Parshash Vayera 5779

What Questions is Rashi Trying to Answer?

There are several instances in this Parsha, where Rashi's commentary seems to be addressing a specific issue in the text. When we contrast his commentary with other commentators, we can see the underlying question

1. The Wife of Lot

Rashi (Genesis 19:26) explains that when Lot's wife was punished by being turned into a pillar salt because she sinned with salt. However, the Ralbag disagrees and explains the same verse as referring to the city of Sodom turning into a pillar of salt instead of Lot's wife. The Ralbag also explains what the underlying question is: Lot's wife is listed as having left the city but when Lot goes into caves later on, she is no longer present. That is the question that Rashi also addresses - her disappearance from the story is explained by being turned into a pillar of salt.

2. Ishmael and the Guests of Avraham

When the guests come to Avraham, he orders a man to slaughter a calf for them (Genesis 18:7). Rashi explains there that this was Ishmael who was being trained in the mitzvos. Bartenura explains the underlying question - everything that Avraham did was done by him directly except this (and the kneading of the dough by Sarah). If Avraham strives to do everything himself, then handing off this job to a mere servant would sound derogatory to Avraham. Therefore, Rashi explains that this was no mere servant but Ishmael who was being trained.

3. Angels or Men?

As explained in previous years (see here), there is a disagreement among the commentators as to whether these visitors are angels or men (or a dream according to the Rambam). Rashi explains that these were angels but because of that he is forced to explain why there are initially called "men" in regards to Avraham but "angels" when they arrived at Sodom. Additionally, Rashi also explains why the number of visitors goes down from three to two.

Parshas Vayera 5778

Why Were the People of Sodom Destroyed?

The Torah (Genesis 19:24-25) writes:

And the L-rd had rained down upon Sodom and Amorah brimstone and fire, from the L-rd, from the heavens. And He overturned these cities and the entire plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and the growth of the ground.

The Talmud (Sanhedrin 56b) tells us that G-d only punishes people only after warning them:

Rabbi Yosei says: With regard to every type of sorcery that is stated in the passage about sorcery, it is prohibited for a descendant of Noah to engage in it. This is derived from the verses: “When you come into the land that the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to do like the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you one who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, a diviner, a soothsayer, or an enchanter, or a warlock, or a charmer, or one who consults a necromancer and a sorcerer, or directs inquiries to the dead. For whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord; and because of these abominations, the Lord your God is driving them out from before you” (Deuteronomy 18:9–12). Evidently, the Canaanites were punished for these practices; and since God would not have punished them for an action unless He first prohibited it, these practices are clearly prohibited to them.

The Torah also writes (Genesis 13:13):

Now the inhabitants of Sodom were very wicked sinners against the LORD.

The Radak (ibid) explains:

The inhabitants of Sodom were evil and wicked. The word רעים describes their attitude to G’d, whereas the word חטאים describes their attitude to fellow human beings (non-residents.) They ignored all the seven Noachide laws, including idolatry, the other 6 laws dealing with inter-personal relations. The Torah, underlining the severity of these people’s wickedness, adds: מאד, “very much so.” They did not bother to conceal their evil deeds but carried them out in the open, brazenly.

However, why did they get punished for something that not everyone of them did? We find the answer in the Rambam (Melachim 9:14):

.... It was for this reason all residents of the City of Shechem deserved to be executed. For Shechem kidnapped, and they saw and knew and failed to judge him. ....

How Many Commandments Were Given to Noachides?

The Rambam (Melachim 9:1) lists seven:

Regarding six things Adam, the First Man, was commanded: regarding foreign worship, and cursing God, and murder, and forbidden sexual relations, and theft, and [a justice system]. ... He added for Noah [the prohibition on eating] the limb of a live animal...

The Rambam (ibid 10:6) also adds two more:

According to the tradition Benei Noach are forbidden to breed cattle and to graft trees ...

The Rambam (ibid 10:7-8) also adds that circumcision was an extra commandment for the children of Abraham:

The circumcision – was only commanded to Avraham and his descendants as it states "You and your descendants after you, for generations" (Genesis 17, 9). This excludes the descendants of Yishmael, as it states "Because with Yitshak will be called your descendants." (Genesis 21, 12) – This excludes Esav for behold Yitzhak said to Yaakov "And the blessing of Avraham will be given to you, you and your descendants." (Genesis 28, 4) – It comes to teach us that he (Yaakov) only is the descendant of Avraham that upholds his righteous way and they (the descendants of Jacob) are obligated for circumcision. Our sages of blessed memory said that the children of Keturah who are the descendants of Avraham that came after Yishmael and Yitzhak – are obligated on circumcision. And because the children of Keturah are mixed together with the children of Yishmael, they are all obligated of [completing] circumcision by the eighth day. ...

The Location of Sodom

Interesting article in Archeology Today about the possibly location of Sodom as being in the delta of the Jordan rive, north of the Dead Sea

Parsha Vayera 5777

The Difference between Sodom and Gibeah

The Torah writes (Genesis 19.4-10):

They had not yet lain down, when the townspeople, the men of Sodom, young and old—all the people to the last man—gathered about the house. And they shouted to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may be know them them.”  So Lot went out to them to the entrance, shut the door behind him, and said, “I beg you, my friends, do not commit such a wrong. Look, I have two ... but do not do anything to these men, since they have come under the shelter of my roof.”

and later on (Genesis 19.23-25):

As the sun rose upon the earth and Lot entered Zoar, the LORD rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah sulfurous fire from the LORD out of heaven. He annihilated those cities and the entire Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities and the vegetation of the ground.

As the result of the sin of Sodom, it was destroyed. However, we find a similar case later on during the time of the Judges which did not end that way. We find in Judges (19:22-26):

While they were enjoying themselves, the men of the town, a depraved lot, had gathered about the house and were pounding on the door. They called to the aged owner of the house, “Bring out the man who has come into your house, so that we may know him him.” The owner of the house went out and said to them, “Please, my friends, do not commit such a wrong. Since this man has entered my house, do not perpetrate this outrage. Look, here is my ... ; but don’t do that outrageous thing to this man.”

The question is why wasn't Gibeah destroyed by G-d the same way?

The Malbim (Judges 19:22) answers that the people of Sodom did this because they setup laws to keep away strangers and not because they wanted to fulfill their own desires. On the other hand, in Gibeah, they did those solely because of their desires. He cites several proofs:

1. Lot invited the angels into his house in secret while but in Gibeah the guest was invited in public.

2. In Sodom all the people of the city attacked Lot's house while in Gibeah it was just the coarse / evil people of the city which were a minority and rebels, and not because they were complying with the law.

3. In Sodom they wanted to attack Lot and his house, while in Gibeah they surrounded the house to make sure the guests don't run away but they did not plan to attack the owner. This is also why they knocked on the door, as opposed in Sodom where they tried to break down the door. (They also called instead of shouting like in Sodom)

4. In Gibeah the owner called it an "outrage" - "נבלה" but not in Sodom for their it was accepted and according to their laws.

5. In Gibeah, they were satisfied with something else but not in Sodom because in Sodom the point of their attack was against the guests not to fill their desires.

(Additionally this may also have been why they complained about Lot coming to judge among them since he was asking them to ignore the laws of Sodom)

The Righteousness of the Daughters of Lot

Famous story with Rabbi Moshe Feinstein related to the daughters of Lot - can be found in introduction to Igros Moshe, volume 8, pp. 15.

Parshas Vayera 5776

Who Were the Three Visitors to Abraham?

The Torah writes (Genesis 18:1-2):

And the LORD appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood over against him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed down to the earth,

Rashi (ibid) learns they were angels:

One to inform Sarah, and one to turn over Sodom, and one to heal Abraham for one angel cannot do two missions

Kitzur Baal HaTurim (ibid) states their names:

"and behold three" - in gematria of "these were Michael, Gabriel and Rephoel"

Yalkut Reuveni (ibid) cites another opinion as to their names:

Rephoel, Uriel and Gabriel

However, the Ralbag (ibid) learns that they were not angels but human beings:

He already raised his eyes before and saw three men and they were prophets  ... and they are called angels in regards to Lot for a prophet is called an angel like we explained regarding the story of Hagar the Egyptian. But in regards to Abraham they were called men for they were not sent to Abraham for he himself was a prophet

Ibn Ezra (Genesis 18:10) explains further:

And other commentators explain that these were three real men - who were prophets. If so, wasn't Abraham a prophet himself and why does a prophet come to another prophet unless he is greater like Moses and Aaron? And the answer is that they did not come to Abraham but for Sarah.

[see also Abarbanel's discussion of both opinions]

[see also a possible third opinion cited by the Ibn Ezra (ibid) and Sefer Mehokei Yehuda (ibid) explaining it]

When Did Milcah Have Children?

The Torah writes (Genesis 22:20):

And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying: ‘Behold, Milcah, she also hath borne children unto thy brother Nahor

The Ramban (ibid) explains that she had children only after Sarah did:

And from the language of the Torah it seems that Abraham did not about them until today, and if she had children in her younger years it would be impossible that he did not hear about them until today, for the distance between Aram Naharim and Eretz Canaan is not great. Also, Abraham was 75 when he left and also Nahor, his brother, was old and his wife was not young. But, G-d made a miracle for them by giving her children in her old age, and that is the reason for "Milcah also", and our Sages learn that she was remembered like her sister [Sarah]

[see also Targum Pseudo-Jonathan (ibid) and Radak (Genesis 11:26) learns similarly]

Sforno (ibid) is not bothered by this question, and learns that she had children before:

We know already that Milkah bore children; now the point is to tell us that Betuel fathered Rivkah

HaEmek Davar (ibid) that she had children before but Abraham wasn't allowed to inquire about them:

When G-d told him "go from your land, your birthplace and the house of your father", included in that was a requirement to remove his mind from his father's house, and it was forbidden for him to mention them. But now that he elevated himself to a higher level and made it possible to attach himself to G-d, and there was no longer a possibility that he would return to his family, it was permitted for him to find out about them, and therefore [the news] were told to him

The Radak (ibid) learns that she had children before and now she had more:

It would appear that Milkah had stopped bearing children for a while already, but she had not been barren as had Sarah. Therefore Avraham was given the news that more children had been born for Nachor by his wife Milkah.

The Righteousness of the Daughters of Lot

Famous story with Rabbi Moshe Feinstein related to the daughters of Lot - can be found in introduction to Igros Moshe, volume 8, pp. 15.

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