“Then G-d said to Avrohom, ‘Why did Sarah laughed?....”
Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh explains that Sarah’s laughing did not indicate that she was skeptical as other commentators explain, but rather it means that she was joyous. However, the claim against her was why did she first need to experience a rejuvenation within her physicality by regaining her youth before rejoicing. She should have rejoiced immediately after hearing the angel’s good tidings to Avrohom. The words of the angel only because a reality when she saw her physical rejuvenation. This was the claim against Sarah. Sarah, our Matriarch definitely as a full believer; however, what was demanded of her was that her belief should have been internalized immediately as a reality.
Ch. 12, v. 1: "Va'yomer HaShem"
Why doesn't HaShem APPEAR and then speak to Avrom, as we find in verse 7, "Va'yeiroh HaShem el Avrom va'yomer?" Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh provides two possible understandings:
1) Since Avrom was the prime searcher for G-dliness, having not been taught by his father or society, the verse wants to stress this by not saying that HaShem appeared to him, but rather he searched for HaShem and HaShem responded by speaking to him. (Ohr Hachaim Hakodosh)
2) HaShem did not want to appear to Avrom until He tested him with the command of Lech L'cho. Upon Avrom's passing the test, HaShem indeed APPEARED and spoke to him in v. 7. (Ohr Hachaim Hakodosh)
The story of the war of kings is recounted in this chapter, beginning with 14:1 up to this verse. The story continues again from verse 21 until its end in verse 24. Why is the meeting with Malki Tzedek interposed here? Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh provide three understandings:
1) The Torah wanted to contrast the kindness of Malki Tzedek with the evil character of the king of Sdom. Malki Tzedek derived no benefit from Avrom, and yet he greeted him with a priestly blessing, food, and drink. The king of Sdom, by contrast, benefitted from Avrom who saved his life in this war, and in spite of this, not only didn't greet Avrom with a befitting extravagant gift of appreciation, but rather, even asked for the major part of the spoils that Avrom captured, all live spoils, people and animals.
2) Had the king of Sdom not seen that Avrom gave Malki Tzedek a tenth of the spoils of inanimate objects, which indicates that Avrom considered them his own by virtue of the ruling that a person may only tithe that which is his, he would have had the chutzpoh of chutzpos to ask for all the spoils, even the inanimate objects.
3) In a complimentary vein - Since Avrohom fulfilled the dictates of the Torah and even of Rabbinical decrees before they were enacted (M.R. 95:3 and gemara Yoma 28b), he would not have eaten bread baked by the household of the king of Sdom, as the Rabbis prohibited eating "pas aku"m." Similarly, he would also not drink the wine of the king of Sdom because of the Rabbinical decree against "stam yeinom." The king of Sdom, therefore had Malki Tzedek, a righteous priest whose food would not present these restrictions to Avrom, present these particular items to him.
