EXTRA 1 on Lech Lecha 12:18–19

EXTRA · Ohr HaChaim · Parashas Lech Lecha · Passuk 12:18–19

Complete Passuk

וַיִּקְרָ֤א פַרְעֹה֙ לְאַבְרָ֔ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַה־זֹּ֖את עָשִׂ֣יתָ לִּ֑י לָ֚מָּה לֹא־הִגַּ֣דְתָּ לִּ֔י כִּ֥י הִ֖וא אִשְׁתֶּֽךָ׃ לָמָ֤ה אָמַ֙רְתָּ֙ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֔וא…

Pharaoh called Avram and said: What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she is your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’…

Source

Ohr HaChaim on Genesis 12:18–19

Core Text

Core Text קָשֶׁה לָמָּה כָּפַל הַקֻּשְׁיָא שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים בְּאֹפֶן מְשֻׁנֶּה? וְאוּלַי שֶׁיְּכַוֵּן לוֹמַר שְׁתֵּי הַדְרָגוֹת בִּתְמִיהָתוֹ… הָאַחַת, מִן הָרָאוּי הָיָה לְךָ לָחוּשׁ לִי…
English: Why does he double the question in a different form? Perhaps he intends two levels of astonishment… one: you should have been concerned for me…
Context: The doubled rebuke is read as two distinct complaints: failure to disclose, and active misrepresentation.

What Is Learned

Pharaoh’s speech is parsed as layered protest, not simple repetition.