Chayei Sarah 24:3 · unit 1

Parashas Chayei Sarah · Passuk 24:3

The Complete Passuk

וְאַשְׁבִּ֣יעֲךָ֔ בַּֽיהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וֵֽאלֹהֵ֖י הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־תִקַּ֤ח אִשָּׁה֙ לִבְנִ֔י מִבְּנוֹת֙ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י יוֹשֵׁ֥ב בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃

and I will make you swear by Hashem, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I dwell,

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sifrei Haazinu.

TT lemma: ואלהי הארץ.

Sefaria — Sifrei Devarim (Haazinu)

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָּא אַבְרָהָם לֹא הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּא עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם בִּלְבַד, וּמִשֶּׁבָּא אַבְרָהָם הִמְלִיכוֹ עַל הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַל הָאָרֶץ כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאַשְׁבִּיעֲךָ בַּה׳ אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וֵאלֹהֵי הָאָרֶץ.

English: Before Avraham came, the Holy One was King only over the heavens; once Avraham came, he made Him King over the heavens and over the earth, as it is said “I will make you swear by Hashem, the God of heaven and the God of the earth.”

On the daf / in context: Sifrei on Haazinu and parallel sources credit Avraham with expanding the recognition of God’s kingship from heaven alone to heaven and earth together.

Type of Learning

Custom (Sifrei — Avraham establishes God’s kingship on earth)

What Is Learned

Avraham is the one who proclaimed God’s sovereignty over both heaven and earth; the oath formula “God of heaven and God of the earth” records that achievement.