The Torah Scholars Whose Merit Shields the Whole Place

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 83:7

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

(Genesis 18:26) Abaye said: As for those who say, "What benefit have the rabbis brought us? For their own sake they read [Scripture], for their own sake they study [Mishnah]"—such a person is brazenly distorting the Torah, as it is written, "If not for My covenant by day and by night, I would not have set the statutes of heaven and earth" (Jeremiah 33:25). Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said: From here too you may learn it [from the verse about Sodom], "and I will forgive the whole place for their sake" (Genesis 18:26).

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