הללויה אשרי איש ירא את ה'. זה שאמר הכתוב (משלי לא ל) שקר החן והבל היופי. אין מתבקש לפני הקב"ה לא יופי ולא עושר. ומהו מתבקש יראת חטא שנאמר (שם) אשה יראת ה' היא תתהלל. כמה עשה אברהם לפני הקב"ה ולא נתהלל אלא שהיה ירא לפניו שנאמר (בראשית כב יב) כי עתה ידעתי כי ירא אלקים אתה. וכן הוא אומר (ירמיה ט כב) אל יתהלל חכם בחכמתו ואל יתהלל וגו'. (שם כג) כי אם בזאת יתהלל המתהלל השכל וידוע אותי. ואין זאת אלא תורה שנאמר (דברים ד מד) וזאת התורה. ואברהם עשה את התורה מאל"ף ועד תי"ו שנאמר (בראשית כו ה) עקב אשר שמע אברהם בקולי. לפיכך נאמר עליו המזמור של מעלה באל"ף בי"ת עם המזמור של אשתו מא' ועד ת'. אשה יראת ה' היא תתהלל. ושניהם עשו את התורה מא' עד ת'. אשרי איש ירא את ה' ולמה אשריו שלא עשה את המצוות באנגריא אלא בשמחה. במצותיו חפץ מאד. אמר לו הקב"ה (שם יב א) לך לך מארצך. לא עשה באנגריא אלא מיד (שם ה) ויקח אברם את שרי אשתו. אמר לו הקב"ה (שם יז יג) המול ימול. לא עכב אלא מיד (שם כו) בעצם היום הזה נימול אברהם. אמר לו הקב"ה (שם כב ב) קח נא את בנך. לא עשה באנגריא אלא מיד (שם ג) וישכם אברהם בבקר. חפץ לעשות מצוה. וכשנולד יצחק בן שמונה ימים הגישו למילה שנאמר (שם כא ד) וימל אברהם את יצחק בנו בן שמונת ימים. והגישו למנחה על גבי המזבח ועשה שמחה ומשתה. ומכאן אמרו חכמים חייב אדם לעשות שמחה ומשתה באותו היום שזוכה למול את בנו כאבינו אברהם שנאמר (שם ח) ויעש אברהם משתה גדול ביום הגמל את יצחק. הוי במצותיו חפץ מאוד:
Hallelujah! Praiseworthy is the person who fears the Lord. As it is written, "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised" (Proverbs 31:30). The Lord does not require beauty or wealth from us, but rather the fear of sin, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord" (Jeremiah 9:24). Abraham did much before the Lord, but he only boasted in his fear of the Lord, as it is written, "Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son" (Genesis 22:12). It is also said, "Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord" (Jeremiah 9:22-23). And this is only the Torah, as it is written, "And this is the Torah" (Deuteronomy 4:44). Abraham fulfilled the entire Torah from Aleph to Tav, as it is written, "Because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions" (Genesis 26:5). Therefore, the psalm of ascent is said about him, from Aleph to Tav, along with the psalm of his wife, from Mem to Tav, "Praiseworthy is the woman who fears the Lord" (Proverbs 31:30). And both of them fulfilled the entire Torah from Aleph to Tav. Praiseworthy is the person who fears the Lord, and why is he praised? Because he did not perform the commandments with anguish, but with joy and with great desire. God said to him, "Go forth from your land" (Genesis 12:1), and he did not hesitate in anguish, but immediately fulfilled the commandment, "So Abram went, as the Lord had told him" (Genesis 12:4). God said to him, "He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised" (Genesis 17:13), and he did not hesitate, but immediately fulfilled the commandment, "On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him" (Genesis 17:23). God said to him, "Take your son, your only son, whom you love--Isaac--and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you" (Genesis 22:2), and he did not hesitate, but immediately fulfilled the commandment, "Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about" (Genesis 22:3). "And Abraham rose early in the morning." He was eager to fulfill the mitzvah. And when Isaac was born, on the eighth day they brought him for circumcision, as it is written (Genesis 21:4), "And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old." They then brought him for the afternoon prayer, and made a feast and celebration. From here the sages said that a person is obligated to make joy and celebration on the day that he circumcises his son, just as our forefather Abraham did, as it is written (Genesis 21:8), "And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned." One should greatly desire to fulfill this mitzvah.
2
גבור בארץ יהיה זרעו. מהו שכרו גבור בארץ יהיה זרעו זה יצחק (שם יב) כי ביצחק יקרא לך זרע. ומהו גבורתו שעשה לעקרה שתלד שנאמר (שם כה כא) ויעתר יצחק ליי'. וכי יש גבור גדול מזה שעשה לעקרה שתלד:
"His offspring will be mighty in the land." What is the reward for this? "His offspring will be mighty in the land" - this refers to Isaac, as it is said, "For through Isaac shall your offspring be named" (Genesis 21:12). And what was his strength? He prayed for his wife to conceive, as it is said, "And Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife" (Genesis 25:21). Is there a greater strength than this, that he prayed for an infertile woman to conceive?
3
דבר אחר גבור בארץ יהיה זרעו. זה יעקב שנאמר (ישעיה מא ח) ועתה ישראל עבדי יעקב אשר בחרתיך זרע אברהם אוהבי. ומהו גבורתו שנטל את המלאך ורפשו לארץ שנאמר (הושע יב ה) וישר אל מלאך. דור ישרים יבורך (בראשית מ״ט:כ״ח) כל אלה שבטי ישראל שנים עשר:
Another explanation: "His offspring will be mighty in the land." This refers to Jacob, as it is said, "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine'" (Isaiah 43:1). And what was his strength? He wrestled with the angel and prevailed, as it is said, "And Jacob wrestled with the angel" (Hosea 12:5). "May the righteous flourish in their days" (Psalm 72:7) - these are the twelve tribes of Israel.
הללויה אשרי איש ירא את ה'. זה שאמר הכתוב (משלי לא ל) שקר החן והבל היופי. אין מתבקש לפני הקב"ה לא יופי ולא עושר. ומהו מתבקש יראת חטא שנאמר (שם) אשה יראת ה' היא תתהלל. כמה עשה אברהם לפני הקב"ה ולא נתהלל אלא שהיה ירא לפניו שנאמר (בראשית כב יב) כי עתה ידעתי כי ירא אלקים אתה. וכן הוא אומר (ירמיה ט כב) אל יתהלל חכם בחכמתו ואל יתהלל וגו'. (שם כג) כי אם בזאת יתהלל המתהלל השכל וידוע אותי. ואין זאת אלא תורה שנאמר (דברים ד מד) וזאת התורה. ואברהם עשה את התורה מאל"ף ועד תי"ו שנאמר (בראשית כו ה) עקב אשר שמע אברהם בקולי. לפיכך נאמר עליו המזמור של מעלה באל"ף בי"ת עם המזמור של אשתו מא' ועד ת'. אשה יראת ה' היא תתהלל. ושניהם עשו את התורה מא' עד ת'. אשרי איש ירא את ה' ולמה אשריו שלא עשה את המצוות באנגריא אלא בשמחה. במצותיו חפץ מאד. אמר לו הקב"ה (שם יב א) לך לך מארצך. לא עשה באנגריא אלא מיד (שם ה) ויקח אברם את שרי אשתו. אמר לו הקב"ה (שם יז יג) המול ימול. לא עכב אלא מיד (שם כו) בעצם היום הזה נימול אברהם. אמר לו הקב"ה (שם כב ב) קח נא את בנך. לא עשה באנגריא אלא מיד (שם ג) וישכם אברהם בבקר. חפץ לעשות מצוה. וכשנולד יצחק בן שמונה ימים הגישו למילה שנאמר (שם כא ד) וימל אברהם את יצחק בנו בן שמונת ימים. והגישו למנחה על גבי המזבח ועשה שמחה ומשתה. ומכאן אמרו חכמים חייב אדם לעשות שמחה ומשתה באותו היום שזוכה למול את בנו כאבינו אברהם שנאמר (שם ח) ויעש אברהם משתה גדול ביום הגמל את יצחק. הוי במצותיו חפץ מאוד:
Hallelujah! Praiseworthy is the person who fears the Lord. As it is written, "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised" (Proverbs 31:30). The Lord does not require beauty or wealth from us, but rather the fear of sin, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord" (Jeremiah 9:24). Abraham did much before the Lord, but he only boasted in his fear of the Lord, as it is written, "Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son" (Genesis 22:12). It is also said, "Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord" (Jeremiah 9:22-23). And this is only the Torah, as it is written, "And this is the Torah" (Deuteronomy 4:44). Abraham fulfilled the entire Torah from Aleph to Tav, as it is written, "Because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions" (Genesis 26:5). Therefore, the psalm of ascent is said about him, from Aleph to Tav, along with the psalm of his wife, from Mem to Tav, "Praiseworthy is the woman who fears the Lord" (Proverbs 31:30). And both of them fulfilled the entire Torah from Aleph to Tav. Praiseworthy is the person who fears the Lord, and why is he praised? Because he did not perform the commandments with anguish, but with joy and with great desire. God said to him, "Go forth from your land" (Genesis 12:1), and he did not hesitate in anguish, but immediately fulfilled the commandment, "So Abram went, as the Lord had told him" (Genesis 12:4). God said to him, "He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised" (Genesis 17:13), and he did not hesitate, but immediately fulfilled the commandment, "On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him" (Genesis 17:23). God said to him, "Take your son, your only son, whom you love--Isaac--and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you" (Genesis 22:2), and he did not hesitate, but immediately fulfilled the commandment, "Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about" (Genesis 22:3). "And Abraham rose early in the morning." He was eager to fulfill the mitzvah. And when Isaac was born, on the eighth day they brought him for circumcision, as it is written (Genesis 21:4), "And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old." They then brought him for the afternoon prayer, and made a feast and celebration. From here the sages said that a person is obligated to make joy and celebration on the day that he circumcises his son, just as our forefather Abraham did, as it is written (Genesis 21:8), "And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned." One should greatly desire to fulfill this mitzvah.
גבור בארץ יהיה זרעו. מהו שכרו גבור בארץ יהיה זרעו זה יצחק (שם יב) כי ביצחק יקרא לך זרע. ומהו גבורתו שעשה לעקרה שתלד שנאמר (שם כה כא) ויעתר יצחק ליי'. וכי יש גבור גדול מזה שעשה לעקרה שתלד:
"His offspring will be mighty in the land." What is the reward for this? "His offspring will be mighty in the land" - this refers to Isaac, as it is said, "For through Isaac shall your offspring be named" (Genesis 21:12). And what was his strength? He prayed for his wife to conceive, as it is said, "And Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife" (Genesis 25:21). Is there a greater strength than this, that he prayed for an infertile woman to conceive?
דבר אחר גבור בארץ יהיה זרעו. זה יעקב שנאמר (ישעיה מא ח) ועתה ישראל עבדי יעקב אשר בחרתיך זרע אברהם אוהבי. ומהו גבורתו שנטל את המלאך ורפשו לארץ שנאמר (הושע יב ה) וישר אל מלאך. דור ישרים יבורך (בראשית מ״ט:כ״ח) כל אלה שבטי ישראל שנים עשר:
Another explanation: "His offspring will be mighty in the land." This refers to Jacob, as it is said, "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine'" (Isaiah 43:1). And what was his strength? He wrestled with the angel and prevailed, as it is said, "And Jacob wrestled with the angel" (Hosea 12:5). "May the righteous flourish in their days" (Psalm 72:7) - these are the twelve tribes of Israel.