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Parshat Vayeira

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Shabbat, 18 Cheshvan, 5777

19 November, 2016

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Haftarah

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Complete: (Genesis 18:1 - 22:24 Kings II 4:1-37)

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Genesis Chapter 18
1. Now the Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre, and he
was sitting at the entrance of the tent when the day was hot.

And [the Lord] appeared to him: to visit the sick (Tan. Buber, Vayera 1).

. :

Said Rabbi Chama the son of Chanina: It was the third day from his
circumcision, and the Holy One, blessed be He, came and inquired

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about his welfare (B. M. 86b).

in the plains of Mamre: He [Mamre] was the one who counseled him
about circumcision. Therefore, He appeared to him [Abraham] in his

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[Mamres] territory. [from Tan. Vayera 3]

was sitting: It is written [ without a vav, and may therefore be read:
he sat]. He wished to stand. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him,
Sit and I will stand, and you will be a sign for your children that I am
destined to stand in the congregation of the judges, and they will sit, as
it is said (Ps. 82: 1): God stands in the Divine assembly. - [from Gen.

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Rabbah 48:7]
at the entrance of the tent: to see whether there were any passersby
whom he would bring into his house. [from B. M. 86b]

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when the day was hot: (B.M. 86b) The Holy One, blessed be He, took

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the sun out of its sheath so as not to trouble him with wayfarers, but
since He saw that he was troubled that no wayfarers were coming, He

brought the angels to him in the likeness of men. [from Gen. Rabbah
48:9, Exod. Rabbah 25:2]

,
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2. And he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were

standing beside him, and he saw and he ran toward them from the

entrance of the tent, and he prostrated himself to the ground.

and behold, three men: One to bring the news [of Isaacs birth] to Sarah,

and one to overturn Sodom, and one to heal Abraham, for one angel
does not perform two errands (Gen. Rabbah 50:2). You should know that

[this is true] because throughout the entire chapter, Scripture mentions

them in the plural, e.g., (below verse 8): and they ate (ibid. verse 9):
and they said to him. Concerning the announcement, however, it says
(ibid. verse 10): And he said: I will surely return to you. And concerning
the overturning of Sodom, it says (below 19:22): For I will not be able to
do anything (ibid. verse 21): I will not overturn (Gen. Rabbah 50:11).
And Raphael, who healed Abraham, went from there to save Lot. This is
what is stated: And it came to pass when they took them outside, that

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he [the angel] said, Flee for your life. You learn that only one acted as a
deliverer.

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were standing beside him: Heb. , lit. over him. Before him, like (Num.

) ( , :

2:20): And next to him (), the tribe of Manasseh, but it is a

euphemism in reference to the angels.
and he saw: Why is written twice [in this verse?] The first is to be
understood according to its apparent meaning [i.e., and he saw], and the
second means understanding. He observed that they were standing in
one place, and he understood that they did not wish to burden him. And
although they knew that he would come out toward them, they stood in
their place out of respect for him, to show him that they did not wish to
trouble him, and he went out first and ran toward them. (This is the
reading in an old Rashi ms.) In Bava Metzia (ad loc.) it is written:
standing beside him, and then it is written: and he ran toward them!

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When they saw that he was untying and tying [his bandages], they
separated from him. Immediately, he ran toward them.

3. And he said, "My lords, if only I have found favor in your eyes,
please do not pass on from beside your servant.
And he said, My lords, if only I have, etc.: To the chief one he said
this, and he called them all lords, and to the chief one he said, Please
do not pass by, because if he would not pass by, his companions
would stay with him. According to this version, it (

) is profane (Shev.
35b) (i.e., it does not refer to God). Another explanation: It (

) is holy,
and he was telling the Holy One, blessed be He, to wait for him until he
would run and bring in the wayfarers. And although this [Do not pass
by] is written after and ran toward them, the statement [to God, do not
pass by] preceded it. It is customary for the verses to speak in this
manner, as I explained in reference to (above 6:3) Let My spirit not
quarrel forever concerning man [the decree that God would wait 120
years before bringing the Flood] which was written after (5:32): And
Noah begot. But it is impossible to say otherwise than that the decree

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preceded the birth [of Japheth] by 120 years. And the two interpretations
[of

as being profane and holy in this context] are in Genesis Rabbah.

4. Please let a little water be taken, and bathe your feet, and

recline under the tree.

Please letbe taken: through a messenger, and the Holy One, blessed
be He, rewarded his [Abrahams] children through a messenger, as it is
said (Num. 20:11): And Moses raised his hand, and he struck the rock.
- [from B.M. 86b]
and bathe your feet: He thought that they were Arabs, who prostrate
themselves to the dust of their feet, and he was strict not to allow any
idolatry into his house. But Lot, who was not strict, mentioned lodging
before washing, as it is said (below 19:2): and lodge and bathe your
feet. - [from Gen. Rabbah 54:4]

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under the tree: under the tree. [Heb. can mean either tree or
detached wood the Targum clarifies this ambiguity by translating as

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Aram. , meaning specifically tree.] [from Targumim]

5. And I will take a morsel of bread, and sustain your hearts

after[wards] you shall pass on, because you have passed by your
servant." And they said, "So shall you do, as you have spoken."
and sustain your hearts: In the Torah, in the Prophets, and in the
Hagiographa, we find that bread is the sustenance of the heart. In the
Torah and sustain your hearts in the Prophets (Jud. 19:5)
Sustain your heart with a morsel of bread in the Hagiographa (Ps.
104:15) and bread sustains mans heart. Said Rabbi Chama: is
not written here, but . This teaches us that the evil inclination does
not rule over the angels. [from Gen. Rabbah 48:11]
after[wards] you shall pass on: Afterwards, you shall go.
because you have passed by: For I request this from you [i.e., to sustain
your hearts] because you have passed by me [i.e., have stopped in my

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home] to honor me.

because: is like
, because, and so is every in
Scripture, e.g., (below 19:8): because ( ) they have come in the
shadow of my roof (below 33:10): because ( ) I have seen your
countenance (below 38:26): because ( ) I have not given her
(Num. 10:31): because ( ) you know our encamping.

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6. And Abraham hastened to the tent to Sarah, and he said,

"Hasten three seah of meal [and] fine flour knead and make

cakes."
meal [and] fine flour: The fine flour for the cakes [and] the meal for the
starch used by cooks to cover the pot, to draw out the scum. [from

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B.M. 86b]

7. And to the cattle did Abraham run, and he took a calf, tender and
good, and he gave it to the youth, and he hastened to prepare it.
a calf, tender and good: There were three calves, in order to feed them
three tongues with mustard. [from B.M. 86b]
to the youth: This was Ishmael, to train him to perform mitzvoth. [from

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Aboth dRabbi Nathan, ch. 13]

8. And he took cream and milk and the calf that he had prepared,
and he placed [them] before them, and he was standing over them

under the tree, and they ate.

And he took cream and milk, etc.: But he did not bring bread, because
Sarah became menstruous, for the manner of the women returned to
her on that day, and the dough became ritually unclean. [from B.M.
87a]
cream: the fat of the milk that is skimmed off the top.
and the calf that he had prepared: that he had prepared. Each one that
he prepared, he took and brought before them. [from B.M. 86b]
and they ate: They appeared to be eating. From here we learn that a
person should not deviate from custom. [from B.M. ad loc., Gen.

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Rabbah 48:14, Targum Jonathan]

9. And they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" And he said,
"Behold in the tent."
And they said to him: Heb. . There are dots over the letters in the
word . And we learned: Rabbi Simeon the son of Eleazar says:
Wherever the [undotted] letters are more than the dotted ones, you must
expound on the [undotted] letters, etc. And here, the dotted letters are
more than the [undotted] letters, and you must expound on the dotted
[letters]. [The meaning is that] they also asked Sarah,Where ( )is
Abraham? (Gen. Rabbah 48:15) We learn that a person should ask in
his lodging place of the husband about the wife, and of the wife about
the husband (B.M. 87a). In Bava Metzia (ad loc.) it is said: The
ministering angels knew where our mother Sarah was, but [they asked
in order] to make known that she was modest, in order to endear her to
her husband. Said Rabbi Joseph the son of Chanina: In order to send

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her a cup of blessing (i.e., the cup of wine upon which the Grace after
Meals is recited).
Behold in the tent: She is modest. [from B.M. ad loc., Mid. Ps. 128:3]

: :

10. And he said, "I will surely return to you at this time next year,

and behold, your wife Sarah will have a son." And Sarah heard from

the entrance of the tent, and it was behind him.

at this time next year: At this time in the coming year. It was Passover,
and on the following Passover, Isaac was born, since we do not read
[ at a time], but [ at this time].
means: at this time, when
there will be life for you, when you will all be alive and well. [from
Targum Yerushalmi, Targum Jonathan]
I will surely return: The angel did not announce that he [himself] would
return to him, but he was speaking to him as an emissary of the
Omnipresent. Similarly (above 16:10): And the angel said to her: I will
greatly multiply [your seed], but he [the angel] did not have the power to
multiply [her children], but he spoke as an emissary of the Omnipresent.
Here too, it was as an emissary of the Omnipresent that he said this to
him. (Elisha said to the Shunamite woman (II Kings 4:16): At this
season, at this time next year, you will be embracing a son. And she
said, No my lord, O man of God, do not fail your maidservant. Those
angels who announced to Sarah said (below verse 14): At the
appointed time, I will return, [but Elisha did not promise to return].
Elisha replied, Those angels, who live and endure forever, said, At the
appointed time, I will return. But I am flesh and blood, alive today and
dead tomorrow. Whether I shall be alive or dead, At this time, etc. [you

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will embrace a son.] (Gen. Rabbah 53:2).

and it was behind him: The entrance was behind the angel.

11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, coming on in years Sarah
had ceased to have the way of the women.

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ceased to have: It had ceased from her. [from Gen Rabbah 48:16]

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the way of the women: the menstrual cycle.

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12. And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have become
worn out, will I have smooth flesh? And also, my master is old."
within herself: She looked at her insides and said, Is it possible that
these insides will carry a child that these breasts, which have dried up,
will give forth milk? - [from Tan. Shoftim 18]

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smooth flesh: Heb.

, smoothness of flesh, and in the language of

( ) , :

the Mishnah (Meg. 13a, Men. 86a): It causes the hair to fall out and
smoothes (

) the flesh. Another explanation: an expression of time

(
), the time of the menstrual period. [from Gen. Rabbah 48:17]

13. And the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying,
'Is it really true that I will give birth, although I am old?'

: ,

:
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Is it really true: Is it really true that I will give birth?although I am old: Scripture altered [her statement] for the sake of
peace, for she had said,and my master is old. - [from B.M. 87a]

14. Is anything hidden from the Lord? At the appointed time, I will
return to you, at this time next year and Sarah will have a son."
Ishidden: Heb. , as the Targum renders: . Is anything too
hidden and separated and concealed from Me [to prevent Me] from doing
My will?
At the appointed time: At that time that was appointed, that I set for you
yesterday, [when I said] (17:21): at this time next year.

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Second Portion
Genesis Chapter 18
15. And Sarah denied, saying, "I did not laugh," because she was
afraid. And He said, "No, but you laughed."
because she was afraid but you laughed: The first serves as an
expression of because, for it gives the reason for the matter:And Sarah
deniedbecause she was afraid, and the second serves as an
expression of but. And He said,It is not as you say, but you did laugh.
For our Sages said: has four different meanings: if, perhaps, but, and
because. [from R.H. 3a]

16. And the men arose from there, and they looked upon Sodom,
and Abraham went with them to escort them,
and they looked: Heb. . Whenever the word occurs in
Scripture, it denotes evil, except (Deut. 26:15) Look ( )from Your
holy dwelling, for the power of gifts to the poor is so great that it converts
the Divine attribute of wrath to mercy. [from Tan. Ki Thissa 14]

to escort them: Heb. , to escort them. He thought that they were

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wayfarers. [from Zohar, vol. 1, 104a]

17. And the Lord said, "Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am
doing?
Shall I conceal: Heb.

? This is a question.[i. e., The hey is not
the definite article but the interrogative hey.]
what I am doing: in Sodom? It would be improper for Me to do this thing
without his knowledge. I gave him this land, and these five cities are his,
as it is said (10:19): And the border of the Canaanite was from Sidon,
as you come to Sodom and Gomorrah, etc. I called him Abraham, the
father of a multitude of nations. Now, can I destroy the sons without
informing the father, who loves Me?- [from Gen. Rabbah 49:2, Pirkei
dRabbi Eliezer ch. 25]

18. And Abraham will become a great and powerful nation, and all
the nations of the world will be blessed in him.
And Abraham will become: [According to] a Midrash Aggadah (Yoma
38b) (Prov. 10:7):The mention of a righteous man is for a blessing.
Since He mentioned him, He blessed him. Its simple meaning is,
however: Shall I conceal this from him? He is so dear to Me as to
become a great nation, and through him will be blessed all the nations

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of the earth.

19. For I have known him because he commands his sons and his
household after him, that they should keep the way of the Lord to
perform righteousness and justice, in order that the Lord bring upon
Abraham that which He spoke concerning him."
For I have known him: Heb.

, an expression of love, like (Ruth 2:1)
a kinsman ( )of her husband (ibid. 3:2) And now, Boaz our
kinsman (

) (Exod. 33:17): and I shall know you (


) by name.
But, in fact, the primary meaning of them all is none other than an
expression of knowing, for if one loves a person, he draws him near to
himself and knows him and is familiar with him. Now why do I love him?
Because he commands for he commands his sons concerning Me,
to keep My ways. But if you explain it as the Targum renders: I know
about him that he will command his sons, etc., the word
does not
fit into the sense [of the verse].
because he commands: Heb. , a present tense (i.e., a habitual
action), like (Job 1:5) So would Job do (
([ ) Num. 9:20) in
accordance to the utterance of the Lord they would camp (]) .
in order that [the Lord] bring: So would he command his sons, Keep
the way of the Lord in order that the Lord bring upon Abraham, etc. It
does not say upon the house of Abraham but upon Abraham. We
learn from this that whoever raises a righteous son is considered as
though he does not die. [from Gen. Rabbah 49:4]

20. And the Lord said, "Since the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has
become great, and since their sin has become very grave,
And the Lord said: to Abraham, for He did as He had said, that He would
not conceal from him.

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since [it] has become great: Wherever appears in Scripture, the

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accent is on the last syllable, on the beth, because they are translated:
great , or becoming great. But this one has its accent on the first

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syllable, on the resh, because it is to be translated: has already

become great, as I have explained regarding (above 15:17):Now it
came to pass that the sun had set (( )Ruth 1:15):Lo, your sister-inlaw has returned (
) .

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21. I will descend now and see, whether according to her cry,
which has come to Me, they have done [I will wreak] destruction

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[upon them] and if not, I will know."

I will descend now: This teaches judges that they should not decide
capital punishment cases unless they see it [i.e., they must go to the site
of the crime and investigate the matter.]- [Divrei David] Everything is as I
explained in the chapter dealing with the dispersion (Tan. Noah 18).
Another explanation: I will descend to the end of their deeds (to fathom

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the results thereof). - [Beer Mayim Chayim]).

whether according to her cry: [i.e., the cry] of the land.
which has come to Me, they have done: And [if] they remain in their
state of rebellion, I will wreak destruction upon them, but if they do not
remain in their state of rebellion, I will know what I will do, to punish
them with suffering, but I will not destroy them. Similar to this we find
elsewhere (Exod. 33:5): But now, leave off your ornament from yourself,
so that I may know what to do to you. Therefore, there is a pause
marked by the cantillation sign of a between and , in order to
separate one word from another. Our Sages, however, interpreted
to refer to the cry of a certain girl, whom they killed with an unusual
death because she gave food to a poor man, as is delineated in
[chapter] Chelek (Sanh. 109b).

22. And the men turned from there and went to Sodom, and
Abraham was still standing before the Lord.
And [the men] turned from there: from the place to which Abraham had

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escorted them.
and Abraham was still standing, etc.: But is it not so that he did not go
to stand before Him, but the Holy One, blessed be He, came to him and
said to him (above verse 20): Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah
has become great, etc., and it should have been written here: and the
Lord was still standing beside Abraham? But this is a scribal
emendation (Gen. Rabbah 49:7).

23. And Abraham approached and said, "Will You even destroy the
righteous with the wicked?
And Abraham approached and said: We find [the expression]
approaching for war (II Sam. 10:13): And Joab drew forward, etc. and
approaching for placating (below 44:8): And Judah approached him
and approaching for prayer (I Kings 18:36):And Elijah the prophet
came near. For all these, Abraham approached: to speak harshly [i.e.,
when he requested justice], to placate, and to pray. [from Gen.

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Rabbah 49:8]
Will You even destroy: Heb. . Will You also destroy? And according
to the translation of Onkelos, who rendered as an expression of
wrath, this is its interpretation: Will wrath entice You that You should
destroy the righteous with the wicked?

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24. Perhaps there are fifty righteous men in the midst of the city

will You even destroy and not forgive the place for the sake of the

fifty righteous men who are in its midst?

Perhaps there are fifty righteous men: ten righteous men for each city,
because there were five places. [from Targum Jonathan]

25. Far be it from You to do a thing such as this, to put to death the
righteous with the wicked so that the righteous should be like the
wicked. Far be it from You! Will the Judge of the entire earth not

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perform justice?"
Far be it from You: And if You say that the righteous will not save the

wicked, why should You kill the righteous?- [from Gen. Rabbah 49:8]

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Far be it from You: Heb. . It is profane ( ), [i.e., unfitting] for You.

They will say, So is His craft. He inundates everyone, righteous and
wicked. So You did to the Generation of the Flood and to the Generation
of the Dispersion. [from Tan. Vayera 8]
a thing such as this: Neither this nor anything similar to it.
Far be it from You: for the World to Come. [from Tan. Buber]
Will the Judge of the entire earth: The hey of

is vowelized with a
chataf pattach, as an expression of wonder: Will He Who judges not
perform true justice?!

26. And the Lord said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous men within
the city, I will forgive the entire place for their sake."
"If I find in Sodom, etc., the entire place: [Sodom refers to] all the
cities, but because Sodom was the metropolis and the most important
of them all, Scripture ascribes [the fifty righteous men] to it.

27. And Abraham answered and said, "Behold now I have

commenced to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.

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although I am dust and ashes: I was already fit to be dust at the hands

of the kings and ashes at the hands of Nimrod, were it not for Your

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mercies that stood by me.

28. Perhaps the fifty righteous men will be missing five. Will You
destroy the entire city because of five?" And He said, "I will not
destroy if I find there forty-five."
Will You destroy because of five: Will there not be nine for each city?
And You, the Righteous One of the world, will be counted with them.

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[from Gen. Rabbah 49:9]

29. And he continued further to speak to Him, and he said,

"Perhaps forty will be found there." And He said, "I will not do it for

the sake of the forty."

Perhaps forty will be found there: And four cities will be saved, and so
thirty will save three of them, or twenty will save two of them, or ten will
save one of them. [from Zohar, vol. 1, omissions, 255b]

30. And he said, "Please, let the Lord's wrath not be kindled, and I
will speak. Perhaps thirty will be found there." And He said, "I will

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not do it if I find thirty there."

31. And he said, "Behold now I have desired to speak to the Lord,

perhaps twenty will be found there." And He said, "I will not destroy

for the sake of the twenty."

Behold now I have desired: Heb. . I have desired, as in (Exod.

: ) ( :

2:21):And Moses was willing ( ).

32. And he said, "Please, let the Lord's wrath not be kindled, and I
will speak yet this time, perhaps ten will be found there." And He
said, "I will not destroy for the sake of the ten."

perhaps ten will be found there: For fewer [than ten] he did not ask. He
said, In the Generation of the Flood, there were eight: Noah and his
sons, and their wives, but they did not save their generation. And for
nine, together with counting [God] he had already asked, but did not find.

33. And the Lord departed when He finished speaking to Abraham,

and Abraham returned to his place.

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And the Lord departed, etc.: Since the defender was silent, the Judge
left.
and Abraham returned to his place: The Judge left, the defender left,
and the prosecutor is accusing. Therefore: And the two angels came to
Sodom, to destroy (Gen. Rabbah 49:14). One to destroy Sodom and
one to save Lot, and he [the latter] is the same one who came to heal
Abraham, but the third one, who came to announce [Isaacs birth] to
Sarah, since he had performed his mission, he departed (Tan. Vayera 8).

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Third Portion
Genesis Chapter 19
1. And the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was
sitting in the gate of Sodom, and Lot saw and arose toward them,
and he prostrated himself on his face to the ground.
theangels: But elsewhere (18:2) Scripture calls them men! When the
Shechinah was with them, it calls them men. Another explanation: In
connection with Abraham, whose power was great, and the angels were
as frequently with him as men, it calls them men, but in connection with
Lot, it calls them angels. [from Gen. Rabbah 52 Tan. Buber, Vayera

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20]
in the evening: Now did the angels tarry so long from Hebron to Sodom?
But they were angels of mercy, and they were waiting, perhaps Abraham
would succeed in his defense for them [the cities]. [from Gen. Rabbah
50:1]
and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom: [The word is written
without avav so that it can be read he sat, in the past tense]. On

, :
,
:
:
:

that very day, they had appointed him judge over them. [from Gen.
Rabbah 50:3]
and Lot saw: From Abrahams house he learned to look for wayfarers.
[from Tan. Buber, Vayera 15]

:'
:

2. And he said, "Behold now my lords, please turn to your

servant's house and stay overnight and wash your feet, and you

shall arise early and go on your way." And they said, "No, but we will

stay overnight in the street."

Behold now, my lords: Behold you are now lords to me since you have
passed beside me. Another explanation: Behold now you must pay
heed to these wicked men, that they should not recognize you, and this
is sound advice.

please turn: Take a circuitous path to my house, in a roundabout way,

that they should not recognize that you are entering there. That is why it
says: turn. (Gen. Rabbah 50:4).

and stay overnight and wash your feet: Now is it customary for people
to first stay overnight and afterwards to wash? Moreover, Abraham said
to them first, and wash your feet! But so did Lot say (i.e., he reasoned),
If, when the people of Sodom come, they will see that they have already
washed their feet, they will invent false accusations against me and say,
Two or three days have already passed since they came to your house,
and you did not let us know! Therefore, he said, It is better that they
remain here with the dust on their feet, so that they should appear as
though they had just arrived now. Therefore he said, Stay overnight first
and afterwards, wash. - [from Gen. Rabbah 50:4]

And they said, No: But to Abraham they said,So shall you do
From here [we learn] that one may refuse an offer by a person of lesser

:-
.
.
:
, :
,
:( )
:
,
. ) (

,
,

,
:
, ) ( :
:

importance, but should not refuse an offer by a great man (Gen. Rabbah
50:4).
but we will stay overnight in the street: Heb. . This is used to mean
but, for they said, We will not turn in to your house, but we will stay
overnight in the street of the city.

3. And he urged them strongly, and they turned in to him, and

came into his house, and he made them a feast, and he baked

, :

:

unleavened cakes, and they ate.

and they turned in to him: They took a circuitous path toward his house.

: :

[from Gen. Rabbah 50:4]

and he baked unleavened cakes: It was Passover.

4. When they had not yet retired, and the people of the city, the
people of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, the

: :

entire populace from every end[of the city].

When they had not yet retired, the people of the city, the people of
Sodom: It is interpreted in Gen. Rabbah (50:5) as follows: When they
had not yet retired, the people of the city were the topic of conversation of
the angels, for they were asking Lot about their character and their
deeds, and he told them that most of them were wicked. While they were
still speaking about them, And the people of the city, etc. The simple
meaning of the verse, however, is: and the people of the city, people of

:
) (
,
. ,
.'
. , ,

wickedness, surrounded the house. Because they were wicked, they

are called people of Sodom, as Scripture states (above 13:13): And the
people of Sodom were very evil and sinful
the entire populace from every end: From one end of the city to the
other, for not one of them protested, because there was not even one
righteous man among them. [from Gen. Rabbah 50:5]

5. And they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who
came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, and let us be intimate

,
: ) (

, :
,
:

with them."
and let us be intimate with them: homosexually, as in (verse 8):who
were not intimate with a man. - [from Gen. Rabbah 55:5]

6. And Lot came out to them to the entrance, and he shut the door

:
) ( , :
:

behind him.
7. And he said, "My brethren, please do not do evil.
8. Behold now I have two daughters who were not intimate with a

man. I will bring them out to you, and do to them as you see fit only

to these men do nothing, because they have come under the

shadow of my roof."
these: Heb. , like . [from Targumim]
because they have come: Heb. . Do this favor in my honor,
because they have come into the shade of my roof [lit. my beam]. The
Targum renders: , in the shade of my beam. The Targum of
, beam, is .

:
: :
:
, ,
:

9. But they said, "Back away." And they said, "This one came to

sojourn, and he is judging! Now, we will deal even worse with you

than with them." And they pressed hard upon the man Lot, and they

drew near to break the door.

But they said, Back away.: Heb.
, Get yourself away over
there i.e.,Draw near to the sides and distance yourself from us. And
similarly every [instance of] in Scripture is an expression of
distancing, as in (Num. 17:2) Scatter away (( )I Sam. 20:22, 37)
Behold, the arrows are beyond you (). Thus,
, means
Back away, in Old French: trete de nos, go away from us. This is a word
of rebuke, as if to say. We dont care about you, and similar to it is (Isa.
65:5) Keep ( )to yourself do not come near me and so (ibid.
49:20): Move aside ( ) so that I may dwell, meaning, Draw aside for
my sake so that I will dwell beside you. [The Sodomites were saying as
follows]: You intercede for the wayfarers? How dare you?! In response
to what he said to them about his daughters, they said to him, Go
away, a mild expression, but in response to what he said in defense of
the wayfarers, they said, This one has come to sojourn. You are the
only stranger among us, for you have come to sojourn here, and he is
judging, [meaning] and you have become our chastiser!?

, :
,
)" , ) ( ,
.(
" " " " " ] ,
,[
) ( ,
, ) ( ,
.
. ,
, , ,
,
,
:

the door: Heb. . The door, which swings to lock and to open.

: :

10. And the men stretched forth their hands, and they brought Lot

to them to the house, and they shut the door.

11. And the men who were at the entrance of the house they
struck with blindness, both small and great, and they toiled in vain

:

:

to find the entrance.

the entrance: That is the space through which they enter and exit.
with blindness: Heb. , a plague of blindness. [from Pirkei

: :
: :

dRabbi Eliezer, ch. 25]

both small and great: (Gen. Rabbah 50:8) The young ones started to sin
first, as it is said (above verse 4): both young and old therefore, the
punishment began with them.

12. And the men said to Lot, "Whom else do you have here? A
son-in-law, your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you
have in the city, take out of the place.
Whom else do you have here?: The simple meaning of the verse is:
Whom else do you have in this city besides your wife and your daughters

:
, ) ( ,
:

:
:
:

who are at home?

A son-in-law, your sons, and your daughters: If you have a son-in-law or
sons and daughters, take them out of this place.
your sons: The sons of your married daughters. According to the
Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 50:5) the interpretation of is: Still,
after they have committed such a disgraceful deed, do you still have an
excuse to defend them? For the whole night he [Lot] was speaking in
their favor. This may be read : Do you still have a

:
:
. :

,
: ,

mouth? (i.e., Do you still have anything to say to justify them?)

13. For we are destroying this place, because their cry has
become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy

it."
14. So Lot went forth and spoke to his sons-in-law, the suitors of

| |

his daughters, and he said, "Arise, go forth from this place, for the

Lord is destroying the city," but he seemed like a comedian in the

eyes of his sons-in-law.

his sons-in-law: He had two married daughters in the city.
the suitors of his daughters: to whom those in the house were

: :
: :

betrothed. [from Gen. Rabbah 50:9]

15. And as the dawn rose, the angels pressed Lot, saying, "Get

up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you

perish because of the iniquity of the city."

pressed: Heb. , as the Targum renders: and they pressed

:
: , :

[meaning] they rushed him.

who are here: who are ready at hand in the house for you to save them.
There is also a midrashic explanation, but this is the proper way to
explain the verse.

. :
: ,

perish: You will be destroyed. [The verse] until all the generation
expires (Deut. 2:14) is rendered by Targum as,until the entire

) ( . :
: ,

generation perished.

16. But he tarried, and the men took hold of his hand and his wife's
hand, and the hand of his two daughters, out of the Lord's pity for
him, and they took him out and placed him outside the city.
But he tarried: in order to save his possessions. [from Gen. Rabbah
50:11]
took hold: Heb. [ in the plural form] (Gen. Rabbah 50:11). One of
them was an emissary to save him and his companion was to overturn
Sodom therefore, it is stated: and he said: Flee, and it is not stated,
and they said.

17. And it came to pass, when they took them outside, that he
said, "Flee for your life, do not look behind you, and do not stand in
the entire plain. Flee to the mountain, lest you perish."
Flee for your life: Let it suffice for you to save lives. Do not worry about
possessions. [from Tosefta Sanh. 14:1]
do not look behind you: You dealt wickedly together with them, but in
Abrahams merit you are saved. You do not deserve to see their
punishment while you are being saved. [from obscure midrashic
source]

|

:
: :

, :
) ( ,
: ,

:
, :
:
, :
,
:
: :

in the entire plain: the plain of the Jordan.

Flee to the mountain: Flee to Abraham, who dwells on the mountain, as
it is said (above 12:8): And he moved from there to the mountain. And
even now, he was dwelling there, as it is said (above 13:3): until the
place where his tent had previously been. And although it says (ibid.
verse 18): And Abram pitched his tents, etc., he had many tents, and
they extended until Hebron.

Flee: Heb.

. An expression of slipping away, and so is every
[instance of]

in Scripture, asmuzer in Old French, to escape, slip
away. And so (Isa. 66:7): She delivered (

) a male child, meaning
that the fetus was released from the womb (Ps. 124:7): escaped
(
) like a bird (Isa. 46:2): they could not deliver ( )the burden,
i.e., to release the burden of the excrement in their orifices.

, :
. ) ( ,
) ( ,
,
,') (
:
, :
(" ][ " )
), ,
) ( , (
: ,

18. And Lot said to them, "Please, do not, O Lord.

Please do not, O Lord: Our Sages said (Shev. 35b) that this name is
holy (referring to God), because it is stated in its context (verse 19): to
sustain my soul, referring to He Who has the power to cause to die and
to cause to live. And the Targum [similarly] renders: Please now, my
Lord.

, :-
,
:' .

: :

Please, do not: Do not tell me to flee to the mountain.

: :

Please: Heb. , an expression of request.

19. Behold now, Your servant has found favor in Your eyes, and
You have increased Your kindness, which You have done with me,
to sustain my soul. But I cannot flee to the mountain, lest the evil

overtake me, and I die.

lest the evil overtake me: When I was among the people of Sodom, the
Holy One, blessed be He, saw my deeds and the deeds of the people of
the city, and I appeared righteous and worthy of being saved. But when I
shall come alongside a righteous man, I shall be considered a wicked
man. And so did the woman of Zarephath say to Elijah (I Kings 17: 18):
Have you come to me to cause my sins to be remembered? Before you
came to me, the Holy One, blessed be He, would see my deeds and the
deeds of my people, and I was a righteous woman among them, but

:
, "
,
)" ( .
,
"
: ,

since you have come to me, compared to your deeds, I am wicked.

[from Gen. Rabbah 50:11]

20. Behold now, this city is near to flee there, and it is small. Let
me please flee there. Is it not small? And my soul will survive."

this city is near: (Shab. ch. 1, 10b) Its settlement is near [in time],
meaning that it was recently settled. Therefore, its measure is not yet
full. And how recently was it settled? From the Generation of the
Dispersion, when the people commenced to disperse, and they started
to settle, each one in his place, and that took place in the year of Pelegs
death. And from then until now, there were 52 years, for Peleg died when
Abraham was 48 years old. How so? Peleg lived after he had begotten
Reu, 209 years (above 11:19). Subtract from them 32 [years] when
Serug was born, and 30 years from [the birth of] Serug until Nahor was
born, totaling 62 years. And from [the birth of] Nahor until Terah was born
were 29 years, totaling 91 years. And from then until Abraham was born
were 70 years, totaling 161 years. Add 48 years to them, and the total is
209 years, and that was the year of the Dispersion. (See above 10:25).
When Sodom was destroyed, Abraham was 99 years old. Hence, from
the Generation of the Dispersion until now were 52 years. The
settlement of Zoar took place after the settlement of Sodom and its
companions by one year. That is the meaning ofLet me please ( )flee
there. has the numerical value of 51.

:
. ,
,
,
, ,
, .
) (
,
, ,
, ,
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
: ,

Is it not small?: Are not its iniquities few? Therefore, you can leave it
alone.
And my soul will survive: therein. This is its midrashic interpretation. But
the simple meaning is [as follows]: It is a small city with a small
population. You do not have to care if you spare it and my soul survives
therein. [from Targum Onkelos]

, :
:
. , :
, ,
:

Fourth Portion
Genesis Chapter 19
21. And he said to him, "Behold I have favored you also as regards
this matter, that I will not overturn the city that you have mentioned.
also as regards this matter: Not only will you be saved, but I will save
the entire city for your sake.
that I willoverturn: Heb. , I overturn, as (below 48:5) until I come
(( )above 16:13) after I have seen (( )Jer. 31:19) whenever I
speak ( )of him.

:
, :
:
( ) , ) ( , :
: ) ( ,

22. Hasten, flee there, for I will not be able to do anything until you
arrive there." Therefore, he named the city Zoar.

Hasten, flee there, for I will not be able to do: This is the angels

, :

punishment because they said (verse 13): For we are destroying, and
they attributed the matter to themselves therefore they did not move from

, ) (
,
:

there until they were compelled to say that the matter was not in their
power. [based on Gen. Rabbah 50:9]
for I will not be able: [This expression is] in the singular. From here you
learn that one was to overturn [the cities] and one was to save [Lot and
his family], because two angels are not sent for one mission. [from
Gen. Rabbah 50:2]
Therefore, he named the city Zoar: Because of [the words]and it is
small (
).

23. The sun came out upon the earth, and Lot came to Zoar.
24. And the Lord caused to rain down upon Sodom and Gomorrah
brimstone and fire, from the Lord, from heaven.
And the Lord caused to rain down: Wherever it is written And the Lord,

, :
,
:
( ) :
:

:

:
: ' :'

it refers to God and His tribunal. [from Gen. Rabbah 51:2]

caused to rain down upon Sodom: At the rise of dawn, as it is stated
(verse 15): And as the dawn rose, a time when the moon is in the sky
with the sun. Since some of them worshipped the sun and some of
them the moon, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, If I punish them by
day, the moon worshippers will say, Had it been at night, when the
moon rules, we would not have been destroyed. And if I punish them at
night, the sun worshippers will say, Had it been by day, when the sun
rules, we would not have been destroyed. Therefore, it is written: And
as the dawn rose: He punished them at a time when the sun and the
moon [both] rule. [from Gen. Rabbah 60:12]

caused to rain down, etc., brimstone and fire: At first it was rain, and it
became brimstone and fire. [from Mechilta Beshallach, Massechta
dShiratha, ch. 5]
from the Lord: It is customary for the Scriptural verses to speak in this
manner, as in (above 4:23): wives of Lemech, and he did not say, my
wives. And so did David say (I Kings 1:33): Take with you the servants
of your lord, and he did not say, my servants and so did Ahasuerus
say (Esther 8:8): in the name of the king, and he did not say, in my
name. Here too it states from the Lord, and it does not state from

, :
, ) (
,
" ,

,

,

:
: '
:

( ) , :'
( )" . ,
, ,
, ) (
: ' .

Him. - [from Sanh. 38b]

from heaven: This is what Scripture says (Job 36:31): For He judges
the nations therewith [i.e., with the heavens]. When He comes to
chastise mankind, He brings upon them fire from heaven, as He did to
Sodom, and when He comes to let down the manna, [it is also] from
heaven [as Scripture states] (Exod. 16:4): Behold I am raining down to
you bread from heaven. - [from Tan. Buber, Beshallach 20]

25. And He turned over these cities and the entire plain, and all the
inhabitants of the cities, and the vegetation of the ground.
And He turned over these cities, etc.: The four of them were situated on
one rock, and He turned them upside down, as it is said (Job 28:9): He
stretched forth His hand upon the flinty rock, etc. [He turned it over from
the root of the mountains.]- [from Gen. Rabbah 51:4]

26. And his wife looked from behind him, and she became a pillar

) ( :
,'
,
) (
:

:
:'
( ) ,
:'

of salt.
And his wife looked from behind him: from behind Lot. [from Zohar,

: :

vol. 1, 108b]
and she became a pillar of salt: She sinned with salt, and she was
punished with salt. He said to her, Give a little salt to these guests. She
replied,Also this evil custom you wish to introduce into this place? [from Gen. Rabbah 50:4]

27. And Abraham arose early in the morning to the place where he
had stood before the Lord.
28. And he looked over the face of Sodom and Gomorrah and over
the entire face of the land of the plain, and he saw, and behold, the
smoke of the earth had risen like the smoke of a furnace.
smoke: Heb. a pillar of smoke, torche in Old French, column of fire

. :
,
:

:


:
: " ][ ":

(or smoke).
furnace: An excavation in which stones are burned into lime. This is the
meaning of wherever it appears in Scripture.

29. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the
plain, that God remembered Abraham, and He sent Lot out of the
midst of the destruction when He overturned the cities in which Lot

, :
:

had dwelt.
that God remembered Abraham: What does the remembrance of
Abraham have to do with Lot? He remembered that Lot knew that Sarah
was Abrahams wife, and that he had heard in Egypt that Abraham said
about Sarah, She is my sister, yet he did not reveal the matter because
he [Lot] had pity on him [Abraham]. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be
He, had pity on him. [from Gen. Rabbah 51:6]

: -
,
,
, , ) (
: " ,

30. And Lot went up from Zoar, and he dwelt in the mountain, and

his two daughters were with him, for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar

so he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar: Because it was near Sodom. [from
Zohar, vol. 1, 109a]

31. And the elder said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there
is no man on earth to come upon us, as is the custom of all the

:
:
:

earth.
Our father is old: And if not now, when? Perhaps he will die or will no
longer be able to beget children.
and there is no man on earth: They thought that the entire world had
been destroyed, as in the Generation of the Flood (Gen. Rabbah 51:8).

, :
:
:
:

32. Come, let us give our father wine to drink, and let us lie with
him, and let us bring to life seed from our father."

33. And they gave their father wine to drink on that night, and the

elder came and lay with her father, and he did not know of her lying

down or of her rising up.

And they gave, etc., to drink: Wine was made available to them in the
cave, to make it possible for two nations to emerge from them. [from

:
: '
:

Sifrei Ekev 43]

and lay with her father: But in the case of the younger, it says: and she
lay with him. Since the younger one was not the initiator of the illicit
relations, but rather her sister taught it to her, Scripture covers up for her
and does not explicitly tell of her disgrace. But [concerning] the elder,
who initiated the illicit relations, Scripture publicizes her explicitly (Tan.
Buber, Balak 26).
or of her rising up: Heb. , mentioned in conjunction with the elder,
is dotted (i.e., there is a dot over the second vav), to denote that when
she arose, he did know, but nevertheless he was not careful not to drink
on the second night (Nazir 23a). (Said Rabbi Levi: Whoever is inflamed
by the lust for illicit relations, will ultimately be made to eat his own flesh
(i.e., to commit incest). - [from Gen. Rabbah 51:9] [This does not appear

( ) :
,
,
.
:
, :
,
)

:(

in all editions of Rashi.]

34. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the elder said to the

younger, "Behold, last night I lay with my father. Let us give him

wine to drink tonight too, and come, lie with him, and let us bring to

life seed from our father."

35. So they gave their father to drink on that night also, and the

younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know of her lying

down or of her rising up.

36. And Lot's two daughters conceived from their father.
Andconceived: Although a woman does not conceive from the first
intercourse, these controlled themselves and took out their
maidenhoods and conceived from the first intercourse. [from Gen.
Rabbah 51:9]

37. And the elder bore a son, and she named him Moab he is the
father of Moab until this day.

:
: '
,
:

Moab: This one, who was immodest, publicized that he was from her

, :

father (-), but the younger one named him euphemistically (

, the son of my people) and was rewarded in the time of Moses, for it

,
) ( ,
, ,
:

is stated concerning the children of Ammon (Deut. 2:19): You shall not
involve yourself in strife with them at all, but concerning Moab, He
warned them only not to wage war with them, but He permitted them [the
Israelites] to cause them pain. [from Nazir 23b]

38. And the younger, she too bore a son, and she named him Benami he is the father of the children of Ammon until this day.

Genesis Chapter 20
1. And Abraham traveled from there to the land of the south, and

he dwelt between Kadesh and between Shur, and he sojourned in

Gerar.
Abraham traveled from there: When he saw that the cities had been
destroyed and that travelers had ceased to pass by, he migrated from
there. Another explanation: To distance himself from Lot, who had
acquired a bad reputation, because he had been intimate with his
daughters. [from Gen. Rabbah 52:3, 4]

2. And Abraham said about Sarah his wife, "She is my sister," and
Abimelech the king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.

:
.
:

And Abraham said: Here he did not ask her permission, but [said that

she was his sister] forcibly, against her will, because she had already
been taken to Pharaohs house on account of this. - [from Gen.

Rabbah ad loc.]
about Sarah his wife: [ means] about Sarah his wife, and similarly (I
Sam. 4:21):concerning ( )the taking of the Ark, and concerning ()
[the death of] her father-in-law. Both expressions (of )have the
meaning of : concerning. - [from Targum Onkelos, Targum
Jonathan Ibn Ezra]

. :
,)" ( '
:

3. And God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and He

said to him, "Behold you are going to die because of the woman

whom you have taken, for she is a married woman."

4. And Abimelech had not come near to her, and he said, "O Lord,
will You kill even a righteous nation?
And Abimelech had not come near to her: The angel stopped him, as it

:

:
), :

is said: I did not let you touch her. - [from Pirkei dRabbi Eliezer , ch. 26]

:(

will You kill even a righteous nation: Even if he is righteous, will You kill
him? Is that Your way, to destroy the nations for nought? You did so to the

. :
,
,

Generation of the Flood and to the Generation of the Dispersion. I too

will say that You destroyed them for no reason, just as You threaten (lit.
say) to kill me. [from Gen. Rabbah 52:6]

: ,

5. Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she, even she

said, 'He is my brother.' With the innocence of my heart and with

the purity of my hands have I done this."

even she: This is to include her servants, camel drivers, and donkey
drivers. I asked them all, and they said: He is her brother. -- [from Gen.

:
, :
:

Rabbah 52:6]
With the innocence of my heart: I did not intend to sin.
and with the purity of my hands: I am pure of sin, for I did not touch her.

: :
: :

6. And God said to him in a dream, "I too know that you did this
with the innocence of your heart, and I too have withheld you from
sinning to Me therefore, I did not let you touch her.

I know that, etc., with the innocence of your heart: It is true that you did
not intend at first to sin, but you cannot claim purity of hands

:'
:

[because]- [from Gen. Rabbah 52:6 Tan. Buber, Vayera 25]

I did not let you: It was not due to you that you did not touch her, but I
prevented you from sinning, for I did not give you strength, and so (below
31:7):and God did not let him ( ) and so (Jud. 15:1):but her
father did not allow him ( ) to come. - [from Gen. Rabbah 52:7]

:
, ,
( ) ,-) (
:

7. And now, return the man's wife, because he is a prophet, and

he will pray for you and [you will] live but if you do not return [her],

know that you will surely die, you and all that is yours."
return the mans wife: And do not think that perhaps she will be
repugnant to him, and he will not accept her, or that he will hate you and
not pray for you. (Abimelech said to Him, Who will let him know that I did

:
:
:

not touch her? He replied,)

because he is a prophet: And he knows that you did not touch her
therefore, he will pray for you. - [from Tan. Buber, Vayera 25]

8. And Abimelech arose early in the morning, and he summoned

all his servants, and he spoke all these words in their ears and the
men were very frightened.
9. And Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, "What

, :
:

have you done to us, and what have I sinned against you, that you

have brought upon me and upon my kingdom a great sin? Deeds

that are not done, you have done to me."

Deeds that are not done: A plague that was not accustomed to come

upon any creature has come upon us because of you: the closing up of
all bodily orifices: those of semen, of urine, of excrement, and of the ears

, ,
:

and nose. [based on B.K. 93a Tan. Buber, Vayera 36]

10. And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you see, that you
did this thing?"
11. And Abraham said, "For I said, 'Surely, there is no fear of God
in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.
Surely, there is no fear of God: A guest who comes to a city-do we ask
him about eating and drinking, or do we ask him about his wife- Is she
your wife or is she your sister? - [from B.K. 93a, Pirkei dRabbi Eliezer
ch. 26]

12. And also, indeed, she is my sister, the daughter of my father,

but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.
my sister, the daughter of my father: And the daughter of ones father is
permitted to a Noahide [for marriage], for a gentile has no father (i.e., his
lineage is not traced from his father). And in order to justify his words, he
answered him in this way. Now if you ask: Was she not the daughter of
his brother? [The answer is that] grandchildren are considered like
children (Tosefta, Yev. 8:8 Talmud Bavli, Yev. 62b) therefore, she was
(considered as) Terahs daughter. And so did he say to Lot, For we are
kinsmen (

) [lit. men, brothers] (although, in fact, Lot was his

:

:
, :-

:

:
, :
. .
,
,
:) (

brother Harans son). - [from Pirkei dRabbi Eliezer, ch. 36]

but not the daughter of my mother: Haran was [born] of a different
mother [than Abraham].

13. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my

father's house, that I said to her: This is your kindness, which you
shall do with me: whither we come, say about me, 'He is my

: :

brother.'"
And it came to pass, when [God] caused me to wander, etc.: Onkelos
rendered as he rendered: [And it came to pass, when the peoples went
astray after the work of their hands, that God brought me near to His fear
from my fathers house.] However, it can also be interpreted in a more
appropriate manner, according to its structure [as follows]: When the
Holy One, blessed be He, took me out of my fathers house to be a
wanderer, roaming from place to place, I knew that I would pass through
places where there are wicked people, and [therefore] I said to her: This

:'
, , .
"
,
:

is your kindness, etc.

When God caused me to wander: [The verb
is] in the plural. But do
not wonder at this, because in many places, words denoting Godliness
and words denoting authority are expressed in the plural, (e.g.,) (II Sam.
7:23): whom God went (( )to redeem) (Deut. 5:23): the living (
)
God (Josh. 24:19): a holy (

) God. And all references to
Godliness or to authority are in the plural, as for example (below 39:20):
And Josephs master ( )took (Deut. 10:17): the Lord of ()
lords (below 42:33): the lord of ( )the land, and so (Exod. 22:14):
if its master ( )is with it (ibid 21:29): and if its master was warned
(). Now if you ask, why is the expression
used here? [The
answer is that] anyone who is exiled from his place and is not settled is
, as in (below 21:14): and she walked and she wandered (( )Ps.
119:176): I wandered ( )like a lost sheep (Job 38:41): they
wander ( ) for lack of food, meaning that they go forth and wander to
seek their food.
say about me: [The meaning of is] about me. Similarly (below 26:7):
And the people of the place asked , meaning about his wife.
Similarly (Exod. 14:3): And Pharaoh will say , meaning about
the Children of Israel (Jud. 9:54): Lest they say of me (): a woman
killed him.

14. And Abimelech took flocks and cattle and menservants and
maidservants, and he gave [them] to Abraham, and he restored to

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him his wife Sarah.

and he gave [them] to Abraham: in order to appease him so that he
would pray for him.

15. And Abimelech said, "Here is my land before you wherever it

pleases you, you may dwell."
Here is my land before you: But Pharaoh said to him (above 12:19):
And now, here is your wife take [her] and go, because he was afraid,
because the Egyptians were immersed in lewdness.

16. And to Sarah he said, "Behold I have given a thousand pieces

of silver to your brother behold it is to you a covering of the eyes for
all who are with you, and with all you shall contend."

: :

:
) :
,(
:

And to Sarah he said: Abimelech [said] in her honor in order to appease

her, Behold I have bestowed upon you this honor I have given money to
your brother, about whom you said, He is my brother. Behold this money
and this honor are to you a covering of the eyes.

, :
,

for all who are with you: They will cover their eyes, so that they will not
denigrate you, for had I returned you empty-handed, they could say,After
he violated her, he returned her. Now that I had to spend much money
and to appease you, they will know that against my will I returned you,
and through a miracle.

, :

,
:

,
,
:
: :

and with all: And with all the people in the world.
you shall contend: You shall have the opportunity to contend and to
show these evident facts. Wherever the word appears, it refers to
the clarification of matters, and in Old French, esprover, to prove, clarify.
(That is aprover below 31:37, to clarify, decide, define.) Onkelos
translated it in a different manner, and the language of the verse fits in
with the Targum in the following manner: Behold it will be for you a
covering of honor on account of my eyes, which gazed upon you and
upon all who are with you. Therefore, he translated it:And I saw you and
all who are with you. There is a Midrashic interpretation, but I have

:
.
" " ][ ,
,

,
.
:

explained what fits the language of the verse.

17. And Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and
his wife and his handmaids, and they gave birth.

and they gave birth: As the Targum renders: and they were relieved.
Their orifices were opened, and they expelled that which needed to be
expelled, and that is their birth.

18. For the Lord had shut every womb of Abimelech's household,
because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

, :
:

:
: :

every womb: Every [bodily] opening.

because of Sarah: Heb. , lit., by the word of Sarah. Through the
words of Sarah. [from Gen. Rabbah 52:13]

: :

Genesis Chapter 21
1. And the Lord remembered Sarah as He had said, and the Lord
did to Sarah as He had spoken.

And the Lord remembered Sarah, etc.: (B.K 92a) This section was
placed next to [the preceding section] to teach you that whoever begs for
mercy for his friend, when he needs the same thing, he is answered
first, for it is said (verse 17) And Abraham prayed, etc., and immediately
following it, And the Lord remembered Sarah, i.e., He had already
remembered her before He healed Abimelech.
remembered Sarah as He had said: Concerning [the promise of]
conception.
as He had spoken: Concerning [the promise of] birth. Now where is [the
expression] saying and where is [the expression] speaking ? Saying
(
) is mentioned (above 17:19):And God said ( ): Indeed, your
wife Sarah, etcSpeaking ([ )is mentioned] (above 15:1):The
word of ( )the Lord came to Abram, in the Covenant Between the
Parts, where it is stated (ibid. 4):This one [Eliezer] will not inherit you,
etc. and He brought forth the heir from Sarah.
and the Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken: to Abraham.

2. And Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age,
at the time of which God had spoken to him.

:''

( ) ,
' '
:
: :

. :
- ) ( ,
) ( ' ,'
) ( , ,
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at the time of which [He] had spoken: Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Chama
dispute. Rabbi Yudan says: This teaches us that he was born after nine
months, so that it should not be said that he was [conceived] in
Abimelechs household, and Rabbi Chama says: After seven months.
[from Gen. Rabbah 53:6]

. ' :
'

at the time of which God had spoken: Heb. . [Onkelos and Jonathan
render:] , i.e., the time that He had spoken and fixed, when he
[the angel] said to him (18:14):At the appointed time, I will return to you.

. :

He made a scratch on the wall, and said to him, When the sun reaches
this scratch next year, she will give birth. - [from Tan. Buber, Vayera 36]
in his old age: means that his [Isaacs] facial features were like

: '

) (
,
:
: :

his. [from Gen. Rabbah 53:6]

3. And Abraham named his son who had been born to him, whom
Sarah had borne to him, Isaac.

4. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight

days old, as God had commanded him.

Fifth Portion
Genesis Chapter 21
5. And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac

was born to him.

6. And Sarah said, "God has made joy for me whoever hears will
rejoice over me."
will rejoice over me: Heb. will rejoice for me (Targum Onkelos).
And the Midrashic interpretation (Gen. Rabbah 53:8) is: Many barren
women were remembered with her many sick people were healed on
that very day many prayers were answered with hers, and there was
much joy in the world.

7. And she said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah
would nurse children, for I have borne a son to his old age!"
Who would have said to Abraham: An expression of praise and
esteem, as in (Isa. 41:4): Who has wrought and done? (ibid.
40:26):Who has created these? See what He is and Who He is (and
how great He is), He Who keeps His promise! The Holy One, blessed
be He, promises and does. [based on Targum Onkelos]
said: Heb. . Scripture uses an unusual word and does not say
because its numerical value [of ]is 100, i.e., at the end of one
hundred [years] of Abraham. [from Gen. Rabbah 53:3]

:

:
. :
, ,
: ,

:
, :
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:

, :
: ,

Sarah would nurse children: Why is children in the plural? On the day
of the feast, the princesses brought their children with them, and she
nursed them, for they were saying,Sarah did not give birth, but brought
in a foundling from the street. - [from B.M. 87a] See above 17:16.

8. And the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a
great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
and was weaned: At the end of twenty-four months. [from Gen.
Rabbah 53:10, Keth. 60a]
a great feast: for all the prominent people of the generation were there:
Shem, Eber, and Abimelech. [from Tan. Buber, Vayishlach 23] Cf. Gen.
Rabbah 53:10.

9. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had
borne to Abraham, making merry.
making merry: Heb. . An expression of idolatry, as it is said (Exod.
32:6):and they rose up to make merry ( ). Another explanation: An
expression of illicit sexual relations, as it is said (below 39:17):to mock
( )me. Another explanation: An expression of murder, as it is said (II
Sam. 2:14):Let the boys get up now and sport (
) before us, etc. [from Gen. Rabbah 53:11]

, :


:

:
: :

, :
:

:
) , :
, .(
. ) (
)" (
:'

10. And Sarah said to Abraham, "Drive out this handmaid and her

son, for the son of this handmaid shall not inherit with my son, with

Isaac."
with my son, etc.: From Sarahs reply, For the son of this handmaid
shall not inherit with my son, you learn that he would quarrel with Isaac
regarding the inheritance and say, I am the firstborn and should take
two portions, and they would go out to the field, and he would take his
bow and shoot arrows at him, as it is said (Prov. 26:18f.): Like one who
wearies himself shooting firebrands, etc. and says: Am I not joking? [from above source]
with my son, with Isaac: (Gen. Rabbah 53:11) Just because he is my
son, even if he were not as deserving as Isaac, or [if he were] as
deserving as Isaac, even if he were not my son, this one [Ishmael] does
not deserve to inherit with him. How much more so [does he not deserve
to inherit] with my son, with Isaac, who has both qualities!-

11. But the matter greatly displeased Abraham, concerning his

:'

,
,
' ( - )
:
:
,
, ,
:

son.

:
concerning his son: Because he heard that he had fallen to wicked
ways (Tan. Shemoth 1). According to its simple meaning, however, [it
means] because she told him to send him away.

12. And God said to Abraham, "Be not displeased concerning the
lad and concerning your handmaid whatever Sarah tells you,
hearken to her voice, for in Isaac will be called your seed.
hearken to her voice: (to the voice of the holy spirit within her.) We learn
from here that Abraham was inferior to Sarah in prophecy. [from Exod.
Rabbah 1:1, Tan. Shemoth 1]

13. But also the son of the handmaid I will make into a nation,

. :
:

:
:
:

because he is your seed."

14. And Abraham arose early in the morning, and he took bread
and a leather pouch of water, and he gave [them] to Hagar, he
placed [them] on her shoulder, and the child, and he sent her away

|

:

and she went and wandered in the desert of Beer sheba.

bread and a leather pouch of water: But not silver and gold, because
he hated him for falling to evil ways. [from Tan. Shemoth 1]
and the child: (Gen. Rabbah 53:13) He also placed the child on her
shoulder, because Sarah had cast an evil eye upon him, and he was
seized by a fever so that he could not walk on his feet.
and she went and wandered: She reverted to the idols of her fathers

, :
:
, :
:

: :

house. [from Pirkei dRabbi Eliezer, ch. 30]

15. And the water was depleted from the leather pouch, and she
cast the child under one of the bushes.
And the water was depleted: Because sick people habitually drink great
amounts. [from Gen. Rabbah 53:13]

:
: :

16. And she went and sat down from afar, at about the distance of

two bowshots, for she said, "Let me not see the child's death." And

she sat from afar, and she raised her voice and wept.
from afar: Heb.
, from afar. [from Gen. Rabbah 53:13]
the distance of two bowshots: As far as two bowshots, and it is an
expression of shooting an arrow. [It is used so] in the language of the
Mishnah (Yev. 90b, Sanh. 46a):who cohabited (
) with his wife,
because the semen shoots like an arrow. Now if you ask: it should have
been , [I will answer you that] it is grammatically correct to
insert a vav here, as in (Song 2:14):in the clefts of ( )the rock,
from the [same] root as (Isa. 19:17):And the land of Judah will be to
Egypt for a breach ( ), and from the [same] root as (Ps.

:
: :
:
, ,
, .
)" ( , "
) ( ,
) ( ,
: , ) ( ,

107:27):They reeled ( )and staggered like a drunkard. Similarly

(ibid. 65:6):the ends of ( )the earth, being derived from ( end).
And she sat from afar: When he drew near death, she went further

: :

away.

17. And God heard the lad's voice, and an angel of God called to

Hagar from heaven, and said to her, "What is troubling you, Hagar?

Fear not, for God has heard the lad's voice in the place where he is.

the lads voice: From here [we learn] that the sick persons prayer is
more effective than the prayer of others on his behalf, and is the first to
be accepted. [from Gen. Rabbah 53:14]

:
: ,

where he is: According to the deeds that he does now he is judged and
not according to what he is destined to do (Rosh Hashanah 16b). For
the ministering angels were accusing and saying, O Lord of the
Universe, for one who is destined to kill Your children with thirst, You are
bringing up a well?! And He answered them, What is he now, righteous
or wicked? They replied, Righteous. He said to them, According to his
present deeds I judge him (Gen. Rabbah 53:14). And that is the
meaning of where he is. Now where did he kill the Israelites with
thirst? When Nebuchadnezzar exiled them, as it is stated (Isa. 21: 13f.):
The harsh prophecy concerning Arabia, etc. Toward the thirsty bring ye
water, etc. When they led them beside the Arabs, the Israelites said to
their captors, Please lead us beside the children of our uncle Ishmael,
and they will have mercy on us, as it is stated:the caravans of the
Dedanites. Do not read

(Dedanites) but ( uncles). And these
[Ishmaelites] went forth toward them and brought them salted meat and
fish and inflated skins. The Israelites thought that they were full of water,
but when one would place it into ones mouth and open it, the air would
enter his body and he would die (Tan. Yithro 5).

:
,

,
, .
, ,
.
, ,
( ' - )
'
,
,
) ( ]
[
,
,
: ,

18. Rise, pick up the lad and grasp your hand upon him, for I shall
make him into a great nation."

19. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water, and
she went and filled the pouch with water and gave the lad to drink.
20. And God was with the lad, and he grew, and he dwelt in the
desert, and he became an archer.

:

:

..and he became an archer: Heb. , one who shoots arrows with

a bow.
Heb. : [He is so designated] because of his occupation, like
,
donkey driver, , camel driver, , hunter. Therefore, the shin is
punctuated with a dagesh. He would dwell in the desert and waylay the
passers-by. That is what is meant by (above 16: 12): his hand will be
upon all, etc.

21. And he dwelt in the desert of Paran, and his mother took for
him a wife from the land of Egypt.

: :

, , :
. "
) ( ,
:'

from the land of Egypt: from the place where she grew up, as it is stated
(above 16:1): and she had an Egyptian handmaid, etc. That is what
people say, Throw a stick into the air, and it will land on its place of
origin (the ground). - [from Gen. Rabbah 53:15]

( ) , :
.'
: ,

Sixth Portion
Genesis Chapter 21
22. Now it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol
his general said to Abraham, saying, "God is with you in all that you
do.

God is with you: Because they saw that he had come out of the region of

: -

Sodom unscathed, and that he had fought with the kings and they fell
into his hand, and that his wife was remembered [with a child] in his old

, ,

age. [from Gen. Rabbah 54:2]

23. And now, swear to me here by God, that you will not lie to me
or to my son or to my grandson according to the kindness that I
have done with you, you shall do with me, and with the land wherein

you have sojourned."

or to my son or to my grandson: Thus far is a fathers compassion for
his son. [from Gen. Rabbah 54:2]

: :

according to the kindness that I have done with you, you shall do with

me: when I said to you (above 20:15):Here is my land before you. [from Gen. Rabbah 54:2]

: ) (

24. And Abraham said, "I will swear."

25. And Abraham contended with Abimelech about the well of
water that the servants of Abimelech had forcibly seized.
And Abraham contended with Abimelech: Heb. . He disputed
with him concerning this. [from Targum Jonathan]

:

:
: :

26. And Abimelech said, "I do not know who did this thing, neither

did you tell me, nor did I hear [of it] until today. "

27. And Abraham took flocks and cattle, and gave them to
Abimelech, and they both formed a covenant.
28. And Abraham placed seven ewe lambs by themselves.
29. And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What are these seven ewe
lambs, which you have placed by themselves?"

:
:

:

30. And he said, "For these seven ewe lambs you shall take from

my hand, in order that it be to me for a witness that I dug this well."

in order that it be to me: [In order that] this [be for me].

: :

for a witness: Heb.

, an expression of testimony in the feminine
form, like (below 31:52):and the monument is a witness (
) .

( ) , :
:

that I dug this well: Abimelechs shepherds were contending about it

:
,

: ,

and saying, We dug it. They agreed among themselves that whoever
would appear beside the well and the water would rise toward him-it [the
well] was his. And they [the waters] rose toward Abraham.

31. Therefore, he named that place Beer sheba, for there they
both swore.

32. And they formed a covenant in Beer-sheba, and Abimelech

and Phicol his general arose, and they returned to the land of the

Philistines.
33. And he planted an eishel in Beer-Sheba, and he called there in
the name of the Lord, the God of the world.

an eishel: Heb. [ There is a dispute between] Rav and Samuel. One

says that it was an orchard from which to bring fruits for the guests at the
meal, and one says that it was an inn for lodging, in which there were all
sorts of fruits. We find the expression of planting ( ) used in
conjunction with tents, as it is written (Dan. 11:45):And he will pitch ()
his palatial tents. - [from Sotah 10a, Gen. Rabbah 54:6]

, :
,
.
) ( ,
:

and he called there, etc: By means of that eishel , the name of the Holy

:'

One, blessed be He, was called God of the whole world. After they
would eat and drink, he would say to them, Bless the One of Whose

. "

[food] you have eaten. Do you think that you have eaten of my [food]? [You
have eaten of the food] of the One Who spoke and the world came into

,
,
:

being! - [from Sotah 10a, Gen. Rabbah 54:6]

34. And Abraham dwelt in the land of the Philistines for many days.
for many days: more than those in Hebron. In Hebron he spent twentyfive years, and here twenty-six. For he was seventy-five years old when
he left Haran. That year, (above 13:18): and he came, and he dwelt in
the plain of Mamre [in Hebron]. For we do not find prior to this that he
settled anywhere but there, for everywhere, he was a wayfarer, camping
and continually traveling, as it is stated (ibid. 12:6): And Abram passed
(ibid. verse 8): And he moved from there (ibid. verse 10): And there
was a famine in the land, and Abram descended to Egypt. In Egypt he
spent only three months, because Pharaoh sent him away. Immediately,
(ibid. 13:3): And he went on his journeys until (ibid. verse 18): and he
came, and he dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron. There he
dwelt until Sodom was overturned. Immediately, (ibid. 20:1): Abraham
traveled from there, because of the disgrace caused by Lot, and he
came to the land of the Philistines. He was ninety-nine years old, for on
the third day of his circumcision, the angels came to him. This totals
twenty-five years [from the year he left his fathers house and settled in
Hebron until he came to the land of the Philistines]. It is written here [that
he lived in the land of the Philistines]many days [meaning] more than
the preceding [days in Hebron]. Scripture does not come to obscure but
to clarify, for if they [the days in the land of the Philistines] exceeded [the
days in Hebron] by two years or more, it would have stated so plainly.
You must conclude that they did not exceed them by more than one year,
hence twenty-six years [in the land of the Philistines]. He immediately left
there and returned to Hebron, and that year preceded the binding of
Isaac by twelve years. So it is explained in Seder Olam (ch. 1).

:
, :
.
,
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,
( ) ,
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),
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,
) ( ,
,
,
,
, ,
,
,
,
,
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:( )

Seventh Portion
Genesis Chapter 22
1. And it came to pass after these things, that God tested
Abraham, and He said to him, "Abraham," and he said, "Here I am."

after these things: Some of our Sages say (Sanh. 89b) [that this
happened]: after the words [translating devarim as words] of Satan,
who was accusing and saying, Of every feast that Abraham made, he
did not sacrifice before You one bull or one ram! He [God] said to him,
Does he do anything but for his son? Yet, if I were to say to him,
Sacrifice him before Me, he would not withhold [him]. And some say,
after the words of Ishmael, who was boasting to Isaac that he was
circumcised at the age of thirteen, and he did not protest. Isaac said to
him, With one organ you intimidate me? If the Holy One, blessed be He,
said to me, Sacrifice yourself before Me, I would not hold back. - Cf.
Gen. Rabbah 55:4.

Here I am: This is the reply of the pious. It is an expression of humility

and an expression of readiness. [from Tan. Vayera 22]

, :
:

2. And He said, "Please take your son, your only one, whom you
love, yea, Isaac, and go away to the land of Moriah and bring him up
there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains, of which I will tell

,

, ,
.

,
,
:"

you."
Please take: Heb. is only an expression of a request. He [God]
said to him, I beg of you, pass this test for Me, so that people will not
say that the first ones [tests] had no substance. - [from Sanh. ad loc.]

, :

your son: He [Abraham] said to Him, I have two sons. He [God] said to
him, Your only one. He said to Him, This one is the only son of his
mother, and that one is the only son of his mother. He said to him,
Whom you love. He said to Him, I love them both. He said to him,
Isaac. Now why did He not disclose this to him at the beginning? In
order not to confuse him suddenly, lest his mind become distracted and
bewildered, and also to endear the commandment to him and to reward
him for each and every expression. [from Sanh. 89b, Gen. Rabbah
39:9, 55:7]

, :
, ,
, ,
, .
, ,
:

the land of Moriah: Jerusalem, and so in (II) Chronicles (3:1):to build

the House of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. And our Sages
explained that [it is called Moriah] because from there [religious]
instruction (
)goes forth to Israel. Onkelos rendered it [the land of
service] as alluding to the service of the incense, which contained myrrh

)' , :
.( '

.
:

[mor is phonetically similar to Moriah], spikenard, and other spices.

bring him up: He did not say to him, Slaughter him, because the Holy
One, blessed be He, did not wish him to slaughter him but to bring him
up to the mountain, to prepare him for a burnt offering, and as soon as
he brought him up [to the mountain], He said to him, Take him down. [from Gen. Rabbah 56:8]
one of the mountains: The Holy One, blessed be He, makes the
righteous wonder (other editions: makes the righteous wait), and only
afterwards discloses to them [His intentions], and all this is in order to
increase their reward. Likewise, (above 12:1): to the land that I will show
you, and likewise, concerning Jonah (3:2): and proclaim upon it the

,
:

, :
,"
:

" :
), ,
) ( , (
:

proclamation. - [from Gen. Rabbah 55:7]

3. And Abraham arose early in the morning, and he saddled his

donkey, and he took his two young men with him and Isaac his son

and he split wood for a burnt offering, and he arose and went to the

place of which God had told him.

Andarose early: He hastened to [perform] the commandment (Pes.
4a).
and he saddled: He himself, and he did not command one of his
servants, because love causes a disregard for the standard [of dignified
conduct]. [from Gen. Rabbah 55:8]
his two young men: Ishmael and Eliezer, for a person of esteem is not
permitted to go out on the road without two men, so that if one must
ease himself and move to a distance, the second one will remain with
him. [from Pirkei dRabbi Eliezer, ch. 31 Gen. Rabbah ad loc., Tan.
Balak 8]

:
: :

, :
:

, :
,
:

and he split: Heb. . The Targum renders , as in (II Sam.

19:18):and they split ( )the Jordan, an expression of splitting,

)" ( , :
:[ " ],

fendre in Old French.

4. On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place
from afar.
On the third day: Why did He delay from showing it to him immediately?
So that people should not say that He confused him and confounded
him suddenly and deranged his mind, and if he had had time to think it
over, he would not have done it. [from Gen. Rabbah 55:6]
and saw the place: He saw a cloud attached to the mountain. [from

:
, :
,
:
: :

Gen. Rabbah 56: 1, Tan. Vayera 23]

5. And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the
donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder, and we will prostrate
ourselves and return to you."
yonder: Heb. , lit. until there, i.e., a short way to the place that is
before us. And the Midrashic interpretation (Tan. ad loc.): I will see where
is [the promise] that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me (above
15:5):So ( )will be your seed.
and return: He prophesied that they would both return. [from Avoth

:
. :

: ) (
: :

dRabbi Nathan, second version, ch. 43 Rabbah and Tan. ad loc.] i.e.,
Abraham prophesied without realizing it.

6. And Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering, and he
placed [it] upon his son Isaac, and he took into his hand the fire and
the knife, and they both went together.
the knife: Heb. , so called because it consumes ( )the
flesh, as it is stated (Deut. 32:42):and My sword will consume ()
flesh, and because it renders meat fit for consumption (). Another
explanation: This [knife] was because the people of Israel still eat
( )the reward given for it. [from Gen. Rabbah 56:3]
and they both went together: Abraham, who knew that he was going to
slaughter his son, was going as willingly and joyfully as Isaac, who was
unaware of the matter.

7. And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and he said, "My father!"
And he said, "Here I am, my son." And he said, "Here are the fire
and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8. And Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the
burnt offering, my son." And they both went together.
will provide for Himself the lamb: i.e., He will see and choose for
Himself the lamb (Targum Jonathan), and if there will be no lamb, my
son will be for a burnt offering. And although Isaac understood that he
was going to be slaughtered, they both went together, with one accord
(lit. with the same heart). - [from Gen. Rabbah 56:4]

:
, , :
, ) (
.
: ,
:

:

:

:
, :
. ,
: ,

9. And they came to the place of which God had spoken to him,

and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and he

bound Isaac his son and placed him on the altar upon the wood.

and he bound: his hands and his feet behind him. The hands and the
feet tied together is known as
(Shab. 54a). And that is the meaning
of

(below 30:39), that their ankles were white the place where they
are bound was discernible (Bereishith Rabbathi).

10. And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife, to
slaughter his son.
11. And an angel of God called to him from heaven and said,
"Abraham! Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."

, :
, ) ( ,
,
:

:

: |

Abraham! Abraham!: This is an expression of affection, that He

repeated his name. [from Tos. Ber. ch. 1, Sifra Vayikra ch. 1]

:
:

12. And he said, "Do not stretch forth your hand to the lad, nor do

the slightest thing to him, for now I know that you are a God fearing
man, and you did not withhold your son, your only one, from Me."
Do not stretch forth: to slaughter [him]. He [Abraham] said to Him, If so,
I have come here in vain. I will inflict a wound on him and extract a little
blood. He said to him, Do not do the slightest thing ( )to him. Do
not cause him any blemish (! )- [from Gen. Rabbah 56:7]
for now I know: Said Rabbi Abba: Abraham said to Him, I will explain
my complaint before You. Yesterday, You said to me (above 21:12): for in
Isaac will be called your seed, and You retracted and said (above verse
2): Take now your son. Now You say to me, Do not stretch forth your
hand to the lad. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (Ps. 89:35):
I shall not profane My covenant, neither shall I alter the utterance of My
lips. When I said to you, Take, I was not altering the utterance of My
lips. I did not say to you, Slaughter him, but, Bring him up. You have
brought him up [now] take him down. [from Gen. Rabbah 56:8]
for now I know: From now on, I have a response to Satan and the
nations who wonder what is My love towards you. Now I have a reason
(lit. an opening of the mouth), for they see that you fear God. -

|
:
, :
, ,
: ,
:
),
, (
,) (
" ).
, (
,
: ,
:
,
: -

13. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he saw, and lo! there was

a ram, [and] after [that] it was caught in a tree by its horns. And

Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering

instead of his son.

and lo! there was a ram: It was prepared for this since the six days of

: :

Creation. [from Tan. Shelach 14]

after: After the angel said to him, Do not stretch forth your hand, he
saw it as it [the ram] was caught. And that is why the Targum translates
it: And Abraham lifted his eyes after these [words], i.e., after the angel
said, Do not stretch forth your hand. (Other editions: and according to
the Aggadah, after all the words of the angel and the Shechinah and
after Abrahams arguments").
in a tree: Heb. , a tree. [from Targum Onkelos]

) ( :
, ,
:

: :

by its horns: For it was running toward Abraham, and Satan caused it to
be caught and entangled among the trees. [from Pirkei dRabbi
Eliezer ch. 31]
instead of his son: Since it is written: and offered it up for a burnt
offering, nothing is missing in the text. Why then [does it say]: instead of
his son ? Over every sacrificial act that he performed, he prayed, May it
be [Your] will that this should be deemed as if it were being done to my
son: as if my son were slaughtered, as if his blood were sprinkled, as if
my son were flayed, as if he were burnt and reduced to ashes. - [from
Tan. Shelach 14]

14. And Abraham named that place, The Lord will see, as it is said
to this day: On the mountain, the Lord will be seen.

:
:

, :
, ,

, , ,
: ,

|
:

The Lord will see: Its simple meaning is as the Targum renders: The
Lord will choose and see for Himself this place, to cause His Divine
Presence to rest therein and for offering sacrifices here.

as it is said to this day: that [future] generations will say about it, On this
mountain, the Holy One, blessed be He, appears to His people.
to this day: the future days, like [the words] until this day, that appear
throughout Scripture, for all the future generations who read this verse,
will refer until this day, to the day in which they are living. The Midrash
Aggadah (see Gen. Rabbah 56:9) [explains]: The Lord will see this
binding to forgive Israel every year and to save them from retribution, in
order that it will be said on this day in all future generations:On the
mountain of the Lord, Isaacs ashes shall be seen, heaped up and
standing for atonement.

15. And an angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time

from heaven.

' , :'

:
:
: "
, :
,

' .
,
'
: ,

16. And he said, "By Myself have I sworn, says the Lord, that
because you have done this thing and you did not withhold your
son, your only one,

17. That I will surely bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed
as the stars of the heavens and as the sand that is on the
seashore, and your descendants will inherit the cities of their

enemies.
I will surely bless you: Heb. , one [blessing] for the father
and one for the son.
and I will greatly multiply: Heb. , one for the father and one
for the son. [from Gen. Rabbah 56:11]

18. And through your children shall be blessed all the nations of
the world, because you hearkened to My voice."

: :

: :

19. And Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and
went together to Beer sheba and Abraham remained in Beer

sheba.
and Abraham remained in Beer-sheba: This does not mean
permanently dwelling, for he was living in Hebron. Twelve years prior to
the binding of Isaac, he left Beer-sheba and went to Hebron, as it is said
(above 21:34): And Abraham dwelt in the land of the Philistines for many
days, [meaning] more numerous than the first [years] in Hebron, which
were twenty-six years, as we explained above. [from Seder Olam ch.
1]

, :

,
) ( ,
,
,
:( )

20. And it came to pass after these matters, that it was told to
Abraham saying: "Behold Milcah, she also bore sons to Nahor your
brother.

after these matters, that it was told, etc.: When he returned from Mount
Moriah, Abraham was thinking and saying, Had my son been
slaughtered, he would have died without children. I should have married
him to a woman of the daughters of Aner, Eshkol, or Mamre. The Holy
One, blessed be He, announced to him that Rebeccah, his mate, had
been born, and that is the meaning of aafter these matters, i.e., after the
thoughts of the mattethat came about as a result of theakedah. - [from
Gen. Rabbah 57:3]
she also: She had [a number of] families equal to the [number of] the
families of Abraham. Just as Abraham [engendered] the twelve tribes
who emerged from Jacob-eight were the sons of the wives and four
were the sons of maidservants-so were these also, eight sons of the
wives and four sons of a concubine. [from Gen. Rabbah 57:3]

21. Uz, his first born, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel, the father
of Aram.

:'

,
",
,
:

:
,
,
,
:

22. And Kesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.

23. And Bethuel begot Rebecca." These eight did Milcah bear to
Nahor, Abraham's brother.

And Bethuel begot Rebecca: All these genealogies were written only for
the sake of this verse. [based on Gen. Rabbah 57:1,3]

24. And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, had also given
birth to Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah.

:
:

Maftir Portion
Genesis Chapter 22
20. And it came to pass after these matters, that it was told to
Abraham saying: "Behold Milcah, she also bore sons to Nahor your
brother.
after these matters, that it was told, etc.: When he returned from Mount
Moriah, Abraham was thinking and saying, Had my son been
slaughtered, he would have died without children. I should have married
him to a woman of the daughters of Aner, Eshkol, or Mamre. The Holy
One, blessed be He, announced to him that Rebeccah, his mate, had
been born, and that is the meaning of aafter these matters, i.e., after the
thoughts of the mattethat came about as a result of theakedah. - [from

:
:'

,
",
,
:

Gen. Rabbah 57:3]

she also: She had [a number of] families equal to the [number of] the
families of Abraham. Just as Abraham [engendered] the twelve tribes
who emerged from Jacob-eight were the sons of the wives and four
were the sons of maidservants-so were these also, eight sons of the
wives and four sons of a concubine. [from Gen. Rabbah 57:3]

21. Uz, his first born, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel, the father
of Aram.

:
,
,
,
:

22. And Kesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.

23. And Bethuel begot Rebecca." These eight did Milcah bear to
Nahor, Abraham's brother.

And Bethuel begot Rebecca: All these genealogies were written only for
the sake of this verse. [based on Gen. Rabbah 57:1,3]

24. And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, had also given
birth to Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah.

:
:

Haftarah
II Kings Chapter 4
1. Now a woman, of the wives of the disciples of the prophets,

cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant, my husband, has died,

and you know that your servant did fear the Lord and the creditor

has come to take my two children for himself as slaves."

of the wives of the disciples of the prophets: She was the wife of
Obadiah. Every expression of bnei hanviim, the sons of the prophets, in
Scripture, is translated in Targum as the disciples of the prophets.
and the creditor: He was Jehoram the son of Ahab, who would lend him
with interest what he used to sustain the prophets in his fathers time. In
R. Tanhumas Midrash (Mishpatim 9): Therefore it is stated (below 9:24):
And he struck Jehoram between his arms which stretched out to take
interest.

2. And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me what
you have in the house." And she said, "Your maidservant has
nothing at all in the house except a jug of oil."

) (
:

a jug of oil: enough oil for anointment, yet the aleph is part of the root
like the aleph of (Job 13:17) and my speech in your ears, [Heb. ,
from ], and the aleph of (Ezek. 21:20) the crying of [those struck
down] by the sword, [Heb. , from ], to bark.

3. And he said, "Borrow vessels for yourself from outside, from all
your neighbors do not borrow only a few empty vessels.

) (
:

4. And you shall come and close the door about yourself and about
your sons, and you shall pour upon all these vessels and the full

one you shall carry away."

And you shall close the door: It affords respect to the miracle if it comes
about in secret.
and the full one you shall carry away: from before you, and you shall
place another vessel in its place to fill it, but the jug of oil you shall not
move from its place, for the Holy One, Blessed be He, is making it as a
spring, and it is not customary for a spring to move from its place. I
heard this Midrash Aggadah.

5. And she went away from him and closed the door about herself

and about her sons they were bringing [vessels] to her and she

: ( )

was pouring.
they were bringing to her: the vessels.

6. And it was when the vessels were full, that she said to her son,
"Bring me another vessel," and he said to her, "There is no other
vessel." And the oil stopped.

|

:

and the oil stopped: coming any more. [This is the] peshat. Mid.
Aggadah in Gen. Rabbah 35 explains it literally: and the oil stood up,
meaning that the price of oil went. up

7. And she came and told the man of God: and he said, "Go sell

the oil and pay your debt and you and your sons will live with the

) (

remainder."

: ) (

And she came and told: She came to receive advice whether to sell or
to wait until it would become more expensive. He said to her, Go sell, for
there is enough for all your debt, and for you and your sons to live with
the remainder until the dead come to life.

8. And it was that day that Elisha went as far as Shunem, and

there was a prominent woman who prevailed upon him to eat a

meal and it was, whenever he would pass, he would stop there to

eat a meal.
a prominent woman: [lit. a great woman, i.e.,] an important woman. And
I saw in Pirkei dR. Eliezer (ch. 33): She was the sister of Abishag the
Shunemitess [who warmed King David in his old age].
and it was, whenever he would pass: in that city, he would stop at her
house to eat a meal.
he would stop: Heb. , lit. he would stop. This is] the present tense,
[i.e.,] he would stop there.

9. And she said to her husband, "Behold now I know that he is a

holy man of God, who passes by us regularly.

Behold now I know: For she never saw a fly on his table or semen on
his sheet.

10. Now let us make a small walled upper chamber, and place

there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp and it will be that
when he comes to us, he will turn into there.
11. And it was one day that he went there, that he turned into the
upper chamber and lay down there.
12. And he said to Gehazi his servant, "Call this Shunemitess"
and he called her, and she stood before him.
13. And he said to him, "Please say to her, 'Behold you have
busied yourself on our account with all this trouble. What is there to
do for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or to the
general of the army?' " And she said, "I dwell in the midst of my
people."

:

:

:
|


:

You have busied yourself on our account: [lit.] to us.

with all this trouble: [lit. all this shudder, i.e.] to put your heart into this
task, like (Is. 66:2) and shudders concerning My word, [i.e.] is diligent
concerning the task that it be accomplished and puts his heart into it.
What is there to do for you?: What do you need that we do for you, for
you busied yourself with all this for us.
I dwell in the midst of my people.: amidst my relatives. No one harms
me. I have need neither for the King nor for the general of the army.

14. And he said, "Now what can we do for her? " And Gehazi said,
"Indeed, she has no son, and her husband is old."

And he said: Elisha to Gehazi.

Now what can we do for her?: to reciprocate for this favor.

15. And he said, "Summon her," and he summoned her, and she

stood at the doorway.

16. And he said, "At this time next year, when you will be alive like
now, you will be embracing a son." And she said, "No, my lord, O
man of God, do not fail your maidservant."

)
(
:

At this time next year when you will be alive like now: [lit. like the time,
alive, i.e.] just as you are alive today, and well, so will you be alive next
year at this time and embracing a son.
No, my lord: Do not say, embracing a son. Why do I need to embrace
him if I will end up burying him? This is what she said to him when he
died, Did I not say, Do not mislead me?
do not fail: Do not show me something that will fail. You have power to
beg mercy, and a son will be given to me. I beseech you, do not give me
any but a child who will live.
do not fail: like (Is. 58:11) whose water will not fail.

17. And the woman conceived and bore a son, at this time a year
later, which Elisha had spoken to her.

at this time a year later: like this time that she was alive and well.
Therefore, the word is voweled [ i.e., like] the [time].

18. And the child grew up and it was one day that he went out to
his father, to the reapers.
19. And he said to his father, "My head! My head!" And he said to
the servant, "Carry him to his mother."

:
|
:

My head! My head!: I am sick in my head!

And he said: His father [said] to one of the servants, Carry him to his
mother .

20. And he carried him and brought him to his mother, and he sat
on her knees until noon, and he died.
21. And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God,
and she closed about him and left.

:

:

22. And she called her husband and said, "Please send me one of

the servants and one of the she-asses and I will run up to the man

of God and return."

23. And he said, "Why are you going to him today it is neither the
New Moon nor the Sabbath." And she said, "It's all right."

:
) ( )



(
:

Drive and go forward: quickly.

Dont keep back from riding because of me: Do not keep back the
riding because of me.

24. And she saddled the she-ass, and she said to her servant,
"Drive and go forward. Don't keep back from riding because of me

unless I tell you."

25. And she went and came to the man of God, to Mt. Carmel and
it was when the man of God saw her from afar, that he said to
Gehazi his servant, "Here is that Shunemmitess.
26. "Now please run toward her, and say to her, 'Are you well? Is
your husband well? Is the child well?' " And she said, "We are well."

:

:

And she said, We are well.: This is an abbreviated verse, So he

should have written, And he asked her, and she said, We are well.

27. And she came to the man of God to the mountain, and she

took hold of his feet and Gehazi approached to push her away.

Now the man of God said, "Let her be, for her soul is bitter to her,
and the Lord hid it from me and did not tell me."

28. And she said, "Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say,
'Do not mislead me?' "

Did I not say: to you, Do not fail your maidservant?

Do not mislead me ?: Do not mislead me concerning a mistaken
thing.

29. And he said to Gehazi, "Gird your loins and take my staff in
your hand and go. If you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if

anyone greets you, do not answer him: and you shall place my staff

on the lad's face."

do not greet him: [lit. do not bless him.] Do not ask him about his
welfare. All this was done so that he would not be engaged in
conversation, and he would ask him, Where are you going? And he
would say, To revive the dead. Now, it is not respectful for the one
through whom it is coming about, to praise himself He, however, did not
do so. Instead, to every inquirer he would say, My master sent me to
revive the dead.

30. And the lad's mother said, "As the Lord lives and by your life, I
will not leave you." And he rose and went after her.

31. And Gehazi went ahead of them, and he placed the staff on the
lad's face, and there was no sound nor any attention and he

returned toward him and told him saying, "The lad has not

awakened."

32. And Elisha came into the house, and behold the lad was dead,
laid out on his bed.

33. And he came and closed the door about both of them and he
prayed to the Lord.

34. And he went up and lay on the child, and placed his mouth on
his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his palms on his palms,

) (

and he prostrated himself upon him: and the child's flesh became

warm.
and he prostrated himself upon him: Jonathan renders: This
is an expression of weariness. [I.e., he lay exhausted upon him.] There
is a similar word in the Baraitha of Haazinu and in Sifrei (references
obscure). And Menahem interpreted [as follows]: The interpretation of
the word according to its context, is: he prostrated himself upon him.

35. And he returned and walked in the house once here and once

there, and he went up and prostrated himself upon him: and the lad

sneezed up to seven times, and the lad opened his eyes.

36. And he summoned Gehazi and said, "Call this

Shunemmitess." And he called her, and she came to him, and he

said, "Pick up your son."

37. And she came and fell at his feet and bowed to the ground
and she picked up her son and departed.

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