Parshat Vayeira: Sarah, Avraham's Sister

This week I was asked to prepare a podcast on the parsha for KOACH.  Here is a link to the recording, and below is the script.

This week we read the Torah portion of Vayeira.  While it is replete with action-packed stories and plenty of drama, I would like to focus on one story that seems to be a near repeat of something that occurred in last week’s parsha, Lech Lecha.  In Lech Lecha, when Avraham and Sarah go into Egypt, the Torah tells us that Avraham said to his wife: If the Egyptians see you and think “she is his wife,” they will kill me and let you live.  Please say that you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that I may remain alive on your behalf.  (Genesis 12:12-13)

Similarly in this week’s parsha, when Avraham and Sarah enter the land of Gerar, the Torah relates: Avraham said of Sarah his wife, “she is my sister.”  So King Avimelech of Gerar had Sarah brought to him. (Genesis 20:2)

My initial reading of these verses left me with an odd feeling.  It is hard to believe that Avraham would throw his wife under the bus for a second time!  The first time that Avraham and Sarah play the brother-sister card, the Ramban comments:

Know that our father Avraham sinned grievously, albeit inadvertently, in placing a sinful obstacle in the path of his virtuous wife because he feared for his life….  He should have trusted in the Lord.

I understand the Ramban’s criticism, but I can also reasonably believe that Avraham had good intentions.  Pharaoh and Egypt represent impurity and immorality; they are a corrupt society and Avraham did what he felt was necessary.  But this week, the situation in parshat Vayeira is different.  Avraham is not dealing with Pharaoh, but with Avimelech of Gerar – a land that seems to be just and righteous – the land in which Avraham will raise Isaac.  As Ramban says: [Avimelech was] innocent and just and his people as well are good, but Avraham suspected them and would say to everyone ‘She is my sister.’  I would add that not only was Avimelech innocent, he was God-fearing.  God even appeared to him in a dream to tell him of his sin for taking a married woman.  Avimelech replies to this claim: O Lord, will You slay people even though innocent?  [Avraham] said to me, ‘She is my sister!’ And she also said, ‘He is my brother.’  When I did this, my heart was blameless and my hands were clean.  And God then agrees that Avimelech was innocent!  

Given this situation, I am not sure what to make of Avraham’s actions.  So I would like to propose that perhaps my focus on Avraham, is misplaced.  Sarah is also an integral character. 

Immediately after the story with Avimelech concludes, we read:

The Lord took note of Sarah as He had promised, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken.  Sarah conceived and bore a son to Avraham in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken. {Genesis 21: 1-2)

We are well aware the God gave Avraham ten trials to prove his loyalty to God, with the final one being the Akeidah, the binding of Isaac.  Could it be that Sarah, our foremother, also had her faith tested?  Could it be that one (or, rather, two) of her tests was how she reacted in an unknown and fearful situation, living in the house of Pharaoh and then Avimelech? 

I am not aware of this stance being taken by any Torah commentaries, but I would like to propose that is was not just Avraham that was tested before being granted a son through which the Jewish nation would begin.  After all, Avraham alone could not father and raise the would-be Isaac.  An equally faithful, upright, smart and caring woman was needed.  Sarah too was being tested by being uprooted from her homeland, by showing generosity for spontaneous guests, by going through the pain of seeing her maidservant give birth to her husband’s child, and through the fright of living in the houses of Pharaoh and Avimelech.  Sarah and Avraham both needed a superhuman amount of internal strength to live through the ups and downs that God dealt them.  We, the Jewish people of today, do not come only from an extraordinary man, but also from an extraordinary woman.  Shabbat Shalom.