[Avodah] abraham and sarah in Eygpt

[Eli Turkel]

>From R. Ari Kahn's Aish site

One of the classic commentaries, Rav Moshe Alshech poses the question thus:

    How could a man like Abraham come up with a plan which would save
his soul from being taken, God forbid, to leave Sarah, who was greater
than he in prophecy, to be defiled by heathens, she being a married
woman. This is one of the seven Noachide laws, and (Abraham was)
someone who observed (even) Eruv Techumin! (12:10-13)

The Alshech Hakadosh expresses shock and moral outrage at Abraham's
behavior (and, if I am not mistaken, his words contain a degree of
sarcasm and cynicism as well). How can a spiritual giant like Abraham,
a man who uniquely and alone discerned the Divine imperative, a man
who reportedly adhered to the entire Torah, including halachic
minutia, be guilty of such morally questionable behavior? To save his
own skin, he was willing to have his wife consort with the enemy.3
To save his own skin, was Abraham willing to have his wife consort
with the enemy?

Perhaps it seems inappropriate to question a man like Abraham.
Nonetheless Nachmanides -- better known as Ramban -- does just that,
although he uses more restrained language:

-- 
Eli Turkel