Vayeira – Page 6 – Peninim on the Torah

אולי יש חמשים צדיקים בתוך העיר

What if there should be fifty righteous persons in the midst of the city? (18:24)

The pasuk seems to be emphasizing tzadikim b’soch ha’ir, “righteous persons in the midst of the city”. Simply, this means that these virtuous men do not play out their righteousness only in the private sphere, but also in the midst of the city. It might not be convenient for some to express their religious beliefs in public – such as when it means adhering to the standard uniform of an observant Jew, i.e. tzitzis, yamulka– yet, they do so out of religious conviction. Hashem was setting the standard: a righteous person at home and in the street. (We have also…

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וישלחו האנשים את ידם ויביאו את לוט אליהם הביתה ואת הדלת סגרו ואת האנשים אשר פתח הבית הכו בסנורים... וילאו למצא הפתח

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5776

The men stretched out their hand and brought Lot into the house with them, and closed the door. And the men who were at the entrance of the house, they were struck with blindness…and they tried vainly to find the entrance. (19:10, 11)

The angels pulled Lot into the house making sure to close the door behind them. Immediately afterward, the angels struck the men at the door, blinding them. They no longer could locate the doorway to Lot’s house. One can only find what he can see. We wonder why the door had to be closed once the men had been blinded. They could no longer find the entrance. Lot was essentially protected. He could sit right in front of them, and they would not be aware of it. Horav Shalom Schwadron, zl, explains that the door was not closed in order…

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ויאמר אברהם כי אמרתי רק אין יראת אלקים במקום הזה והרגוני על דבר אשתי

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5776

And Avraham said, “Because I said, “There is but no fear of G-d in this place and they will slay me because of my wife.” (20:11)

We can derive a powerful lesson from Avraham Avinu’s statement. Yiraas Shomayim, fear of Heaven, is the “be all” and “end all.” One who fears Hashem has hope that he will navigate through life’s journey without encountering challenges that are insurmountable – not because they will not occur, but because he has the one tool that gives him the ability to surmount and triumph over whatever the “satans” of life throw at him. Avraham felt that a lack of yiraas Shomayim on the part of the Plishtim could even lead to bloodshed. We see this on a regular basis. When…

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וימל אברהם את יצחק בנו בן שמונת ימים כאשר צוה אתו אלקים

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5776

And Avraham circumcised his son, Yitzchak, when he was eight days old, as Hashem had commanded him. (21:4)

For the Jew, Bris Milah, circumcision, is much more than a rite of passage; it defines him. This applies to a halachic bris, performed by a bona fide mohel. It does not apply to the surgical procedure performed by one is who not of the Jewish faith – either by birth or by practice. The Jewish child that has been ritually circumcised shares an inextricable bond with the Almighty that transcends any form of physical ligature. In his commentary to Chumash, Horav Aryeh Leib Heyman, zl, very beautifully explains this relationship. He notes that the Torah does not mention Avraham…

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כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה את בניו ואת ביתו אחריו ושמרו דרך ד' - המכסה אני מאברהם את אשר אני עשה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5775

Shall I conceal from Avraham what I do? (18:17) – For I have loved him, because he commands his children and his household after him that they keep the way of Hashem. (18:19)

The Torah relates that Hashem sent angels to Avraham Avinu to inform him of the Almighty’s plan to destroy Sodom. Why were they sent to tell Avraham about the impending destruction? The Torah explains, Ki yedativ, “Because I have loved him,” means because he [Avraham] teaches his offspring about Hashem, thereby encouraging them to observe His mitzvos. The reasoning begs elucidation. What relationship exists between the fact that he has dedicated his life to educating his children and the fact that Angels were sent to inform him of the impending destruction of Sodom? The sons of the Chasam Sofer, zl,…

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ויגש אברהם ויאמר האף תספה צדיק עם רשע

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5775

Avraham came forward and said, “Will You even obliterate righteous with wicked?” (18:23)

Avraham Avinu took the decree to obliterate Sodom seriously. Indeed, Rashi teaches that the word vayigash, “and (Avraham) came forward,” has three connotations – each one apparently applying to our Patriarch. We find “coming forward” used with regard: to war; to conciliation; and to prayer. Avraham undertook all of these approaches. He spoke strongly, arguing forcefully to establish his point; he appealed to Hashem to have mercy; and he prayed. He did all of this for the people of Sodom! Why? These were the most reprehensible people of the time. They made life miserable for anyone who had the misfortune…

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ויתפלל אברהם אל האלקים וירפא אלקים את אבימלך... וד' פקד את שרה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5775

Avraham prayed to G-d, and G-d healed Avimelech… Hashem remembered Sarah. (20:17) (21:1)

Rashi notes the juxtaposition of Sarah Imeinu’s conception and giving birth to Yitzchak Avinu upon Avraham Avinu’s prayer on behalf of Avimelech. He explains that the Torah put this passage (Sarah’s conception and giving birth) next to the incident of Avimelech to teach that whoever seeks mercy by praying for his friend, while he himself (the individual praying) needs that same thing (for which he is praying on behalf of his friend), he (the one praying), is answered first. Avimelech was in need – Avraham prayed for him; thus, he was answered by Hashem – before Avimelech. Imagine two people…

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כי שמע אלקים אל קול הנער באשר הוא שם

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5775

For G-d has heeded the cry of the youth as he is, there. (21:17)

Avraham Avinu had a son, Yishmael, who deviated from the derech, path, which his father had surely encouraged him to follow. Likewise, Yitzchak Avinu had a son, Eisav, who paved for himself a path to infamy. Two sons – two reshaim, wicked men; yet, Yishmael repented, while Eisav died as he had lived – a rasha. One might suggest that Yishmael was made of finer spiritual material, better middos, character traits. This is not true. The angel told Hagar that her son would be a pera adam, a wild man, similar to a wild donkey– his hand in everything and…

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ותצחק שרה בקרבה לאמר אחרי בלותי היתה לי עדנה ואדני זקן.

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5774

And Sarah laughed at herself, saying, “After I have withered shall I again have delicate skin? And my husband is old!” (18:12)

Is it possible that Sarah Imeinu questioned Hashem’s ability to produce a miracle? Certainly not! She simply did not believe that this was a Divine message. It was the courteous wish of a guest who was just being nice. Sarah had long passed her childbearing age. It would take nothing less than a miracle for her to give birth to a child. Had she known the true identity of these travelers, she would not have been so quick to laugh. Horav Mordechai Eliyahu, zl, has a different approach to the entire parsha, which I feel portrays Sarah in a positive…

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חלילה לך מעשות כדבר הזה להמית צדיק עם רשע והיה כצדיק כרשע חלילה לך השופט כל הארץ לא יעשה משפט

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vayeira, 5774

It would be a sacrilege to You to do such a thing, to bring death upon the righteous along with the wicked; so the righteous will be like the wicked. It would be a sacrilege to You! Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?” (18:25)

Certainly, everyone at one point or another has wondered about the continued good fortune of the hypocrite, a person who is a self-professed tzaddik, publicly acting like a righteous, virtuous Jew, while covertly carrying out activities that are ethically and morally depraved. He is living a life of sham and piety. His only concern is about putting on a good show so that he can fool people. In the privacy of his mind and behind closed doors, he is a different person. He has no problem cheating others – regardless of their financial standing or positions in the community –…

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אולי יש חמשים צדיקים בתוך העיר

What if there should be fifty righteous persons in the midst of the city? (18:24)

וישלחו האנשים את ידם ויביאו את לוט אליהם הביתה ואת הדלת סגרו ואת האנשים אשר פתח הבית הכו בסנורים... וילאו למצא הפתח

The men stretched out their hand and brought Lot into the house with them, and closed the door. And the men who were at the entrance of the house, they were struck with blindness…and they tried vainly to find the entrance. (19:10, 11)

ויאמר אברהם כי אמרתי רק אין יראת אלקים במקום הזה והרגוני על דבר אשתי

And Avraham said, “Because I said, “There is but no fear of G-d in this place and they will slay me because of my wife.” (20:11)

וימל אברהם את יצחק בנו בן שמונת ימים כאשר צוה אתו אלקים

And Avraham circumcised his son, Yitzchak, when he was eight days old, as Hashem had commanded him. (21:4)

כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה את בניו ואת ביתו אחריו ושמרו דרך ד' - המכסה אני מאברהם את אשר אני עשה

Shall I conceal from Avraham what I do? (18:17) – For I have loved him, because he commands his children and his household after him that they keep the way of Hashem. (18:19)

ויגש אברהם ויאמר האף תספה צדיק עם רשע

Avraham came forward and said, “Will You even obliterate righteous with wicked?” (18:23)

ויתפלל אברהם אל האלקים וירפא אלקים את אבימלך... וד' פקד את שרה

Avraham prayed to G-d, and G-d healed Avimelech… Hashem remembered Sarah. (20:17) (21:1)

כי שמע אלקים אל קול הנער באשר הוא שם

For G-d has heeded the cry of the youth as he is, there. (21:17)

ותצחק שרה בקרבה לאמר אחרי בלותי היתה לי עדנה ואדני זקן.

And Sarah laughed at herself, saying, “After I have withered shall I again have delicate skin? And my husband is old!” (18:12)

חלילה לך מעשות כדבר הזה להמית צדיק עם רשע והיה כצדיק כרשע חלילה לך השופט כל הארץ לא יעשה משפט

It would be a sacrilege to You to do such a thing, to bring death upon the righteous along with the wicked; so the righteous will be like the wicked. It would be a sacrilege to You! Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?” (18:25)

YEARS

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