Parashas Lech Lecha - Who Hates Gifts? Avram Did!

In this week's Parasha, Hashem commands Avram, “Go from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house, to the land I will show you.” A little before the second aliya, it says that Avram traveled to Egypt to live there (temporarily) since there was a famine in the place he was staying.

Before he entered Egypt, Avram told Sarai, “[Because of your beauty,] say you're my sister so that it will go well for my sake, and my life will be spared because of you.”

Rashi explains, “...so that it will go well for my sake,” means “so that they will give me gifts.”

I thought it's pretty strange that Avram would anticipate receiving gifts because (a) Avram was very wealthy and (b) because it says in Mishlei, [15:27] “One who hates gifts will live [a long life.]”

[The Rambam [hilchos zchia u'matana 12:17] brings in this halacha and the Magid Mishna comments, “Someone wise should feel he has everything he needs and that everything he has is enough; he shouldn't ask for more.” The Shulchan Aruch [hilchos matana, siman 249:5] says, “It's a commendable trait to not receive gifts, rather one should have faith in Hashem that He will give him everything he needs.” The Meiras Enayim says that a person who likes receiving gifts will have to flatter those who shouldn't be flattered and won't reproof those who do bad things.]

Avram was worried the Egyptians would kill him; so he told Sarai to say she's his sister, so that the Egyptians will shower him with gifts – which, according to Mishlei, is something which shortens life. It's a bit contradicting, isn't it?

The Kli Yaker on this posuk answers that although Avram took the gifts, he used none of it for himself! He saved it and then gave them all to the Bnei Pilagshim (as we see in Parashas Chayei Sara 25:6) who were the children of Hagar Hamitzris, an Egyptian princess who was sent along with Avram as a maidservant. [Since it's better to be a maidservant in the house of Avram than to be a princess in the house of Pharo.

May we all live ad me'ah v'esrim shana – a long life filled with happiness and health! (The only gift we need.)

Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso