## Kli Yakar on Genesis Chapter 11

###### Kli Yakar on Genesis 11:1:1
[Kli Yakar on Genesis 11:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Genesis/r/11:1:1)

**וַיְהִי כָל הָאָרֶץ שָׂפָה אֶחָת וּדְבָרִים אֲחָדִים.** נִרְאִין הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁכָּל מַעֲשֵׂה הַפַּלָּגָה הוּא עַל דֶּרֶךְ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סנהדרין עא:) ״כִּנּוּס לָרְשָׁעִים רַע לָהֶם וְרַע לָעוֹלָם, פִּזּוּר לָרְשָׁעִים טוֹב לָהֶם וְטוֹב לָעוֹלָם״, וּבַצַּדִּיקִים הַכֹּל בְּהֵפֶךְ זֶה. לְפִי שֶׁהָרְשָׁעִים עַל יְדֵי כִּנּוּסָם יַחְשְׁבוּ בֵּינֵיהֶם עֵצוֹת רָעוֹת עַל אֲחֵרִים, נוֹסָף עַל זֶה יִמָּשְׁכוּ בֵּינֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי רִיבוֹת וּמַחֲלוֹקוֹת וּשְׂנָאוֹת, וְזֹאת תּוֹרַת הַקְּנָאוֹת הַמְּצוּיוֹת בֵּין הַכִּתּוֹת אֲשֶׁר כָּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם לֹא לְשֵׁם שָׁמַיִם, כִּי אִם כְּדֵי לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם שֵׁם בָּאָרֶץ. וְעִקַּר הַסִּבָּה לָזֶה, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם תַּכְלִית חִיצוֹנִי, חָלוּק לִבָּם זֶה מִזֶּה, כִּי זֶה יִתְאַוֶּה לְעֹשֶׁר וְכָבוֹד, וְזֶה לְרֹב מַאֲכָל, וְזֶה לְרֹב מִשְׁגָּל, וְזֶה יֹאמַר ״נַעֲשֶׂה לָּנוּ שֵׁם״ וְרוֹצֶה לִהְיוֹת גָּבוֹהַּ מֵעַל גָּבוֹהַּ. וּמִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ הַמְּרִיבָה מְמַשְׁמֶשֶׁת וּבָאָה, הֵן מִן הַצַּד שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם תַּכְלִית אֶחָד, כִּי הַדְּרָכִים הָרָעִים הֵם רַבִּים, וְהַדֶּרֶךְ הַטּוֹב אֵינוֹ כִּי אִם אֶחָד, הֵן מִצַּד שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד יֵשׁ לוֹ חֵפֶץ וְרָצוֹן לִהְיוֹת בְּמַעֲלָה וְיֶתֶר שְׂאֵת עַל זוּלָתוֹ. וּמִדָּה זוֹ הֲלֹא הִיא בְּרַבַּת בְּנֵי עַמֵּנוּ. עַל כֵּן פִּזּוּר כִּתּוֹת אֵלּוּ טוֹב מֵהַקִּבּוּץ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים צב י) ״יִתְפָּרְדוּ כָּל פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן״. אֵין טוֹב כִּי אִם לִתֵּן רֶוַח בֵּין הַדְּבֵקִים, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (שם נה י) ״בַּלַּע ה׳ פַּלַּג לְשׁוֹנָם, כִּי רָאִיתִי חָמָס וְרִיב בָּעִיר״.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And the whole earth was of one language and of common purpose.** It appears that the entire incident of the Dispersion follows the principle that our Sages taught (Sanhedrin 71b): When the wicked gather together, it is bad for them and bad for the world; when the wicked are scattered, it is good for them and good for the world. For the righteous, the opposite is true. This is because when the wicked gather together, they devise evil plans against others. Additionally, they breed among themselves quarrels, conflicts, and hatred. This is the nature of the jealousies that exist between factions whose actions are not for the sake of Heaven but rather to make a name for themselves on earth. The root cause of this is that each of them has an external goal that divides their hearts from one another — for this one desires wealth and honor, that one excessive food, another excessive sexual pleasures, and yet another says “let us make a name for ourselves,” wanting to be elevated above others. From this, strife inevitably follows, both because they lack a unified purpose [for evil paths are many, while the good path is only one], and because each individual desires to achieve superiority and prominence over others. This trait is indeed prevalent among our people. Therefore, the dispersal of such groups is better than their gathering, as it is written, *All workers of iniquity shall be scattered* (Psalms 92:10). Nothing is better than creating space between those who cleave together [inappropriately], as it is written, *Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongue, for I have seen violence and strife in the city* (Psalms 55:10).


###### Kli Yakar on Genesis 11:1:2
[Kli Yakar on Genesis 11:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Genesis/r/11:1:2)

אֲבָל הַצַּדִּיקִים כִּנּוּסָם טוֹב, כִּי הַתַּכְלִית מְאַחֲדָם, כִּי אֵין לָהֶם כִּי אִם תַּכְלִית אֶחָד, וְהָיוּ לַאֲחָדִים עַל יָדוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (תהלים קיט קסה) ״שָׁלוֹם רָב לְאוֹהֲבֵי תוֹרָתֶךָ״, אֲבָל לֹא לְאוֹהֲבִים הַתַּכְלִית הַחִיצוֹנָה בְּעֶצֶם וְרִאשׁוֹנָה. וְזֶה טַעַם הַפַּלָּגָה, כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה הָיוּ כֻּלָּם שָׂפָה אַחַת וּדְבָרִים אֲחָדִים וְהָיָה שָׁלוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶם, וְחָשְׁשׁוּ הֵמָּה פֶּן עַל יְדֵי שֶׁיִּתְרַבּוּ בָאָרֶץ יִתְפַּזְּרוּ, כִּי לֹא תִשָּׂא אוֹתָם הָאָרֶץ לָשֶׁבֶת יַחְדָּו בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד, וְיָבֹאוּ לִידֵי מִלְחָמוֹת, כִּי תָּמִיד מִלְחָמָה מְצוּיָה בֵּין יוֹשְׁבֵי מְדִינָה זוֹ לְיוֹשְׁבֵי מְדִינָה אַחֶרֶת. עַל כֵּן אָמְרוּ הִנֵּה עַכְשָׁיו אֲנַחְנוּ עַם אֶחָד שָׂפָה אַחַת, וְיֵשׁ לָחוּשׁ פֶּן נָפוּץ בְּהֶכְרֵחַ אִישׁ מֵעַל רֵעֵהוּ וְתִפָּסֵק הָאַחְוָה מִבֵּינֵינוּ, לְפִיכָךְ נִבְנֶה מִגְדָּל וְרֹאשׁוֹ בַשָּׁמַיִם וְנַעֲשֶׂה לָּנוּ שֵׁם, כִּי בְּנוֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם שֶׁכָּל אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ חֵשֶׁק וְרָצוֹן לָבֹא לָדוּר בְּעִיר גְּדוֹלָה, מְקוֹם קִבּוּץ אֲנָשִׁים רַבִּים, וְאָז נִהְיֶה לְעַם אֶחָד וְלֹא נָפוּץ אִישׁ מֵעַל אָחִיו. וּבֶאֱמֶת אִלּוּ לֹא הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים ״וְנַעֲשֶׂה לָּנוּ שֵׁם״, הֵטִיבוּ אֶת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּרוּ, וְהָיוּ בָּאִים עַד תַּכְלִית הַשָּׁלוֹם מִצַּד מִגְדָּל זֶה. אָמְנָם בְּאָמְרָם ״וְנַעֲשֶׂה לָּנוּ שֵׁם״, גִּלּוּ כָּל מְזִמּוֹת לְבָבָם, כִּי כַּוָּנָתָם שֶׁיֵּצֵא שְׁמָם בָּעוֹלָם וְיִקָּרְאוּ בִּשְׁמוֹתָם עֲלֵי אֲדָמוֹת אַנְשֵׁי הַמַּעֲלָה, וְהָיָה גָּלוּי לִפְנֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁהֵם מְבַקְשִׁים לִקְנוֹת שֵׁם בָּעוֹלָם, יָבֹאוּ אֶל הַהֵפֶךְ אֲשֶׁר חָשָׁבוּ.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
However, when the righteous gather together it is good because their purpose unifies them, for they have but one purpose and they become united through it, as it is written *Great peace have they who love Your Torah* (Psalms 119:165). But not for those who primarily love external purposes. And this explains the matter of the dispersion, for initially they all had one language and unified words and there was peace between them, and they were concerned lest as they multiply in the land they would scatter, for the land would not be able to sustain them dwelling together in one place, and they would come to wars, as war is always common between inhabitants of one country and another. Therefore they said, “Now we are one people with one language,” and there was concern lest we necessarily scatter from one another and brotherhood cease between us, therefore *let us build a tower with its top in the heavens and make a name for ourselves*, for it is the way of the world that every person has a desire and will to come dwell in a great city, a place gathering many people, and then we will be one people and not scatter from one another. And truly, if they had not said *let us make a name for ourselves*, what they said would have been good and they would have achieved the purpose of peace through this tower. However, in saying *let us make a name for ourselves*, they revealed all their heart’s schemes, for their intention was that their name should go out in the world and they would be called by their names upon the earth as people of stature, and it was revealed before the Blessed God that because they sought to acquire a name in the world, they would come to the opposite of what they intended.


###### Kli Yakar on Genesis 11:1:3
[Kli Yakar on Genesis 11:1:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Genesis/r/11:1:3)

לְפִיכָךְ ״וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ הֵן עַם אֶחָד וְשָׂפָה אַחַת״ וְגוֹ׳ (בראשית יא, ו), יֹאמַר ה׳ כִּי בִּמְזִמּוֹת זוּ אֲשֶׁר חָשָׁבוּ הֵמָּה טוֹעִים בְּעַצְמָם, וְיִפְּלוּ בִּרְשֶׁת הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה בּוֹרְחִים מִמֶּנּוּ, כִּי הֵמָּה חוֹשְׁבִים שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁיִּתְפַּזְּרוּ יִתְחַלְּקוּ לְאֻמּוֹת רַבּוֹת וְיִפָּסֵק חוּט הַשָּׁלוֹם, כִּי יָבֹאוּ לִידֵי מִלְחָמוֹת רַבּוֹת, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁיָּדוּרוּ בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד יִהְיוּ לְעַם אֶחָד, וְיִהְיֶה הַשָּׁלוֹם מְתַוֵּךְ בֵּינֵיהֶם. הַנִּיחָא אִם לֹא הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים ״וְנַעֲשֶׂה לָּנוּ שֵׁם״ (בראשית יא, ד). אָמְנָם בְּאָמְרָם דָּבָר זֶה, יָרַד ה׳ לְסוֹף דַּעְתָּם כִּי יִהְיֶה הַכֹּל בְּהֵפֶךְ מִמָּה שֶׁחָשְׁבוּ. וְאַדְרַבָּה, יֶשְׁנוֹ עַם אֶחָד, וְאֵימָתַי? כְּשֶׁהוּא מְפֻזָּר וּמְפֹרָד, שֶׁאֵין לְשׁוּם אֶחָד עֵסֶק עִם חֲבֵרוֹ, אָז יִהְיֶה לְעַם אֶחָד. אֲבָל אִם יִתְקַבְּצוּ כֻלָּם לְמָקוֹם אֶחָד לִבְרֹחַ מִן הַמִּלְחָמָה שֶׁל אֻמָּה בְּאֻמָּה, אָז יִפְּלוּ בְּמִלְחָמָה גְּדוֹלָה מִזּוֹ, וְהוּא מִלְחָמָה פְּנִימִית, חֶרֶב אִישׁ בְּרֵעֵהוּ, כִּי כִּנּוּס לָרְשָׁעִים רַע לָהֶם. וּמֵאַחַר שֶׁאָמְרוּ ״וְנַעֲשֶׂה לָּנוּ שֵׁם״, אִם כֵּן כָּל אֶחָד יִרְצֶה לְהִשְׁתָּרֵר עַל חֲבֵרוֹ וְלִהְיוֹת גָּבוֹהַּ מִמֶּנּוּ, כִּי זֶה מָצוּי בֵּין הַכִּתּוֹת הָעוֹשִׂים כָּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם לְמַעַן סַפֵּר שְׁמָם. עַל כֵּן טוֹב לְפַזְּרָם וּלְמָנְעָם מִבִּנְיָן זֶה. זֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ הֵן עַם אֶחָד וְשָׂפָה אַחַת לְכֻלָּם״, כִּי עַכְשָׁו, אַחַר שֶׁהֵמָּה מְפֻזָּרִים קְצָת, אָז הֵם עַם אֶחָד וְשָׂפָה אַחַת, כִּי כָּל אֶחָד אָמַר ״הֵן״ עַל מָה שֶׁיֹּאמַר חֲבֵרוֹ ״הֵן״, וְ״לָאו״ עַל מָה שֶׁיֹּאמַר חֲבֵרוֹ ״לָאו״, שֶׁאֵין כָּל כָּךְ קִנְאָה וְתַחֲרוּת בֵּינֵיהֶם, אַחַר שֶׁלֹּא רָדְפוּ עֲדַיִן אַחַר קְנִיַּת הַשֵּׁם. ״וְזֶה הַחִלָּם לַעֲשׂוֹת״ (בראשית יא, ו) זֶה הַמִּגְדָּל, יִהְיֶה הַתְחָלָה אֶל הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה חוֹשְׁבִים לְהִמָּלֵט מִמֶּנּוּ, וְיִהְיֶה הֵפֶךְ כַּוָּנָתָם. וְיִהְיֶה הַתְחָלָה שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ מָה שֶׁלֹּא עָשׂוּ לִפְנֵי זֶה, כִּי קֹדֶם זֶה הָיָה שָׁלוֹם בֵּינֵיהֶם, וְעַכְשָׁו יִהְיֶה יַד אִישׁ בְּרֵעֵהוּ, מִצַּד הַמִּנּוּיִים וְהַשְּׂרָרוֹת אֲשֶׁר כָּל יוֹשְׁבֵי עִיר גְּדוֹלָה צְרִיכִין לָהֶם, כִּי זוּלָתָם אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ חַיִּים בָּלָעוּ. וּמֵאַחַר שֶׁרְצוֹנָם לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם שֵׁם, אִם כֵּן כָּל אֶחָד יִרְצֶה לִהְיוֹת מוֹשֵׁל וְשַׂר בָּעִיר גְּדוֹלָה זוֹ, כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּצֵא שְׁמוֹ בְּכָל הָעוֹלָם, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יִתְרַבּוּ בֵּינֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי רִיבוֹת, כָּאָמוּר.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
Therefore, **And God said, “Behold, they are one people with one language, etc.”** God is saying that in these schemes they have devised, they are mistaken, and they will fall into the very trap they are trying to escape from. For they think that by dispersing, they will divide into many nations and the thread of peace will be broken because they will come to many wars, and that by dwelling in one place they will be one people and peace will mediate between them. This would make sense if they had not said *let us make a name for ourselves*. However, in their saying this, God saw through to their true intentions, for everything would turn out opposite to what they thought. On the contrary, they would be “one people” precisely when they are scattered and separated, when no one has dealings with his fellow — that is when they will be one people. But if they all gather in one place to flee from war between nations, they will fall into an even greater war — an internal war, with sword against neighbor, for the gathering of wicked people is bad for them. And since they said *let us make a name for ourselves*, each one will want to dominate his fellow and be higher than him, for this is common among groups who do all their deeds for the sake of making their name known. Therefore, it is better to scatter them and prevent them from this building. This is what is meant by *And God said, “Behold, they are one people with one language,”* because now, when they are somewhat scattered, they are one people with one language, for each one says “yes” to what his fellow says “yes” to, and “no” to what his fellow says “no” to, as there is not so much jealousy and competition between them since they have not yet pursued making a name for themselves. And *this is what they begin to do* — this tower will be the beginning of the very thing they think to escape from, and it will be the opposite of their intention. It will be the beginning of them doing what they had not done before, for before this there was peace between them, and now there will be violence between neighbors due to the appointments and positions of authority that all inhabitants of a great city need, for without them, people would swallow each other alive. And since they want to make a name for themselves, each one will want to be a ruler and minister in this great city so that his name will spread throughout the world, and through this, disputes will multiply between them as mentioned.


###### Kli Yakar on Genesis 11:1:4
[Kli Yakar on Genesis 11:1:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Genesis/r/11:1:4)

**וְעַתָּה לֹא יִבָּצֵר מֵהֶם כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יָזְמוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת.** אֵין פֵּרוּשׁוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹן תְּמִיהָה, אֶלָּא בֶּאֱמֶת אָמַר כֵּן, יַעַן כִּי הֵמָּה חָשְׁבוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲמַד קִיּוּם אֶל הַשָּׁלוֹם, גַּם אֲנִי חוֹשֵׁב כֵּן, אָמְנָם בְּסִבָּה הַפְכִּית מִמַּה שֶׁחָשְׁבוּ. הֵמָּה חָשְׁבוּ לְהַעֲמִיד הַשָּׁלוֹם עַל יְדֵי כִּנּוּסָם, בְּחָשְׁבָם כִּי כִּנּוּסָם טוֹב לָהֶם, וַאֲנִי רוֹאֶה לְהַעֲמִיד הַשָּׁלוֹם עַל יְדֵי הַפִּזּוּר, כִּי הַפִּזּוּר טוֹב לָהֶם מִן הַקִּבּוּץ. לְפִיכָךְ ״הָבָה נֵרְדָה וְנָבְלָה שָׁם שְׂפָתָם״ (בראשית יא:ז), כִּי עַל יְדֵי זֶה יִתְפַּזְּרוּ בְּהֶכְרֵחַ, וְאָז טוֹב לָהֶם וּלְכָל הָעוֹלָם, כִּי לְעוֹלָם אֵין שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר כָּל מְגַמַּת פְּנֵיהֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם שֵׁם בָּאָרֶץ, וּבְנֵי עַמֵּנוּ יוֹכִיחוּ.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**“And now nothing will be withheld from them which they scheme to do”** (Genesis 11:6). This verse should not be interpreted as a question, but rather as a true statement, because they thought to establish a permanent state of peace, and I [God] also think similarly, albeit for the opposite reason of what they thought. They thought to establish peace through their gathering, believing that their assembly was good for them. However, I see that peace will be established through dispersion, as dispersion is better for them than gathering. Therefore, *“Come, let us go down and confuse their language”* (Genesis 11:7), because through this they will necessarily disperse, and then it will be good for them and for the whole world. For there can never be peace between people whose sole aim is to make a name for themselves on earth, as evidenced by our own people.


###### Kli Yakar on Genesis 11:1:5
[Kli Yakar on Genesis 11:1:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Genesis/r/11:1:5)

וְרז״ל אָמְרוּ, (תנחומא נח יח) שֶׁאָמְרוּ לֹא כָּל הֵימֶנּוּ שֶׁיָּבוֹר לוֹ הָעֶלְיוֹנִים כוּ׳, הוֹרוּ בָּזֶה עַד הֵיכָן יַגִּיעַ דַּעַת אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם, עַד אֲשֶׁר אֲפִלּוּ שְׁכִינָה אֵינָהּ חֲשׁוּבָה כְּנֶגְדּוֹ. כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה לְשׁוֹנָם תִּהֲלַךְ בָּאָרֶץ לְבַקֵּשׁ לוֹ גְדוֹלוֹת, וְאַחַר כָּךְ שַׁתּוּ גַם בַּשָּׁמַיִם פִּיהֶם לַחֲלֹק עַל מַלְכוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ כִּבְיָכוֹל. וְעַתָּה בֹּא וּרְאֵה כַּמָּה פְּחוּתָה מִדָּה זוֹ, הֲלֹא הִיא הַמַּחֲרֶבֶת שְׁנֵי בָּתֵּי מִקְדָּשִׁים וּמְסַבֶּבֶת אִחוּר בִּנְיַן הַבַּיִת הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, עַד אֲשֶׁר יָסִיר מִתּוֹכֵנוּ עַלִּיזֵי הַגַּאֲוָה וְיִשָּׁאֵר עַם עָנִי וָדָל וְחָסוּ בְשֵׁם ה׳ (צפניה ג יב).

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**And our Sages said** (Tanchuma Noah 18) that they [the Generation of the Tower of Babel] declared, “He [God] has no right to choose the heavens for Himself…” Through this statement, our Sages revealed the extent to which the mindset of these “men of renown” reached — that even the Divine Presence was not considered significant in their eyes. For initially, their speech was earthbound, seeking greatness for themselves, but afterward they set their mouths against heaven itself, to challenge God’s kingship, as it were. And now, come and see how despicable this trait is — is it not the very thing that destroyed both Holy Temples and continues to delay the building of the Third Temple, until such time as He removes the arrogant ones from our midst, and there shall remain only a poor and humble people who will take refuge in the name of God *and trust in the name of the Lord* (Zephaniah 3:12).


###### Kli Yakar on Genesis 11:31:1
[Kli Yakar on Genesis 11:31:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Kli%20Yakar%20on%20Genesis/r/11:31:1)

**וְאֵת שָׂרַי כַּלָּתוֹ אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם בְּנוֹ.** הֻצְרַךְ לוֹמַר ״אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם״ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּבָר הִזְכִּיר ״כַּלָּתוֹ״, לְפִי שֶׁהוּא נִקְרָא אַבְרָם עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהָיָה אַב לְרָם, רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר אֲרָם, אוֹ אַבְרָהָם עַל שֵׁם ״אַב הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם״ (בראשית יז:ה), וְהִיא גַּם הִיא נִקְרֵאת שָׂרַי עַל שֵׁם הַשְּׂרָרָה. וּבְעִנְיַן הַשְּׂרָרָה וַדַּאי אַבְרָהָם הָעִקָּר וְשָׂרָה טְפֵלָה לוֹ, עַל כֵּן אָמַר ״שָׂרַי אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם״, כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁכָּל אִשָּׁה טְפֵלָה לְבַעְלָהּ, כָּךְ בְּעִנְיַן הַשְּׂרָרָה הִיא טְפֵלָה לוֹ. אֲבָל בְּעִנְיַן רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שמות רבה א, א) שֶׁאַבְרָהָם הָיָה טָפֵל לְשָׂרָה בִּנְבוּאָה, עַל כֵּן כְּשֶׁקְּרָאָהּ בְּשֵׁם ״יִסְכָּה״ הַמּוֹרֶה עַל שֶׁהָיְתָה סוֹכָה בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ שֶׁעָלֶיהָ, לֹא הִזְכִּיר שָׁם ״אֵשֶׁת אַבְרָם״. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרַשִׁ״י פֵּרֵשׁ ״יִסְכָּה״ לְשׁוֹן שְׂרָרָה מִלְּשׁוֹן ״נְסִיכֵי אָדָם״ (מיכה ה, ד), מִכָּל מָקוֹם גַּם סוֹכָה בְּרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ בְּמַשְׁמָע.

**Sefaria Kli Yakar, 2026 (Claude 3.7, ed. Francis Nataf) ✧:**
**“And Sarai his daughter-in-law, the wife of Abram his son.”** The verse needed to say *wife of Abram* even though it had already mentioned *his daughter-in-law* because he was called Abram as he was the father of Ram, meaning Aram, or Abraham meaning the father of many nations. And she too was called Sarai because of authority/leadership. And regarding authority, certainly Abraham was primary and Sarah was secondary to him. Therefore it says *Sarai wife of Abram* in the way that every wife is secondary to her husband, so too in matters of authority she was secondary to him. However, regarding divine inspiration, our Sages said (Exodus Rabbah 1:1) that Abraham was secondary to Sarah in prophecy. Therefore when she was called by the name Yiskah, which indicates that she was “filled with” divine inspiration, it did not mention “wife of Abram.” Even though Rashi explains Yiskah as referring to authority, from the word *princes of men* (Micah 5:4), nevertheless the meaning of being filled with divine inspiration is also implied.