Toldos - R'vi'i

Yitzchak traveled from the Gerar valley to Be'er-Sheva. G-d appeared to Yitzchak and told him that He would bless him and multiply his descendants because of his father Avraham. Yitzchak built an altar there and gave thanks to G-d.

Avimelech, his general Fichol, and a party from Gerar came to see Yitzchak. Yitzchak was surprised (if not suspicious), since they had quite literally driven him out of town.

"Yeah, that was our bad," said Avimelech (again, loosely translated). "We see that G-d is with you and we want to make a treaty with you. Remember how we made a rule that no one could lay a hand on you and yours? Well, we'd like you to reciprocate. We may not have parted well, but we never actually wronged you. So... how about it?"

Author: Rabbi Jack Abramowitz