nourished from the body[49].
(From a talk of Motzaei Shabbos Parshas Tazria-Metzora, 5739)
Key Lesson
Avraham's instruction to Sarah, "Please say that you are my sister, so that it may be well with me for your sake," reflects the relationship between the soul and the body: the soul's ascent comes not through its own service alone but specifically through the body's descent into the material world and its refinement. Yet that service of the body succeeds only after the soul first shines into it its natural love of G‑d, the level of "my sister." In practice, a Jew engaged in worldly affairs must bring the light of Torah into his business and everyday life, and through this the body and the world themselves are elevated, raising the soul higher than it could reach on its own.