[Avodah] marrying a sister [was: Clear Thinking about Male Homosexuals]

[T613K at aol.com]

From:  Micha Berger <micha at aishdas.org>
: As I was re-reading this, I  remembered that Avraham marrying a 
half-sister  
: IS stated in the  text--he told Avimelech that Sarah was his half-sister. 
  [--TK]

>>  "Achosi hi", nothing about halves (21:2). Similarly  Avraham in 
Mitzrayim
(12:12,19) and Yitzchaq in Gerar (27:7).

I like  R' Hertz's explanation.

There is a law in the Hammurabi code by which a  father in law can "adopt"
a child for the sake of inheritance....  <<
 
--  
Micha  Berger             

 
 
 
>>>>>
 
Nothing about halves?!  See Ber 20:12
 
 
"Vegam amnah achosi vas avi hee (she is indeed my sister, THE DAUGHTER OF  
MY FATHER) ach lo vas eemi (BUT NOT THE DAUGHTER OF MY MOTHER)"
 
However, based on the assumption that Sarah and Yiskah were the same  
person, we know that Sarah was really the granddaughter, and not the daughter,  
of Avraham's father.  She was the daughter of Haran, Avraham's brother who  
died young (and she was therefore the sister of Lot, who was Avraham's  
brother-in-law as well as nephew).  She and Lot may well have looked on  Terach 
as their father, since their actual father died young.
 
How do we know, BTW, that Sarah and Yiskah were the same?  Because  
Yiskah's yichus is given (11:29), as if there is something important about her,  
and yet she is never mentioned again in the Torah!  And in the same pasuk,  
the name of Avraham's wife is given -- Sarai -- yet nothing is said about who  
she was or where she came from!  The inference that she IS Yiskah is  
therefore very strong.  (I heard this from R' David Fohrman, who spoke  here 
recently.)
 
I don't see any need or place for the Code of Hammurabi or adoption here at 
 all, Avraham's words are straightforward:  she is my sister.  Niece,  
sister -- he called Lot his brother ("Anashim achim anachnu") so why not call  
Sarah his sister?
 
But anyway, he clearly said to Avimelech that Sarah was his  half-sister, 
and with no apparent embarrassment, as we've said.
 

--Toby  Katz
=============
Romney -- good  values, good family, good  hair


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