November 21, 2020

 
Thought for Today
 

Painting by Tissot:  Egyptians admiring Sarah's beauty.

“And it came to pass, that when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld …”  [Genesis 12: 14].
 
[Only Abram is mentioned as having come into Egypt] – where was Sarah? 
 
Abram put her in a box and locked her in it so that the Egyptians should not see her.
 
When Abram reached the portals of Egypt, the customs people  asked, “What are you carrying in this  box?” 
 
He replied, “Barley.” 
 
Said they, “You are carrying [something more valuable] wheat.”
 
“Very well,” he replied, charge me the duty on wheat.” 
 
“You are carrying pepper,”
 
“Charge me the duty on pepper.”
 
“You are carrying gold.” 
 
“Charge me the duty on gold.”
 
“You are carrying silks.”
 
“Charge me the duty on silks.”
 
“You are carrying precious stones.”
 
“Charge me the duty on precious stones.” 
 
They figured: If he did not have something of extraordinary worth in his possession, he would not have agreed to whatever duty was asked of him. So they said to him, “You will not stir from here until you open the box and show us what is inside.”
 
When he opened the box, all of Egypt was illuminated by the radiance of Sarah’s beauty.
 

From the Hebrew

Tanhuma, Lekh Lekha