Bereshit Rabbah Reader

It is written: “[Hear, you distant ones, what I have done….] Sinners were frightened in Zion, [trembling seized the falsifiers [ḥanefim]: Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with eternal conflagrations?]” (Isaiah 33:13–14) – Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: This is analogous to two children who ran away from school. One of them was flogged and the other one became frightened.5When he saw that his friend was punished for doing the same misdeed.

Rabbi Yonatan said: In every instance where falsification [ḥanufa] is stated in the Bible, the verse is referring to heresy. The paradigm of them all is: “Sinners were frightened in Zion, trembling seized the falsifiers [ḥanefim].” Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said: This is analogous to the head of a band of robbers who rebelled against the king. The king said: ‘Anyone who apprehends him, I will give him an advancement in status.’

Someone arose and apprehended him. The king said [to his guards]: ‘Guard both of them until morning.’ This one was concerned, and the other one was concerned. This one was concerned, saying: ‘What advancement will the king give me?’6Perhaps it will not be as much as I thought.

That one was concerned, saying: ‘With what sentence will the king sentence me?’ So, in the future, Israel will be concerned and the idol worshippers will be concerned. Israel will be concerned: “They will be fearful for the Lord and for His goodness at the end of days” (Hosea 3:5). The idol worshippers will be concerned: “Sinners were frightened in Zion.”

Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said: Why does he [Isaiah] call them: “Eternal conflagrations”? (Isaiah 33:14). It is because were He to allow them, they would burn the entire world along with its inhabitants in a brief moment. “One who walks righteously” (Isaiah 33:15) – this refers to Abraham, [as it is written regarding him:] “[I have known him, so that he may command his children and his household after him] that they should observe the way of the Lord, to perform righteousness and justice” (Genesis 18:19).

“And one who speaks uprightly” (Isaiah 33:15) – “the upright loved you” (Song of Songs 1:4).7This is seen as a reference to the Patriarchs. “He who spurns the profit of extortion” (Isaiah 33:15) – “[Abram said to the king of Sodom…] neither a thread nor a shoelace, [I shall take nothing from you]” (Genesis 14:22–23); “He who keeps his hands clean of grasping bribery” (Isaiah 33:15) – “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High […neither a thread nor a shoelace, I shall take nothing from you].”

“He will dwell On High” (Isaiah 33:16) – Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Ḥanin in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: He [God] took him above the dome of the heavens. That is what is written: “Look [habet] now at the heavens” (Genesis 15:5) – it is relevant to say habet only about looking from above to below. “Rocky citadels are his stronghold” (Isaiah 33:16) – these are the clouds of glory.8The clouds that Abraham saw hovering over Mount Moriah (see Bereshit Rabba 56:1).

“His bread is granted, his water is assured” (Isaiah 33:16) – “let some water be brought” (Genesis 18:4). “Your eyes will behold a king in his beauty” (Isaiah 33:17) – “the Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre.”

“He was sitting [yoshev] at the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day” (Genesis 18:1) – Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Yoshev is written without a vav.9So that it can also be read yeshev, he shall sit. He sought to stand, but the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Sit. You are a model for your descendants; just as you sit and the Divine Presence stands, so your descendants will sit with the Divine Presence standing over them, when the people of Israel enter synagogues and study halls and recite the Shema.

They sit in honor of Me, and I am over them,’ as it is stated: “God stands [nitzav] in the assembly of the Almighty” (Psalms 82:1). Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Omed is not written here, but nitzav – indicating being at the ready to act, just as it says: “You shall stand [venitzavta] on the rock” (Exodus 33:21). It is written: “It will be that even before they call out I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24).10This verse shows that God is always at the ready to answer Israel’s prayers.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: For each and every praise that Israel praises the Holy One blessed be He, He rests His Divine Presence upon them. What is the source? “You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel” (Psalms 22:4).

“At the entrance [petaḥ] of the tent [ohel]” – [God said to Abraham:] ‘You opened a good opening [petaḥ] for passersby, you opened a good opening for proselytes. [Moreover,] were it not for you, I would not have created heaven and earth, as it is stated regarding them: “He stretched them like a tent for dwelling” (Isaiah 40:22).11Abraham provided the opening [petaḥ] that allowed God to create heaven and earth, which are referred to as tents.

Were it not for you, I would not have created the orb of the sun, as it is stated: “In a tent within, He placed the sun” (Psalms 19:5). Were it not for you, I would not have created the moon, as it is stated: “Behold, even the moon does not shine [yaahil]”’ (Job 25:5). Rabbi Levi said: In the future, Abraham will sit at the entrance of Gehenna and will not allow any circumcised person of Israel to descend into it.

But those who sinned greatly,12And rightfully deserve to go to Gehenna. what does he do to them? He removes the foreskin from babies who died before they were circumcised, and he places it upon them,13Making them appear uncircumcised. and sends them down to Gehenna. That is what is written: “He raised his arms against his comrades, violating his covenant” (Psalms 55:21).14"Covenant” referring to the covenant of circumcision.

“In the heat of the day” – when that day will come in whose regard it is written: “For, behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven” (Malachi 3:19). “In the heat of the day” – Rabbi Yishmael taught: “In the heat of the day” – this is speaking of the sixth hour [of the day.] How then do I explain [the verse regarding the manna]: “The sun grew hot and it melted”? (Exodus 16:21).15The implication is that it was hot only in the sun, but not in the shade.

It is at the fourth hour. You say that it is the fourth hour, but perhaps it is really at the sixth hour? When it says: “In the heat of the day” – that [expression] is speaking of the sixth hour. Or, perhaps it is the reverse, “in the heat of the day” refers to the fourth hour, and “the sun grew hot and it melted” refers to the sixth hour.

You must admit, however: How can you explain “in the heat of the day” to be the fourth hour? Is it not so that at the fourth hour, the heat is only in a place where the sun shines? At the fourth hour, the shade is cool while the sun is hot. At the sixth hour, the shade and the sun are equally hot.

Therefore, you should not say in accordance with the second formulation, but rather like the first formulation: “In the heat of the day” refers to the sixth hour, and “the sun grew hot and it melted” refers to the fourth hour, as only in the place where the sun shone did it melt. Rabbi Tanḥuma says: It [the sixth hour] is at a time when people do not have a shadow at the bottom of them.16The sixth hour is at noon, when one’s shadow cannot be seen, as the sun is directly overhead.

Rabbi Yanai said: He pierced a hole from Gehenna and heated up the entire world along with its inhabitants for a brief moment, for the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘The righteous are suffering and the world is comfortable?’17God unleashed the heat of Gehenna for Abraham’s benefit, even though it was inconvenient for the rest of the world. This teaches that heat is effective for a wound.

“He lifted his eyes and he saw, and, behold, three men were standing over him; he saw and ran toward them from the entrance of the tent, and prostrated himself to the ground” (Genesis 18:2). He [Abraham] said: ‘Before I was circumcised, passersby would come in to me.’18Abraham was concerned that perhaps he would no longer have visitors (see Bereshit Rabba 47:10). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Before you were circumcised, uncircumcised people would come to you.

Now, I and the members of my entourage are revealing ourselves to you.’ That is what is written: “He lifted his eyes and saw, and, behold, three men were standing near him; [he saw…].” “He saw” – the Divine Presence; “he saw” –the angels. Rabbi Ḥanina said: The names of the months19Nisan, Iyar, etc. ascended from Babylon.20Before the Jews were exiled to Babylonia, the months were referred to as first month, second month, etc., and had no proper names.

These names are mentioned only in the post-exilic books of the Bible. Reish Lakish said: The names of the angels, Mikhael, Refael, and Gavriel, as well.21Before the Babylonian exile, personal names for angels were never used. They first appear in the book of Daniel. Rabbi Levi said: One appeared to him in the image of a Saracen, one in the image of a Nabatean, and one in the image of an Arab.

He [Abraham] said: ‘If I see that the Divine Presence waits for them, I will know that they are prominent people. If I see that they act respectfully towards to one another, I will know that they are reputable people.’22This explains why it says: “He saw” twice in the verse. When he saw them acting respectfully towards one another, he knew that they were reputable people. Rabbi Abahu said: The main tent of our patriarch Abraham was open on both sides, like a large plaza.

He said: ‘If I see them, that they turn off from their way to approach this way, I will know that they are coming to me.’ When he saw that they had turned off the road, he immediately “ran toward them from the entrance of the tent, and prostrated himself to the ground.”

“He said: My Lord, please, if I have found favor in Your eyes, please do not depart from upon your servant” (Genesis 18:3). “He said: My lords [adonai],23The midrash interprets the term adonai not as a reference to God, but rather to the three angels, adonai being in the plural. That raises the question: Why is the rest of the verse in the singular? The midrash responds that he directed his request to their senior member. please, if I have found favor in your eyes” – Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great taught: He said this to the senior one of them, that is Mikhael.

“Please, let a little water be taken, and wash your feet, and recline beneath the tree” (Genesis 18:4). “Please, let a little water be taken” – Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Simai: The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘You said: “Please, let a little water be taken.” By your life, I will repay your descendants in the wilderness, in inhabited land,24After they have entered the Land of Israel. and in the future.’

That is what is written: “Then Israel sang this song: Rise, well; call out to it” (Numbers 21:17). That was in the wilderness. In the land of Canaan, from where is it derived? “A land of streams of water, of springs and depths, emerging in the valley and on the mountain” (Deuteronomy 8:7).

In the future, from where is it derived? The verse states: “On that day, spring water will emerge from Jerusalem” (Zechariah 14:8). [God said:] ‘You said: “And wash your feet.” By your life, I will repay your descendants in the wilderness, in inhabited land, and in the future.’ In the wilderness, from where is it derived?

It is as it is stated: “I bathed you in water” (Ezekiel 16:9). In inhabited land, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Wash, purify yourselves” (Isaiah 1:16). In the future, from where is it derived?

It is as it is stated: “When the Lord will have washed the filth of the daughters of Zion” (Isaiah 4:4). [God said:] ‘You said: “And recline beneath the tree.” By your life, I will repay your descendants in the wilderness, etc.,’ as it is stated: “He spread a cloud like a curtain” (Psalms 105:39). That was in the wilderness. In the Land of Israel, from where is it derived?

“You shall dwell in booths seven days” (Leviticus 23:42). In the future, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “It will be a shelter for shade by day” (Isaiah 4:6). [God said:] ‘You said: “And I will take a piece of bread” (Genesis 18:5). By your life, I will repay your descendants,’ etc. “The Lord said to Moses: Behold, I am raining food for you from the heavens” (Exodus 16:4).

That was in the wilderness. In the Land, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “A land of wheat and barley” (Deuteronomy 8:8). In the future, from where is it derived?

It is as it is stated: “There will be an abundance of grain in the Land” (Psalms 72:16). So, it is written: “Abraham ran to the herd [and took a young bull, tender and good]” (Genesis 18:7). [God said:] ‘By your life, I will repay your descendants,’ etc.: “A wind went from the Lord, and brought over quails from the sea” (Numbers 11:31). That was in the wilderness. In the Land, from where is it derived?

It is as it is stated: “The children of Reuben…had much livestock” (Numbers 32:1). In the future, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “It will be on that day, each man will maintain [a heifer and two sheep]” (Isaiah 7:21). So, it is written: “He was standing over them” (Genesis 18:8). [God said:] ‘By your life, I will repay your descendants,’ etc. “The Lord was going before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to guide them on the way” (Exodus 13:21).

That was in the wilderness. In the Land, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “God stands in the assembly of the Almighty” (Psalms 82:1). In the future, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The one who breaches goes before them…[and the Lord is at their head]” (Micah 2:13).

“And I will take a piece of bread, and you will sustain your heart, then depart, inasmuch as you have passed by your servant. They said: Do so, as you have said” (Genesis 18:5). “And I will take a piece of bread, and you will sustain your heart, then depart” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: In the Torah, in the Prophets, and in the Writings, we have found that bread is the sustenance of the heart. In the Torah, from where is it derived?

“And I will take a piece of bread, and you will sustain your heart.” In the Prophets – “Sustain your heart with a piece of bread” (Judges 19:5). In the writings – “And bread sustains man’s heart” (Psalms 104:15). Rav Aḥa said: “Sustain your heart [levavkhem]” is not written here, but rather, “sustain your heart [libekhem].”

This teaches that the evil inclination has no authority over angels.25The word “heart” can be spelled with one bet (lev) or two (levav). When it is spelled with two bets it means to include both man’s good inclination and his evil inclination (Mishna Berachot 9:5). Here it is spelled with just one bet, indicating that angels have no evil inclination. That is in accordance to the opinion of Rabbi Ḥiyya, as Rabbi Ḥiyya said: “Direct your heart [levavkhem] to its rampart” is not written here, but rather, “libekhem” (Psalms 48:14).

That is what is said: the evil inclination will have no authority in the future.26As that verse is speaking of Messianic times. “Inasmuch as [al ken] you have passed by your servant” – Rabbi Yehoshua said: [Abraham said:] ‘From the day that the Holy One blessed be He created His world, you were foreordained to come to me,’ “inasmuch [al ken] as you have passed.”27The word ken appears numerous times in the account of creation: Vayehi khen, “and it was so.”

This is as it says [in Pharaoh’s response to Moses]: “So [khen], may the Lord be with you” (Exodus 10:10).28There, too, Pharaoh meant: If it is preordained that your people should leave Egypt, so be it. He, of course, believed that it was not so. “They said: Do [ta’aseh] so, as you have said” – they [the angels] said: ‘Eating and drinking do not apply to us, but you, for whom eating and drinking do apply, you shall do [ta’aseh] so for yourself; may it be His will that you should merit to prepare another feast for your male offspring that will be born to you.’29As recorded in Genesis 21:8.

“Abraham hurried to the tent, to Sarah, and said: Quickly prepare three se’a of high quality flour, knead and make cakes” (Genesis 18:6). “Abraham hurried to the tent, to Sarah, and said: Quickly [prepare three se’a of high quality flour, knead and make cakes]” – Rabbi Evyatar said: She baked nine se’a – three for cakes, three for dumplings, and three for various pastries. The Rabbis said: There were three [se’a altogether] – one for cakes, one for dumplings, and one for pastries.

“Knead and make cakes [ugot]” – that teaches that it was the onset of Passover.30As it is written: “They baked the dough that they had taken out of Egypt into unleavened cakes [ugot]” (Exodus 12:39). Rabbi Yona in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: The wilderness of Sin31Where the manna began to fall for the Israelites (Exodus chapter 16). and the wilderness of Alush32Mentioned as one of the stations of the Israelites in the wilderness (Numbers 33:13). are one and the same.

By what merit were the people of Israel privileged to eat manna in the wilderness? It was by the merit of Abraham, who said: “Knead [lushi] and make cakes.”

“Abraham ran to the herd and took a young bull, tender and good, and gave it to the lad and he hurried to prepare it” (Genesis 18:7). “Abraham ran to the herd” – Rabbi Levi said: He ran for the advancement of that nation in whose regard it is written: “Ephraim is a trained calf that loves to thresh” (Hosea 10:11).33”Ephraim” is often used as a name to denote all of Israel. As expounded before this, Abraham’s actions here provided merit from which the people of Israel benefitted later in history.

“And took a young bull” – one could think that it was large.34A grown bull, whose meat is tough. The verse therefore states: “Tender.” If it was “tender,” one could think that it was inferior. The verse therefore states: “And good.” “And gave it to the lad” – this was Ishmael. [Abraham delegated the task to him] in order to train him in mitzvot.

“He took butter and milk, and the young bull that he had prepared, and placed it before them; he was standing over them beneath the tree, and they ate” (Genesis 18:8). “He took butter and milk” – Rabbi Ḥanina said: The highest quality [butter] is one-sixtieth of the milk,35The best butter is made from the creamiest one-sixtieth part of the milk. the intermediate quality is one-fortieth, and the lowest quality is one-twentieth.

Rabbi Yona said: The highest quality [butter] is one-hundredth of the milk, the intermediate quality is one-sixtieth, and the lowest quality is one-twentieth.36Abraham gave them butter with whole milk, from which only a small percentage of the fat had been made into high quality butter. And where was the bread?37Abraham told Sarah to prepare three se’a of flour for bread and cakes. Why does it not mention here that it was served to them?

Efrayim Makshaa, a student of Rabbi Meir, said in the name of Rabbi Meir: She began to menstruate [just then] and the dough became ritually impure. The Rabbis say: He did bring the bread before them as well. If he brought these items, which he did not mention [earlier], all the more so did he bring the items that he did mention.38The bread is not mentioned here because it goes without saying that it was served along with the meat and butter.

“He was standing over them” – here it says: “He was standing over them,” but elsewhere it says: “[behold, three men] were standing over him” (Genesis 18:2). The explanation is that before he satisfied his obligation to them, they were standing over him.39He felt an obligation towards them, so it was as if they were standing over him. Once he satisfied his obligation to them, he was standing over them.40They were awed by Abraham’s actions.

Awe of him overcame them: Mikhael was trembling, Gavriel was trembling. Rabbi Tanḥuma in the name of Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Avun in the name of Rabbi Meir: The parable says: When you enter a city, follow its customs.41As in the English saying: ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ On High, where there is no eating and drinking, when Moses ascended on High he did not eat, as it is stated: “I remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights; bread I did not eat and water I did not drink” (Deuteronomy 9:9).

But below, where there is eating and drinking: “He was standing over them beneath the tree, and they ate.” Were they actually eating? No, they appeared as though they were eating, the morsels disappearing one by one.

“They said to him: Where is Sarah your wife? He said: Behold, in the tent” (Genesis 18:9). “They said to him [elav]: Where is Sarah your wife?” The letters alef, yod, vav are dotted;42These three letters in the word elav have dots placed over them in the Torah. lamed is not dotted.

Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: Wherever you find the number of undotted letters greater than the number of dotted letters, one expounds the undotted letters. If the number of dotted letters is greater than the number of undotted letters, one expounds the dotted letters. Here, where the number of dotted letters is greater than the number of undotted letters, one expounds the dotted letters, [which spell out]: ‘Where is he [ayo] – Abraham?’

Rabbi Azarya said: Just as they said [to Abraham]: “Where is Sarah?” so they said to Sarah: ‘Where is Abraham?’ “He said: Behold, in the tent” – that is what is written: “Blessed beyond women is Yael, wife of Ḥever the Kenite; beyond the women in the tent, she shall be blessed” (Judges 5:24). Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, Rabbi Elazar said: Beyond the women of the generation of the wilderness, who dwelled in tents, as it is stated: “Each man at the entrance of his tent” (Numbers 11:10).

Why should she be more blessed than they were? They bore children and kept the world going, but what use would it have been? Were it not for her, they would have been eradicated. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Beyond the matriarchs.43Sarah (here), Rebecca (Genesis 24:67), and Leah and Rachel (Genesis 31:33), are all mentioned in connection with tents. They bore children, etc., but were it not for her, they would have been eradicated.

“He said: I will return to you at this time next year and, behold, a son for Sarah your wife. And Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, and it was behind him” (Genesis 18:10). “He said: I will return to you at this time next year…and it was behind him” – this is Ishmael. “And it was behind him” – because of seclusion.44Yishmael would stand at the entrance of the tent in order to ensure that men would not enter it when Sarah was alone, to avoid the seclusion of a man and a woman, which is forbidden.

“And it was behind him” – this refers to the angel, who looked behind him, sensing that light was coming from behind him.45Sarah’s body virtually glowed from her righteousness. “Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years; it had ceased to be with Sarah the manner of women” (Genesis 18:11). “Abraham and Sarah were old” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It was already stated: “Abraham and Sarah were old,” why does the verse state [again]: “Abraham was old”? (Genesis 24:1).46That verse is referring to a time forty years later than our verse.

The explanation is that the Holy One blessed be He restored him to the days of his youth;47When the angels came to him he became reinvigorated. Consequently, he had to go through the ageing process again. therefore, it was necessary to write a second time: Abraham was old. Rabbi Ami said: Here it refers to old age with vitality, and there it refers to old age without vitality. “It had ceased [ḥadal] to be with Sarah the manner of women” – just as it says: “If you refrain [teḥdal] from vowing” (Deuteronomy 23:23), [meaning that] it had ceased, just as it says: “And he refrained [veḥadal] from offering the Paschal lamb” (Numbers 9:13).

“Sarah laughed to herself, saying: After my languishing, shall I have youth [edna], and my husband is old?” (Genesis 18:12). “Sarah laughed to herself [bekirba] saying” – this is one of the instances that they emended for King Ptolemy:48When a group of seventy sages translated the Torah for King Ptolemy, they altered the wording of several verses in order to avoid some difficulty. “Sarah laughed among her relatives [bikroveha].”49This was to avoid the difficulty: Why, when Abraham laughed (Genesis 17:17), was there no reaction, whereas Sarah was reprimanded?

This emendation attributes her reprimand to the fact that she shared her skepticism with others. “And my husband is old” – a woman, as long as she is young, wears fine jewelry, [while old women do not],50A young woman wears jewelry to make herself attractive to her husband. Older women do not generally do so. but I, even after my languishing, I wear jewelry [edna],51I am once again donning jewelry, like a young woman. as it says: “I decked you with ornaments [edi]” (Ezekiel 16:11).

A woman, as long as she is young, has menstrual cycles, [while old women do not,] but I, even after my languishing, I have edna, meaning set times [idanin]. A woman, as long as she is young, has pregnancies [iduyim], [while old women do not,] but I, even after my languishing, I have edna – it is my time. However, “my husband is old” – Rav Yehuda said: He grinds but does not discharge.52We engage in intercourse but he does not discharge semen.

Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Each of you considers yourself young, and your counterpart old, but am I too old53This is an interpretation of the words “and I have grown old” in the following verse. God is asking, have I grown old, as it were, and lost My ability to perform miracles? to perform miracles?’

“The Lord said to Abraham: Why is it that Sarah laughed, saying: Shall I indeed bear a child, and I have grown old?” (Genesis 18:13). “The Lord said to Abraham: Why is it that Sarah laughed, saying: [Shall I indeed bear a child, and I have grown old?]” – bar Kappara said: Peace [between spouses] is a great thing, as even Scripture spoke untruths in order to establish peace between Abraham and Sarah. “Sarah laughed to herself, saying: After my languishing, shall I have youth, and my husband is old?” But He did not say this to Abraham, but rather, “Why is it that Sarah laughed, saying: Shall I indeed bear a child, and I have grown old?” The verse does not say as Sarah said: “My husband is old,”54So that Abraham should not feel that Sarah had slighted him. but rather, “I have grown old.”

“Is any matter beyond the Lord? At the time, I will return to you; at this time next year, Sarah will have a son” (Genesis 18:14). “Is any matter beyond the Lord?” Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Simon said: This is analogous to one who had two chains in his hand. He went to the blacksmith and said to him: ‘Can you repair them for me?’ He said to him: ‘I can make them in the first place, should I not be able to repair them?’ So, here, [God said:] ‘I am able to create them in the first place, should I not be able to restore them to the days of their youth?’

“Sarah denied, saying: I did not laugh, for she was afraid. He said: No, but you did laugh” (Genesis 18:15). “Sarah denied, saying: I did not” – Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: The Holy One blessed be He never deigned to speak with a woman, except for that righteous woman [Sarah], and that, too, was out of necessity. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said in the name of Rabbi Idi: See how much He spoke in a roundabout manner in order to speak with her: “No, but you did laugh.”55Instead of saying: “Yes, you laughed,” He said it in an indirect manner.

Rabbi Eliezer says: But is it not written: “She [Hagar] called the name of the Lord who spoke to her”? (Genesis 16:13). Rabbi Neḥemya said in the name of Rabbi Idi: That was through an angel. But is it not written [regarding Rebecca]: “The Lord said to her”? (Genesis 25:23). Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina bar Ḥama: That was through an angel.

Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: It was through Shem son of Noah.56Rebecca had gone to consult Shem, who was a spiritual leader at the time. “The men arose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham was walking with them to see them off” (Genesis 18:16). “The men arose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham was walking with them to see them off” – the parable says: You fed them, you gave them to drink, accompany them. So, “Abraham was walking with them to see them off.”

Rabbi Eleazar wondered: But it is written, "And she [Hagar] called the name of the Lord who spoke with her, etc." (Gen. 16:13)? Rabbi Yehoshua said in Rabbi Nechemiah's name in Rabbi Idi's name: That was through an angel. But it is written, "And the Lord said to her [Rebecca]" (Gen. 25:23)? Rabbi Levi maintained: That was through an angel. Rabbi Eleazar says in the name of Rabbi Yose b. Zimra: That was through Shem son of Noah.

“The Lord said: Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am doing?” (Genesis 18:17). “And Abraham will become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him” (Genesis 18:18). “The Lord said: Shall I conceal from Abraham […and Abraham will become a great and mighty nation]” – Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “The memory of the righteous is for a blessing, and the name of the wicked will rot” (Proverbs 10:7). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who mentions a righteous man and does not pronounce a blessing for him, has violated a positive mitzva. What is the source? “The memory of the righteous is for a blessing.” And anyone who mentions a wicked man and does not pronounce a curse for him violates a positive mitzva. What is the source? “And the name of the wicked will rot.” Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The names of the wicked are similar to weaving implements. Just as these weaving implements, as long as you use them, they are taut, while if you leave them, they slacken, so, too, have you ever, in all your days, heard a person call his son Pharaoh, Sisera, Sennacherib?1These names fell into disuse and rot away. It is, rather, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Reuben, and Simeon. Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Rabbi Yonatan, when he would reach this verse: “Who had been exiled from Jerusalem with the exile [that was exiled with Yekhonya king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon exiled]” (Esther 2:6), he would say: ‘Nebuchadnezzar, may his bones be crushed.’2In fulfillment of the verse: “The name of the wicked will rot.” And why did he not do so [when mentioning Nebuchadnezzar] in Jeremiah? It is because every time Nebuchadnezzar is written in Jeremiah, he was still alive;3The curse “may his bones be crushed” was not appropriate while he was still alive. here, however, he was dead. Rav, when he would come to Haman on Purim, would say: ‘Cursed is Haman and cursed are his sons,’ in order to realize what is stated: “And the name of the wicked will rot.” Rabbi Pinḥas said: Ḥarvona is remembered for good.4This is what he said when reading Ḥarvona’s name. Ḥarvona was the one who suggested that Haman be hanged. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: We find that when the Holy One blessed be He mentions the name of Israel, He blesses them, as it is stated: “The Lord who remembers us, blesses” (Psalms 115:12). Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Aḥa: I know [from that verse] only that it is so regarding six hundred thousand,5An allusion to the nation of Israel as a whole (see Exodus 12:37). from where is it derived regarding each and every member of Israel, that when the Holy One blessed be He mentions his name He blesses him? It is as it is stated: “Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am doing? And Abraham will become a great and mighty nation.” The verse need only have said: “The Lord said: Because the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great” (Genesis 18:20).6The Torah could have skipped verses 18 and 19, which praise Abraham, altogether, proceeding directly to verse 20. However, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I have mentioned the righteous man, shall I not bless him? “Abraham will become a great nation.”’

It is written: "The secret of the LORD is with them that fear Him, and His covenant, to make them know it" (Psalms 25:14). What is the secret of the LORD? This is circumcision, for He did not reveal it from Adam until twenty generations, until Abraham arose and He gave it to him, as it is said: "And I will make My covenant between Me and you" (Genesis 17:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: If you circumcise yourself, you will receive the secret of the LORD. What is "the secret of the LORD"? The letter samekh stands for sixty, the letter vav for six, the letter dalet for four - that is seventy [reading the word "sod," secret, as a numerical cipher whose plain meaning is simply "secret"]. Seventy I will raise up from you in the merit of circumcision, as it is said: "With seventy persons your fathers went down" (Deuteronomy 10:22). I will raise up from them seventy elders, as it is said: "Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel" (Numbers 11:16). And I will raise up from them Moses, who expounds the Torah in seventy languages, as it is said: "Moses began to declare" and so forth (Deuteronomy 1:5). In whose merit? In the merit of circumcision, as it is said: "The secret of the LORD is with them that fear Him." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham: It is enough for a servant to be like his master. Abraham said before Him: And who will circumcise me? He said: You yourself. Immediately Abraham took a knife and was gripping his foreskin and came to cut, but he was afraid because he was old. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He put forth His hand and held it together with him, and Abraham cut, as it is said: "You are the LORD the God, who chose Abram" and so forth (Nehemiah 9:7). "And You made a covenant with him" is not written here, but rather "And You made the covenant together with him" - this teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, was holding him. Another interpretation: "The secret of the LORD is with them that fear Him." Initially the secret of the LORD was with those who fear Him, and afterward with the upright: "And His secret is with the upright" (Proverbs 3:32); and afterward with the prophets: "For the Lord GOD will do nothing, but He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: This Abraham is one who fears God, as it is said: "Now I know that you fear God" (Genesis 22:12). This Abraham is upright, among the upright, as it is said: "The upright love You" (Song of Songs 1:4). This Abraham is a prophet, as it is said: "And now restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet" (Genesis 20:7) - and shall I not reveal it to him? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: This may be compared to a king who gave an estate to his friend. After a time the king wished to cut down from within it five barren trees. The king said: Were I to ask for it from his own private property, he would not object, and what is the matter in this? Yet he consulted with him. So too the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I have already given the land as a gift to Abraham, as it is said: "To your seed I have given this land" (Genesis 15:18), and these five cities are within his portion. Were I to ask for it from his own private property, he would not object to me, and what is the matter in this? Yet He consulted with him. Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Simon said: This may be compared to a king who had three friends, and he would do nothing without their counsel. Once the king wished to do something without their counsel. He took the first and drove him out, sending him outside the palace; the second he imprisoned in the house of confinement and placed his decrees upon him; the third, who was exceedingly dear to him, he said: I will do nothing without his counsel. So too: the first man, Adam - "And He drove out the man" (Genesis 3:24); Noah - "And the LORD shut him in" (Genesis 7:16); Abraham, who was exceedingly dear to Him - He said: How shall I do anything without his counsel? Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: This may be compared to a king who had a single counselor, and he would do nothing without his counsel. Once the king wished to do something without his counsel. The king said: Did I make him my counselor for anything other than that I should do nothing without his counsel? Rabbi Yudan said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Behold, Lot the son of his brother is there, and shall I not reveal it to him? And the Rabbis say: I have already called him their father, as it is said: "For the father of a multitude of nations have I made you" (Genesis 17:5), and one may judge the son apart from the father. The giving of the Torah - I revealed it to him. Gehenna - I revealed it to him. The judgment of Sodom on the morrow - and shall I not reveal it to him? Rabbi Acha in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman in the name of Rabbi Natan said: Even the laws of the joining of courtyards Abraham knew. Rabbi Pinchas in the name of Rabbi Shmuel said: Even the new name that the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to call Jerusalem, as it is said: "At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD" (Jeremiah 3:17), Abraham knew. Rabbi Berekhyah and Rabbi Chiyya and the Rabbis there in the name of Rabbi Yehudah said: There is no day on which the Holy One, blessed be He, does not innovate a law in the court on high. What is the reason? "Hear attentively the noise of His voice, and the sound that goes out of His mouth" (Job 37:2), and "sound" means nothing other than Torah, as it is said: "And you shall meditate therein day and night" (Joshua 1:8). Even those laws Abraham knew.

It is written: “The secret of the Lord is [revealed] to those who fear Him, and His covenant to inform them” (Psalms 25:14). What is “the secret of the Lord”? This is circumcision,7Often referred to as brit, the covenant. as He did not reveal it from Adam the first man until twenty generations, until Abraham arose, and He gave it to him, as it is stated: “I will establish My covenant between Me and you” (Genesis 17:2).

The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘If you become circumcised, you will receive the secret [sod] of the Lord.’ What is the secret of the Lord? Samekh is sixty, vav is six, dalet is four, yielding seventy. Due to the merit of circumcision, I will bring forth out of you seventy, as it is stated: “With seventy people, your ancestors descended” (Deuteronomy 10:22).

I will bring forth from them seventy elders, as it is stated: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel” (Numbers 11:16). I will bring forth from them Moses, who pronounced the Torah in seventy languages, as it is stated: “Moses undertook to expound [be’er]8The midrash interprets be’er as being as explicit as possible, i.e. saying it in all languages. [this Torah]” (Deuteronomy 1:5). By whose merit?

It is by the merit of circumcision, as it is stated: “The secret [sod] of the Lord is [revealed] to those who fear Him.” The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘It is sufficient for the disciple to be similar to his master.’9This is a new interpretation of: “The secret [sod] of the Lord is [revealed] to those who fear Him, and His covenant to inform them,” interpreting sod as inner circle. Through circumcision, Abraham became part of God’s inner circle, as it were.

He [Abraham] said before Him: ‘Who will circumcise me?’ He said: ‘You, yourself.’ Thereupon, Abraham took a knife and held his foreskin, and he was about to cut, but he was afraid, because he was so old. What did the Holy One blessed be He do?

He extended his hand and held it with him as Abraham was cutting, as it is stated: “You are the Lord the God, who chose Abram […and made the covenant with him]” (Nehemiah 9:7–8). “And He made the covenant to him” is not written here, but rather, “made with him.” This teaches that the Holy One blessed be He was holding on to him. Another matter, “the secret of the Lord is [revealed] to those who fear Him.”

At first, “the secret of the Lord” was [revealed] to those who fear Him. Then it was [revealed] to the upright: “And his secret is to the upright (Proverbs 3:32). Then it was to the prophets: “For the Lord God will do nothing without revealing His secret to His servants, the prophets” (Amos 3:7).10At first, in succeeding generations, “the secret of the Lord,” meaning His plans for the future, was available to all who feared Him; subsequently, it was restricted to those who were on the higher level of uprightness, and then finally to the prophets alone.

The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘This Abraham is God fearing, as it is stated: “For now I know that you are God fearing” (Genesis 22:12). This Abraham is the most upright of the upright, as it is stated: “The upright love you” (Song of Songs 1:4).11This verse is a reference to the Patriarchs. This Abraham is a prophet, as it is stated: “Now, restore the man's wife, as he is a prophet” (Genesis 20:7).

Shall I, then, not reveal to him [what I am about to do]?’ Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: This is analogous to a king who gave an estate to his friend. Some time later, the king sought to chop down five non-fruit-bearing trees from inside it. The king said: ‘Even if I had asked [to cut down trees] from his own ancestral property, he would not have refused.

So what of it?’12What would be wrong if I cut down those trees without his permission? [Nevertheless,] he consulted with him [first]. So, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I have already granted the land to Abraham as a gift, as it is stated: “To your descendants I have given this land” (Genesis 15:18), and these five cities belong to him. Even if I had I sought to do so [to destroy areas] from his own ancestral property he would not have refused.

So what of it?’ [Nevertheless,] He consulted with him first. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: This is analogous to a king who had three close friends, and he would never do anything without their knowledge. One time he wanted to do something without their knowledge. He took the first one and banished him and expelled him from the palace.

The second one he incarcerated in a prison cell and placed his royal seal upon it. Regarding the third, who was exceedingly beloved to him, he said: ‘I will not do anything without consulting him.’ So, too, Adam the first man – “He banished the man” (Genesis 3:24); Noah, “the Lord shut him in” (Genesis 7:16). Regarding Abraham, who was exceedingly beloved to him, he said: ‘Could I do anything without his knowledge?’

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: This is analogous to a king who had a senior adviser, and he would not do anything without his knowledge. The king said: ‘Did I not appoint him as my adviser specifically so that I would not to do anything without his knowledge?’ Rabbi Yudan said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘His brother’s son, Lot, is there; shall I not reveal it to him?’ The Rabbis say: [God said:] ‘I have already called him their father, as it is stated: “For I have rendered you the father of a multitude of nations” (Genesis 17:5).13Including Sodom and Gomorrah.

Does one judge a son without [notifying] the father? I revealed the giving of the Torah to him. I revealed Gehenna to him.14See Bereshit Rabba 44:21. The sentence of Sodom is tomorrow, shall I not reveal it to him?’

Rabbi Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rabbi Natan: Abraham knew even the laws of the joining of courtyards [on Shabbat].15Even though they are of rabbinic, not biblical origin. Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: He knew even the new name that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to call Jerusalem, as it is stated: “At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord” (Jeremiah 3:17).

Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Ḥiyya, and the Rabbis from over there16In Babylon. in the name of Rabbi Yehuda: There is not a single day that the Holy One blessed be He does not introduce a new halakha in the supernal court. What is its source? “Hear the fury of His voice, the sound [hegeh] that emerges from His mouth” (Job 37:2). Hegeh is nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “You shall speak of [vehagita] it day and night” (Joshua 1:8). Even those laws Abraham knew.

“Abraham will become.” Rabbi Tanḥum in the name of Rabbi Berekhya: He informed him that the world would have no less than thirty righteous men like Abraham.17He derived this from the verse: “So shall be [yihye] your seed” (Genesis 15:5), yihye alluding to thirty, as the Midrash goes on to explain (Tanḥuma, Vayera 13). Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Aḥa in the name of Rabbi Alexandri cite it from here: “Abraham will become [hayo yihye].” Yod is ten, heh is five, yod is ten, heh is five.18The numerical value of yihye is thirty.

“For I love him, so that he will command his children and his household after him, that they observe the way of the Lord, to perform righteousness and justice, so that the Lord will bring upon Abraham what He spoke concerning him” (Genesis 18:19). “For I love him, so that he will command [his children…to perform righteousness and justice]” – Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Alexandri: This refers to providing the first meal to mourners after a burial.

The Rabbis say: It refers to visiting the ill. Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda: Righteousness at first, and ultimately justice. How so? Abraham would take in passersby.

After they ate and drink, he said to them: ‘Recite a blessing.’ They said: ‘What should we say?’ He said to them: ‘Say: Blessed is God, the Most High, whose food we have eaten.’ If he agreed to recite the blessing, he would eat, drink and go.

But if he would not agree to recite the blessing, he [Abraham] would say to him: ‘Give me what you owe.’ He would say: ‘What do I owe you?’ He would say to him: ‘A cup of wine costs ten polars, a pound of meat costs ten polars, and a loaf of bread costs ten polars. [After all,] who can provide you with wine in the wilderness? Who can provide you with meat in the wilderness?

Who can provide you a loaf of bread in the wilderness?’ When he [the guest] would see the trouble that he was causing him, he would say: ‘Blessed is God, the Most High, whose food we have eaten.’ That is what we have written: Righteousness at first, and ultimately justice. “So that the Lord will bring upon Abraham…” – It is taught: Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Anyone who leaves behind a son who toils in Torah, it is as though he did not die, as it is stated: “So that the Lord will bring upon Abraham”; “what He spoke to him”19If it had been written this way, it could have been interpreted to mean that God will grant Abraham everything He had spoken to him concerning his descendants. is not stated, but rather, “what He spoke concerning him.”20God will bring reward to Abraham himself, in accordance with what He had spoken concerning Abraham himself, even after his death.

“The Lord said: Because the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and because their sin is very heavy” (Genesis 18:20). “The Lord said: Because the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great [raba]” – Rabbi Ḥanina said: It was growing continuously greater.21The word raba should be understood in the present tense, “becoming greater.” Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: We have heard regarding the generation of the Flood that they were sentenced with water, and regarding the Sodomites that they were sentenced with fire.

From where can it be derived to apply what is stated regarding each to the other?22Both the generation of the Flood and the people of Sodom were punished with both water and fire. The verse states: Raba [here, and] raba [there]23“The wickedness of man was great [raba]” (Genesis 6:5). for a verbal analogy.

“I will descend now and see, if they have acted in accordance with her outcry that has reached me, destruction, and if not, I will know” (Genesis 18:21). “I will descend now” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: This is one of the ten descents [of God] that are stated in the Torah. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: This teaches that the Omnipresent opened for them an opening for repentance,24The sinfulness of the people of Sodom was already an established fact; God did not have to “go down” and investigate it.

The verse means that God here was offering them a chance to repent from their evilness. as it is stated: “I will descend now and see, if they have acted in accordance with her outcry that has reached me,25And they do not repent. destruction” – they have incurred liability to be destroyed. “And if not,26If they repent. I will know” – I will let them know about the attribute of justice in the world.27They will not be punished by total destruction, but with some other form of punishment to expiate their sins.

Rabbi Levi said: [God said:] ‘Even if I would want to keep silent, the plight of a certain girl does not allow me to be silent.’ There was an incident involving two girls who went down to drink and to draw water. One said to the other: ‘Why is your face so sickly?’ She said to her: ‘Her28She was referring to herself. food supply is depleted and she is close to death [from starvation].’

What did she [the other girl] do? She filled her jug with flour and exchanged that jug for the jug that was in the hand of the other. When they realized what she had done, they took her and burned her.29Charity was considered a great evil in Sodom. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Even if I would want to keep silent, the plight of that girl does not allow me to be silent.’

That is what is written: “In accordance with her outcry.”30Haketzaakata can mean “its outcry,” or “her outcry.” It does not say: “In accordance with their outcry,”31Referring to the people of Sodom in general. but rather, her outcry. Which is that? The plight of that girl.

Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: The main period of tranquility of Sodom was only fifty-two years, twenty-five years of which the Holy One blessed be He caused the mountains to thunder over them, and brought quakes upon them, so that they would repent. But they did not do so. That is what is written: “He who moves mountains and they do not know” (Job 9:5), and ultimately, “who overturns them in His wrath” (Job 9:5).

“The men turned from there and went to Sodom, and Abraham was still standing before the Lord” (Genesis 18:22). “The men turned from there” – this teaches that angels do not have backs to their heads.32The Midrash interprets the verse to mean that the angels were still facing Abraham, even though they were already walking away from him. “And went to Sodom, and Abraham was still standing before the Lord” – Rabbi Simon said: This is a scribal emendation, as it was [actually] the Divine Presence that was waiting for Abraham.

Abraham approached, and he said: Would You even destroy the righteous with the wicked?” (Genesis 18:23). “Abraham approached, and he said…” – Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda says: The term approaching means for battle33To argue against God. – “Yoav and the people who were with him approached Aram to battle” (I Chronicles 19:14). Rabbi Neḥemya said: Approaching means for conciliation, as it says: “The children of Judah approached Joshua” (Joshua 14:6).

The Rabbis said: Approaching is for prayer, as it says: “It was at the time of offering up the afternoon offering that Elijah the prophet approached, and he said: Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel…” (I Kings 18:36). Rabbi Elazar interpreted it: [Abraham said:] ‘If it entails battle, I am coming; if it entails conciliation, I am coming; if it entails prayer, I am coming.’34Abraham’s intent was to engage in all three activities if necessary.

Rabbi Pinḥas, Rabbi Levi, and Rabbi Yoḥanan: When one passes before the ark,35To lead the prayers. one should not say to him [when inviting him to lead the prayers]: ‘Go and perform,’ or ‘Go and do battle,’ or ‘Go and wage the battle of the congregation,’ but rather, ‘Go and do battle in prayer.’36This includes the notion: Draw near for battle, conciliation, and prayer. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Why did they institute fifteen blessings37In the daily Amida prayer. before [the blessing] “Who hears prayer”?

It is corresponding to the fifteen mentions of God’s name in: “Give to the Lord, sons of the mighty” (Psalms 29:1) until: “The Lord sat enthroned at the flood” (Psalms 29:10), indicating that He eradicates calamities from coming to the world.38After the Flood, God promised there would be no more such disasters. Rav Huna in the name of Rav Aḥa: “Would You even [ha’af] destroy [tispe]” – [Abraham said:] ‘You control [tispe] wrath [af]; wrath does not control You.’39Instead of translating ha’af tispe as: “Will You even destroy” the Midrash interprets it: You control wrath.

You are not carried away by wrath, as a human may be; You can overcome Your anger and forgive them. Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya said: [Abraham said:] ‘With the wrath [af] that You bring to Your world, You eradicate the righteous and the wicked. Not only do You not suspend punishment for the wicked in the merit of the righteous, but You are even [af] eradicating the righteous with the wicked.’ Rabbi and Rabbi Yonatan, Rabbi says: A mortal human being, fury overcomes him, but the Holy One blessed be He overcomes fury, as it is stated: “The Lord is vengeful and Master of fury” (Nahum 1:2).

Rabbi Yonatan said: A mortal human being, zealotry overcomes him, but the Holy One blessed be He overcomes zealotry, as it is stated: “The Lord is Master of zealousness and vengeful” (Nahum 1:2). Rabbi Simlai asked Rabbi Yonatan: What is it that is written: “Some are punished [nispe] without justice”? (Proverbs 13:23). He said to him: It means without the judgment of his place of residence. There was an incident involving someone who was sent to collect taxes from the residents of Tiberias and the residents of Tzippori.

While he was collecting in Tiberias, he saw someone from Tzippori. He arose and took hold of him. He said to him: ‘I am from Tzippori.’ He said to him: ‘I have written orders regarding Tzippori, to collect from it [as well].’

By the time he had finished collecting from the people of Tiberias, a reprieve was issued for Tzippori. It turns out that this man was punished without the judgment of his place.40If he had remained in Tzippori he would not have had to pay the tax. It emerges, then, that his payment was not in accordance with the judgment intended for his place. Rabbi Levi said: This41The phenomenon that sometimes the righteous perish along with the wicked. is analogous to a she-bear that used to maul beasts.

It could not find a beast to maul, so it mauled its own offspring. Rabbi Simon said: It is analogous to a scythe that is cutting thorns, but it was not sufficient for it, [so it cut] a rose bush, and it was not sufficient for it.42The scythe cuts indiscriminately every growth that is in the path of its blade. If there are roses among the thorns, they, too, are cut.

"Far be it from You" (Genesis 18:25). Rabbi Yudan said: "Far be it from You" means it is a profane thing for You. Rabbi Acha said: "Far be it, far be it" two times means there is a desecration of the Name of Heaven in the matter. Rabbi Levi said: Two people said the same thing, Abraham and Job. Abraham said: "Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked" (Genesis 18:25). Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Simon said: Thus Abraham said to Him: A king of flesh and blood has an appeal hung up for him, from a duke to a prefect, from a prefect to a general; but You, because You have no one to hang up an appeal before for You, will You not do justice? Rabbi Levi said: "Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?" (Genesis 18:25). If You seek a world, there is no strict judgment; and if You seek strict judgment, there is no world. You are holding the rope at both ends: You want a world and You want strict judgment. If You do not give up a little, the world cannot stand. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham: "You loved righteousness and hated wickedness" (Psalms 45:8). You loved to justify My creatures, and you hated wickedness, you refused to condemn them; "therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows" (Psalms 45:8). What is "above your fellows"? From Noah until you there are ten generations, and of all of them I spoke with none of them but with you.

“Far be it from You to do something like this, to kill the righteous with the wicked, and the righteous will be as the wicked. Far be it from You; shall the Judge of all the earth not practice justice?” (Genesis 18:25). “Far be it [ḥalila] from You” – Rabbi Yudan said: It is profane for You,43Ḥalila is related to ḥol, meaning that which is unholy. it is foreign to You. Rabbi Aḥa said: Ḥalila ḥalila, twice – this entails profaning [ḥilul] the name of Heaven.44People will say that Your ways are unjust.

Rabbi Abba said: “From doing this thing” is not written here, but rather, “to do something like this” – neither it, nor something similar to it, nor something lesser than it.45Even allowing the righteous to suffer a bitter fate other than death on account of the wicked seems unjust. Rabbi Levi said: Two people said the same thing, Abraham and Job. Abraham said: “Far be it from You to do something like this, to kill the righteous with the wicked.”

Job said: “One matter, therefore, I say: The faultless and the wicked He destroys” (Job 9:22). Abraham received a reward for it, yet Job was punished for it. Abraham said it as a mature thought;46Literally, like a ripe fruit. Abraham’s argument was the result of well thought-out reasoning.

Job said it as an immature thought47Literally, like an unripe fruit. Job spoke from emotion, without carefully contemplating his thoughts. – “One matter, therefore, I say: The faultless and the wicked He destroys.” Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: There is an intermingling of arguments48Abraham’s argument and God’s counter-argument are intermingled in this verse. here. Abraham said: “Far be it from You to do something like this, to kill the righteous with the wicked.”

The Holy One blessed be He said: “And the righteous will be as the wicked.” [You think:] Let Him suspend punishment for the wicked in the merit of the righteous? If only they were [truly] righteous. But these are nothing other than righteous men of inferior quality,49The midrash uses the term nivlei – which means dates that fall off the tree before they ripen. They only pretended to be righteous, but inside they were rotten.

Therefore they could not supply any merit to save the wicked. as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: In all instances of the words righteous men [tzadikim] which were stated regarding Sodom, tzadikim is written without a yod.50This is an indication that their righteousness was inferior. This is the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan [elsewhere as well], as Rabbi Yoḥanan said [regarding the Givonites]: “Our elders [zekenenu] and all the inhabitants of our land” (Joshua 9:11) – zekenenu is written without a yod, indicating sinful elders, shameful elders.

“Perhaps there are fifty righteous men in the city; would You destroy it and not spare the place for the fifty righteous men that are in it?” (Genesis 18:24) Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Abraham said:51God had said He would not destroy the five cities (Sodom, Gomorrah, Adma, Tzevoim, Tzoar – see Genesis 14:2) if He found fifty righteous men there, ten for each city. The Midrash explains how Abraham’s plea went from fifty to forty-five (see Genesis 18:28). ‘Incorporate my righteous deeds and let them be included in the tally of fifty.’52If there are only nine people in each city, forty-five in all, let my righteousness take the place of the tenth man of each place.

Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: [Abraham said:] ‘Are You not the righteous One of the world? Incorporate Yourself with them so they reach the tally of fifty.’ Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: This is what Abraham said to Him: ‘With a mortal king, one can suspend his ruling by means of an appeal from commander to prefect, from prefect to governor. But You, because you have no one who can be used to suspend judgment for an appeal, will You not perform justice?’53This is what Abraham meant when he said: “Shall the Judge of all the earth not practice justice?”

Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: [Abraham said:] ‘When You sought to impose judgment on Your world,54By creating the Roman empire, which ruled over virtually all the world. You delivered it into the hand of two people: Remus and Romulus,55The legendary founders of Rome. so that if one of them sought to perform an action the other could prevent him from doing so.56In the Roman system of government, there was always a senior official who could restrain the absolute power of the ruler.

But You, because You have no one to prevent You from doing anything, will You not perform justice?’ Rav Ada said: [Abraham said:] ‘You took an oath that You would not bring a flood to the world. Are You seeking to evade Your oath? [Do You argue that You swore that] You would not bring a flood of water, but You may bring a flood of fire? If so, You have not fulfilled your oath.’

Rabbi Levi said: [Abraham said:] ‘“Shall the Judge of all the earth not practice justice?” If You wish to have a world, there can be no strict justice, and if You wish to have strict justice, there can be no world. You seek to hold the rope from both ends; You wish to have the world and You wish to have strict justice. If You do not concede somewhat, the world will be unable to endure.’

The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Abraham, “You love righteousness [tzedek] and abhor wickedness” (Psalms 45:8) – you love to vindicate [letzadek] My creations. “And abhor wickedness” – you refuse to condemn them. “Because of this, God your God, has anointed you over your counterparts with the oil of joy” (Psalms 45:8). What is “over your counterparts”?

From Noah until you there were ten generations, and from among all of them, I did not speak with any of them except for you: “God said to Abram: Go you”’ (Genesis 12:1).

“The Lord said: If I find in Sodom fifty righteous people within the city, I will forgive the entire place for their sake” (Genesis 18:26). “The Lord said: If I find in Sodom” – Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: “For [I speak] of God who said: I have forgiven; I will not bring harm” (Job 34:31). This refers to what is written: “I will forgive [venasati] the entire place for their sake.”

“I will not bring harm [eḥbol]” – [God said:] ‘I will not take collateral from them,57To secure payment for their sins. as it is written: “If you take…as collateral [taḥbol]” (Exodus 22:25). Yet they pile up [ḥovelim] allegations against Me, saying: He does not judge properly.’ “What I do not see [biladai eḥeze]” (Job 34:32) – if something is beyond Me,58This is the interpretation of biladai. If there is something that I have not seen, leading me to false judgment… go and examine My judgment.59This is the interpretation of eḥeze.

If I am mistaken, “you teach me” (Job 34:32). “If I have performed injustice” (Job 34:32) with the former generations, “I will not continue” (Job 34:32) with the latter ones. “I am silent for him with his claims [badav]” (Job 41:4) – [God said to Abraham:] ‘For you and for the branches [badim] that emerge from you,60For your descendants. I will be silent.’61Despite the harsh words that you and they speak before Me, I will remain silent.

For Abraham, who said: “Far be it from You to do something like this”; for Moses, who said: “Why, Lord, will Your wrath be enflamed against your people?” (Exodus 32:11); for Joshua, who said: “Why did You take this people across…?” (Joshua 7:7); and for David, who said: “Why do You stand far off, Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalms 10:1). “And his strident speech, and the elegance [ḥin] of his presentation” (Job 41:4) – grace [ḥen] was granted [to him] for the presentation of his lips, when he asked for mercy for the Sodomites.

“Abraham responded and said: Behold now, I have presumed to speak to my Lord, and I am dust and ashes” (Genesis 18:27). “Behold now, I have presumed […and I am dust and ashes]” – he said: ‘Had Amrafel killed me, would I not be dust now? Had Nimrod burned me, would I not be ashes now?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘By your life, you said: “I am dust and ashes,” by your life, I will provide atonement to your descendants through them,’ as it is stated: “They shall take for the impure from the dust of the burning of the purification” (Numbers 19:17), “a pure man shall gather the ashes of the heifer” (Numbers 19:9).

We learned: What is the procedure for fast days? They take out the ark to the city square and place burnt ashes upon the ark.62Mishna Taanit 2:1. After this, all those gathered in the square would place ashes on their heads (Mishna Taanit 2:1). Rabbi Yudan bar Menashe and Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, one of them said: ‘[This was to recall] the merit of Abraham,’ and one said: ‘The merit of Isaac.’63The ashes, as it were, of his being sacrificed on Mount Moriah.

According to the one who says the merit of Abraham, [he said:] “I am dust and ashes.”64So that either dust or ashes may be used in this ritual. According to the one who says the merit of Isaac: Ashes only. The statement of Rabbi Yudan is in disagreement with this.65With the latter opinion, that only ashes may be used. As Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi66Earlier called Rabbi Yudan, for short. would proclaim in public and say: ‘Anyone to whom the public attendant did not come to place ashes on his head, let him take dirt67Translation follows emendation of Yefe Toar. and place it on his head.’ The statement of Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi shows that dust is the same as ashes.

“Perhaps the fifty righteous people will lack five; will You destroy the entire city for the five? He said: I will not destroy, if I find there forty-five” (Genesis 18:28). “Perhaps the fifty righteous people will lack five” – Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Abraham sought to go down directly from fifty to five.68The verse should thus be translated: “Perhaps the fifty righteous people will be lacking, so that there will be only five.”

The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Back up.’69Lower your request by smaller increments. Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a water clock.70Similar to an hourglass, but uses water instead of sand. It was used to limit the amount of time given to an advocate in court. As long as it is filled with water, the advocate pleads his case.

Sometimes, when the judge wishes him to continue pleading his case, he says: Add water to it.71By adding water, the advocate would have more time to plead his case. God here intimated to Abraham: ‘Go on with your pleas, just use smaller increments.’

“He said: Please, let my Lord not be incensed, and I will speak only this time. Perhaps ten will be found there. He said: I will not destroy for the ten” (Genesis 18:32). “He said: Please, let my Lord not be incensed…perhaps ten will be found there” – why ten?72Why did Abraham not continue to lower the number beyond ten?

That would constitute an assembly for all of them together.73If ten righteous people were to be found among the five cities, that would be enough to convene an assembly if they all came together. A group of people is called an assembly only if it consists of ten individuals. Another explanation: Why ten? In the generation of the Flood, eight people remained,74Noah, his three sons, and their four wives. and it [judgment] was not deferred for the [rest of the] world due to their merit.

Another explanation: Why ten? It is because he believed that there were ten there: Lot, his wife, his four daughters, and his four sons-in-law. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon and Rabbi Ḥanin in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Here [regarding Sodom] ten [righteous people were needed to save it], but regarding Jerusalem, it was even one. That is what it is written: “Wander through the streets of Jerusalem…[if you will find [timtze’u] a man, if there is a performer of justice, a seeker of faithfulness, I will forgive it]” (Jeremiah 5:1), and likewise it says: “One for one to find a tally” (Ecclesiastes 7:27).

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: How much is the minimum [mitzui] amount for one city?75Jerusalem. It is even one.76That is what is meant by “one for one.” If even one is found in the entire city, justice would be deferred in his merit.

“The Lord went when He concluded to speak to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place” (Genesis 18:33). “The Lord went when He concluded to speak to Abraham” – the judge, as long as the advocate is pleading his case, he waits. When the advocate becomes silent, the judge stands up [to leave]. So, “the Lord went when He concluded to speak to Abraham.”

An advocate, as long as the judge shows him a receptive look, he pleads his case. When the judge stands up, the advocate goes silent. So, “the Lord went when He concluded to speak to Abraham,” and it is written: “And Abraham returned to his place.” A prosecutor, as long as the advocate is pleading his case and the judge shows him a receptive look, he waits.

When the judge stands, the advocate goes silent, and the prosecutor77Who is also executioner. goes to implement his mission. So, “the Lord went” and it is written: “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening” (Genesis 19:1).

“The two angels came to Sodom in the evening and Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom; Lot saw them, and rose to meet them, and he prostrated himself with his face to the ground” (Genesis 19:1). “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening…” – “the ḥayot1A kind of angel. were darting to [ratzo] and fro like the appearance of a flash” (Ezekiel 1:14). Rabbi Aivu said: Ratzot2The usual form of the verb, meaning running or darting. is not written here, but rather, ratzo3Which can also mean to desire. – they had a desire to perform their mission.

“Like the appearance of a flash [habazak]” – Rabbi Yehuda in the name of Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Levi bar Parta: Like one who scatters [bozek] olive pomace4Which ignites easily. in an oven. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: [The ḥayot moved] as wind drives an [empty] wineskin. The Rabbis say: As wind drives the clouds. They [the angels] took their leave from Abraham at six hours and arrived in Sodom only in the evening?5Since they move so swiftly, they should have arrived there in a matter of seconds.

The explanation is that they were angels of mercy, and they were tarrying, in the belief that perhaps He might find some merit for them.6As a result of Abraham’s intercessions. When He did not find any merit for them – “the two angels came to Sodom in the evening.”

“He acts through one, and who can respond to Him? His soul desires and He performs” (Job 23:13) – it is taught: One angel does not perform two missions, and two angels do not perform one mission. Yet you say: “[The] two [angels came to Sodom]”? The explanation is that Mikhael gave his tidings7To Abraham and Sarah, regarding the birth of a son.

This was Mikhael’s mission, and after performing it he departed, leaving two angels. and departed, Gavriel was dispatched to overturn Sodom, and Refael, to rescue Lot. “The two angels came to Sodom” – here it says “angels,” but elsewhere,8When they first came to Abraham. it characterizes them as “people” (Genesis 18:2). The explanation is that there, when the Divine Presence was over them, they were characterized as “people.”9They were overshadowed by the aura of the presence of God.

Once the Divine Presence departed from over them, they assumed the manifestation of angels. Rabbi Tanḥuma said that Rabbi Levi said: To Abraham, whose power was great, they appeared in the image of men; to Lot, whose strength was inferior, they appeared in the image of angels. Rabbi Ḥanina said: Before they performed their mission, they are characterized as people; after performing their mission, as angels.

Rabbi Tanḥuma said: This is analogous to one who assumed a position of local government from the king. Until he reached his seat of authority, he walked about as a commoner. Once he reached the seat of his authority, he walked about as a nobleman. So, until they performed their mission, they are characterized as people, after performing their mission, they are characterized as angels.

“To Sodom [sedoma]” – it is taught in the name of Rabbi Neḥemya: Every word that requires a lamed at the beginning,10Indicating the preposition “to.” give it a heh at the end:11A heh at the end of a word (as in Sedoma) can be used in place of a lamed at the beginning of the word. Sedoma, Se’ira, Mitzraima, Ḥarana.12To Sodom, to Se’ir, to Egypt, to Ḥaran. But is it not written: “The wicked will return to the netherworld [lishola]”?13It has both a lamed prefix and a heh suffix.

If both affixes have the same meaning, how can both be used in the same word? (Psalms 9:18). Rabbi Abba bar Zavda said: It means to the lowest depths in the netherworld. “In the evening [ba’erev]” – the evening of Sodom arrived [ba arba]; its sun had set, and its sentence was sealed. Rabbi Levi said: The Holy One blessed be He judges the nations of the world only at night, when they are sleeping,14And not engaged in sin. and judges Israel only during the day, when they are engaged in mitzvot.

That is what is written: “He will judge the world in righteousness. [He will administer fair judgment to the nations]” (Psalms 9:9). “And Lot was sitting [yoshev]” – yashav is written.15Meaning: He assumed his seat. It was on that day that they appointed him the chief justice. There were five major judges in Sodom: Ketz Sheker, Rav Sheker, Rav Masteidin, Rav Naval, and Klepander.16The meanings of these names are, respectively: Ultimate in Lies, Chief of Lies, Chief Perverter of Justice, Chief Scoundrel, Abductor.

Lot was the chief justice of them all. When he would tell them things that were agreeable to them, they would say to him: “Gesh hala” (Genesis 19:9) – rise to the top. But when he would tell them things that were disagreeable to them, they would say to him: “This one came to sojourn, and he sits in judgment?” (Genesis 19:9).

“He said: Behold now my lords; please turn aside to your servant’s house, stay the night, and wash your feet, and you can awaken early and go on your way. They said: No; rather, we will spend the night in the street” (Genesis 19:2). “Lot saw them, and rose to meet them…He said: Behold now my lords; [please turn aside]” – Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Huna, Rabbi Yudan said: [Lot was saying:] “Please turn aside” – even if I am not worthy, diverge from the ordinary practice.17The ordinary practice is that men of high stature do not lodge in the houses of unworthy people.

Rabbi Huna said: [Lot was saying:] Take a circuitous route to me, so you will not be seen coming to me. “To your servant’s house, stay the night, and wash your feet” – Abraham mentioned washing [feet] before staying the night,18Genesis 18:4. but Lot mentioned staying the night before washing [feet]. The explanation is that Abraham was strict regarding the dirt of idol worship;19Abraham thought they were idolaters, and was concerned that some of the dirt on their feet had been picked up from an idolatrous shrine, therefore he requested that they wash their feet before entering his premises. therefore, he mentioned washing first.

Lot was not strict regarding the dirt of idol worship. But some say that this, too, he did with virtuous intent, so they would emerge, and they [the people of Sodom] would see dust on their feet,20Lot’s suggestion was that they wash their feet only after leaving his house, as they were about to resume their journey. and they would not say: ‘Where did they stay the night?’ “They said: No; rather, we will spend the night in the street” – one refuses [an offer from] an individual of low stature, but does not refuse an individual of higher status.21When Abraham invited them they did not refuse (Genesis 18:5).

“He was intensely persistent towards them, and they turned aside to him, and entered his house. He prepared a feast for them; he baked unleavened bread, and they ate” (Genesis 19:3). “He was intensely persistent [vayiftzar]22The noun form of this word is haftzara. towards them” – he evoked anger [af] and anxiety [tzara] in them. “They turned aside to him, and entered his house” – this supports what Rav Huna said, [that Lot said to them:] ‘Take a circuitous route to me, so you will not be seen coming to me.’

“He prepared a feast for them” – he had spent time in the house of our forefather Abraham, who would welcome passersby. [“He baked unleavened bread [matzot].”] Rabbi Yitzḥak said: A great quarrel [matzut] arose over the salt. He said to her [his wife]: ‘Give these guests a little salt.’ She said to him: ‘Do you seek to promulgate this despicable and evil custom here, as well?’23‘Not only do you offer them lodging, but you wish to pamper them as well?’ It was because of this that Lot’s wife later became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26).

“Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, from young to old, all the people from every quarter” (Genesis 19:4). “Before they lay down” they began asking him questions, saying to him: ‘The residents of the city, what [kind of people] are they?’ He said to them: ‘In every place there are good and wicked people; however, here they are mostly wicked.’ “The men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house […all the people from every quarter]” – there was no one among them who sought to hinder them.

“They called to Lot, and said to him: Where are the men who came to you tonight? Take them out to us, and we will be intimate with them” (Genesis 19:5). “They called to Lot, and said to him” – Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said in the name of Rabbi Pedaya: All that night, Lot was pleading for mercy on their behalf, and they were receptive towards him. But once they said to him: “Take them out to us, and we will be intimate with them” – for sexual relations, they said to him: “Who else do you have here [po]?” (Genesis 19:12) – read it as: “What else could you [possibly] have to say [peh]?24Peh means mouth.

Until now, you were permitted to advocate on their behalf, from now on, you are no longer permitted to advocate on their behalf.

“Lot went out to them to the entrance, and he closed the door behind him” (Genesis 19:6). “He said: Please, my brethren, do not do evil” (Genesis 19:7). “Here now, I have two daughters who have not been intimate with a man; I will now bring them out to you, and you may do to them as is fit in your eyes; only to these men do nothing, inasmuch as they came under the shelter of my roof” (Genesis 19:8).

“Lot went out to them to the entrance…please, my brethren, do not…Here now, I have two daughters…only to these [hael] men” – these terrible acts.25This is expounded: Just to the men, do not do these terrible [hael] sins. Another interpretation, they are godly,26El means godly or mighty. they are powerful. “Inasmuch as they came under the shelter of my roof” – not due to my merit, but due to the merit of Abraham.27Abraham is described as Lot’s sheltering roof, as it was his merit that protected him from harm (see Genesis 19:29).

Another interpretation, “inasmuch as they came under the shelter of my roof” – this teaches that she [Lot’s wife] moved them [the angels] to the side of the house. She said to him: ‘If you want to receive them, receive them in your portion [of the house].’28This why Lot said: “my roof” – mine, but not my wife’s.

“They said: Move aside. And they said: This one came to sojourn, and he sits in judgment? Now we will treat you worse than them. They were intensely persistent towards the man, Lot, and approached to break the door” (Genesis 19:9).

“They said: Move aside [gesh hala]” – move over, go far away. “They said: This one came to sojourn, and he sits in judgment?”29The literal translation is: He judges judgment. You are coming to destroy the law that was legislated by our predecessors.30You seek to pass judgment on our system of justice. Rabbi Menaḥama in the name of Rabbi Beivai: This is what the residents of Sodom stipulated among themselves, they said: ‘Any guest who comes here, we will have sexual relations with them and take their possessions.

Even the one in whose regard it is written: “[For I love him, so that he will command his children and his household after him] that they observe the path of the Lord [to perform righteousness and justice]” (Genesis 18:19), we would have sexual relations with him and take his possessions.’31Even if Abraham himself would come to Sodom we would do this to him.

“The men extended their hands, and brought Lot to them, to the house, and closed the door” (Genesis 19:10). “They struck the men who were at the entrance of the house with blindness, from small to great; and they were unable to find the entrance” (Genesis 19:11). “The men extended their hands, and brought Lot to them, to the house…the men who were at the entrance of the house” – the one who initiated the transgression, the punishment began with him, as it is stated: “The people of Sodom…[from young to old]”; therefore, “they struck…with blindness, from small to great.”

Similarly, “He obliterated all existence that was on the face of the earth, [from man, to animal]” (Genesis 7:23) – the one who initiated the transgression, the punishment began with him.32It says: “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth” (Genesis 6:5). Similarly, “On the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt…[from man to animal]” (Numbers 3:13) – the one who initiated the transgression, the punishment began with him.

Similarly, “Her belly will distend and her thigh shall fall” (Numbers 5:27) – the part of the body that initiated the transgression, the punishment began with it.33In engaging in intercourse, she sinned with her belly and her thigh. They were stricken first, and then the rest of her body. Similarly, “You shall smite the inhabitants of that city by sword…[and its animals by sword]” (Deuteronomy 13:16) – the one who initiated the transgression, the punishment began with him.

“And they were unable [vayilu] to find the entrance.” They grew weary [ilun], as it says: “It will be when it appears that Moav has wearied [nila]” (Isaiah 16:12). They became angry, as it says: “I am too irritated [nileiti] to bear” (Isaiah 1:14). They went mad, as it says: “For My people is foolish [ehvil]” (Jeremiah 4:22).

“For we are destroying this place, as their outcry has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it” (Genesis 19:13). “For we are destroying” – Rabbi Levi in the name of Rav Naḥman: The ministering angels, because they revealed the secret of the Holy One blessed be He,34That He was about to destroy Sodom. they were expelled from their stations [in heaven] for one hundred and thirty-eight years.35Jacob dreamt that he saw angels ascending from earth to heaven (Genesis 28:12).

The Midrash asserts that these were the same angels who saved Lot, who were banished from heaven and forced to stay on earth until Jacob’s dream, which took place one hundred thirty-eight year later. Rabbi Tanḥuma attributed it [their banishment] to a subtle [improper] expression, [as] Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: It is because they were arrogant and said: “For we are destroying this place.”36They should have said “God is destroying” instead of “we are destroying.”

“Lot came out and spoke to his sons-in-law, those who had wed his daughters, and said: Arise, depart from this place, as the Lord is destroying the city. He was as a jester in the eyes of his sons-in-law” (Genesis 19:14). “And spoke to his sons-in-law, [those who had wed his daughters]…” – he had four daughters,37The Midrash explains that the two expressions “sons-in-law” and “those who had wed his daughters” refer to two separate groups of people. two who were betrothed and two who were married.

“Who had wed [lekuḥei] his daughters” is not written here, but rather, “who were wedding [lokeḥei] his daughters.”38But they had not yet married them. “He was as a jester in the eyes of his sons-in-law” – they said to him: ‘Harps and flutes are in the province, and the province is about to be overturned?’39The city is full of gaiety and merrymaking, and shows no indication of facing imminent doom.