## Midrash Tanchuma, Toldot

###### Midrash Tanchuma, Toldot 9:1
[Midrash Tanchuma, Toldot 9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Midrash%20Tanchuma/s/Toldot/r/9:1)

‎**וַיְהִי** כִּי זָקֵן יִצְחָק. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: תַּחַת אֲבֹתֶיךָ יִהְיוּ בָנֶיךָ תְּשִׁיתֵמוֹ לְשָׂרִים בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ (תהלים מה, יז). אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסִי הַגְּלִילִי, עָתִיד כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לוֹ בָנִים כְּיוֹצְאֵי מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: תַּחַת אֲבֹתֶיךָ יִהְיוּ בָנֶיךָ. מְדַבֵּר בְּיִצְחָק אָבִינוּ וּבְאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ. אַבְרָהָם נִתְבָּרֵךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַה' בֵּרַךְ אֶת אַבְרָהָם בַּכֹּל (בראשית כד, א). יִצְחָק נִתְבָּרֵךְ, דִּכְתִיב: וַיְבָרְכֵהוּ ה' (בראשית כו, יב). אַבְרָהָם הוֹלִיד צַדִּיק וְרָשָׁע, יִצְחָק וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל. יִצְחָק הוֹלִיד צַדִּיק וְרָשָׁע, יַעֲקֹב וְעֵשָׂו. אַבְרָהָם אִשְׁתּוֹ עֲקָרָה, וְיִצְחָק אִשְׁתּוֹ עֲקָרָה.

**Midrash Tanhuma-Yelammedenu, trans. Samuel A. Berman:**
**And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old (Gen. 27:1).** Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: *Instead of thy fathers shall be thy sons, whom thou shalt make princes in all the land* (Ps. 45:17). R. Eliezer the son of R. Yosé the Galilean maintained: The descendants born to every Israelite in the future will be as numerous as those who departed from Egypt, as it is said: *Instead of thy fathers shall be thy sons*. This verse refers to our patriarchs Isaac and Abraham. Abraham was blessed, as it is said: *And the Lord blessed Abraham with everything* (Gen. 24:1), and Isaac was likewise blessed, as is written: *And the Lord blessed him* (ibid. 26:12). Abraham begot both a righteous and a wicked son, Isaac and Ishmael; and Isaac begot both a righteous and a wicked son, Jacob and Esau. Abraham’s wife was barren (at first), and Isaac’s wife was also barren (at first).


###### Midrash Tanchuma, Toldot 9:2
[Midrash Tanchuma, Toldot 9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Midrash%20Tanchuma/s/Toldot/r/9:2)

וְלָמָּה נִתְעַקְּרוּ הָאִמָּהוֹת? אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁילָא דִכְפַר תְּמַרְתָּא וְרַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, שֶׁהָיה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְאַוֶּה לִתְפִלָּתָם. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: עֲשִׁירוֹת הֵן, נָאוֹת הֵן, אִם אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לָהֶם בָּנִים אֵינָן מִתְפַּלְּלוֹת לְפָנָי. אַתָּה מוֹצֵא כָּל מַה שֶּׁהִגִּיעַ לְאַבְרָהָם הִגִּיעַ לְיִצְחָק. אַבְרָהָם כְּתִיב בּוֹ זִקְנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְאַבְרָהָם זָקֵן (בראשית כד, א). וּבְיִצְחָק כְּתִיב בּוֹ, וַיְהִי כִּי זָקֵן יִצְחָק.

**Midrash Tanhuma-Yelammedenu, trans. Samuel A. Berman:**
Why were the matriarchs barren? R. Levi said in the name of R. Shila of K’far T’marta, and R. Helbo said in the name of R. Yohanan: Because the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to hear their prayers. The Holy One, blessed be He, had stated: They are wealthy and beautiful, and if I should also grant them sons they will not pray to Me. You find that everything that happened to Abraham likewise happened to Isaac. Scripture states concerning Abraham: *And Abraham was old* (Gen. 24:1); and about Isaac, it says: *And Isaac was old* (ibid. 27:1).