For you are a burnt-offering without blemish and being outside the [Holy] Land does not befit you. I.e., a burnt-offering is a kodshei kodoshim sacrifice and may not be taken outside the Temple Courtyard. Similarly, the Land of Israel is your “Temple Courtyard”; you may not go outside the Land.

A man will say to his son, “May your children be like the children of Yitzchok.” Rashi is explaining that the nations will receive oral blessings [from one another], not that they will become blessed because your children [are a source of blessing for them]. For then it should say והתברכו מזרעך.

To include the Oral Law — laws given by God to Moshe at Sinai. You might ask: Since they fulfilled the entire Torah, why did Yaakov marry two sisters, (and Shimon his sister Dinah), and Amram his aunt Yocheved? The answer is: They only accepted upon themselves to fulfill the mitzvos in the Land of Israel, but they were outside the Land [when these events occurred]. (Ramban)

Concerning his wife. [Rashi explains this] because [the word לאשתו in] the verse makes it sound as if they asked Rivkah, and Yitzchok answered. But this is not plausible. Perforce, [it means they asked him, concerning his wife].

He thought, “From now on I have no need to worry... The explanation of וישקף is that Yitzchok unconcernedly left open the place where people could look in. Consequently, “Avimelech looked.”

He saw him having marital relations. [Rashi knows this] because otherwise, how did Avimelech know she was his wife? But [Rashi’s proof] is not readily understood, as Avimelech could [have known this by just] seeing an embrace and a kiss. (Re’m) [Another approach:] It seems that Rashi deduced this from the superfluous word אשתו, which implies that Yitzchok was amusing himself in a way pertaining to his wife, i.e., marital relations. [Another approach:] Rashi makes his comment on “Avimelech looked,” not on “Avimelech saw,” so we will not say that Avimelech actually saw him having marital relations. Heaven forbid that a tzaddik like Yitzchok would leave the window open! Rather, Yitzchok closed the window — and that led Avimelech to understand [that she was his wife]. “Avimelech looked” means he observed and understood. And the phrase בעד החלון [does not mean “through” the window. It] means “facing the window,” as this is the general meaning of בעד that appears in Scripture. (Nachalas Yaakov) See there for his proof against Re’m.

The one singled out amongst the people, meaning, the king. Rashi knows this because it is written, “You would have brought guilt upon us.” It is understandable if it refers to the king, as a king is referred to in the plural form, as is a prominent man. [Another approach:] It seems to me that Rashi knows this because otherwise it should say אֶחד rather than אַחד. And similarly Rashi explains the verse דן ידין עמו כאַחד (49:16). (Nachalas Yaakov)

Had he had relations, you already would have brought guilt upon us. והבאת cannot be future tense because it says שכב which is [clearly] past tense. A further reason [it cannot be future tense]: Avimelech had them announce that she is Yitzchok’s wife [and that whoever touches her shall die]. As a result, no one would sleep with her. (Nachalas Yaakov)

Despite the fact that it is not as esteemed as Eretz Yisrael itself... Rashi is answering the question: Is not Gerar also in Eretz Yisrael, as Rashi explained above (v. 2)?

They had estimated the amount it ought to produce... מאה שערים means מאה שיעורים (a hundred amounts), as they had estimated it (שערה).

Our Sages said, the purpose of this estimate was for tithing. Rashi is answering the question: Why did they measure [the produce after the initial estimate]? It is stated in Bava Metzia 42a that only something hidden from the eye is blessed, not something that is counted and measured! Thus Rashi explains that Yitzchok wanted to give tithes, and one may not give tithes based on a mere estimate (Avos 1:16).

So that people would say: Rather the dung of Yitzchok’s mules... Otherwise why does it say, “Until he became very great”? [The next verse details his wealth! Perforce,] it comes to tell us the extent [of his blessing]. Thus Rashi mentions mules, since mules [ordinarily] have no blessing at all, as Rashi explained in Devarim 15:14.

Because they said, “They are a danger to us because the armies... But [the plugging was] not because of jealousy. For then Scripture should [connect the idea of their jealousy to their plugging, and] say: “And the Philistines were jealous of him. They plugged all the wells that his father’s servants had dug....” (Re’m) But it seems to me that they indeed plugged the wells because of jealousy, but to conceal their jealousy they mentioned the aspect of danger. Otherwise, “And the Philistines were jealous” should come right before, “Avimelech said to Yitzchok, ‘Go away from us.’” And afterward it should say, “All the wells...,” followed by, “Yitzchok returned and excavated the wells.” Why is, “All the wells...” juxtaposed to, “And the Philistines were jealous”? To tell us that they plugged the wells because of jealousy! They thought Yitzchok would sense their jealousy, and leave [on his own]. When Avimelech saw that his plan failed, he told Yitzchok outright, “Go away from us.” (Nachalas Yaakov)

טמונון פלשתאי meaning stopping up... Rashi is telling us not to explain Onkelos along the lines of טמוני חול (Devarim 33:19), denoting something hidden. That is why he explains that [this word] also means stopping up.

Far away from the city. Rashi is answering the question: Avimelech told him, “Go away from us,” i.e., from Gerar. Why then did Yitzchok camp in the valley of Gerar, close to the city?

Those wells that... in the days of his father Avraham... Rashi is answering the questions: Yitzchok already left, so how could he dig the wells, [which were in Gerar]? Furthermore, if Avraham already dug them, [and nothing happened in between, see next question,] why did Yitzchok dig them again? Also, why is it written: “And were plugged by the Philistines,” implying that the Philistines went and plugged them after Yitzchok dug them? Yet this is not so — nowhere does it say they plugged them after Yitzchok’s digging. Thus Rashi answers: “Which the Philistines had stopped up before Yitzchok departed from Gerar, he again dug them [before departing].” The Nachalas Yaakov writes at length, and maintains that the text of Rashi should say: ופלשתים סתמום קודם שנסע יצחק מגרר חזר וחפרן. Written like this, it is evident that [before Yitzchok left, the Philistines stopped them up, and] after he left and camped in the valley of Gerar, far from the city, he then returned and dug the wells.

They disputed with him... Rashi is telling us not to explain the word עשק as meaning “dispute.” Rather, it means an actual עסק (matter). I.e., it was a matter of dispute.

As Onkelos translates it: “And we will increase in the land.” The word ופרינו cannot be past tense, because Yitzchok said: “For now, Adonoy has made room for us.” How could he then say they were already fruitful in the land? Perforce, it is future tense. Thus Rashi disagrees with our version of Onkelos which says ויפשיננא, past tense, and explains that the text of Onkelos should read: וניפוש.

That oath that exists between us since your father’s times. Rashi is answering the question: Is not the phrase בינותינו בינינו וביניך redundant? He answers that the phrases in this verse are not written in sequence. It should say תהי אלה בינותינו, נא ביני וביניך. This means: let that oath, which already exists between us, continue now. Rashi adds a ה to אלה, and inserts אשר, because it is recounting what happened to Avraham. And he inserts גם because Avimelech is seeking to make the same covenant with Yitzchok that he made with Avraham. Thus he says גם עתה. It is evident that Rashi, when he says עתה (now), is explaining נא. [Accordingly, נא means “now,” rather than “please.”]

You, also... Rashi inserts the word גם to indicate that the Torah’s word אתה means גם אתה (“You, also, do with us likewise”). This is the prevalent version of Rashi’s text. Accordingly, עתה ברוך ה' is an independent phrase, [not to be read together with the preceding word אתה,] and comes to explain what was stated above: Why are we asking this of you? Because now we have seen that you are the blessed one of Hashem. question: Is not the phrase בינותינו בינינו וביניך redundant? He answers that the phrases in this verse are not written in sequence. It should say תהי אלה בינותינו, נא ביני וביניך. This means, “Let that oath, which already exists between us, continue now.” Rashi adds a ה to אלה, and inserts אשר, because it is recounting what happened to Avraham. And he inserts גם because Avimelech is seeking to make the same covenant with Yitzchok that he made with Avraham. Thus he says גם עתה. It is evident that Rashi, when he says עתה (now), is explaining נא. [Accordingly, נא means “now,” rather than “please.”]

An expression meaning: a spirit of rebellion, as in: “You were rebellious.” For if it meant מרירות (bitterness), it would not have a ת in the construct state, since the root would be מרר. Whereas the root of ממרים is מרה, and the ת of the construct state replaces the ה, since it is the third letter of the root. מרת רוח conveys that each of Eisov’s wives possessed a rebellious spirit, whereas bitterness does not relate to one’s spirit.

Because they worshiped idols. It seems that Rashi deduced this since Scripture mentions Yitzchok before Rivkah, to say that the pain was greater for Yitzchok. [Perforce,] this was because all his life he was not accustomed to idol worship. But Rivkah was accustomed to her father’s and brother’s idolatry.