Vayeira 20:12 · unit 1

Parashas Vayeira · Passuk 20:12

The Complete Passuk

וְגַם־אׇמְנָ֗ה אֲחֹתִ֤י בַת־אָבִי֙ הִ֔וא אַ֖ךְ לֹ֣א בַת־אִמִּ֑י וַתְּהִי־לִ֖י לְאִשָּֽׁה׃

And also, indeed, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sanhedrin 58b.

TT lemma: אחותי בת אבי.

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 58b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אֲחֹתִי בַת אָבִי. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁאָחוֹת מִן הָאֵם אֲסוּרָה לְבֶן נֹחַ.

English: “My sister, the daughter of my father.” This teaches that a sister from the mother is forbidden to a child of Noach.

On the daf / in context: Avraham’s careful distinction (paternal but not maternal sister) implies that a maternal sister is already prohibited under Noachide law.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The negative implication of the phrasing establishes a Noachide incest prohibition.

What Is Learned

A maternal sister is forbidden to a Noachide; Avraham’s statement that Sarah was his father’s daughter but not his mother’s implies the maternal prohibition already existed.