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 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 [Mamre’s] territory. — [from Tan. Vayera 3]
was sitting It is written יֹשֵׁב [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. 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]
when the day was hot (B.M. 86b) The Holy One, blessed be He, took 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]
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 Isaac’s 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 he [the angel] said, ‘Flee for your life.’” You learn that only one acted as a deliverer.
were standing beside him Heb. עָלָיו, lit. over him. Before him, like (Num. 2:20):“And next to him (וְעָלָיו), the tribe of Manasseh,” but it is a euphemism in reference to the angels.
and he saw Why is וַיַרְא 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!” 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 (אִדֹנָי) is profane (Shev. 35b) (i.e., it does not refer to God). Another explanation: It (אִדֹנָי) 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 preceded the birth [of Japhet] by 20 years. And the two interpretations [of אִדֹנָי 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 let…be taken through a messenger, and the Holy One, blessed be He, rewarded his [Abraham’s] 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]
under the tree under the 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 man’s heart.” Said Rabbi Chama: לְבַבְכֶם is not written here, but לִבָּכֶם. 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 home] to honor me.
because כִּי עַל כֵּן is like עַל אִשֶׁר, because, and so is every כִּי עַל כֵּן in Scripture, e.g., (below 19:8):“because (כִּי עַל כֵּן) they have come in the shadow of my roof” ; (below 33:10):“because (כִּי עַל כֵּן) I have seen your countenance” ; (below 38:26):“because (כִּי עַל כֵּן) I have not given her” ; (Num. 10:31):“because (כִּי עַל כֵּן) you know our encamping.”
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 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 Aboth d’Rabbi 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. 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. אֵלָיו. There are dots over the letters איו in the word אֵלָיו. 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 (אַיוֹ) 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 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, next year. It was Passover, and on the following Passover, Isaac was born, since we do not כְּעֵת [at“a” time] כָּעֵת [at“this” time]. כָּעֵת חַיָה 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 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.
ceased to have It had ceased from her. — [from Gen Rabbah 48:16]
the way of the women the menstrual cycle.
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]
smooth flesh Heb. עֶדְנָה, smoothness of flesh, and in the language of the Mishnah (Meg. 13a, Men. 86a):“It causes the hair to fall out and smooths (מְעַדָּן) the flesh.” Another explanation: an expression of time (עִידָן) , 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?'
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."
Is…hidden Heb. הִיִפָלֵא, as the Targum renders: הַיִתְכַּסֵי. 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.”
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 כִּי serves as an expression of “because,” for it gives the reason for the matter:“And Sarah denied…because she was afraid,” and the second כִּי serves as an expression of “but.” And He said,“It is not as you say, but you did laugh.” For our Sages said: כִּי 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. וַיַשְׁקִיפוּ. Whenever the word הַשְׁקָפָה occurs in Scripture, it denotes evil, except (Deut. 26:15):“ Look (הַשְׁקִיפָה) 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. לְשַׁלְחָם, to escort them. He thought that they were wayfarers. — [from Zohar, vol. 1, 104a]
17.
And the Lord said, "Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am doing?
Shall I conceal Heb. הַמְכַסֶה ? 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 d’Rabbi 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 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. יְדַעְתִּיו, an expression of love, like (Ruth 2:1):“a kinsman (מוֹדַע) of her husband” ; (ibid. 3:2):“And now, Boaz our kinsman (מוֹדַעְתָּנוּ)” ; (Exod. 33:17):“and I shall know you (וָאֵדָעִ) 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 לְמַעַן does not fit into the sense [of the verse].
because he commands Heb. יְצַוֶּה, a present tense, (i.e., a habitual action) like (Job 1:5):“So would Job do (יַעִשֶׂה)” ; [(Num. 9:20):“in accordance to the utterance of the Lord they would camp” (יַחִנוּ)].
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.
since [it] has become great Wherever רָבָּה appears in Scripture, the 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 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 (בָּאָה)” ; (Ruth 1:15):“Lo, your sister-in-law has returned (שָׁבָה) .”
21.
I will descend now and see, whether according to her cry, which has come to Me, they have done; [I will wreak] destruction [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 the results thereof). - [Be’er 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 פּסִיק (|
Unknown ) between עָשָׂוּ and כָּלָה, in order to separate one word from another. Our Sages, however, interpreted הַכָּצַעִקָתָה 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 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. Rabbah 49:8]
Will You even destroy Heb. הַאַף. Will You also destroy? And according to the translation of Onkelos, who rendered אַף as an expression of wrath, this is its interpretation: Will wrath entice You that You should destroy the righteous with the wicked?
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 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]
Far be it from You Heb. חָלִילָה. It is profane (חוּלִין) , [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 הִשֹׁפֵט 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.
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 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. — [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 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. הוֹאַלְתִּי. I have desired, as in (Exod. 2:21):“And Moses was willing (וַיוֹאֶל) .”
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.
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 [Isaac’s birth] to Sarah, since he had performed his mission, he departed (Tan. Vayera 8).
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