The Daughter Who Guarded Her Father's Honor Was Spared

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 87:2

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Eivo: the firstborn, because she disgraced her father's honor by saying "Moab" ["from father"], Scripture said, "Do not provoke them to war" (Deuteronomy 2:9) - but you may divert their rivers and set their grain-stacks on fire. But the younger, because she spared her father's honor and said "Ben-Ammi" ["son of him who was with me"], "do not provoke them to war" at all. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon and Rabbi Chanin said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: the daughters of Lot were going to commit a transgression, and yet they were granted children. By whose merit? By the merit of Abraham. "Moab" - from "father" (av); "for a father of a multitude of nations I have made you" (Genesis 17:5).

Themes

SpeechParents And ChildrenAbraham

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