TRANSLITERATION
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu laasok b’divrei Torah.
TRANSLATION
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with mitzvot, commanding us to engage with words of Torah.
- For the captives taken by Hamas, Blessed is Ado-na, the One Who Frees Captives - mateer asoo'reem.
(יא) וַ֠יִּקְח֠וּ אֶת־כׇּל־רְכֻ֨שׁ סְדֹ֧ם וַעֲמֹרָ֛ה וְאֶת־כׇּל־אׇכְלָ֖ם וַיֵּלֵֽכוּ׃ (יב) וַיִּקְח֨וּ אֶת־ל֧וֹט וְאֶת־רְכֻשׁ֛וֹ בֶּן־אֲחִ֥י אַבְרָ֖ם וַיֵּלֵ֑כוּ וְה֥וּא יֹשֵׁ֖ב בִּסְדֹֽם׃ (יג) וַיָּבֹא֙ הַפָּלִ֔יט וַיַּגֵּ֖ד לְאַבְרָ֣ם הָעִבְרִ֑י וְהוּא֩ שֹׁכֵ֨ן בְּאֵֽלֹנֵ֜י מַמְרֵ֣א הָאֱמֹרִ֗י אֲחִ֤י אֶשְׁכֹּל֙ וַאֲחִ֣י עָנֵ֔ר וְהֵ֖ם בַּעֲלֵ֥י בְרִית־אַבְרָֽם׃
(11) [The invaders] seized all the wealth of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their provisions, and went their way. (12) They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, and his possessions, and departed; for he had settled in Sodom. (13) A fugitive brought the news to Abram the Hebrew, who was dwelling at the terebinths of Mamre the Amorite, kinsman of Eshkol and Aner, these being Abram’s allies.
- Invaders take Lot captive
- What's the background of his capture? Rashi says, S'dom is a bad neighborhood
(א) והוא ישב בסדום. מִי גָרַם לוֹ זֹאת? יְשִׁיבָתוֹ בִסְדוֹם:
(1) והוא ישב בסדם FOR HE DWELT IN SODOM — What made this happen to him? The fact that he was dwelling in Sodom (Genesis Rabbah 42:7).
“They took Lot, son of Abram’s brother, and his property and they went, and he resided in Sodom” (Genesis 14:12).
“They took Lot, [son of Abram’s brother]…” – this is what they did to Lot: They placed him in a cage and they took him with them. Why to such an extent? “And he resided in Sodom” – in realization of what is stated: “One who walks with the wise will become wise, and one who consorts with fools will be broken” (Proverbs 13:20).
Genesis Rabbah 42:7
“They took Lot, [son of Abram’s brother]…” – this is what they did to Lot: They placed him in a cage and they took him with them. Why to such an extent? “And he resided in Sodom” – in realization of what is stated: “One who walks with the wise will become wise, and one who consorts with fools will be broken” (Proverbs 13:20).
Genesis Rabbah 42:7
WHO DWELT IN SODOM. Lot was dwelling in Sodom on that day. *His tent was usually outside of Sodom, cf. Gen. 13:12 (Weiser). Krinsky suggests that I.E. intends to say that Lot’s tent was close to Sodom on that day, or by that day he had become a dweller in Sodom. On the other hand, Filwarg suggests that I.E. is trying to explain why yoshev (dwelt; literally, dwells) is in the present when all the verbs pertaining to this incident are in the past. I.E.’s point is that “dwelling” is to be understood as: was dwelling.
Ibn Ezra
Ibn Ezra
(א) ויקחו את לוט בן אחי אברם. התאמצו לשבות את לוט מפני שהיה בן אחי אברם שידעו עשרו והיו מצפים שיפדהו אברם בהון רב:
(1) ויקחו את לוט בן אחי אברם, they made a special effort to capture Lot because he was Avram’s nephew. They were aware of his wealth. They were expecting that Avram would pay a heavy ransom for the release of his nephew.
(א) והוא ישב בסדום, כמו שאמר למעלה "ויאהל עד סדם" ועדיין היה יושב שם כאשר היתה המלחמה הזאת:
(1) ויקחו ..והוא יושב בסדום. The Torah had already told us in 13,12 where Lot had settled. This was only meant to tell us that he had not moved from these since he took up residence there in the first place. Or, whereas at the beginning he had actually not resided within the city, by now he had moved into Sodom proper.
Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Lech Lecha, Torah Ohr 54 - Isaiah HaLevi Horovitz
Rabbi Tuviah interprets the words "tents" as referring to two women since the place of women is in the tents. Rabbi Yitzchak also understands the verse in that sense although he draws his inference from the word הנמצאות. Perhaps this is also the inference to be drawn from the Torah's report about the exploits of the four kings. As soon as they had captured Lot, they went on their way, i.e. 11 ,14) ויקחו את לוט … וילכו). Although the four kings had never set eyes on Ruth and Naomi they had seen through their horoscopes the role that Lot's issue would play in the history of the Jewish people, and their prime purpose became to prevent the emergence of a Jewish people and thus to frustrate the concept of the Messiah and what he represents. This is the reason why Abraham set out immediately to rescue Lot and to pursue those kings and their armies. He also rescued the king of Sodom and his people in the process, seeing that in Messianic times even the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be restored, something we know on the authority of Ezekiel 16,53-55.
Rabbi Tuviah interprets the words "tents" as referring to two women since the place of women is in the tents. Rabbi Yitzchak also understands the verse in that sense although he draws his inference from the word הנמצאות. Perhaps this is also the inference to be drawn from the Torah's report about the exploits of the four kings. As soon as they had captured Lot, they went on their way, i.e. 11 ,14) ויקחו את לוט … וילכו). Although the four kings had never set eyes on Ruth and Naomi they had seen through their horoscopes the role that Lot's issue would play in the history of the Jewish people, and their prime purpose became to prevent the emergence of a Jewish people and thus to frustrate the concept of the Messiah and what he represents. This is the reason why Abraham set out immediately to rescue Lot and to pursue those kings and their armies. He also rescued the king of Sodom and his people in the process, seeing that in Messianic times even the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be restored, something we know on the authority of Ezekiel 16,53-55.
(יד) וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָ֔ם כִּ֥י נִשְׁבָּ֖ה אָחִ֑יו וַיָּ֨רֶק אֶת־חֲנִיכָ֜יו יְלִידֵ֣י בֵית֗וֹ שְׁמֹנָ֤ה עָשָׂר֙ וּשְׁלֹ֣שׁ מֵא֔וֹת וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף עַד־דָּֽן׃ (טו) וַיֵּחָלֵ֨ק עֲלֵיהֶ֧ם ׀ לַ֛יְלָה ה֥וּא וַעֲבָדָ֖יו וַיַּכֵּ֑ם וַֽיִּרְדְּפֵם֙ עַד־חוֹבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִשְּׂמֹ֖אל לְדַמָּֽשֶׂק׃ (טז) וַיָּ֕שֶׁב אֵ֖ת כׇּל־הָרְכֻ֑שׁ וְגַם֩ אֶת־ל֨וֹט אָחִ֤יו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ֙ הֵשִׁ֔יב וְגַ֥ם אֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֖ים וְאֶת־הָעָֽם׃
(14) When Abram heard that his kinsman’s [household] had been taken captive, he mustered his retainers,*retainers Meaning of Heb. ḥanikh uncertain. born into his household, numbering three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. (15) At night, he and his servants deployed against them and defeated them; and he pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. (16) He brought back all the possessions; he also brought back his kinsman Lot and his possessions, and the women and the rest of the people.
(א) ויחלק עליהם לילה כתב רש"י (רש"י על בראשית י״ד:ט״ו) לפי פשוטו כדרך הרודפים שמתפלגים אחר בורחיהם כשבורחין זה לכאן וזה לכאן לילה כלומר לאחר שחשכה לא נמנע מלרדפם והנכון כי רדף אותם ביום עד דן עם כל מחנהו וכאשר חשך עליהם הלילה ולא היה רואה אי זה דרך אשר יברחו בה חלק עמו ועבדיו לשנים או שלשה ראשים ולקח החלק האחד עמו ורדפו אחריהם בכל הדרכים והכום עד חובה אשר משמאל לדמשק וחזר מלרדוף אחריהם ושיעורו ויחלק עליהם הוא ועבדיו לילה:
(1) AND HE DIVIDED HIMSELF, BY NIGHT. Rashi wrote: “In accordance with the plain sense of the verse it means [that they divided into groups] as is the manner of those who pursue their enemies when they flee in different directions. By night means that even after it became dark, they did not cease pursuing them.”
The correct interpretation is that he pursued the enemies to Dan during the daytime with his entire army. When it became dark and he was not able to see by which road they fled, he divided his people and servants into two or three groups, taking one part with him, and they pursued them on all roads, smiting them as far as Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. Then he returned from pursuing them. The order of the words [in the verse are thus interpreted as follows]: “And he divided himself, he and his servants, by night.”
The correct interpretation is that he pursued the enemies to Dan during the daytime with his entire army. When it became dark and he was not able to see by which road they fled, he divided his people and servants into two or three groups, taking one part with him, and they pursued them on all roads, smiting them as far as Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. Then he returned from pursuing them. The order of the words [in the verse are thus interpreted as follows]: “And he divided himself, he and his servants, by night.”
(א) ויחלק עליהם. לתחבולה כדי שיחשבו שקמו כל הסביבות עליהם כמו שחשבו ארם באמרם הנה שכר עלינו מלך ישראל (מ"ב ז ו: (ב) לילה. גם זה מתחבולתו שלא יראו היותם מעטים כמו שיעץ אחיתופל באמרו וארדפה אחרי דוד הלילה:
(1) ויחלק עליהם לילה, he divided his forces all around them to make them believe that they were being attacked by large forces from several fronts. We have been told about a similar situation in Kings II 7,6 when the Aramites fled headlong after hearing noises that convinced them that they were being attacked by large forces. (2) לילה, this was also part of the subterfuge, preventing the kings from realising that they were facing insignificant numbers of opponents. In Samuel II 17,1 this was the advice to Avshalom by Achitofel when he advised to pursue David at night.
(א) ויכם וירדפם. תנחומא וכי יש אדם רודף אחר הרוגי' אלא אברהם רודף והקב"ה הורג:
(1) ויכם וירדפם, “he smote them and put them to flight.” Midrash Tanchuma asks: “who ever heard of soldiers pursuing dead people? How are we to understand this sequence in the verse?” He therefore understands our verse as meaning that Avraham and his men pursued the soldiers of that army, and G–d killed them.
(א) וגם את לוט וגו'. הגם שעיקר רדיפתו היתה עליו ואותו היה לו להקדים. הודיע הכתוב סדר ההצלחות בדרך לא זו אף זו, א' השיב הרכוש של המלכים, הצלחה ב' שהשיב לוט ולא שרפוהו המלכים בראותם במלחמה עם אברהם לנקמה. והודיע הכתוב שנתן דעתו להשיב הנשים והטף לצד כבוד שעשו ללוט:
(1) וגם את לוט ואת רכושו השיב, and he also restored Lot and his possessions. Although the whole exercise was designed only to rescue Lot, the Torah first reports Abraham's spectacular military accomplishments and how he restored their property to the five kings. The reason Abraham restored the women and children to the kings of Sodom was in recognition of the fact that they had treated Lot with respect and honour.
- Jewish tradition agrees on freeing captives - What is Jewish thinking on what to do when captives are held for ransom?
פִּדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִם מִצְוָה רַבָּה הִיא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רָבָא לְרַבָּה בַּר מָרִי: מְנַָא הָא מִילְּתָא דַאֲמוּר רַבָּנַן דְּפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִם מִצְוָה רַבָּה הִיא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְהָיָה כִּי יֹאמְרוּ אֵלֶיךָ אָנָה נֵצֵא, וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה אָמַר ה׳, אֲשֶׁר לַמָּוֶת – לַמָּוֶת, וַאֲשֶׁר לַחֶרֶב – לַחֶרֶב, וַאֲשֶׁר לָרָעָב – לָרָעָב, וַאֲשֶׁר לַשְּׁבִי – לַשֶּׁבִי״. וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל הַמְאוּחָר בְּפָסוּק זֶה קָשֶׁה מֵחֲבֵירוֹ.
that redeeming captives is a great mitzva. Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: Concerning this matter that the Sages stated, that redeeming captives is a great mitzva, from where is it derived? Rabba bar Mari said to him: As it is written: “And it shall come to pass, when they say to you: To where shall we depart? Then you shall tell them: So says the Lord: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for famine, to famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity” (Jeremiah 15:2). And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Whichever punishment is written later in this verse is more severe than the one before it.
(ג) כל רגע שמאחר לפדות השבויים היכא דאפשר להקדים הוי כאילו שופך דמים:
(3) Every moment that one delays unnecessarily the ransoming of a captive, it is as if he were to shed blood.
Rabbi David Golinkin
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/ransoming-captive-jews/
Recent Responsa
Since 1971, many rabbis have written responsa or halakhic articles about our current dilemma. Most have ruled that Israel may not exchange hundreds or thousands of terrorists for a few Israeli soldiers. We shall summarize the opinions of Rabbi Shlomo Goren, who was against such exchanges, and of Rabbi Hayyim David Halevi, who justified Israel’s actions in 1985 after the fact.
Rabbi Goren [former chief rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces and later of the State of Israel] says that we must learn the law from the Mishnah in Gittin that we do not pay more than their value. It is true that Tosafot in Gittin 58a said that when there is danger to the captive we may indeed pay more than the captive is worth. But Ramban (Spain, 1195-1270) and Rashba (Spain, 1235-1310) disagree. Furthermore, all captivity in ancient times was dangerous (see Bava Batra 8b quoted above), and the Mishnah nonetheless ruled that one does not pay more than the captive’s value because this will encourage the kidnappers to kidnap more Jews and endanger the public.
He adds that the safety of one or a few Jews in captivity does not take precedence over the safety of the entire public. In addition, he agrees with the Radbaz, and not R. Yosef Karo, that a person does not have to put himself in possible danger in order to save his fellow Jew from definite danger.
Finally, in our case, freeing hundreds or thousands of terrorists definitely endangers the public because they will all be free to attack Israel and to take more hostages. Therefore, everything Israel did is against the halakhah of the Mishnah and the legal authorities and against the security of the Jewish people in Israel and the Diaspora, says Rabbi Goren.
Rabbi Hayyim David Halevi, who was Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, admits that Rabbi Goren’s ruling, based on Gittin and on the rulings of leading authorities, is “clear and correct.” Nonetheless, he disagrees with Rabbi Goren. All of the sources quoted deal with robbers who kidnap people for money, but we are dealing with a war based on Palestinian nationalism. They will continue to kidnap Jews regardless of what we do, so the price we pay for captives is not a factor and does not increase terror.
In our case, we need halakhic innovation just as R. Yehoshua innovated that one may pay excessive ransom for a Sage and just as Tosafot innovated that the Mishnah doesn’t apply after the Destruction. The Radbaz too innovated a lenient approach as we saw above. The Government of Israel decided that if an Israeli soldier sees that the State will not redeem Israeli soldiers for a high price, he or she will prefer retreat to capture. This too can be considered a halakhic innovation. Therefore, Rabbi Halevi does not think that the State of Israel acted against Jewish law in exchanging 1150 terrorists for 3 Israeli soldiers.
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/ransoming-captive-jews/
Recent Responsa
Since 1971, many rabbis have written responsa or halakhic articles about our current dilemma. Most have ruled that Israel may not exchange hundreds or thousands of terrorists for a few Israeli soldiers. We shall summarize the opinions of Rabbi Shlomo Goren, who was against such exchanges, and of Rabbi Hayyim David Halevi, who justified Israel’s actions in 1985 after the fact.
Rabbi Goren [former chief rabbi of the Israel Defense Forces and later of the State of Israel] says that we must learn the law from the Mishnah in Gittin that we do not pay more than their value. It is true that Tosafot in Gittin 58a said that when there is danger to the captive we may indeed pay more than the captive is worth. But Ramban (Spain, 1195-1270) and Rashba (Spain, 1235-1310) disagree. Furthermore, all captivity in ancient times was dangerous (see Bava Batra 8b quoted above), and the Mishnah nonetheless ruled that one does not pay more than the captive’s value because this will encourage the kidnappers to kidnap more Jews and endanger the public.
He adds that the safety of one or a few Jews in captivity does not take precedence over the safety of the entire public. In addition, he agrees with the Radbaz, and not R. Yosef Karo, that a person does not have to put himself in possible danger in order to save his fellow Jew from definite danger.
Finally, in our case, freeing hundreds or thousands of terrorists definitely endangers the public because they will all be free to attack Israel and to take more hostages. Therefore, everything Israel did is against the halakhah of the Mishnah and the legal authorities and against the security of the Jewish people in Israel and the Diaspora, says Rabbi Goren.
Rabbi Hayyim David Halevi, who was Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, admits that Rabbi Goren’s ruling, based on Gittin and on the rulings of leading authorities, is “clear and correct.” Nonetheless, he disagrees with Rabbi Goren. All of the sources quoted deal with robbers who kidnap people for money, but we are dealing with a war based on Palestinian nationalism. They will continue to kidnap Jews regardless of what we do, so the price we pay for captives is not a factor and does not increase terror.
In our case, we need halakhic innovation just as R. Yehoshua innovated that one may pay excessive ransom for a Sage and just as Tosafot innovated that the Mishnah doesn’t apply after the Destruction. The Radbaz too innovated a lenient approach as we saw above. The Government of Israel decided that if an Israeli soldier sees that the State will not redeem Israeli soldiers for a high price, he or she will prefer retreat to capture. This too can be considered a halakhic innovation. Therefore, Rabbi Halevi does not think that the State of Israel acted against Jewish law in exchanging 1150 terrorists for 3 Israeli soldiers.
Shomer Yisrael, Guardian of Israel,
We call out to You with fervent plea and prayer to bless and protect the civilian men, women, and children brutally kidnapped by Hamas and held captive in Gaza, along with the members of Israel’s Defense Forces missing in action or held captive.
May it be Your will, speedily and soon, to bring them out from darkness and the shadow of death. May the Holy One of Blessing break their bonds, deliver them from their distress, and release them swiftly back to the loving embrace of their dear ones.
Do all that must be done so that relief, rescue, and long life may be the lot of every one of the soldiers and the civilians who have been taken hostage.
Act on their behalf, Lord. Take up their cause without delay, so that You fulfill through them Your verse from Isaiah: “Those redeemed by the Lord will return; they will enter Zion with singing, and everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”
So may it be Your will, and let us say: Amen.
We call out to You with fervent plea and prayer to bless and protect the civilian men, women, and children brutally kidnapped by Hamas and held captive in Gaza, along with the members of Israel’s Defense Forces missing in action or held captive.
May it be Your will, speedily and soon, to bring them out from darkness and the shadow of death. May the Holy One of Blessing break their bonds, deliver them from their distress, and release them swiftly back to the loving embrace of their dear ones.
Do all that must be done so that relief, rescue, and long life may be the lot of every one of the soldiers and the civilians who have been taken hostage.
Act on their behalf, Lord. Take up their cause without delay, so that You fulfill through them Your verse from Isaiah: “Those redeemed by the Lord will return; they will enter Zion with singing, and everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”
So may it be Your will, and let us say: Amen.