**The Torah makes Sarah's beauty known.** > [Genesis 12:11][1] - And it came to pass, when he was close to > entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know that > you are a woman of beautiful countenance. According to the Midrash, at twenty she still had the beauty of a seven-year-old, and at one hundred she was just as pure from sin as she had been at twenty. > **And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven > years:** The reason that the word “years” was written after every digit > is to tell you that every digit is to be expounded upon individually: > when she was one hundred years old, she was like a twenty-year-old > regarding sin. Just as a twenty-year-old has not sinned, because she > is not liable to punishment, so too when she was one hundred years > old, she was without sin. And when she was twenty, she was like a > seven-year-old as regards to beauty. — from Gen. Rabbah 58:1] <sup>[\[1\]][2]</sup> ---------------------- **She was beautiful:** The Torah tells us about Sarah’s beauty in several passages. For instance, Genesis 12:11 and the fact that despite her age, Sarah’s beauty was so remarkable that it caught the attention of powerful men like Pharaoh and Abimelech. [Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa][3] says that Even Abishag the Shunammite was not half as beautiful as Sarah: > **She still did not reach half the beauty of Sarah**, as it is written: > “Ad me’od,” which can be translated as “up to very fair,” but not > including the praise of “very fair.” By contrast, it is written > concerning Sarah: “She was very fair” (Genesis 12:14). The Rabbis also [say][4]: > Rabbi Bena’a says: I gazed at his, Adam’s, two heels, and they shone > so brightly that they are similar to two suns. Along these lines, the > Gemara states that `all people compared to Sarah are like a monkey > compared to a human, as Sarah was exceedingly beautiful;` Sarah > compared to Eve is like a monkey compared to a human; Eve compared to > Adam is like a monkey compared to a human; and Adam compared to the > Divine Presence is like a monkey compared to a human. [Rabbi Huna and Rabbi Avun said in the name of Rabbi Meir:][5] > It was so that their husbands could enjoy them, for whenever a woman > carries a fetus, she becomes unsightly and neglected. `All ninety years > that Sarah did not bear children, she was as [beautiful as] a bride > under her wedding canopy.` --------------------- **Sarah’s had great character:** [Hebrews 11:11][6] point out her faith. > By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and > she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him > faithful who had promised. Furthermore, [1 Peter 3:6][7] talks about her obedience and respect towards Abraham, which reflects her character. I believe that Sarah being desired by other men despite her age can also be seen as a testament to God’s favor and protection over her and Abraham. **Conclusion:** Sarah was indeed very beautiful; her story is about more than just her physical attractiveness. It’s also about her character, her relationship with God, and the favor of God she enjoyed. [1]: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2012%3A11&version=NKJV [2]: https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/8218/showrashi/true/jewish/Chapter-23.htm [3]: https://www.sefaria.org/Sanhedrin.39b.22?lang=bi [4]: https://www.sefaria.org/Bava_Batra.58a.7?lang=bi [5]: https://www.sefaria.org/Bereshit_Rabbah.45.4?lang=bi [6]: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%2011%3A11&version=NKJV [7]: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%203%3A6&version=NKJV