114. "And it came to pass, when Abraham came to Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair" (Beresheet 12:14). Rabbi Yehuda said, He brought her to Egypt in a closed carriage. And the Egyptians opened the carriage to collect taxes from it. But as the carriage was opened, there was light resembling the light of the sun. THIS MEANS THAT THE LIGHT OF SARAH, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF THE MOON, WAS AS STRONG AS THE LIGHT OF THE SUN, ACCORDING TO THE SECRET OF THE "TWO GREAT LIGHTS!" And this is why it is written, "she was very fair."

115. AND HE ASKS, What DOES THE VERSE ALLUDE TO BY USING THE WORD 'very?' AND HE REPLIES THAT THE EGYPTIANS saw in the carriage a different light. They took her out OF THE CARRIAGE, and they saw that she remained as fair as before, AS FAIR AS SHE WAS IN THE CARRIAGE. THIS MEANS THAT THE ACTION OF THE EGYPTIANS DID NOT DO HER ANY DAMAGE. HER BEAUTY WAS NOT CORRUPTED; IT REMAINED AS BEFORE, AS WHEN SHE WAS IN THE CARRIAGE. Therefore it is written, "The ministers of Pharaoh saw her." AND SO HE ASKS, Since it is written that 'the Egyptians beheld the woman,' why do I read, 'The ministers of Pharaoh saw her,' AS THEY TOO WERE EGYPTIANS? AND HE REPLIES, Because they took her out OF THE CARRIAGE; and saw that she remained AS FAIR as before - THAT IS, AS SHE WAS IN THE CARRIAGE. And then they "commended her before Pharaoh, and the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house."

116. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Woe to those wicked people of the world, as they do not know and do not observe IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND that everything that exists in the world comes from the Holy One, blessed be He. THIS MEANS THAT HE ALONE HAS DONE, CONTINUES DOING, AND SHALL DO ALL THE ACTIONS IN THE WORLD. And that He knew from the beginning what the end shall be, as it is written, "Declaring the end from the beginning..." (Yeshayah 46:10). And He watches and performs the actions from the beginning, so that they can later be repeated TO COMPLETION.

117. Come and behold, had Sarah not been taken to Pharaoh, he would not have been plagued. And the result of Pharaoh's plague was another plague, so the Egyptians suffered great plagues AS YISRAEL LEFT EGYPT. It is written, "great plagues," in this passage, and, AS YISRAEL LEFT EGYPT, it is written, "And Hashem showed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt" (Devarim 6:22). HE MAKES AN ANALOGY BETWEEN THE TWO TIMES WHEN THE WORD "GREAT" IS USED. Because there were ten plagues, PHARAOH ALSO SUFFERED ten plagues here. And just as the Holy One, blessed be He, performed miracles and showed His great might during the night, so here as well, the Holy One, blessed be He, performed miracles and mighty deeds at night. SO, AS HE WAS INFLICTING THE PLAGUES UPON PHARAOH, FOR THE SAKE OF SARAH, HE WAS WATCHING AND OBSERVING THE WAY HE WAS GOING TO REPEAT THEM TO PERFECTION DURING THE EXODUS OF YISRAEL FROM EGYPT.

118. Rabbi Yosi opened the discussion by saying, "But you, Hashem, are a shield for me; my glory, and the one who lifts up my head" (Tehilim 3:4). David said, Even if all the people of the world come and make war with me, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OVERCOME ME, BECAUSE "You, Hashem, are a shield for me." Come and behold, it is written, "a shield for me." David said to the Holy One, blessed be He, Master of the Universe, why is there no blessing that ends with my name, as there is for Abraham, of whom it is written, "I am your shield" (Beresheet 15:1) and therefore it is said, 'the shield of Abraham.' SO WHY DO THEY NOT CONCLUDE A BLESSING WITH MY NAME, 'THE PROTECTOR OF DAVID?'

119. So the Holy One, blessed be He, answered David, "As for Abraham, I have already tried and tested him, and he resisted THE TEST and was found before me to be wholly steadfast." David said to Him, "Examine me, Hashem, and prove me, purify my kidneys and my heart!" (Tehilim 26:2) But when he became involved in the matter of Bathsheba, David remembered what he had said to the Holy One, blessed be He, and said, "You have proved my heart, You have visited it in the night. You have tried me, but You did find nothing; Let no presumptuous thought pass my lips" (Tehilim 17:3).

120. I said, "Examine me, Hashem, and prove me," and 'You have examined my heart' BY BATHSHEBA; I said, 'purify my kidneys' and "You have tried me, but You did find nothing." "Let no presumptuous thought pass my lips;" How I wish that the thoughts of my mind would not have been uttered with my mouth AND I WOULD NOT HAVE PROCLAIMED, "EXAMINE ME, HASHEM, AND PROVE ME."

121. But nevertheless, there is a blessing that concludes with the words, "the Shield of David." For this reason, David said, "But you, Hashem, are a shield for me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head." THIS MEANS THAT HE SAID, "This grade OF 'SHIELD' is certainly 'my glory' by which I am crowned."

122. "And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away..." (Beresheet 21:20). Come and behold, The Holy One, blessed be He, is the protector of the righteous, who shields them from being ruled by other people. So the Holy One, blessed be He, protected Abraham, so no one could harm him or his wife.

123. Come and behold, the Shechinah did not leave Sarah at all during that night. When Pharaoh approached her, an angel came and hit him. And whenever Sarah said, "Hit," he hit. All the while Abraham was begging his Master through his prayers, not to allow anyone to harm her. Therefore, it is written, "But the righteous are bold (trusting) as a lion" (Mishlei 28:1). Here was a trial by which Hashem tested Abraham, but Abraham had no doubts about the Holy One, blessed be He.