Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Sarai's Emuna

When Sarai saw that she was close to eighty years old and had not yet had any children, she said to Avram her husband, "I believe that I have been able to determine prophetically why I cannot have children. People tell me that I can become fertile through medical treatments or magical charms, but I will not make use of them. I am certain that Hashem has prevented me from having children because of some sin that I have committed. I wish to do a good deed by freeing my slave girl, and allowing her to marry you. My anguish at seeing you take a second wife should atone for my sin and Hashem should have mercy on me. Although Hagar is a granddaughter of Nimrod, and therefore a descendant of the accursed Ham, I see prophetically that Hashem will permit you to marry her."

(Yafeh Toar)