Vayeira 18:10 · EXTRA

Supplementary classical material; Torah Temimah lists no citation under this passuk.

The Complete Passuk

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר שׁ֣וֹב אָשׁ֤וּב אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ כָּעֵ֣ת חַיָּ֔ה וְהִנֵּה־בֵ֖ן לְשָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ וְשָׂרָ֥ה שֹׁמַ֛עַת פֶּ֥תַח הָאֹ֖הֶל וְה֥וּא אַחֲרָֽיו׃

And he said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and behold, a son will be born to Sarah your wife.” And Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.

Source Citation

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text

שׁוֹב אָשׁוּב. לֹא בִשְּׂרוֹ הַמַּלְאָךְ שֶׁיָּשׁוּב אֵלָיו, אֶלָּא בִּשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם אָמַר לוֹ, כְּמוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ מַלְאַךְ ה׳ הַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה, וְהוּא אֵין בְּיָדוֹ לְהַרְבּוֹת, אֶלָּא בִּשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם; אַף כָּאן בִּשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם אָמַר לוֹ כֵּן.

English: “I will surely return.” The angel was not announcing that he himself would return; rather he spoke as the agent of the Omnipresent. Just as the angel said to Hagar “I will greatly multiply,” though multiplication was not in his power but only as God’s agent, so here he spoke as God’s agent.

On the daf / in context: Rashi (from Bereishis Rabbah) clarifies that the promise of a son is from Hashem, conveyed through the angel; the language of return belongs to the Sender, not the messenger.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Rashi / Midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The angel’s wording is read as agency language rather than personal commitment.

What Is Learned

When an angel speaks in the first person of a divine act, the words are those of Hashem speaking through His messenger; the promise of Yitzchak’s birth is therefore a direct divine assurance.