The Lesson Of The Stars

"And Haran died in the presence of Terah his father" (Genesis 11:28). Rabbi Hiyya, the son of the son of Rav Adda of Yafo, said: Terah was a worshiper of idols. One time he went out to a place and seated Abraham as a seller in his stead. A man would come wishing to buy, and Abraham would say to him: How old are you? And he would say to him: Fifty or sixty years old. And Abraham would say to him: Woe to that man, who is sixty years old and wishes to bow down to something a day old. And the man would be ashamed and go on his way. One time a certain woman came carrying in her hand a dish of fine flour. She said to him: Here, offer this before them. He rose, took a staff in his hand, and broke all the idols, and placed the staff in the hand of the largest one that was among them. When his father came, he said to him: Who did this to them? Abraham said to him: The largest one that was among them rose, took a staff, and broke them. His father said to him: Why do you mock me? Do they have knowledge? Abraham said to him: Let your ears hear what your mouth is saying! He took him and handed him over to Nimrod. Nimrod said to him: Let us bow down to fire. Abraham said to him: Let us rather bow down to water, which extinguishes fire. Nimrod said to him: Let us bow down to water. Abraham said to him: If so, let us bow down to the cloud, which carries the water. Nimrod said to him: Let us bow down to the cloud. Abraham said to him: If so, let us bow down to the wind, which scatters the cloud. Nimrod said to him: Let us bow down to the wind. Abraham said to him: And let us rather bow down to the human being, who bears the wind. Nimrod said to him: You are merely babbling words. I bow down to nothing but fire. Behold, I am casting you into it, and let the God to whom you bow down come and save you from it. When Abraham went down into the fiery furnace and was saved, they said to him: From whom are you descended? He said to them: I am descended from Abraham. They took Haran and cast him into the fire, and his innards were scorched, and he came out and died in the presence of Terah his father. This is what is written: "And Haran died in the presence of Terah," and so forth.