EXTRA on Lech Lecha 12:14

Complete Passuk

וַיְהִ֕י כְּב֥וֹא אַבְרָ֖ם מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיִּרְא֤וּ הַמִּצְרִים֙ אֶת־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּֽי־יָפָ֥ה הִ֖וא מְאֹֽד׃

When Avram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw how very beautiful the woman was.

Core Text

וַיְהִי כְּבוֹא אַבְרָם מִצְרַיְמָה — וַשָּׂרָה הֵיכָן הָיְתָה? נְתָנָהּ בְּתֵבָה וְנָעַל בְּפָנֶיהָ. כֵּיוָן דִּמְטָא לְמֶכֶס, אָמְרִין לֵיהּ: הַב מֶכֶסָא. אָמַר: אֲנָא יָהֵיב מֶכֶסָא. אָמְרִין: דִּלְמָא מַאֲנֵי אַתְּ מַעֲבֵר? אָמַר: אֲנָא יָהֵיב מֶכֶסָא דְּמַאֲנֵי. … כֵּיוָן שֶׁפְּתָחָהּ, הִבְהִיקָה כָּל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִזִּיוָהּ.

English: “When Avram entered Egypt” — and where was Sarah? He placed her in a chest and locked it. When he reached customs they said: Pay the duty. He said: I will pay. They said: Perhaps you are transporting garments? He said: I will pay the duty on garments. … When they opened it, the whole land of Egypt was irradiated with her radiance.

On the daf / in context: Rashi cites this midrash to explain the singular “when Avram entered”: the verse reads as if he arrived alone because Sarah was hidden. The customs dialogue escalates until the chest is opened and her beauty fills Egypt — the narrative hinge that leads to Pharaoh’s house.

Supplementary classical material not listed by Torah Temimah under this exact passuk.