“It happened when the sun had set, that there was extreme darkness, and, behold, there was a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch that passed between those pieces” (Genesis 15:17). “It was when the sun had set, that there was extreme darkness [alata]” – there was a thick mist.87Since alata is a rare word, the Midrash explains that it is a thick mist, using the Aramaic translation for arafel, thick mist (Onkelos Exodus 20:18).
“Behold, there was a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch” – Shimon bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: He [thereby] showed him four things: Gehenna;88Represented by the smoking furnace. [the Four] Kingdoms;89Represented by the dread (Genesis 15:12; see Bereshit Rabba 44:17). the giving of the Torah;90Represented by the flaming torch (see Exodus 20:15). and the Temple [service].91Represented by the animals taken by Abraham (see Bereshit Rabba 44:14).
He said to him: ‘As long as your descendants are engaged in two [of these],92Torah and the Temple service. they will be saved from [the other] two. If they deviate from the two, they will be sentenced with [the other] two.’ He said to him: ‘Through which do you wish your descendants to be punished, through Gehenna or through the Kingdoms?’ Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: Abraham chose the Kingdoms.93The lesser of the two evils.
God then agreed with Abraham’s choice. Rabbi Yudan, Rabbi Idi, and Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: Abraham chose Gehenna, but the Holy One blessed be He [demurred and] chose the Kingdoms on his behalf. That is what is written: “Had their rock not given them over” (Deuteronomy 32:30), this is Abraham;94As it is stated: “Look upon the rock from which you are hewn…Look upon Abraham your forefather” (Isaiah 51:1–2). “and the Lord delivered them” (Deuteronomy 32:30), it teaches that the Holy One blessed be He agreed with his words.95This sentence is intended to prove Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa’s position, that God and Abraham agreed.
Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: This is how our forefather Abraham sat and pondered that entire day. He said: ‘What shall I choose, Gehenna or the Kingdoms?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Abraham, eliminate your anxiety from here [and choose the Kingdoms].’ “On that day, the Lord established a covenant with Abram, saying: To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt until the great river, the Euphrates River” (Genesis 15:18).
“On that day, the Lord established a covenant with Abram, saying” – what is meant by “saying”? We come to the dispute between Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa [on the one side, and] Rabbi Yudan, Rabbi Idi, and Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina [on the other]. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa has said: Abraham chose the Kingdoms [and God concurred].96“Saying” indicates that God agreed with Abraham. [And Rabbi Yudan, Rabbi Idi, and Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina have said: Abraham chose Gehenna, but the Holy One blessed be He chose the Kingdoms on his behalf.]
That is what is written: “You let people stand over our heads; we would have gone through fire and water” (Psalms 66:12).97Instead of Gehenna, which includes punishments by fire and water, You chose for us to be subjugated by the Kingdoms, who stand over our heads. According to this approach, “saying” indicates that God disagreed with Abraham’s choice of Gehenna and told him to make a different choice.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: He showed him the splitting of the Red Sea as well, as it is written: “That passed between those pieces [gezarim]” (Genesis 15:17), just as it says: “Who split the Red Sea into sections [gezarim]” (Psalms 136:13).