BESIDE THE FIRST FAMINE THAT WAS IN THE DAYS OF ABRAHAM. Perhaps¹ there was no famine in the world until the days of Abraham. This is why Scripture counts from it, for otherwise, what need is there to mention it? In my opinion the correct reason why Scripture mentions it is to tell us that people remembered the first famine, mentioning that on account of it Abraham went down to Egypt and there G-d did him great honor. It was for this reason that Isaac wanted to go in his father's footsteps by descending into Egypt until it was said to him, Go not down into Egypt.⁠² The reason for the prohibition has been stated by our Rabbis: "You [Isaac] are a perfect burnt-offering and residence outside of the Land of Israel does not befit you.⁠"³
In my opinion, there is also included in this subject a reference to the future. Abraham's exile into Egypt on account of the famine is an allusion to the exile of his children there.⁠⁴ His going to Abimelech⁵ however was not an exile for he resided there of his own volition. But Isaac's going [to the land of Abimelech, as recorded here in this verse, And Isaac went unto Abimelech] on account of the famine, does allude to an exile since he left his place against his will and went to another land. Now Isaac's exile was from his own place to the land of the Philistines, which was the land in which his father had resided. This alludes to the Babylonian Exile, which took place in the land in which their ancestors had resided, namely, Ur of the Chaldees.⁠⁶
Know further that this Babylonian Exile mentioned is mirrored in the events which befell Isaac in that they did not take his wife⁷ in the land of the Philistines. Rather, his lot there was only exile and fear. At the beginning Abimelech said, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.⁠⁸ Later he regretted it and said, Go from us.⁠⁹ Afterwards, he returned and made a covenant with Isaac¹⁰ Similarly, in the Babylonian Exile, they were exiled there because of the burning heat of famine,⁠¹¹ and while there, they were neither subjugated, nor were they treated harshly. On the contrary, their leaders were princes in the government. Later on, they said, Whosoever there is among you of all His people — his G-d be with him — let him go up,⁠¹² even alerting the princes and governors beyond the River¹³ to help them. Later on, they ceased work [on the House of G-d in Jerusalem], and it ceased "for a season and a time.⁠"¹⁴ Later, they again changed their policy and gave permission for the construction of the House of G-d, saying, That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savor unto the G-d of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons.⁠¹⁵

TO ABIMELECH, KING OF THE PHILISTINES. It is not known whether this is the same Abimelech who lived in the days of Abraham¹⁶ or whether every Philistine king was so called, for in the time of David he was also called Abimelech.⁠¹⁷ Onkelos, however, is of the opinion that the Abimelech with whom Isaac dealt was a son [of the one mentioned in the account of Abraham].⁠¹⁸
The reason that Isaac went to Abimelech was that he intended to go down to Egypt, so he went to Abimelech, his father's confederate, in the hope that perhaps he would deal kindly with him in the days of the famine, thus making it unnecessary for him to go down to Egypt. Now Abimelech, on account of his covenant with Abraham, did not harm him or his family at all. However, the men of the place¹⁹ asked Isaac, in mere quest, concerning his wife, and he said, She is my sister.⁠²⁰ Even so, neither the king nor any of his men touched her for they remembered the affair of Abraham.⁠²¹ Hence Abimelech said, One of the people might lightly have lain,⁠²² meaning to say, "I Abimelech did not touch her, and I was careful concerning her, but one of the men of the land might easily have stumbled, and then you would have made us incur guilt, as we sinned in the matter of your father.⁠"

DWELL IN THE LAND WHICH I SHALL TELL THEE OF. It is incomprehensible that G-d should tell Isaac at one time, Dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of, [and in the following verse continue], Sojourn in this land,⁠¹ [and in both cases be referring to the same land]. Instead, its explanation is as follows: "Go not down into Egypt, and dwell all your days in the land which I shall tell you from time to time. At the bidding of G-d you should move, and at the bidding of G-d you should encamp,⁠² and right now, sojourn in this land, the land of the Philistines, for unto thee and unto thy seed I will give it, even as it is written, Counted to the Canaanites are the five lords of the Philistines.⁠"³
It is possible that [the event referred to in the beginning of the verse], And the Lord appeared unto him, and said … dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of, happened earlier so that before Isaac left his place it was said to him, "Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of when you will be there. Now dwell in this land, the land of Canaan, which will comprise many peoples and many lands, for I now command that you should not leave it forever for all these lands will I give to thy seed.⁠" Following this command, Isaac journeyed from his place because of the famine to go into all the lands of Canaan, to dwell in the land which He would tell him. And when he came to Gerar, He said to him, "Dwell here.⁠" It was not necessary however for Scripture to detail this for it is known that Isaac would not transgress the command of G-d.⁠⁴ A similar case of interpretation appears in the verse, Upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of,⁠⁵ as I mentioned there.

AND I WILL FULFILL THE OATH WHICH I SWORE UNTO ABRAHAM THY FATHER. There is no need for the Holy One, blessed be He, to assure Isaac that He will not violate the oath which He swore to his father, for He is not a man, that He should repent.⁠¹ Abraham had no other seed upon whom a covenant had been established with G-d except Isaac. The oath, moreover, was not given on condition. In the case of Jacob,⁠² it was necessary that he be given such assurance on account of his brother Esau. He was thus saying that in him [Jacob] and his seed will the covenant be fulfilled, not in Esau. [But in the case of Isaac, why was it necessary that he be given such a promise?]
It would appear then that this expression, Vehakimothi eth hashevuah, is itself an oath.⁠³ It is for this reason that the Torah always says, The land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob;⁴ Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Thy servants, to whom Thou didst swear by Thine own self.⁠⁵ For we find no source for an oath having been given to Isaac except this verse.
Now it was the desire of the Holy One, blessed be He, to swear to each one of the patriarchs to let it be known that each one was worthy of the covenant being made with him alone, and that the merit of each one stands before Him together with their seed. Even though the previous one suffices, it is an additional merit and honor to them.⁠⁶ It is for this reason He said, Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land,⁠⁷ since all of them had the distinction of G-d having made a covenant with them.
It is possible that He promised something additional to Isaac through this oath, namely, that He will fulfill in him himself, the oath He had sworn to Abraham his father, i.e., that he [Isaac] will be a blessing among the nations, even as He said to Abraham his father, And all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves with thy seed.⁠⁸ The explanation of the verse before us will thus be: "And I will fulfill in thee the oath which I swore unto Abraham thy father since you will be a blessing among the nations.⁠" Similarly, He also says in the case of Jacob, And in thee and in thy seed shall all of the families of the earth be blessed.⁠⁹

AND HE KEPT MY CHARGE. Rashi comments: "As a reward that Abraham hearkened to My voice when I tested him. And he kept My charge — these are the precautionary decrees instituted by the Sages, which are intended to make us avoid the violation of Biblical laws, such as Second Degrees of forbidden marriages and certain prohibited acts on the Sabbath. My commandments — these are precepts which, had they not been written in the Torah, were requisite to have been written, such as robbery and murder. My statutes — these are matters against which the evil inclination and the heathen nations argue, such as the prohibitions against eating the swine and the wearing of garments woven of wool and linen, there being no apparent rationale for them except that they are decrees of the King imposed on His subjects. And My laws — the plural is intended to include, [besides the Written Law], the Oral Law as well as those rules given to Moses from Sinai.⁠" [Thus far the words of Rashi.]
Now if so, all this interpretation is posited on the opinion that Abraham fulfilled and observed the Torah before it was given on Sinai. This is indeed what the Sages of the Midrash said in connection with the verse, And Joseph gave them 'agaloth' (wagons),⁠¹ thereby indicating to his father that when he left him they were studying the section dealing with Eglah Arufah.⁠² Thus Joseph occupied himself with Torah just as his fathers did. Though the Torah had not yet been given, it is still written of Abraham, And he kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.⁠³ There the Sages also said⁴ that Abraham observed the details of the Torah, which he taught to his children, etc.⁠⁵
The question presents itself: If it be the case [that the laws of the Torah were observed by our ancestors before the Torah was given on Sinai], how did Jacob erect a pillar⁶ and marry two sisters in their lifetime,⁠⁷ and, in the opinion of our Rabbis, four sisters.⁠⁸ Also, Amram [Moses' father] married his aunt,⁠⁹ and Moses our teacher erected twelve pillars.⁠¹⁰ How then was it possible that they should be permissive in matters of Torah which Abraham their ancestor had prohibited on himself, and for which G-d appointed him reward, when he [Abraham] was wont to command his children and his household after him¹¹ to walk in His ways? In the case of Jacob the Sages taught that he observed the Sabbath and established borders for Sabbath distances.⁠¹² In this matter of the Sabbath it is possible though that Jacob observed it because it is equal in importance to the entire Torah since it testifies to the act of Creation.
Perhaps then we should say that My charge refers to the Second Degree of marriages which were forbidden to the Sons of Noah;⁠¹³ My commandments applies to robbery and murder; My statutes refers to the laws against eating a limb torn off from a live animal, as well as breeding mixed kinds of cattle or grafting together different species of trees; and My laws refer to civil statutes and the prohibitions against idol worship. The Sons of Noah were commanded concerning all of these matters, and Abraham observed and fulfilled the Will of his Creator, observing even the details and the strictures of their commandments, even as the Sages mentioned: "The tractate of idolatry of our father Abraham contained four hundred chapters.⁠"¹⁴ They further expounded [on the verse referring to Isaac, which says], And he found in that year a hundredfold,⁠¹⁵ that he measured the produce for the purpose of tithing,⁠¹⁶ since the patriarchs were the generous ones of the peoples,⁠¹⁷ giving tithes to the poor or the priests of G-d, such as Shem and Eber and their disciples, just as it is said, And he was a priest of the most high G-d.⁠¹⁸
Now it appears to me from a study of the opinions of our Rabbis that Abraham our father learned the entire Torah by Ruach Hakodesh¹⁹ and occupied himself with its study and the reason for its commandments and its secrets, and he observed it in its entirety as "one who is not commanded but nevertheless observes it.⁠"²⁰ Furthermore, his observance of the Torah applied only in the Land of Israel, whereas Jacob married two sisters only when outside the Land,⁠²¹ and similarly with Amram who married his aunt. For the Commandments are the ordinance of the G-d of the land,⁠²² even though we have been charged with personal duties in all places. Our Rabbis have already alluded to this secret, and I will yet call your attention to it with the help of G-d.⁠²³ And the matter of the erection of the pillar [by Jacob and Moses referred to above] was a commandment that was innovated at a certain time, as the Sages expounded from the verse, "Neither shalt thou set up a pillar which the Eternal thy G-d hateth,⁠²⁴ He hated it although it was pleasing to Him in the days of the ancestors.⁠"²⁵ And with respect to Joseph concerning whom the Sages expounded that he observed the Sabbath even in Egypt,⁠²⁶ it was because it is equal in importance to all the commandments, constituting, as it does, a testimony to Creatio ex nihilo.⁠²⁷ Therefore Joseph would do so in order to teach his children faith in the Creation of the world, to remove from their hearts the false doctrine of idolatry and the opinion of the Egyptians. This then is the intent [of the Sages when speaking of the patriarchs and their children observing the Torah].
In accordance with the literal meaning of Scripture, you may say that My charge means faith in the Deity, implying that Abraham believed in the unique Divine Name and kept vigilant guard over it in his heart, differing thereby with the worshippers of idols, and calling by the name of the Eternal to bring many to His worship. My commandments refers to all that G-d commanded Abraham: Go out of thy land,⁠²⁸ the bringing of his son as a burnt-offering, and the expulsion of the maid-servant and her son.⁠²⁹ My statutes refers to walking in the paths of G-d by being gracious and merciful, doing righteousness and judgment,⁠³⁰ and commanding his children and his household concerning them.⁠³¹ And My Laws refers to the circumcision of Abraham himself and his sons and his servants, as well as all Commandments of the Sons of Noah³² which constitute their Law.