Derasha 1 on Lech Lecha 17:19

TT #1 · Parashas Lech Lecha · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 17:19

Complete Passuk

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲבָל֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֗ יֹלֶ֤דֶת לְךָ֙ בֵּ֔ן וְקָרָ֥אתָ אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ יִצְחָ֑ק וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֥י אִתּ֛וֹ לִבְרִ֥ית עוֹלָ֖ם לְזַרְע֥וֹ אַחֲרָֽיו׃

God said: Indeed, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Yitzchak; I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT: Yitzchak is one of those named before birth; his name (unlike Avraham’s and Yaakov’s) was given by God Himself.

Core Text

Core Text תַּנְיָא: יִצְחָק הוּא אֶחָד מֵאֵלֶּה שֶׁנִּקְרָא לָהֶם שֵׁם עַד שֶׁלֹּא נוֹלְדוּ… מִפְּנֵי מָה נִשְׁתַּנָּה שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם וְשֶׁל יַעֲקֹב וְלֹא שֶׁל יִצְחָק? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵלּוּ אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם קָרְאוּ לָהֶם שֵׁם, אֲבָל יִצְחָק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קָרָא לוֹ שֵׁם.
English of Core Text: It was taught: Yitzchak is one of those for whom a name was called before they were born… Why was the name of Avraham and of Yaakov changed, but not that of Yitzchak? Because their fathers named them, but Yitzchak — the Holy One named him.
On the daf / in context: Divine naming before birth places Yitzchak in a small set (with Yishmael, Yoshiyahu, Shlomo) and explains why his name never needed alteration.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

Yitzchak’s name is unique among the patriarchs in being fixed by God before birth and never changed.