Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 18

15Hearing God’s accusation, Sarah denied it and said, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid, but He said to her, “No, you did laugh.”   טווַתְּכַחֵ֨שׁ שָׂרָ֧ה | לֵאמֹ֛ר לֹ֥א צָחַ֖קְתִּי כִּ֣י | יָרֵ֑אָה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר | לֹ֖א כִּ֥י צָחָֽקְתְּ:
כִּי יָרֵאָה וגו' כִּי צָחָֽקְתְּ - For she was afraid… (lit.) but you did laugh. The first כִּי is used in the sense of “because,” for it gives a reason for the previous statement: “Sarah denied it” – because she was afraid; and the second כִּי is used in the sense of “but”: He said to her, “It is not as you say, but you did indeed laugh.” For our rabbis said: כִּי can be used in four different senses: “if,” “perhaps,” “but,” and “because.”   כִּי יָרֵאָה וגו' כִּי צָחָֽקְתְּ.  הָרִאשׁוֹן מְשַׁמֵּשׁ לְשׁוֹן דְּהָא, שֶׁנּוֹתֵן טַעַם לַדָּבָר וַתְּכַחֵשׁ שָׂרָה – לְפִי שֶׁיָּרְאָה; וְהַשֵּׁנִי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן אֶלָּא, וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא כִדְבָרֵךְ הוּא אֶלָּא צָחַקְתְּ, שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ כִּי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בְּאַרְבַּע לְשׁוֹנוֹת, אִי, דִּלְמָא, אֶלָּא, דְּהָא:
16The “men” rose from there and looked out over Sodom. Abraham walked with them to escort them.   טזוַיָּקֻ֤מוּ מִשָּׁם֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיַּשְׁקִ֖פוּ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י סְדֹ֑ם וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הֹלֵ֥ךְ עִמָּ֖ם לְשַׁלְּחָֽם:
וישקיפו - And they looked out. Every form of the term הַשְׁקָפָה in Scripture indicates an evil portent for the object looked upon, except for: “Look down (הַשְׁקִיפָה) from Your holy dwelling,” 1 where the power of giving contributions to the poor is so great that it changes God’s attribute of anger to mercy.   וישקיפו.  כָּל הַשְׁקָפָה שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְרָעָה חוּץ מֵהַשְׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן קָדְשְׁךָ (דברים כ"ו), שֶׁגָּדוֹל כֹּחַ מַתְּנוֹת עֲנִיִּים שֶׁהוֹפֵך מִדַּת הָרֹגֶז לְרַחֲמִים:
לְשַׁלְּחָֽם - means here “to escort them” on their way – because he thought they were just travelers.   לְשַׁלְּחָֽם.  לְלַוּוֹתָם; כַּסָּבוּר אוֹרְחִים הֵם:
17God said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,   יזוַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אָמָ֑ר הַֽמֲכַסֶּ֤ה אֲנִי֙ מֵֽאַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶֽׂה:
הַֽמֲכַסֶּה אֲנִי - Should I hide. This is a question.   הַֽמֲכַסֶּה אֲנִי.  בִּתְמִיהָ:
אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עושה - What I am about to do - in Sodom. It is not fitting for Me to do this without his knowledge. I gave him this land, so these five cities are his, as it says: “The Canaanite border was from Sidon…toward Sodom, Gomorrah…”; 2 I called him Abraham (אַבְרָהָם) – “the father of a multitude of nations (אַב הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם),” 3 so should I now destroy the children without informing their father, who loves Me?   אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עושה.  בִּסְדוֹם. לֹא יָפֶה לִי לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר זֶה שֶׁלֹּא מִדַּעְתּוֹ. אֲנִי נָתַתִּי לוֹ אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת, וַחֲמִשָּׁה כְּרַכִּין הַלָּלוּ שֶׁלּוֹ הֵן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: גְּבוּל הַכְּנַעֲנִי מִצִּידֹן בֹּאֲכָה סְדֹמָה וַעֲמֹרָה וְגוֹ' (בראשית י'). קָרָאתִי אוֹתוֹ אַבְרָהָם – אַב הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם, וְאַשְׁמִיד אֶת הַבָּנִים וְלֹא אוֹדִיעַ לָאָב, שֶׁהוּא אוֹהֲבִי?
18seeing that I love Abraham so much that I have promised him that he will surely become a great and mighty nation, and through him all the nations of the world will be blessed?   יחוְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ־ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ:
וְאַבְרָהָם הָיוֹ יִֽהְיֶה - Abraham will surely become. The aggadic explanation is: “The mention of a righteous person is for blessing” 4 – i.e., since He mentioned him, He blessed him to become a great nation. But the straightforward meaning is: Should I hide it from him, being that he is so beloved to Me as to become a great nation, and that all the nations of the world will be blessed through him?!   וְאַבְרָהָם הָיוֹ יִֽהְיֶה.  מִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה: זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה, הוֹאִיל וְהִזְכִּירוֹ – בֵּרְכוֹ. וּפְשׁוּטוֹ: וְכִי מִמֶּנּוּ אֲנִי מַעֲלִים, וַהֲרֵי הוּא חָבִיב לְפָנַי לִהְיוֹת לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וּלְהִתְבָּרֵך בּוֹ כָּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ.
19I have promised him these blessings for I cherish him, and I cherish him because he instructs his children and his household after him to keep God’s ways by acting with righteousness and justice so that they will earn My blessings. In fact, when he instructs them to follow My teachings, he adds explicitly, ‘so God will be able to bring about for Abraham everything He said concerning him.’”   יטכִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו לְמַ֩עַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַֽחֲרָ֔יו וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה לַֽעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט לְמַ֗עַן הָבִ֤יא יְהֹוָה֙ עַל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֖ר עָלָֽיו:
כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו - (lit.) For I have known him. This is an expression of affection, as we find: “a relative (מוֹדַע) to her husband”; “Is Bo’az not our relative (מוֹדַעְתָּנוּ)?”; “I will have granted you recognition (וָאֵדָעֲךָ) by name.” However, the principal meaning of all these terms is indeed from the word יְדִיעָה “knowledge,” for someone who has affection for a person brings him close, and thus knows him and is familiar with him. “And why do I hold him dear?” – לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה (lit.) “for that he instructs” – i.e., because he directs his sons concerning Me, to keep My ways. But if you explain this phrase according to Onkelos’ translation: “I know about him that he will instruct his sons…” then the word לְמַעַן does not fit in context.   כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו.  לְשׁוֹן חִבָּה, כְּמוֹ מוֹדָע לְאִישָׁהּ (רות ב'), הֲלֹא בֹעַז מֹדַעְתָּנוּ (שם ג'), וָאֵדָעֲךָ בְּשֵׁם (שמות ל"ג). וְאָמְנָם עִקַּר לְשׁוֹן כֻּלָּם אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן יְדִיעָה, שֶׁהַמְחַבֵּב אֶת הָאָדָם מְקָרְבוֹ אֶצְלוֹ וְיוֹדְעוֹ וּמַכִּירוֹ, וְלָמָּה יְדַעְתִּיו? לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה לְפִי שֶׁהוּא מְצַוֶּה אֶת בָּנָיו עָלַי לִשְׁמֹר דְּרָכַי. וְאִם תְּפָרְשֵׁהוּ כְתַרְגּוּמוֹ, יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי בוֹ שֶׁיְּצַוֶּה אֶת בָּנָיו וְגוֹ', אֵין לְמַעַן נוֹפֵל עַל הַלָּשׁוֹן:
יְצַוֶּה - (lit.) He will instruct. This word is used here in the continuous present tense, similar to “So Job would do (יַעֲשֶׂה).” 5   יְצַוֶּה.  לְשׁוֹן הוֹוֶה, כְמוֹ כָּכָה יַעֲשֶׂה אִיּוֹב (איוב א'):
לְמַעַן הָבִיא - So that [God] will bring about. This is what he instructs his children: “Keep the way of God, so that God may fulfill for Abraham….” It does not say here “for the house of Abraham,” but “for Abraham,” from which we learn: Whoever raises a righteous son is considered as if he never died.   לְמַעַן הָבִיא.  כָּךְ הוּא מְצַוֶּה לְבָנָיו, שִׁמְרוּ דֶּרֶך ה' כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבִיא ה' עַל אַבְרָהָם וְגוֹ'; עַל בֵּית אַבְרָהָם לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא עַל אַבְרָהָם, לָמַדְנוּ, כָּל הַמַּעֲמִיד בֵּן צַדִּיק כְּאִלוּ אֵינוֹ מֵת:
20So God said to Abraham, “Because the outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah has become great, and their sin is very grave,   כוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה זַֽעֲקַ֛ת סְדֹ֥ם וַֽעֲמֹרָ֖ה כִּי־רָ֑בָּה וְחַ֨טָּאתָ֔ם כִּ֥י כָֽבְדָ֖ה מְאֹֽד:
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' - God said - to Abraham; thus He did as He had said, that He would not hide the planned destruction of Sodom from him.   וַיֹּאמֶר ה'.  אֶל אַבְרָהָם שֶׁעָשָׂה כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר, שֶׁלֹּא יְכַסֶּה מִמֶּנּוּ:
כִּי־רָבָּה - Wherever else רַבָּה occurs in Scripture the accent is on the last syllable, on the ב, because it is translated as “great” (adjective) or “becoming great” (participle). But this word has its accent on the first syllable, on the ר, because it is translated as “has become great,” in the same way as I explained “The sun having set (בָּאָה),” 6 and “Look! Your sister-in-law has returned (שָׁבָה).” 7   כִּי־רָבָּה.  כָּל רַבָּה שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא הַטַּעַם לְמַטָּה בַּבֵּי"ת, לְפִי שֶׁהֵן מְתֻרְגָּמִין גְּדוֹלָה, אוֹ גְּדֵלָה וְהוֹלֶכֶת, אֲבָל זֶה טַעֲמוֹ לְמַעְלָה בָּרֵי"ש, לְפִי שֶׁמְּתֻרְגָּם גָדְלָה כְּבָר כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה, הִנֵּה שָׁבָה יְבִמְתֵּךְ:
21I will descend and see: if their deeds have matched the outcry that has come before Me, I will annihilate them. If not, then I will know what less-severe punishment to impose on them.”   כאאֵֽרֲדָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה הַכְּצַֽעֲקָתָ֛הּ הַבָּ֥אָה אֵלַ֖י עָשׂ֣וּ | כָּלָ֑ה וְאִם־לֹ֖א אֵדָֽעָה:
אֵֽרֲדָה־נָּא - I will descend and see. This teaches judges not to give rulings in cases involving capital punishment without the equivalent of visual knowledge – all just as I explained in the passage of the Dispersion. 8 Another explanation: I will consider now the end of their deeds.   אֵֽרֲדָה־נָּא.  לִמֵּד לַדַּיָּנִים שֶׁלֹא יִפְסְקוּ דִינֵי נְפָשׁוֹת אֶלָּא בִרְאִיָּה, הַכֹּל כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי בְפָרָשַׁת הַפַּלָּגָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵרְדָה נָא לְסוֹף מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם:
הַכְּצַֽעֲקָתָהּ - (lit.) If as its outcry - i.e., of the country –   הַכְּצַֽעֲקָתָהּ.  שֶׁל מְדִינָה:
הַבָּאָה אֵלַי עָשׂוּ - (lit.) That has come before Me they have [actually] done - and they maintain their rebelliousness, I will annihilate (כָּלָה) them. But if they do not (וְאִם לֹא) persist in their rebellious ways – I will know (אֵדְעָה) what to do, by punishing them with suffering, but I will not annihilate them. We find a similar phrase elsewhere: “And now, remove your jewelry from yourselves, and I will know (וְאֵדְעָה) what to do with you.” 9 For this reason there is a separation marked by a פְּסִיק between עָשׂוּ and כָּלָה, to separate one word from the other syntactically. Our rabbis explained הַכְּצַעֲקָתָהּ with the meaning: “if…as her cry,” referring to the cry of a young girl whom they put to death in an unnatural way because she gave food to a poor man, as is explained in Chapter Chelek. 10   הַבָּאָה אֵלַי עָשׂוּ.  וְכֵן עוֹמְדִים בְּמִרְדָּם, כָּלָה אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה בָהֶם, וְאִם לֹא יַעַמְדוּ בְמִרְדָּן אֵדְעָה מָה אֶעֶשֶׂה לְהִפָּרַע מֵהֶן בְּיִסּוּרִין וְלֹא אֲכַלֶּה אוֹתָן. וְכַיּוֹצֵא בוֹ מָצִינוּ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, וְעַתָּה הוֹרֵד עֶדְיְךָ מֵעָלֶיךָ וְאֵדְעָה מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה לָּךְ (שמות ל"ג); וּלְפִיכָךְ יֵשׁ הֶפְסֵק נְקֻדַּת פְּסִיק בֵּין עָשׂוּ לְכָלָה, כְּדֵי לְהַפְרִיד תֵּבָה מֵחֲבֶרְתָּהּ. וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דָרְשׁוּ הַכְּצַעֲקָתָהּ – צַעֲקַת רִיבָה אַחַת שֶׁהָרְגוּ מִיתָה מְשֻׁנָּה עַל שֶׁנָּתְנָה מָזוֹן לְעָנִי, כַּמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּחֵלֶק:
22The men whom Abraham was escorting turned from there and headed toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before God.   כבוַיִּפְנ֤וּ מִשָּׁם֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיֵּֽלְכ֖וּ סְדֹ֑מָה וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם עוֹדֶ֥נּוּ עֹמֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:
וַיִּפְנוּ מִשָּׁם - They turned from there - i.e., from the place to which Abraham had accompanied them.   וַיִּפְנוּ מִשָּׁם.  מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁאַבְרָהָם לִוָּם שָׁם:
וְאַבְרָהָם עוֹדֶנּוּ עומד לִפְנֵי ה' - While Abraham was still standing before God. But surely it was not Abraham who had gone to stand before Him, but rather the Holy One, blessed be He, had come to him and told him, “The outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah has become great.” It should therefore have written: “God was still standing before Abraham.” It is, however, an adjustment such as writers make to avoid an irreverent expression.   וְאַבְרָהָם עוֹדֶנּוּ עומד לִפְנֵי ה'.  וַהֲלֹא לֹא הָלַךְ לַעֲמֹד לְפָנָיו, אֶלָּא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּא אֶצְלוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ, זַעֲקַת סְדֹם וַעֲמֹרָה כִּי רָבָּה, וְהָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב "וַה' עוֹדֶנּוּ עוֹמֵד עַל אַבְרָהָם"? אֶלָּא תִּקּוּן סוֹפְרִים הוּא זֶה (אֲשֶׁר הֲפָכוּהוּ רבותינו זִכָּרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה לִכְתֹּב כֵּן) (בראשית רבה):
23Abraham figuratively came forward and said to God, “Would You obliterate the righteous along with the wicked?!   כגוַיִּגַּ֥שׁ אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַאַ֣ף תִּסְפֶּ֔ה צַדִּ֖יק עִם־רָשָֽׁע:
וַיִּגַּשׁ אַבְרָהָם - (lit.) Abraham drew near. We find the verb נִגַּשׁ used for “drawing near” to wage war: “And Yo’av drew near (וַיִּגַּשׁ) to wage war against Aram”; 11 for the purpose of appeasement: “Judah approached (וַיִּגַּשׁ) Joseph…”; 12 and for the purpose of prayer: “Elijah the prophet stepped forward (וַיִּגַּשׁ) and said, ‘God, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel….’” 13 Abraham prepared himself for all these methods: speaking severely, appeasement, and prayer.   וַיִּגַּשׁ אַבְרָהָם.  מָצִינוּ הַגָּשָׁה לַמִּלְחָמָה, וַיִּגַּשׁ יוֹאָב וְגוֹ' (שמואל ב י'), וְהַגָּשָׁה לְפִיוּס וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו יְהוּדָה, וְהַגָּשָׁה לִתְפִלָּה, וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא (מלכים א י"ח), וּלְכָל אֵלֶּה נִכְנַס אַבְרָהָם לְדַבֵּר קָשׁוֹת וּלְפִיּוּס וְלִתְפִלָּה:
הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה - means “Would You (lit.) also obliterate.” But according to Onkelos’ translation, who translates אַף in the sense of “anger,” this is the meaning of the verse: “Would Your anger induce You to “obliterate the righteous along with the wicked?”   הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה.  הֲגַם תִּסְפֶּה. וּלְתַרְגּוּם שֶׁל אֻנְקְלוֹס, שֶׁתִּרְגְּמוֹ לְשׁוֹן רֹגֶז, כָּךְ פֵּרוּשׁוֹ, הַאַף יַשִּׂיאֲךָ שֶׁתִּסְפֶּה צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע:
24What if there were 50 righteous people in the city of Sodom and its four neighboring cities? Would You still obliterate the place and not spare it for the sake of the 50 righteous people who are within it?   כדאוּלַ֥י יֵ֛שׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר הַאַ֤ף תִּסְפֶּה֙ וְלֹֽא־תִשָּׂ֣א לַמָּק֔וֹם לְמַ֛עַן חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים הַצַּדִּיקִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ:
אוּלַי יֵשׁ חֲמִשִּׁים צדיקים - What if there were 50 righteous people?. Ten righteous people for each city, for there were five localities involved.   אוּלַי יֵשׁ חֲמִשִּׁים צדיקים.  עֲשָׂרָה צַדִּיקִים לְכָל כְּרַךְ וּכְרַךְ, כִּי ה' מְקוֹמוֹת יֵשׁ:
25Furthermore, it would be sacrilegious for You to do such a thing—to bring death upon the righteous along with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked fare alike. It would be sacrilegious to You! Should the Judge of the whole world not judge fairly?!”   כהחָלִ֨לָה לְּךָ֜ מֵֽעֲשׂ֣ת | כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה לְהָמִ֤ית צַדִּיק֙ עִם־רָשָׁ֔ע וְהָיָ֥ה כַצַּדִּ֖יק כָּֽרָשָׁ֑ע חָלִ֣לָה לָּ֔ךְ הֲשֹׁפֵט֙ כָּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א יַֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה מִשְׁפָּֽט:
חלילה לְּךָ - It would be sacrilegious for You - If You say that the righteous cannot save the wicked, why then kill the righteous?   חלילה לְּךָ.  וְאִם תֹּאמַר: לֹא יַצִּילוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים אֶת הָרְשָׁעִים, לָמָּה תָּמִית הַצַּדִּיקִים?
חלילה לְּךָ - means “It would be sacrilegious for You.” People will say: This is His method – He sweeps away everyone, the righteous and the wicked. This is what You did to the generation of the Flood and to the generation of the Dispersion.   חלילה לְּךָ.  חֻלִּין הוּא לְךָ, יֹאמְרוּ כָךְ הוּא אֻמָּנוּתוֹ, שׁוֹטֵף הַכֹּל, צֵדִּיקִים וּרְשָׁעִים, כָּךְ עָשִׂיתָ לְדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל וּלְדוֹר הַפַּלָּגָה:
כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה - Such a thing - i.e., not this nor anything like it.   כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה.  לֹא הוּא וְלֹא כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ:
חלילה לְּךָ - It would be sacrilegious for You - even in the World to Come.   חלילה לְּךָ.  לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא:
השופט כָּל־הָאָרֶץ - The ה of הֲשֹׁפֵט is vocalized with a chataf-patach, indicating a question: can it be that He who judges the whole world would not carry out true justice?   השופט כָּל־הָאָרֶץ.  נָקוּד בַּחֲטַף פַּתָּח ה"א שֶׁל הֲשׁוֹפֵט, לְשׁוֹן תְּמִיהָ, וְכִי מִי שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹפֵט לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה מִשְׁפַּט אֱמֶת:
26God said, “If I find in Sodom and its four neighbors 50 righteous people with the cities, I will spare the entire area for their sake.”   כווַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה אִם־אֶמְצָ֥א בִסְדֹ֛ם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר וְנָשָׂ֥אתִי לְכָל־הַמָּק֖וֹם בַּֽעֲבוּרָֽם:
אִם־אֶמְצָא בִסְדֹם וגו' לְכָל־הַמָּקוֹם - If I find in Sodom…the entire area. i.e., all the cities. Since Sodom was a metropolis and the most important of all the cities, Scripture designates it specifically.   אִם־אֶמְצָא בִסְדֹם וגו' לְכָל־הַמָּקוֹם.  לְכָל הַכְּרַכִּים; וּלְפִי שֶׁסְּדוֹם הָיְתָה מֶטְרוֹפּוֹלִין וַחֲשׁוּבָה מִכֻּלָּם, תָּלָה בָהּ הַכָּתוּב:
27Abraham responded and said, “I have begun to speak to God because I would have been reduced to dust by the alliance of kings and to ashes by Nimrod were it not for You!   כזוַיַּ֥עַן אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הִנֵּה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֨לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י וְאָֽנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר:
וְאָֽנֹכִי עָפָר וָאֵֽפֶר - (lit.) And I am dust and ashes - means: I would already have been reduced to dust by the kings and to ashes by Nimrod, if not that Your mercy had stood by me.   וְאָֽנֹכִי עָפָר וָאֵֽפֶר.  וּכְבָר הָיִיתִי רָאוּי לִהְיוֹת עָפָר עַל יְדֵי הַמְּלָכִים, וְאֵפֶר עַל יְדֵי נִמְרוֹד, לוּלֵי רַחֲמֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר עָמְדוּ לִי:
הוֹאַלְתִּי - I have commenced. I am willing, like "and Moses consented" [Shemot 2:21].   הוֹאַלְתִּי.  רָצִיתִי כְּמוֹ וַיּוֹאֶל מֹשֶׁה (שמות ב'):
28What if there were five missing from the 50 righteous people? Would You destroy the entire city and its four neighboring cities because of the lack of five people?” He replied, “I will not destroy the region if I find 45 righteous people living there.”   כחאוּלַ֠י יַחְסְר֞וּן חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים הַצַּדִּיקִם֙ חֲמִשָּׁ֔ה הֲתַשְׁחִ֥ית בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אֶת־כָּל־הָעִ֑יר וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית אִם־אֶמְצָ֣א שָׁ֔ם אַרְבָּעִ֖ים וַֽחֲמִשָּֽׁה:
הֲתַשְׁחִית בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁה - Would You destroy because of the [lack of] five?. There would remain nine for each city, and You, the Righteous One of the Universe, would join with them to make up the required 10.   הֲתַשְׁחִית בַּֽחֲמִשָּׁה.  וַהֲלֹא הֵן ט' לְכָל כְּרַךְ, וְאַתָּה צַדִּיקוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם תִּצְטָרֵף עִמָּהֶם:
29Abraham spoke to Him again and said, “What if 40 were to be found there, 10 in each of the four cities? You could spare four and destroy only one.” He said, “I will not take action against the four cities, for the sake of the 40 righteous people living therein.”   כטוַיֹּ֨סֶף ע֜וֹד לְדַבֵּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אוּלַ֛י יִמָּֽצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם אַרְבָּעִ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה בַּֽעֲב֖וּר הָֽאַרְבָּעִֽים:
אוּלַי יִמָּֽצְאוּן שָׁם אַרְבָּעִים - What if 40 were to be found there?. And thus four cities would be saved. Similarly, 30 righteous people would save three of the cities, 20 would save two of them, or 10 would save one of them.   אוּלַי יִמָּֽצְאוּן שָׁם אַרְבָּעִים.  וְיִמָּלְטוּ ד' הַכְּרַכִּים וְכֵן ל' יַצִּילוּ ג' מֵהֶם אוֹ כ' יַצִּילוּ ב' מֵהֶם אוֹ י' יַצִּילוּ אֶחָד מֵהֶם:
30Then Abraham said, “Let not God be angry, but let me speak. What if 30 were to be found there? You could spare three cities.” He said, “I will not act against the three cities if I find 30 righteous people there.”   לוַ֠יֹּ֠אמֶר אַל־נָ֞א יִ֤חַר לַֽאדֹנָי֙ וַֽאֲדַבֵּ֔רָה אוּלַ֛י יִמָּֽצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם שְׁלשִׁ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה אִם־אֶמְצָ֥א שָׁ֖ם שְׁלשִֽׁים:
31Abraham said, “I would like to speak further to God on their behalf! What if 20 were to be found there? You could spare two cities.” He said, “I will not destroy the two cities, for the sake of the 20 righteous people living in them.”   לאוַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֨לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י אוּלַ֛י יִמָּֽצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֶשְׂרִ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּֽעֲב֖וּר הָֽעֶשְׂרִֽים:
הוֹאַלְתִּי - means “I wish,” as in: “Moses consented (וַיּוֹאֶל) to stay with the man.” 14   הוֹאַלְתִּי.  רָצִיתִי, כְּמוֹ וַיּוֹאֶל מֹשֶׁה (שמות ב'):
32Abraham then said, “Let not God be angry, but I will speak just this one last time. What if 10 were to be found there? You could spare one city.” He said, “I will not destroy it, for the sake of the 10.”   לבוַ֠יֹּ֠אמֶר אַל־נָ֞א יִ֤חַר לַֽאדֹנָי֙ וַֽאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה אַךְ־הַפַּ֔עַם אוּלַ֛י יִמָּֽצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֲשָׂרָ֑ה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּֽעֲב֖וּר הָֽעֲשָׂרָֽה:
אוּלַי יִמָּֽצְאוּן שָׁם עֲשָׂרָה - What if 10 were to be found there?. He did not plead for a smaller number. He said: In the generation of the Flood there were eight righteous people – Noah, his sons, and their wives – and yet they did not save their generation, and for nine, making 10 through God joining with them, he had already pleaded, but God did not find that number of righteous people.   אוּלַי יִמָּֽצְאוּן שָׁם עֲשָׂרָה.  עַל הַפָּחוּת לֹא בִקֵּשׁ, אָמַר דוֹר הַמַּבּוּל הָיוּ ח', נֹחַ וּבָנָיו וּנְשֵׁיהֶם, וְלֹא הִצִּילוּ עַל דּוֹרָם; וְעַל ט' עַל יְדֵי צֵרוּף כְּבָר בִּקֵּשׁ וְלֹא מָצָא:
33Seeing that the “defending attorney” had finished his plea, God, the “judge,” figuratively departed from the “courtroom” when He had finished speaking to Abraham. Abraham returned to his home.   לגוַיֵּ֣לֶךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר כִּלָּ֔ה לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְאַבְרָהָ֖ם שָׁ֥ב לִמְקֹמֽוֹ:
וַיֵּלֶךְ ה' וגו' - God left… Once the defense counsel became silent, the Judge departed.   וַיֵּלֶךְ ה' וגו'.  כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּתֵּק הַסָּנֵגוֹר הָלַךְ לוֹ הַדַּיָּן:
וְאַבְרָהָם שָׁב למקומו - Abraham returned to his home. Once the Judge has left and the defense counsel has left, the prosecutor carries out his accusation, and therefore “The two angels arrived in Sodom” – to destroy.   וְאַבְרָהָם שָׁב למקומו.  נִסְתַּלֵּק הַדַּיָּן נִסְתַּלֵּק הַסָּנֵגוֹר, וְהַקָּטֵיגוֹר מְקַטְרֵג וּלְפִיכָךְ וַיָּבֹאוּ שְׁנֵי הַמַּלְאָכִים סְדֹמָה, לְהַשְׁחִית: