Bereishit Rabba 49 Core Texts Use with https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/551133?lang=bi

(1) “The Lord said: Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am doing?” (Genesis 18:17).
“And Abraham will become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him” (Genesis 18:18).
“The Lord said: Shall I conceal from Abraham […and Abraham will become a great and mighty nation]” – Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “The memory of the righteous is for a blessing, and the name of the wicked will rot” (Proverbs 10:7). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who mentions a righteous man and does not pronounce a blessing for him, has violated a positive mitzva. What is the source? “The memory of the righteous is for a blessing.” And anyone who mentions a wicked man and does not pronounce a curse for him violates a positive mitzva. What is the source? “And the name of the wicked will rot.”
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The names of the wicked are similar to weaving implements. Just as these weaving implements, as long as you use them, they are taut, while if you leave them, they slacken, so, too, have you ever, in all your days, heard a person call his son Pharaoh, Sisera, Sennacherib?. It is, rather, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Reuben, and Simeon.

Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Rabbi Yonatan, when he would reach this verse: “Who had been exiled from Jerusalem with the exile [that was exiled with Yekhonya king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon exiled]” (Esther 2:6), he would say: ‘Nebuchadnezzar, may his bones be crushed.’ And why did he not do so [when mentioning Nebuchadnezzar] in Jeremiah? It is because every time Nebuchadnezzar is written in Jeremiah, he was still alive here, however, he was dead.

Rav, when he would come to Haman on Purim, would say: ‘Cursed is Haman and cursed are his sons,’ in order to realize what is stated: “And the name of the wicked will rot.” Rabbi Pinḥas said: Ḥarvona is remembered for good.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: We find that when the Holy One blessed be He mentions the name of Israel, He blesses them, as it is stated: “The Lord who remembers us, blesses” (Psalms 115:12). Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Aḥa: I know [from that verse] only that it is so regarding six hundred thousand, from where is it derived regarding each and every member of Israel, that when the Holy One blessed be He mentions his name He blesses him? It is as it is stated: “Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am doing? And Abraham will become a great and mighty nation.” The verse need only have said: “The Lord said: Because the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great” (Genesis 18:20).6The Torah could have skipped verses 18 and 19, which praise Abraham, altogether, proceeding directly to verse 20. However, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I have mentioned the righteous man, shall I not bless him? “Abraham will become a great nation.”’

(2) It is written: “The secret of the Lord is [revealed] to those who fear Him, and His covenant to inform them” (Psalms 25:14). What is “the secret of the Lord”? This is circumcision,7Often referred to as brit, the covenant. as He did not reveal it from Adam the first man until twenty generations, until Abraham arose, and He gave it to him, as it is stated: “I will establish My covenant between Me and you” (Genesis 17:2).
The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘If you become circumcised, you will receive the secret [sod] of the Lord.’ What is the secret of the Lord? Samekh is sixty, vav is six, dalet is four, yielding seventy. Due to the merit of circumcision, I will bring forth out of you seventy, as it is stated: “With seventy people, your ancestors descended” (Deuteronomy 10:22). I will bring forth from them seventy elders, as it is stated: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel” (Numbers 11:16). I will bring forth from them Moses, who pronounced the Torah in seventy languages, as it is stated: “Moses undertook to expound [this Torah]” (Deuteronomy 1:5). By whose merit? It is by the merit of circumcision, as it is stated: “The secret [sod] of the Lord is [revealed] to those who fear Him.”
The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘It is sufficient for the disciple to be similar to his master.’
He [Abraham] said before Him: ‘Who will circumcise me?’ He said: ‘You, yourself.’ Thereupon, Abraham took a knife and held his foreskin, and he was about to cut, but he was afraid, because he was so old. What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He extended his hand and held it with him as Abraham was cutting, as it is stated: “You are the Lord the God, who chose Abram […and made the covenant with him]” (Nehemiah 9:7–8). “And He made the covenant to him” is not written here, but rather, “made with him.” This teaches that the Holy One blessed be He was holding on to him.
Another matter, “the secret of the Lord is [revealed] to those who fear Him.” At first, “the secret of the Lord” was [revealed] to those who fear Him. Then it was [revealed] to the upright: “And his secret is to the upright (Proverbs 3:32). Then it was to the prophets: “For the Lord God will do nothing without revealing His secret to His servants, the prophets” (Amos 3:7).

The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘This Abraham is God fearing, as it is stated: “For now I know that you are God fearing” (Genesis 22:12). This Abraham is the most upright of the upright, as it is stated: “The upright love you” (Song of Songs 1:4).11This verse is a reference to the Patriarchs. This Abraham is a prophet, as it is stated: “Now, restore the man's wife, as he is a prophet” (Genesis 20:7). Shall I, then, not reveal to him [what I am about to do]?’
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: This is analogous to a king who gave an estate to his friend. Some time later, the king sought to chop down five non-fruit-bearing trees from inside it. The king said: ‘Even if I had asked [to cut down trees] from his own ancestral property, he would not have refused. So what of it?’

[Nevertheless,] he consulted with him [first]. So, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I have already granted the land to Abraham as a gift, as it is stated: “To your descendants I have given this land” (Genesis 15:18), and these five cities belong to him. Even if I had I sought to do so [to destroy areas] from his own ancestral property he would not have refused. So what of it?’ [Nevertheless,] He consulted with him first.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: This is analogous to a king who had three close friends, and he would never do anything without their knowledge. One time he wanted to do something without their knowledge. He took the first one and banished him and expelled him from the palace. The second one he incarcerated in a prison cell and placed his royal seal upon it. Regarding the third, who was exceedingly beloved to him, he said: ‘I will not do anything without consulting him.’ So, too, Adam the first man – “He banished the man” (Genesis 3:24); Noah, “the Lord shut him in” (Genesis 7:16). Regarding Abraham, who was exceedingly beloved to him, he said: ‘Could I do anything without his knowledge?’
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: This is analogous to a king who had a senior adviser, and he would not do anything without his knowledge. The king said: ‘Did I not appoint him as my adviser specifically so that I would not to do anything without his knowledge?’
Rabbi Yudan said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘His brother’s son, Lot, is there; shall I not reveal it to him?’
The Rabbis say: [God said:] ‘I have already called him their father, as it is stated: “For I have rendered you the father of a multitude of nations” (Genesis 17:5).13Including Sodom and Gomorrah. Does one judge a son without [notifying] the father? I revealed the giving of the Torah to him. I revealed Gehenna to him.14See Bereshit Rabba 44:21. The sentence of Sodom is tomorrow, shall I not reveal it to him?’
Rabbi Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman in the name of Rabbi Natan: Abraham knew even the laws of the joining of courtyards [on Shabbat].15Even though they are of rabbinic, not biblical origin. Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: He knew even the new name that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to call Jerusalem, as it is stated: “At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord” (Jeremiah 3:17). Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Ḥiyya, and the Rabbis from over there16In Babylon. in the name of Rabbi Yehuda: There is not a single day that the Holy One blessed be He does not introduce a new halakha in the supernal court. What is its source? “Hear the fury of His voice, the sound [hegeh] that emerges from His mouth” (Job 37:2). Hegeh is nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “You shall speak of [vehagita] it day and night” (Joshua 1:8). Even those laws Abraham knew.

(3) “Abraham will become.” Rabbi Tanḥum in the name of Rabbi Berekhya: He informed him that the world would have no less than thirty righteous men like Abraham. Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Aḥa in the name of Rabbi Alexandri cite it from here: “Abraham will become [yihye].”

(4) “For I love him, so that he will command his children and his household after him, that they observe the way of the Lord, to perform righteousness and justice, so that the Lord will bring upon Abraham what He spoke concerning him” (Genesis 18:19).
“For I love him, so that he will command [his children…to perform righteousness and justice]” – Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Alexandri: This refers to providing the first meal to mourners after a burial. The Rabbis say: It refers to visiting the ill.
Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda: Righteousness at first, and ultimately justice. How so? Abraham would take in passersby. After they ate and drink, he said to them: ‘Recite a blessing.’ They said: ‘What should we say?’ He said to them: ‘Say: Blessed is God, the Most High, whose food we have eaten.’ If he agreed to recite the blessing, he would eat, drink and go. But if he would not agree to recite the blessing, he [Abraham] would say to him: ‘Give me what you owe.’ He would say: ‘What do I owe you?’ He would say to him: ‘A cup of wine costs ten polars, a pound of meat costs ten polars, and a loaf of bread costs ten polars. [After all,] who can provide you with wine in the wilderness? Who can provide you with meat in the wilderness? Who can provide you a loaf of bread in the wilderness?’ When he [the guest] would see the trouble that he was causing him, he would say: ‘Blessed is God, the Most High, whose food we have eaten.’ That is what we have written: Righteousness at first, and ultimately justice.
“So that the Lord will bring upon Abraham…” – It is taught: Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Anyone who leaves behind a son who toils in Torah, it is as though he did not die, as it is stated: “So that the Lord will bring upon Abraham”; “what He spoke to him”19If it had been written this way, it could have been interpreted to mean that God will grant Abraham everything He had spoken to him concerning his descendants. is not stated, but rather, “what He spoke concerning him.”20God will bring reward to Abraham himself, in accordance with what He had spoken concerning Abraham himself, even after his death.

(5) “The Lord said: Because the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and because their sin is very heavy” (Genesis 18:20).
“The Lord said: Because the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great [raba]” – Rabbi Ḥanina said: It was growing continuously greater.21The word raba should be understood in the present tense, “becoming greater.” Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: We have heard regarding the generation of the Flood that they were sentenced with water, and regarding the Sodomites that they were sentenced with fire. From where can it be derived to apply what is stated regarding each to the other?The verse states: Raba [here, and] raba [there]23“The wickedness of man was great [raba]” (Genesis 6:5). for a verbal analogy.

(6) “I will descend now and see, if they have acted in accordance with her outcry that has reached me, destruction, and if not, I will know” (Genesis 18:21).
“I will descend now” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: This is one of the ten descents [of God] that are stated in the Torah.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: This teaches that the Omnipresent opened for them an opening for repentance,24The sinfulness of the people of Sodom was already an established fact; God did not have to “go down” and investigate it. The verse means that God here was offering them a chance to repent from their evilness. as it is stated: “I will descend now and see, if they have acted in accordance with her outcry that has reached me,25And they do not repent. destruction”

– they have incurred liability to be destroyed. “And if not,26If they repent. I will know” – I will let them know about the attribute of justice in the world.

Rabbi Levi said: [God said:] ‘Even if I would want to keep silent, the plight of a certain girl does not allow me to be silent.’ There was an incident involving two girls who went down to drink and to draw water. One said to the other: ‘Why is your face so sickly?’ She said to her: ‘Her28She was referring to herself. food supply is depleted and she is close to death [from starvation].’ What did she [the other girl] do? She filled her jug with flour and exchanged that jug for the jug that was in the hand of the other. When they realized what she had done, they took her and burned her.

The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Even if I would want to keep silent, the plight of that girl does not allow me to be silent.’ That is what is written: “In accordance with her outcry.” It does not say: “In accordance with their outcry,”. but rather, her outcry. Which is that? The plight of that girl.

Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: The main period of tranquility of Sodom was only fifty-two years, twenty-five years of which the Holy One blessed be He caused the mountains to thunder over them, and brought quakes upon them, so that they would repent. But they did not do so. That is what is written: “He who moves mountains and they do not know” (Job 9:5), and ultimately, “who overturns them in His wrath” (Job 9:5).

(7) “The men turned from there and went to Sodom, and Abraham was still standing before the Lord” (Genesis 18:22).
“The men turned from there” – this teaches that angels do not have backs to their heads.32The Midrash interprets the verse to mean that the angels were still facing Abraham, even though they were already walking away from him.
“And went to Sodom, and Abraham was still standing before the Lord” – Rabbi Simon said: This is a scribal emendation, as it was [actually] the Divine Presence that was waiting for Abraham.

(8) Abraham approached, and he said: Would You even destroy the righteous with the wicked?” (Genesis 18:23).
“Abraham approached, and he said…” – Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda says: The term approaching means for battle. – “Yoav and the people who were with him approached Aram to battle” (I Chronicles 19:14). Rabbi Neḥemya said: Approaching means for conciliation, as it says: “The children of Judah approached Joshua” (Joshua 14:6). The Rabbis said: Approaching is for prayer, as it says: “It was at the time of offering up the afternoon offering that Elijah the prophet approached, and he said: Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known today that You are God in Israel…” (I Kings 18:36).
Rabbi Elazar interpreted it: [Abraham said:] ‘If it entails battle, I am coming; if it entails conciliation, I am coming; if it entails prayer, I am coming.’

Rabbi Pinḥas, Rabbi Levi, and Rabbi Yoḥanan: When one passes before the ark,. one should not say to him [when inviting him to lead the prayers]: ‘Go and perform,’ or ‘Go and do battle,’ or ‘Go and wage the battle of the congregation,’ but rather, ‘Go and do battle in prayer.’

Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Why did they institute fifteen blessings before [the blessing] “Who hears prayer”? It is corresponding to the fifteen mentions of God’s name in: “Give to the Lord, sons of the mighty” (Psalms 29:1) until: “The Lord sat enthroned at the flood” (Psalms 29:10), indicating that He eradicates calamities from coming to the world.

Rav Huna in the name of Rav Aḥa: “Would You even [ha’af] destroy [tispe]” – [Abraham said:] ‘You control [tispe] wrath [af]; wrath does not control You.’

Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya said: [Abraham said:] ‘With the wrath [af] that You bring to Your world, You eradicate the righteous and the wicked. Not only do You not suspend punishment for the wicked in the merit of the righteous, but You are even [af] eradicating the righteous with the wicked.’ Rabbi and Rabbi Yonatan, Rabbi says: A mortal human being, fury overcomes him, but the Holy One blessed be He overcomes fury, as it is stated: “The Lord is vengeful and Master of fury” (Nahum 1:2). Rabbi Yonatan said: A mortal human being, zealotry overcomes him, but the Holy One blessed be He overcomes zealotry, as it is stated: “The Lord is Master of zealousness and vengeful” (Nahum 1:2).
Rabbi Simlai asked Rabbi Yonatan: What is it that is written: “Some are punished [nispe] without justice”? (Proverbs 13:23). He said to him: It means without the judgment of his place of residence. There was an incident involving someone who was sent to collect taxes from the residents of Tiberias and the residents of Tzippori. While he was collecting in Tiberias, he saw someone from Tzippori. He arose and took hold of him. He said to him: ‘I am from Tzippori.’ He said to him: ‘I have written orders regarding Tzippori, to collect from it [as well].’ By the time he had finished collecting from the people of Tiberias, a reprieve was issued for Tzippori. It turns out that this man was punished without the judgment of his place.

R. Levi said: This41The phenomenon that sometimes the righteous perish along with the wicked. is analogous to a she-bear that used to maul beasts. It could not find a beast to maul, so it mauled its own offspring. Rabbi Simon said: It is analogous to a scythe that is cutting thorns, but it was not sufficient for it, [so it cut] a rose bush, and it was not sufficient for it.42The scythe cuts indiscriminately every growth that is in the path of its blade. If there are roses among the thorns, they, too, are cut.

(9) “Far be it from You to do something like this, to kill the righteous with the wicked, and the righteous will be as the wicked. Far be it from You; shall the Judge of all the earth not practice justice?” (Genesis 18:25).
“Far be it [ḥalila] from You” – Rabbi Yudan said: It is profane for You, it is foreign to You. Rabbi Aḥa said: Ḥalila ḥalila, twice – this entails profaning [ḥilul] the name of Heaven.

Rabbi Abba said: “From doing this thing” is not written here, but rather, “to do something like this” – neither it, nor something similar to it, nor something lesser than it.

Rabbi Levi said: Two people said the same thing, Abraham and Job. Abraham said: “Far be it from You to do something like this, to kill the righteous with the wicked.” Job said: “One matter, therefore, I say: The faultless and the wicked He destroys” (Job 9:22). Abraham received a reward for it, yet Job was punished for it. Abraham said it as a mature thought;. Job said it as an immature thought “One matter, therefore, I say: The faultless and the wicked He destroys.”
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: There is an intermingling of arguments48Abraham’s argument and God’s counter-argument are intermingled in this verse. here. Abraham said: “Far be it from You to do something like this, to kill the righteous with the wicked.” The Holy One blessed be He said: “And the righteous will be as the wicked.” [You think:] Let Him suspend punishment for the wicked in the merit of the righteous? If only they were [truly] righteous. But these are nothing other than righteous men of inferior quality,49The midrash uses the term nivlei – which means dates that fall off the tree before they ripen. They only pretended to be righteous, but inside they were rotten. Therefore they could not supply any merit to save the wicked. as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: In all instances of the words righteous men [tzadikim] which were stated regarding Sodom, tzadikim is written without a yod.

This is the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan [elsewhere as well], as Rabbi Yoḥanan said [regarding the Givonites]: “Our elders [zekenenu] and all the inhabitants of our land” (Joshua 9:11) – zekenenu is written without a yod, indicating sinful elders, shameful elders.
“Perhaps there are fifty righteous men in the city; would You destroy it and not spare the place for the fifty righteous men that are in it?” (Genesis 18:24)
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Abraham said:

‘Incorporate my righteous deeds and let them be included in the tally of fifty.’52If there are only nine people in each city, forty-five in all, let my righteousness take the place of the tenth man of each place. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: [Abraham said:] ‘Are You not the righteous One of the world? Incorporate Yourself with them so they reach the tally of fifty.’
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: This is what Abraham said to Him: ‘With a mortal king, one can suspend his ruling by means of an appeal from commander to prefect, from prefect to governor. But You, because you have no one who can be used to suspend judgment for an appeal, will You not perform justice?

Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: [Abraham said:] ‘When You sought to impose judgment on Your world, You delivered it into the hand of two people: Remus and Romulus, so that if one of them sought to perform an action the other could prevent him from doing so. But You, because You have no one to prevent You from doing anything, will You not perform justice?’

Rav Ada said: [Abraham said:] ‘You took an oath that You would not bring a flood to the world. Are You seeking to evade Your oath? [Do You argue that You swore that] You would not bring a flood of water, but You may bring a flood of fire? If so, You have not fulfilled your oath.’
Rabbi Levi said: [Abraham said:] ‘“Shall the Judge of all the earth not practice justice?” If You wish to have a world, there can be no strict justice, and if You wish to have strict justice, there can be no world. You seek to hold the rope from both ends; You wish to have the world and You wish to have strict justice. If You do not concede somewhat, the world will be unable to endure.’
The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Abraham, “You love righteousness [tzedek] and abhor wickedness” (Psalms 45:8) – you love to vindicate [letzadek] My creations. “And abhor wickedness” – you refuse to condemn them. “Because of this, God your God, has anointed you over your counterparts with the oil of joy” (Psalms 45:8). What is “over your counterparts”? From Noah until you there were ten generations, and from among all of them, I did not speak with any of them except for you: “God said to Abram: Go you”’ (Genesis 12:1).

(10) “The Lord said: If I find in Sodom(Genesis 18:26).
Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: “For [I speak] of God who said: I have forgiven; I will not bring harm” (Job 34:31). This refers to what is written: “I will forgive [venasati] the entire place for their sake.” “I will not bring harm [eḥbol]” – [God said:] ‘I will not take collateral from them, as it is written: “If you take…as collateral [taḥbol]” (Exodus 22:25). Yet they pile up [ḥovelim] allegations against Me, saying: He does not judge properly.’ “What I do not see [biladai eḥeze]” (Job 34:32) – if something is beyond Me go and examine My judgment.

If I am mistaken, “you teach me” (Job 34:32). “If I have performed injustice” (Job 34:32) with the former generations, “I will not continue” (Job 34:32) with the latter ones.
“I am silent for him with his claims [badav]” (Job 41:4) – [God said to Abraham:] ‘For you and for the branches [badim] that emerge from you,60For your descendants. I will be silent.’61Despite the harsh words that you and they speak before Me, I will remain silent. For Abraham, who said: “Far be it from You to do something like this”; for Moses, who said: “Why, Lord, will Your wrath be enflamed against your people?” (Exodus 32:11); for Joshua, who said: “Why did You take this people across…?” (Joshua 7:7); and for David, who said: “Why do You stand far off, Lord? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalms 10:1). “And his strident speech, and the elegance [ḥin] of his presentation” (Job 41:4) – grace [ḥen] was granted [to him] for the presentation of his lips, when he asked for mercy for the Sodomites.

(11) “Abraham responded and said: Behold now, I have presumed to speak to my Lord, and I am dust and ashes” (Genesis 18:27).
“Behold now, I have presumed […and I am dust and ashes]” – he said: ‘Had Amrafel killed me, would I not be dust now? Had Nimrod burned me, would I not be ashes now?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘By your life, you said: “I am dust and ashes,” by your life, I will provide atonement to your descendants through them,’ as it is stated: “They shall take for the impure from the dust of the burning of the purification” (Numbers 19:17), “a pure man shall gather the ashes of the heifer” (Numbers 19:9).

We learned: What is the procedure for fast days? They take out the ark to the city square and place burnt ashes upon the ark. Rabbi Yudan bar Menashe and Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, one of them said: ‘[This was to recall] the merit of Abraham,’ and one said: ‘The merit of Isaac.’63The ashes, as it were, of his being sacrificed on Mount Moriah. According to the one who says the merit of Abraham, [he said:] “I am dust and ashes.”64So that either dust or ashes may be used in this ritual. According to the one who says the merit of Isaac: Ashes only.

The statement of Rabbi Yudan is in disagreement with this.65With the latter opinion, that only ashes may be used. As Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi66Earlier called Rabbi Yudan, for short. would proclaim in public and say: ‘Anyone to whom the public attendant did not come to place ashes on his head, let him take dirt and place it on his head.’

The statement of Rabbi Yehuda ben Pazi shows that dust is the same as ashes.

(12) “Perhaps the fifty righteous people will lack five; will You destroy the entire city for the five? He said: I will not destroy, if I find there forty-five” (Genesis 18:28).
“Perhaps the fifty righteous people will lack five” – Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Abraham sought to go down directly from fifty to five.

The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Back up.’69Lower your request by smaller increments. Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a water clock. As long as it is filled with water, the advocate pleads his case. Sometimes, when the judge wishes him to continue pleading his case, he says: Add water to it.

(13) “He said: Please, let my Lord not be incensed, and I will speak only this time. Perhaps ten will be found there. He said: I will not destroy for the ten” (Genesis 18:32).
“He said: Please, let my Lord not be incensed…perhaps ten will be found there” – why ten? That would constitute an assembly for all of them together.

Another explanation: Why ten? In the generation of the Flood, eight people remained,74Noah, his three sons, and their four wives. and it [judgment] was not deferred for the [rest of the] world due to their merit.
Another explanation: Why ten? It is because he believed that there were ten there: Lot, his wife, his four daughters, and his four sons-in-law.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon and Rabbi Ḥanin in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Here [regarding Sodom] ten [righteous people were needed to save it], but regarding Jerusalem, it was even one. That is what it is written: “Wander through the streets of Jerusalem…[if you will find [timtze’u] a man, if there is a performer of justice, a seeker of faithfulness, I will forgive it]” (Jeremiah 5:1), and likewise it says: “One for one to find a tally” (Ecclesiastes 7:27). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: How much is the minimum [mitzui] amount for one city?75Jerusalem. It is even one.76That is what is meant by “one for one.” If even one is found in the entire city, justice would be deferred in his merit.

(14) “The Lord went when He concluded to speak to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place” (Genesis 18:33).
“The Lord went when He concluded to speak to Abraham” – the judge, as long as the advocate is pleading his case, he waits. When the advocate becomes silent, the judge stands up [to leave]. So, “the Lord went when He concluded to speak to Abraham.” An advocate, as long as the judge shows him a receptive look, he pleads his case. When the judge stands up, the advocate goes silent. So, “the Lord went when He concluded to speak to Abraham,” and it is written: “And Abraham returned to his place.” A prosecutor, as long as the advocate is pleading his case and the judge shows him a receptive look, he waits. When the judge stands, the advocate goes silent, and the prosecutor77Who is also executioner. goes to implement his mission. So, “the Lord went” and it is written: “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening” (Genesis 19:1).