בראשית, פרק כ׳, פסוק ט״ז

Following a tense and dangerous encounter, King Abimelech of Gerar attempts to appease Sarah, restore her dignity, and publicly clear her name. His address to her is a complex blend of conciliation, self-justification, and subtle criticism regarding her and Abraham's choice to conceal their marriage. The king announces that he has given a vast sum of a thousand pieces of silver to her brother. The primary approach among commentators views this as an enormous fortune. Some interpret this amount as the total value of the livestock and slaves Abimelech had already transferred to Abraham [רש״י, רמב״ן, רבנו בחיי, בכור שור], while others understand it as an additional monetary gift specifically intended for purchasing luxurious garments [רד״ק, ספורנו]. Abimelech's choice to refer to Abraham as her brother is highly intentional, carrying a tone of irony and refined rebuke. He emphasizes that the compensation is being given to the very man she chose to present as her sibling rather than her husband [רש״י, רא״ש, חזקוני, דעת זקנים].

The central theme of the king's message involves a concept of covering the eyes, which sparks multiple interpretations. The primary approach understands this metaphorically as the ultimate vindication of Sarah's purity. The exorbitant sum Abimelech is forced to pay acts as a shield, blinding the public from looking at her with disdain or suspicion. It becomes universally clear that a monarch would never part with such wealth unless compelled by God to return a prophet's wife completely unharmed [רש״י, רשב״ם, רמב״ן, רבנו בחיי, מלבי״ם, בכור שור]. Conversely, another perspective takes the king's words literally, suggesting the funds were meant for purchasing a veil or colorful garment. This physical covering would properly identify her as a dignified, married woman, signaling to all that she is unavailable [רד״ק, ספורנו, שד״ל, מחוקקי יהודה]. Other interpretations shift the focus entirely. Some argue that Abraham himself is the protective covering [אבן עזרא, העמק דבר, רלב״ג], while others suggest that the very act of presenting Abraham as a brother was the true covering of eyes, an intentional obscuring of the truth [אבן עזרא, חזקוני]. Additionally, a Midrashic tradition views the king's words as a curse hurled at Sarah for her deception, a curse that tragically materialized years later when her son Isaac lost his eyesight in his old age [תורה תמימה, הדר זקנים, יהל אור].

The implications of this event extend to Sarah's immediate household and to the broader world [רש״י, רשב״ם, ספורנו, רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. Some view this as a practical directive. While referring to Abraham as a brother might be acceptable in the privacy of their home among those who know the truth, she must publicly declare her marriage to the outside world to prevent future incidents [רא״ש, תולדות יצחק, דעת זקנים, הדר זקנים]. The conclusion of the encounter centers on whether the outcome is one of vindication or rebuke. Many commentators assert that Sarah emerges with a definitive proof of her innocence, possessing a triumphant claim to demonstrate her purity to everyone [רש״י, רשב״ם, ספורנו, ביאור יש״ר]. Others read the conclusion as a moral reprimand, with Abimelech demanding that Sarah learn from the ordeal and cease hiding her marital status [אבן עזרא, רד״ק, רא״ש, חזקוני]. A unique view suggests that Sarah was not easily pacified and continued to argue with the king over the injustice she suffered [רמב״ן, העמק דבר]. Finally, a subtle grammatical detail shifts the entire perspective of the closing thought. Because the final word of the narrative is phrased in the third person rather than the second person, it is understood not as the direct speech of Abimelech, but as the enduring testimony of Moses. The author of the Torah steps in to confirm that Sarah internalized the rebuke, and from that moment forward, she never again referred to Abraham as her brother [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, אבי עזר, מחוקקי יהודה].