The Setting of Precedent through Abraham and Sarah A Study of Parshat Va'Yaera

Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Elazar said: There are four ways of being. Who is the one who does kindness for those who had no need of his kindness, this is Abraham with the ministering angels, as it is written, "He stood with them under the tree as they ate." (Gen. 18:8) Were they really eating? (Angels, we know, do not need to eat.) Rabbi Yudan said: It appeared as if they were eating and drinking, for really the food would disappear. And how is it the God treated Abraham's descendants? The manna fell for them, the well rose for them, the quail were found by them, and clouds of glory surrounded them, and the pillar of cloud led them on the way. And behold these things are all the more so true, that if one does kindness for those who need it not and God thus treats one's descendants with such kindness, one who does kindness for the one in need of it, all the more so!

Another thing, "And God goes before them." In the way a person acts, others act towards them. Abraham escorted the ministering angels, as it is written, "Abraham went with them to send them on." (Gen 18:16) therefore, the Holy Blessed One escorted his descendants for 40 years in the wilderness: travelling day and night. Compare their travels during the day to their travels at night. Just as when they traveled by day they did not lack light, so too when they traveled at night they did not lack light. Just as when they traveled at night they were not hungry, nor thirsty, nor did the hot winds nor the sun strike them, so too when they traveled during the day they were not hungry, nor thirsty, nor did the wind nor the sun strike them.

"They said to him, where is your wife..." (Gen. 18:9) The letters Alef, Yud, and Vav are pointed, the Lamed is not pointed. Rabbi Shimon the son of Elezar said: In every place where one finds the non-pointed letters to be greater than the pointed, one explicates based on the non-pointed, here, where the pointed letters are greater than the non-pointed, one explicates the pointed, where is Abraham? Rabbi Azaria said just as they said where is Sarah, so too they said to Sarah, "Where is Abraham?"

Rabbi Chanina said: Come and see how difficult it is to remove Lashon HaRah (Evil Speech) for the scripture speaks in a fabricated manner in order to maintain peace between Abraham and Sarah. "And Sarah laughed to herself saying, after I had not, I should have pleasure and my husband is old?!" (Gen. 18) But, to Abraham it was not said thus, rather, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'shall I really give birth and I am old?'" It is not written here, "my husband is old," rather, "I am old."

(2) המכסה אני, it is appropriate that I do not conceal from Avraham my attribute of goodness; I will inform him that if among all these wicked people in Sodom I find even a quorum of 10 righteous people, this will represent hope that eventually all or most of these people will become penitents. In that event I would bend the scales of justice in favour of the town, giving them an extension of time before destroying them. God teaches that God is more interested in the return of sinners to the fold than in administering retribution to them.

(1) המכסה אני...ואברהם היו יהיה לגוי גדול, “how can I conceal from Avraham...seeing that he will develop into a great and important nation?” G–d would not have revealed the future to Avraham except for the fact that he had a future way beyond his physical death. What difference would it then have made if he knew about the fate of Sodom and what had caused it? Seeing that Avraham would become a witness to My exacting retribution from sinners, (even when I do not bring on another deluge) he will be not only be telling his offspring about it, but use his first hand knowledge as a reason to impress them with the fact that G–d not only knows what goes on here on earth, but reacts to it appropriately at a time of God's own choosing. Only by paying heed to that knowledge will they live to inherit the land of the Canaanites who will then share the fate of Sodom more or less, [their land not being destroyed. Ed.]

David said: There are three distinguishing marks of this nation, the Jewish people. They are merciful, they are shamefaced, and they perform acts of kindness.
They are merciful, as it is written: “And God will give you mercy, and have mercy upon you and multiply you” (Deuteronomy 13:18); not only will God have mercy upon you, but God will bestow the attribute of mercy upon you.
They are shamefaced, as it is written: “And that God's fear shall be upon your faces” (Exodus 20:17), and the fear that is on one’s face is one's shame.
They perform acts of kindness, as it is written: “For I have known them, to the end that they may command their children and their household after them, 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.

"Quickly flee there, for I cannot do the thing till you come there," (Gen. 19:22) Rabbi Levi said: This can be compared to the parable of a nation that had two patrons, one a city-dweller and one from the country, and the king was angry with both of them and requested to demote them. The king said, if I demote them in front the country folk now, they will say that if city-dwellers had been there it wouldn't have happened, and if I demote them in front of the city-dwellers now they'll say that if the country folk had been there it wouldn't have happened. Thus, there were Sodomites that worshiped the sun and those that worshiped the moon, God said, if I destroy them during the day they'll say if only the moon had been here we would still be ok, if I destroy them during the night they'll say if only the sun had been here we would still be ok. Thus God destroyed them on the 16th of Nissan at the time when the sun and the moon are both in the sky, as it is written, "The sun had come out on the land, and lot came towards Tsoar." (Gen 19:23)