What does it mean to approach God?
That's precisely what the Rabbis grapple with in Bereshit Rabbah 49. The text opens with that powerful line from Genesis, "Abraham approached, and he said…" Then, the Sages dive deep.
Rabbi Yehuda sees Abraham's approach as one of battle. Think of it like Yoav approaching Aram for battle, as described in I (Chronicles 19:14). Abraham is ready to fight for justice, to argue fiercely against the decree.
But Rabbi Nehemya offers a different take: approaching means conciliation. Like the children of Judah approaching Joshua (Joshua 14:6), Abraham comes with the hope of finding common ground, of appealing to God's mercy.
And then the Rabbis chime in, suggesting that approaching is for prayer. They point to Elijah the prophet approaching God at the time of the afternoon offering (I (Kings 18:3)6), seeking divine intervention.
Rabbi Elazar beautifully synthesizes these ideas. He suggests that Abraham was prepared for anything: "If it entails battle, I am coming; if it entails conciliation, I am coming; if it entails prayer, I am coming." Abraham was ready to engage on every level.
This idea is echoed in a practical lesson from Rabbi Pinḥas, Rabbi Levi, and Rabbi Yoḥanan. They say that when someone is asked to lead prayers before the ark, we shouldn't say, "Go and perform," or "Go and do battle," but rather, "Go and do battle in prayer." The act of prayer itself is a kind of struggle, a wrestling with the Divine.
Rabbi Tanhuma even connects this idea to the fifteen blessings instituted before the blessing "Who hears prayer" in the daily Amidah, the standing prayer. These fifteen blessings, he says, correspond to the fifteen mentions of God's name in Psalm 29, a powerful psalm that speaks of God's power and promise to eradicate calamities, recalling God’s promise after the Flood.
The discussion then shifts to the very nature of God's judgment. Rav Huna, citing Rav Aḥa, interprets the phrase "Would You even [ha'af] destroy [tispe]?" in a surprising way. He suggests that Abraham is actually saying, "You control [tispe] wrath [af]; wrath does not control You." It's a subtle but profound distinction. God isn't swept away by anger; He has mastery over it.
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya adds a challenging perspective: "[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.’" It's a stark reminder that sometimes, the innocent suffer alongside the guilty.
Rabbi and Rabbi Yonatan further explore this tension, contrasting human fury and zealotry with God's ability to overcome those emotions. They cite (Nahum 1:2), "The Lord is vengeful and Master of fury," and "The Lord is Master of zealousness and vengeful," emphasizing God's control even over intense emotions.
But what about those who are punished "without justice," as (Proverbs 13:23) puts it? Rabbi Simlai asks Rabbi Yonatan this very question. Rabbi Yonatan explains that it means "without the judgment of his place of residence." He then illustrates with a story of a tax collector and a man from Tzippori who gets caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, a victim of circumstance.
Rabbi Levi offers a chilling analogy: a she-bear that, unable to find other prey, mauls its own offspring. And Rabbi Simon compares it to a scythe that, in its indiscriminate cutting, slices through roses along with thorns.
These images are unsettling. They force us to confront the uncomfortable reality that sometimes, the innocent get caught in the crossfire. Sometimes, bad things happen to good people.
But perhaps the core message here isn't about explaining away suffering, but about the importance of engaging with God, of approaching Him with boldness, humility, and a willingness to wrestle with the tough questions. Like Abraham, we are called to advocate for justice, to seek conciliation, and to pour out our hearts in prayer, even when the answers aren't easy to find.
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.
