עברית
Faith
Were Abraham and Sarah Siblings?
Question
I am somewhat confused... According to Rashi's commentary at the end of Parashat Noach, Yiskah is Sarah, and thus Sarah is Abraham's niece since Yiskah is the daughter of Haran... In Parashat Vayera, Abraham tells Avimelech that Sarah is his sister on his father's side, not his mother's side (I don't understand this phrase... What does it mean to be a sister from the father's side and not the mother's?). Additionally, I saw an opinion that Sarah was two generations younger than Abraham, meaning Abraham was her great-uncle. I would appreciate some clarification on this confusion. Also, I want to understand the whole matter regarding Rebecca's age (that she was three years old)—is this really to be taken literally? Thank you very much for all the sacred work you do; you are amazing!!! Moshiach now!
Answer
Greetings and blessing, It is written explicitly in the verse Genesis 11:29, "And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Nahor took Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Yiskah." The Sages explain that Yiskah is Sarah, hence it is clear that Abraham took Sarah, the daughter of Haran, who was Abraham our forefather's brother. Therefore, he took his niece. Haran was born to a different wife of Terach, as explained in Genesis 20:12 and in Rashi there: "'She is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother' — Haran was from a different mother." Regarding Rebecca, she was indeed three years old according to the simple meaning of the verse.
Blessings, Binyamin Shmueli
