(16) The men set out from there and looked down toward Sodom, Abraham walking with them to see them off. (17) Now the LORD had said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? (18) And Abraham is to become a great and populous nation and all the nations of the earth are to bless themselves by him? (19) Because I know him, in order that he will instruct his children and his household to keep the way of the LORD by doing tzedakah and mishpat, in order that the LORD may bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.” (20) And the LORD said, “The outrage of Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave! (21) I will go down to see whether they have acted altogether according to the outcry that has reached Me; if not, I will take note.” (22) The men went on from there to Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD. (23) Abraham came forward and said, “Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty?
~ Who are the men?
~ Is God confiding in Avraham? Yes? No? Why?
~ Does it matter what the people from Sodom and Gomorrah are actually doing?
~ When was the other time that God came down to see?
~ Does the conversation that follows (v.23) prove God's description of Avraham? Why or why not?
(4) And they said, “Come, let us build us a city, and a tower with its top in the sky, to make a name for ourselves; else we shall be scattered all over the world.” (5) The LORD came down to look at the city and tower that humans had built.
Concerning the matter of “going down and seeing,” Rashi said by way of derash: “This teaches that judges are not to give decisions in cases involving capital punishment except after having carefully looked into the matter.”
According to the simple meaning of Scripture, the explanation is as follows: Since the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to reveal to Abraham the matter of Sodom and to inform him that there was none among them who did good, He said to him “Because it is great, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah will I go down to see, meaning I have come to judge. If they have sinned, I will make an end of them, and if not, I shall know what I shall do to them: Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with strokes.” He thus informed him that their judgment was not yet complete for now He will visit their sin and judge them. This is like the verse: The Eternal looketh from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any man of understanding, that did seek after G-d. They are all corrupt; they are together become impure.
Now Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said concerning this [“going down and seeing”] a mystery [i.e., a mysterious explanation], pleasing himself with foreign offspring. I shall now intimate to you the opinion of those who received the truth. Our Rabbis have exposited from the verse, For behold, the Eternal cometh forth out of His place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth: “He cometh forth and goeth from attribute to attribute; He cometh forth from the attribute of mercy, and goeth to the attribute of justice.” We interpret this matter similarly. And the Eternal said in His heart, “The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah, because it is great, I will go down from the attribute of mercy to the attribute of justice, and I will see in mercy if they have done according to the cry of it which is come unto Me through the attribute of justice, and if so, punishment; and if not, I will know and I will show mercy,” just as in the verse, And G-d knew. Now after Scripture tells of the knowledge of the Most High, it returns to the first matter and relates the story of how the men who glanced towards Sodom with the intention of going there and whom Abraham sent away arrived there. And Abraham, from the moment they left him until they arrived there, still stood before the Eternal for He called him and told him that the angels were those messengers who would destroy the place, as He had said. It was not necessary for Scripture to explain when Abraham stood before Him for from the moment He said, Shall I conceal it from Abraham, it is known that He told him.
~ What is the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah, according to Nachmanides?
~ What are the lessons we are supposed to have from the destruction of those cities?
~ God going down and seeing brings a theological problem. What is it? How is it solved by Nachmanides and Ibn Ezra?
(1) כי ידעתיו FOR I KNOW HIM — this is an expression denoting "affection", as (Ruth 2:1) "kinsman (מודע) of her husband," and (Ruth 3:2) “And is not Boaz our kinsman (מודעתנו), and (Exodus 30:17) “I have distinguished (ידעתיך) thee by name”. Still the primary meaning of these terms connected with the root ידע is really that of knowing, for whoever holds a person in affection attaches him to himself, so that he knows him well and is familiar with him. And why do I hold him dear? (2) למען אשר יצוה BECAUSE HE WILL GIVE HIS CHILDREN CHARGE CONCERNING ME TO KEEP MY WAYS. If, however, you explain it as the Targum, “I know “of” him that he will command his sons etc.”, then the word למען does not fit into the sense.
למען הביא IN ORDER THAT [THE LORD] MAY BRING — Thus will he ever command his children saying “Keep the way of the Lord in order that the Lord may bring upon Abraham etc.” Since it does not say here ‘‘upon the house of Abraham”, but upon Abraham himself, we may infer that he who trains up a righteous child is as though he never dies (Genesis Rabbah 49:4).
It is possible that the word yedativ means “I have raised him and elevated him so that he shall command his children after him to do that which is right before Me, and therefore I will make him a great and mighty nation so that he should serve Me. In a similar sense are the verses: I know thee (‘yedaticha’) by name; What is man, that Thou knowest htm? Or the verse may be stating, I know that he will command, and in a similar sense is the verse, So that thine ox and thine ass may have rest (lema’an yanuach), meaning that he may have rest.
The correct interpretation appears to me to be that the word yedativ literally means “knowing.” He is thus alluding that G-d’s knowledge, which is synonymous with His Providence in the lower world, is to guard the species, and even the children of men are subject despite it to the circumstantial evil occurrences until the time of their visitation comes. But as regards His pious, He directs His Providence to know each one individually so that His watch constantly attaches to him, His knowledge and remembrance of him never departs, as it says: He withdraweth not His eyes from the righteous. There are many verses on this theme, as it is written, Behold, the eye of the Eternal is toward them that fear Him, and other verses besides.
~ How do Rashi and Ramban understand "to know"? What is the disagreement?
~ Note that the Ranbam appears to have a slightly different version of Rashi's text.
כי ידעתיו מוכיח במישור:
Because I know him - confirms [Avraham's] righteousness.
למען אשר יצוה את בניו וכל זה אמר האל ית' לעשות ולמען אשר יצוה אברהם לבניו בראותו גודל חסדיו גם לרשעים ומשפטיו נגד הבלתי שבים ישמרו לעשות צדקה ומשפט:
In order that he will command his children ~ God, blessed, said all this in order that Avraham would instruct his children as [God] saw [Avraham's] great kindness even with the wicked, and [Avraham's] justice regarding those who do not return, so they would observe doing tzedakah and mishpat.
למען הביא ה' על אברהם את אשר דבר עליו. והתכלית האחרון המכוון בזה מאת האל ית' היה להביא על אברהם את אשר דבר כאמרו להיות לך לאלהים ולזרעך אחריך:
In order that Ad-nai may bring about for Abraham what He has promised him ~ The ultimate purpose of God, blessed, in this was to bring about to Avraham all that God promised, when God said "to be your God, and to your seed after you" (Genesis 17:7).
~ How does Sforno understand "I have known him"?
~ What are tzedakah and mishpat for Sforno?
~ Are the promises conditional?
כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה (בראשית יח, יט), רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי זוֹ הוֹבְרָיָא. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי זוֹ בִּקּוּר חוֹלִים. רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מִתְּחִלָּה צֶדֶק לְבַסּוֹף מִשְׁפָּט. הָא כֵּיצַד אַבְרָהָם הָיָה מְקַבֵּל אֶת הָעוֹבְרִים וְאֶת הַשָּׁבִים, מִשֶּׁהָיוּ אוֹכְלִים וְשׁוֹתִים אָמַר לָהֶם בָּרֵכוּ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ מַה נֹּאמַר, אָמַר לָהֶם אִמְרוּ בָּרוּךְ אֵל עוֹלָם שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, אִם מְקַבֵּל עָלָיו וּבְרִיךְ, הֲוָה אָכֵיל וְשָׁתֵי וְאָזֵיל, וְאִי לָא הֲוָה מְקַבֵּל עֲלֵיהּ וּבָרִיךְ, הֲוָה אֲמַר לֵיהּ הַב מַה דַּעֲלָךְ. וְאָמַר מָה אִית לָךְ עָלַי, הֲוָה אֲמַר לֵיהּ, חַד קְסִיט דַּחֲמַר בַּעֲשָׂרָה פּוֹלָרִין, וְחַד לִיטְרָא דְּקוֹפָר בַּעֲשָׂרָה פוֹלָרִין, וְחַד עִגּוּל דְּרִפְתָּא בַּעֲשָׂרָה פוֹלָרִין. מַאן יָהֵיב לָךְ חַמְרָא בְּמַדְבְּרָא, מַאי יָהֵיב לָךְ קוֹפָר בְּמַדְבְּרָא, מַאן יָהֵיב לָךְ עִגּוּלָא בְּמַדְבְּרָא. מִן דַּהֲוָה חָמֵי הַהִיא עַקְתָא דַּהֲוָה עָקֵי לֵיהּ, הֲוָה אָמַר בָּרוּךְ אֵל עוֹלָם שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב לְכַתְּחִלָּה צְדָקָה וּלְבַסּוֹף מִשְׁפָּט. (בראשית יח, יט): לְמַעַן הָבִיא ה' עַל אַבְרָהָם וגו', תָּנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי אוֹמֵר, כָּל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בֵּן יָגֵעַ בַּתּוֹרָה כְּאִלּוּ לֹא מֵת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: לְמַעַן הָבִיא ה' עַל אַבְרָהָם אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו לֹא נֶאֱמַר, אֶלָּא אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' עָלָיו.
"Because I know him, so that he will command" - Rabi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Alexandri: this is serving the mourner's meals. And the rabbis say: this is visiting the sick. Rabbi Azariah in the name of rabbi Yehudah: in the beginning tzedek and in the end, mishpat. How so? Avraham would receive both the sinners and the ones that returned. As they were eating and drinking he would say to them "bless!" They would ask: what should we say? He would answer: "Blessed is El Olam, from Whose [bounty] we ate." If the person accepted it and blessed, then s/he would eat, and drink and go. And if not, then Avraham would say: 'give me what you have.' And the person would say - 'what do you have that I owe you?' And he would answer: 'one measure of wine for ten coins, and one cut of meat for ten coins, and one loaf of bread for ten coins... Who gave you wine in the wilderness? Who gave you meat in the middle of the wilderness? Who gave you bread in the wilderness?' Once the person understood the predicament that Avraham set up, then the person would say "Blessed is El Elyion from Whose bounty we ate" - and this is what is why tzedakah is written in the beginning and justice at the end. "So Ad-nai may bring about for Abraham etc" (Genesis 18:19) Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai said: whoever has a child that works hard on Torah - it is as if that person never died, as it is written "to bring about for Avraham" and not "to Avraham."
~ What is to do tzedakah and mishpat, in this source?
~ What is tzedakah and mishpat in this source?
~ How was King David different that Avraham?
~ What are tzedakah and mishpat in this source?
~ What are tzedakah and mishpat in this source?
They are merciful, as it is written: “And He will give you mercy, and have mercy upon you and multiply you” (Deuteronomy 13:18); not only will God have mercy upon you, but He will bestow the attribute of mercy upon you.
They are shamefaced, as it is written: “And that His fear shall be upon your faces” (Exodus 20:17), and the fear that is on one’s face is his shame.
They perform acts of kindness, as it is written: “For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the Lord, to practice righteousness and justice” (Genesis 18:19), i.e., to perform acts of kindness.
Whoever has these three distinguishing marks is fit to cleave to this nation. Those who lack these qualities, however, are unfit to be part of the Jewish people. When David saw the cruelty of the Gibeonites, he decreed that they may never enter into the congregation of Israel.
~ What are tzedakah and mishpat in this source?
גדול המשפט, שקרא הקדוש ברוך הוא שם כסאו משפט, דכתיב (תהלים פט, טו) צדק ומשפט מכון כסאך. ר"ע אומר בתורה בנביאים ובכתובים מצינו שהקדוש ברוך הוא מזכיר את המשפט, וסומך לו את החסד מכאן ואת הצדקה מכאן, בתורה מנין דכתיב (בראשית יח, יט) כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה וגו' למען הביא יי' על אברהם את אשר דבר עליו, ומה דבר עליו זה החסד, דכתיב (מיכה ז, כ)חסד לאברהם, בנביאים מנין דכתיב (ירמיה ט, כג) כי אני יי' עושה חסד וגו', בכתובים מנין דכתיב (תהלים פט, טו) צדק ומשפט מכון כסאך וגו'.
So great is Judgment (mishpat), that the Holy Blessed One called His throne Judgement, as it is written "tzedek and mishpat are Your throne's foundation" (Ps. 89:15). Rabbi Akiva says: we found that the Holy Blessed One mentions judgment in Torah, Prophets and Writings, and close to it kindness on one side and tzedakah on another. In the Torah "because I have known him, so he will command etc so to fulfill the promise etc" (Genesis 18:19), and what about kindness? It is written "kindness to Avraham" (Micah 7:20). In the prophets: "For I, Ad-nai, act with kindness, justice, and tzedakah in the world" (Jeremiah 9:23) and in the writings: "tzedek and mishpat are Your throne's foundation etc I maintain My kindness forever" (Ps. 89:15, Ps. 89:29)
לעולם ישתדל אדם ללמוד וללמד את בנו תורה, והעושה כך הרי הוא מתלמידיו של אברהם אבינו עליו השלום, כדגרסינן בבראשית רבה בן כמה שנים הכיר אברהם את בוראו רבי אלחנן בן חגי אומר בן ג' שנים הכיר אברהם את בוראו, שנאמר (בראשית כו, ה) עקב אשר שמע וגו', עק"ב עולה למנין מאה ושבעים ושתים, והוא חיה קע"ה, נמצאת אומר בן ג' שנים הכיר בוראו, והיה משמר אפילו דקדוקי סופרים והיה עושה מצות עשה שהם רמ"ח כמנין אבריו, ולא היה חסר מהן אלא אחת שהיא מצות המילה, לפיכך אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא התהלך לפני והיה תמים (בראשית יז, א), ולפיכך הוסיף הקדוש ברוך הוא בשמו ה"א, שנאמר (שם יז, ה) והיה שמך אברהם, ואחר כך (שם יז, ב) ואתנה בריתי וגומר, רמז לו שישלים בשמו לתשלום רמ"ח מצות שהוא מקיים שכך עולה מנין אבר"הם רמ"ח, כלומר מול עצמך ותהיה שלם ויהיה שמך שלם, והיה מלמד את בנו תורה, שנאמר (בראשית יח, יט) כי ידעתיו וגו', אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא אתה למדת לבנך תורה בעולם הזה, חייך אני בכבודי מלמד בניך תורה לעולם הבא, שנאמר (ישעיה נד, יג) וכל בניך למודי יי' ורב שלום בניך.
A person should always strive to learn and teach Torah to their child, and whoever does this is a disciple of Avraham our father peace be upon him, as we learn in Bereshit Rabbah (Bereshit Rabbah 95:3): "How old was Avraham when he recognized his Creator? Rabbi Elchanan ben Chagai says three years old, as it is written "inasmuch [ekev] as Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge: My commandments, My laws, and My teachings" (Genesis 26:5). The Hebrew letters for EKEV sum up 172, and he was alive for 175 years - so you find that at age 3 he recognized his Creator, and kept even the minute details, and the positive mitzvot that are 248 as the number of the parts of his body, and only lacked the mitzvah of circumcision, and therefore the Holy One of Blessing told him "walk before me and be complete" (Genesis 17:1) and therefore the Holy One of Blessing added a hey to his name, as it is written "and your name will be Avraham" (Genesis 17:5) and after that "I will establish my covenant etc" (Genesis 17:2) which is a hint that with completing his name he would complete the 248 mitzvot, and so the name Avraham also sums up 248, as to say - circumcise yourself and you will be complete, and your name will be complete, and you will teach your child Torah, as it says "because I know him, that he will command etc" (Genesis 18:19). The Holy One of Blessing said to Avraham "you taught Torah to your child in this world, and I swear by your life that I Myself will teach Torah to your children in the world to come, as it says "And all your children are students of Ad-nai, and great is the eace of your children" (Isaiah 54:13).