How can we explain the words, "ka'Asher His'u Osi"? When did Avraham first instruct Sarah to declare that they were brother and sister?
Rashi: When Ha'Kadosh-Baruch-Hu took Avraham away from his father's house, to wander around from one unknown place to another - often one where Resha'im lived.
Rashbam: When HaSh-m exiled him from his land. 1
Targum Onkelus: When nations strayed after Avodah-Zarah, and HaSh-m brought Avraham close to His service.
Targum Yonasan: When the people tried to lead Avraham astray after their idol-worship, 2 but he left his father's house (to escape from their clutches).
Seforno: When Avraham's rejection of idolatry forced him to leave his father's land, to travel to a foreign land which he did not recognize.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'His'u Osi...' (lit. led me) - Onkelus translated as he so chose." How does Onkelus explain the Pasuk?
Gur Aryeh #1: The term His'u usually means "strayed" or "misled;"but how can we say that HaSh-m misled Avraham?! Onkelus therefore divides the phrase in two - "When the nations strayed after idolatry, HaSh-m brought me close...."
Gur Aryeh #2: The Ta'amei ha'Mikra combine the two words "His'u Osi;" it is difficult to separate them. 1 Verbs in Leshon Kodesh can at times mean either doing or un-doing. 2 Avraham means, "HaSh-m kept me from straying, and led me out from the errors of my father's house."
Gur Aryeh implies that Rashi understood Targum using the first approach; and that Rashi explains the Pasuk differently, due to this objection. Gur Aryeh now presents a second approach, through which Targum fits well even according to Peshat. (EK)
Gur Aryeh: For example, l'Sharesh can mean to strike root (see Yeshaya 40:24), or to uproot (as in Iyov 31:12).
