Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Two Types Of Beauty

This is on Lech Lecha but I didn't see this until now and there is a similar story in our parsha as well.  וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הִקְרִ֖יב לָב֣וֹא מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־שָׂרַ֣י אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ הִנֵּה־נָ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֛י אִשָּׁ֥ה יְפַת־מַרְאֶ֖ה אָֽתְּ.  How did Avraham not know what Sarah looked like before?  The first Biur HaGra in Even Haezer says that חן  refers to an external beauty and שקר החן is referring to the תכשיטין of a woman.  That is what is means Ester was נושאות חן even though she had a yellowish complexion because she had an external חוט של חסד. The word יופי refers to a natural beauty and that is what הבל היופי refers to.  

The commentary Birchat Eliyahu on the Gra brings in the name of the Gra that is the peshat in this possuk.  Avraham thought maybe Sara's beauty was only because of the חן that she had, her adornments and charm.  However, not that they were going to Mitzraim she would specifically look disheveled and would not appear attractive.  Still Avraham saw אִשָּׁ֥ה יְפַת־מַרְאֶ֖ה אָֽתְּ, your יפה מראה is innate, in you, not because of external factors, and that the Egyptians will jump upon.

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