Vayeira - 4th Portion

Join me as we learn kitas together for the fourth day of paras vira Wednesday parases vira chapter 19 verse 21. Yesterday we discussed as Lot was being saved from Saddam and he wanted to go to a city which was close which we explained either close meaning that it was a new city so therefore that not too many sins and over here the angels respond to lot and the angels replied to him in this matter we have shown to you favor also for this matter the year. They will not overturn the town that you spoke of. Not only have we saved you, but also we're not going to overturn the town that you requested. Verse 21, meaning this as well. Not only have you been saved, but even this whole city of will be saved because of you. overturn meaning I will overturn and Rashi explains the word whenever there's a it comes to tell you I until I will come after I see and so on that all these words therefore he says that I will not overturn verse 22 but hurry escape here because I cannot do anything until you arrive there. For that reason, they call the name of the city. There was Bella and therefore now it was called so from then on rashi verse 22 meaning I don't have permission to overturn the cities of Sodom and until you reach the place of Sodom this was actually a punishment of the angels because they said before in verse 13 that we are the ones that destroying the city of Sodom and they depended the action on their own not saying that it was God in order to correct what they said in the past. They had to now say we cannot do anything unless God tells us and we have to wait for God to allow us to overturn the cities of Sodom and that can only be done once you go to your city. This is in a singular terminology. From here you see and Rashi reiterates this again that it wasn't two angels that were destroying the people of one was destroying the place of Saddam and one was saving. And Rashi reiterates what he mentioned earlier because two angels cannot do uh because one two angels were not sent for one job. each angel just like we mentioned earlier one angel doesn't do two jobs two jobs are not given one two angels are not given one job therefore it's called the name is because we mentioned earlier that it was close it was small and for that reason it was called the name verse 23 hashemat it's the sun already risen over the earth reached verse 24 and God over here now made it pour down on Sodom and onra sulfur and rain and fire rain from God from the heaven from the sky. Rashim verse 24 any time that it says it means who's and there must be somebody else included and therefore comes to tell us who and the heavenly tribunal made it rain down on what is this telling us when did it happen at dawn as it says as the morning comes up. It is the time when the moon and the sun are standing together in the sky. Why specifically at that time? Because there were certain people that used to serve the sun as they were pagans and they served idolatry. And some of them they used to serve the moon. So God said, "If I'm going to punish them by during the day, then the people that serve the moon will say then the people that serve the moon will say, "If it would have been at night, when the moon is in charge, we never would have gotten destroyed. And if it would happen, if the punishment will happen at night, that the people that serve the sun would say if would happened during the day when the sun is in charge we wouldn't have been destroyed if therefore the Torah puts the words in as the morning star comes up and therefore God punished them at a time when the sun and the moon are both there at the same time. So the people of the sun the those that serve the sun cannot blame it on the moon. Those that blame serve the moon cannot blame it on the sun. And both of them see that their idolatries are worthless. Him God made it rain sulfur and fiery rain. First it was m regular rain and then afterwards it became sulfur and fiery rain from God. Doesn't it already say God made it rain? Why does he have to say again from God? This is the usual way how the verse tries to uh elude and to teach us where it's all coming from. We find it in other places as well where he says listen up. He doesn't say my wives. It always refers to the person who was talking to so says take with you the servant of your master. And he doesn't say from my servants. It's always referring like in third person. So too we see by in the migillas Esther says doesn't say sign it in my name. He's assigned in the name of talking about himself in third person. So too when God says God will make a rain down where is it coming from God and it doesn't say from him from heaven. Why does the Torah to tell us that it's coming from the sky? This is because God says that with them in within them God judges the nations. Meaning that the skies are used by God to be able to judge the nations whether for good or for bad. When God comes to punish and to train or to warn the creations, he brings them fire from heaven and also when it comes to good that he brings down the mana. It also came in from heaven as it says in the verse. The heaven is the vehicle that God uses, the conduit that God utilizes to be able to either bring good, which is like the mana, or bring punishment like the sulfur and fire which came down on these people. Verse 25. And God overturned these four cities, the entire plain and all the people that were sitting in the living in those cities and all the vegetation from the ground. Verse 25, all four cities were destroyed at once. They were all there sitting in the mountain and he turned them over upside down as it says that God sent his hand in the stone. Verse 26 and Lo's wife turned around and looked behind him at the destruction that was going on contrary to what they were told not to look around. And she became a pillar of salt. Why a pillar of salt? So let's see what happened here. Rashi 26. She turned around behind Lot because Lot was going back. He was the one in the last in the row. And she looked behind him. Why did she return? Why did she turn into a pillar of salt? Because since she sinned with salt, therefore she was punished with salt as well. Omar because when lo told her why don't you give the some salt to the guest give some salt to these guests she said to him also this terrible custom of helping and giving and being there for your guest you're also going to bring in this city? Absolutely not. And because she was so uh angry and she wasn't interested in serving her guest sold, she was punished and became a pillar of salt and got up in the morning to that place that where he was standing there before God asking God on behalf of the people of Sodom and Amor But where we stood there in the before God. Verse 27. Verse 28. And he gazed upon the cities of Sodom and Gomorra over the whole area of the plain. And he saw and he sees a column of smoke rising from from the earth. Hakshan like the column of the smoke of a lime kilm. Over here it tells us as a sees the destruction of Saddam. Verse 28. Rashi the word a pillar of smoke. What does it mean? The furnace. What kind of furnace? It's referring to a kiln where they would then make cement to make bricks and any time he uses a terminology is referring to such a type of oven and stove. Verse 29. And it was when God destroyed the cities of the plain. And he sent and he remembered because he remembered he sent lo and saved him from this destruction when he overturned the towns that lo was settled in. Why all of a sudden does God remember and because of that lotus lot is saved remember that when Abraham and Sarah went down to Egypt and Ara said that Sarah is my sister or that Ara is my her brother Lot was there and lo could have spilled the beans and said that they're really not brother and sister and he heard what said about and he did not say anything because he was concerned about him. God was concerned and therefore saved him and do not allow him to be part of the overturned cities. Verse 30. Now we continue on going back to what happened with Lot and Lot went up from and he settled in the mountain and two of his daughters were with him. They were afraid to remain in. So they stayed in the cave who him and his two daughters. Why were they afraid to stay in so rashi tells us verse 30 it was very close to and they weren't sure if they distanced themselves enough who knows what's going to happen now that the two daughters were the only ones remaining they thought everybody was destroyed so therefore the older one said to the younger one our father is old and there's no man in the world for us to marry like everybody else 31. What does it mean? Our father is old and if we don't utilize this opportunity not now when maybe he'll die or he won't have the ability to give birth. Why was there no men for them to marry? They thought they thought that this was another flood and the entire universe was destroyed and they were the only ones to be saved just like by the generation of the flood that just happened over just about a little bit over 50 years ago. Therefore, therefore we come to the next verse. Because of this, come let's give our father wine to drink. We'll be intimate with him and we'll be able to bring and from our father children produce from our father offsprings. Verse 33. And they gave their father to drink water, wine that night. Gave their father to drink wine that night. Who? That night. And the elder one came. And she was intimate with her father. And he did not know when she lied down with him or when she got up with him. When she arose or when she lie down. Rashi fata. Where did they get wine from? They're in a cave. There's nothing there. By divine providence, wine came in the cave. Because this was destined that these two nations will come from them. And she laid with her father. And by the younger one, it says, "And she laid with him." The younger one over here. The Torah tells us that because the younger one was not the one who came up with the idea of having this immodest behavior on her own, it was her sister that taught her to do it. The Torah was kind and was careful and hid the act that she has done and doesn't say it explicitly. But the first one who came up with the idea with this immoral behavior therefore the Torah says it clearly what she did and when she arose it says if you look at the word there is a dot on the word of telling us that when the older one got up saying that when he got up when she got up he actually knew what happened became But still in all he was not careful not to drink again the second night because of this says any person who is promiscuous that means he is really crazed over being uh involved in in inappropriate behaviors. Eventually he gets to eat of his own flesh meaning that he incest then comes upon him as well as we see with lot that he wasn't careful with being with what would happened to him and because of that he was intimate with his daughters the interesting thing over here why does it say vakuma the zor explains and when she got up she did not realize that this will be something great coming from this child that ultimately Ruth will come from this child, Ruth who then gave birth to King David and to King Mashiach. And as the Cababala explains that in order for Mashiach to come and was such a great soul, it had to come from a very extraordinary way, even in a prohibited way in order for this great soul to come into the world. Verse 34. And it was the next day. And the older one said to the younger one, "Last night I was I who I laid with my our father. We're going to give him to drink wine also tonight. And you go and lie with him and we'll produce from our father offsprings." Verse 35. And they gave him to drink wine also that night and their father wine. And the younger one got upish and she laid with him and he did not know when he lied down with her and when he or arisen from her. Verse 36 and the two L daughters of Lot conceived and became pregnant from their father says Rashi even though they were both guilty in this case. The older one was the instigator. The younger one just followed her lead. But still in all, how is it possible that they gave that they became pregnant from only being once intimate with their father? If it says in the we know that it says that even though that generally a woman cannot become pregnant from the first time being intimate. However, these had specific control and they worked very hard and they worked hard that they brought their hyman on the outside and because of this through a certain tactic they were able to become pregnant from the first time being intimate with their father. Verse 37. And the older one gave birth to a soniko and they and she gave him the name. Who? He is the father, the ancestor of the people of Moab until this present day. Moav verse 37. This older woman, this older daughter who was not modest pure, she clearly had no problem saying that this child came from her father. And she said this clearly in his name. But the younger daughter used a more clean language, meaning it's from the nation. Therefore, because she was more modest and careful of how she spoke and she wasn't so proud of this incestal type of behavior, she reserved re received war reward in the time of Moshe. As it says that it says about the children of Alisam, do not begin a war. Do not frighten them. There were two nations that the Jewish people confronted while they were in the desert. The children of Ammon, they were not even allowed to frighten, let alone not go to war with the people of Moab. God tell them, you can frighten them, you can pain them, you can make them suffer, but you cannot start a war with them. Torah reading continues. And the younger one also gave birth to a sonikam and she called him the son of my nation. He is the ancestor of the people of Ammon until this present day. Now the Torah goes back to tell us where Ara is up to at this point. Verse chapter 20 verse one. After the cities were destroyed, travelers had no reason to hang around that area anymore. So Aram moved locations for better business. from and Aram journeyed from there to the negves and he settled between kadesh and sh and sjourned and finally in the city of Rashi explains why did a travel from there when he saw that all the cities were destroyed and people no longer were traveling so therefore his business was town. He didn't have anybody coming to his hotel. There were no guests. He traveled someplace else. Another reason why moved away because to get further away from lot as you know this happened previously that moved away from and everybody heard that Malot had incest with his daughters which according to some was even against the Noahide laws. So therefore this became a bad name for Lot and you know lot and looked alike. So therefore moved away that he didn't want to be next to Lot. Verse two said to Sarah's wife you are my sister and the king of sent messengers and they took Sarah. This is the same uh routine that happened when they went to Egypt where Abraham says to Sarah that she is my sister. And an interesting thing when it came to Egypt, Abra asked Sarah permission. Over here he did not verse two over here. He did not take any permission from over here was by force and against her will. Why? He was concerned that she might not agree because she was already taken to Pharaoh to Pharaoh's home and she was taken away. So she was concerned that this may affect her here as well. What does this mean? Simply also do we find we find in other places where the word means about Verse three. And God came. God appeared to me in a dream at night. He told him, "You're going to die." Why? Because the woman that you took as she is a married woman. Verse four had not come near her. And he said, "Will you kill a righteous with a master? Will you kill the righteous with will you kill the righteous, an innocent person, an innocent nation? Rashi four, he did not come close to her. That wasn't on his own will. The angel did not allow him to come closer. As it says later on, I did not give you the ability to come closer. Usually means a nation. Are you going to kill a person even though they might be righteous? Is this your style to kill the nations for no reason? That's what people will say that that's why you killed the generation of the flood and the generation of that those that built the tower. I will also say that you killed those nations. Meaning Aimelik is countering and saying if you're going to kill me here for no reason then I'm going to say that also the people of the flood the people of the building of the tower why were they killed for no reason as well verse five didn't say to me didn't her didn't he say to me she's my sister and she also said he's my brother I did so with an innocent heart. Mikaya and Kapay and with a blameless hand of Cece. I did this. I was completely innocent. I did not know that they were related, that they were married. Rashi verse five. I asked all the people. I asked the I asked the dunes. I asked the people. I asked the people that were leading the donkeys, the wagon drivers, the servants. I asked them, "Who are these people?" And they told me the brother and sister. I did not have any intention to sin and take a married woman. What does it mean with a blameless hand? I am clean from any sin because bottom line, I did not touch her. So therefore, I don't deserve to be hurt. Verse six. And God said to him in the dream, I also know with an innocent heart you did this, for I myself have speared you from sitting against me. Therefore, I did not allow you to touch her. Verse six over here, the Torah tells us, yes, I know this is true that you not have intention to sin with her, but to say that you have a blameless hand, you don't have. Why? Who's the one that didn't allow you to touch her? That was me. Or else, maybe you would have. I did not allow. It wasn't on your own intuition that you decided you're not going to touch her. I held you back from sinning. I did not give you the ability. Therefore, we see this also in other places. God did not allow. The word means not allowing. So, what does God tell him to do? >> [snorts] >> We continue on to verse seven now returns the man's wife is a prophet will for you he will pray for you and you will live but if you did not return or die you will know you will die and everything that belongs to you verse seven now has the obligation to bring it to return her not only not because he's a prophet but the prophet that it gives you the ability that he will pray for you. Don't think that maybe she'll become disgusting by him and therefore he's not going to want to take her back or he's going to hate you and therefore he's not going to pray for you because of what you've done. How are they going to know? Like why is he going to take her back? Maybe he's going to be concerned that I did touch her. How is he going to know that I didn't touch her? Therefore, God continues in the verse and says he is a prophet. He knows that you didn't touch her by prophecy. There's no problem. You'll be able to appease him because of you. We'll pray for you and you won't be and you won't get punished. verse 8. Early in the morning called to all the servants name and he told them everything that he saw that they should hear it [snorts] and they were very scared. They were terrified. Verse n he told him, "What have you done? What have you done to us? What sin have I done to you that you were about to bring this guilt onto my kingdom? Such a great sin. Such actions. Things that are not normally done you did with me. Verse nash. What is he talking about? Actions that are never been done. a terrible plague which never usually happens to any creation came to us because of you. What was that terrible plague? Rashi explains all his holes in his body, his whole plumbing system got clogged. Anything for him to go to the bathroom or for his ears and his nose, all holes in the body got clogged and were not working. The Torah reading continues now verse verse 10. What did you see that made you decide to say such a thing? What did you see in us that you decided to call her your sister because of this whole terrible thing happened? So responds very simply replies because I said to myself, "People here don't fear God and therefore if they don't fear God they'll kill me because of my wife. If I say that she's my wife." What does it mean they don't fear God? Sarashi explains. How did he know that they don't fear God? He says usually a guest that comes to a city the normal thing is a person comes to a city you ask him you have a place to sleep you have a place to eat to drink and they ask him right away when you come to a city they ask him about your wife why the first thing I have to ask you about if who's my wife who I'm related It must be that this was a problem. Then secondly, he answers verse 12. In any case, she is actually my sister, the daughter of my father, but not of my mother. And therefore, it was permissible for me to marry her. It wasn't considered incest. She came to me for a wife. Now, what does this mean? as follows. And why did he have to justify himself about incest? We just learned about and as we just read that why did the terrible name come out on Noah on I'm sorry was because his daughters didn't follow the Noahide laws which were incest. Therefore Abra had to protect himself in saying that he did not do incest as well. Verse 12, let's see it in Rashi of the daughter of a father was allowed for a noite to marry because the nations of the world do not go by the lineage based on their father and therefore it's not considered just because they have the same father is not considered that they're real relatives and incest did not apply in such cases. king. However, that was not the reason why he said she is my sister as he was afraid that they might kill him. But he wanted to show how there was truth in his words. That means even though he already answered them, he said there I said it was my sister because I was worried you might kill me. But he also wanted to show that I really didn't even lie when I told you that she's my sister. Because if you're going to say she is the daughter of my brother which was brother children grandchildren are like children and therefore so she's like the daughter of she is the daughter of my brother which then makes her the daughter of which that makes her his sister his sister. So too he says it to he calls lo his brother even though lot was only his brother's it was his nephew what does it mean not my mother was born from another mother while and shared fathers they had which was however from the from the mother's side they did not they did not share the same mother so therefore Sarah was not his sister at >> [snorts] >> verse 13 when God made me wonder out of my parents' home for my father's house and I said to her this is the kindness that you will do with me any place that we will come to you will say for me he is my brother verse gives the Aramaic translation for whatever he did which is at the time that the nations went after strange gods but you can also find another simple interpretation for the meaning each thing the way it's meant to be what does it mean and over here Rashi goes on to explain what does it mean when they made me wander from my father's house when God told me to leave my parents that I should be going and traveling from place to place from place to place. I knew that along my travels I'm going to pass by places which are not so not so good of evil people and therefore I said to my wife Sarah this should be the kindness that you will do and you will say that you're my brother. Another word if you look at the word my travels. So the terminology is it says it in plural. Why is that plural? Don't wonder in many places. Many places we find God is referred to as plural because it means a type of dominionship or rulership is used in a plural way. As you can see it in the book of Samuel and also the very fact by using the terminology of God's name is already plural because in singular term you should say the fact he's saying it sounds like a plural of God. We see also anytime you're going to see some type of rulership or dominionship, it's going to be a terminology of plural. So too, when we use God's name as a jurisdiction or a ruler, it's going to be that plural terminology. And Rashi continues, you may ask, why does Rash why does Aram say that he was wandering? Wasn't that the proper and just way for him to do what does it mean that he was wandering? So Rashi explains anybody that's exiled from their place and is not settled in one place but has to keep on traveling is a cold wanderer as we see later on in verse 21. She went and she wandered as it says in Psalm 119. And I was wandering like a sheep. of and they go out to wander to find their food. Say for me what does this mean? It doesn't mean say to me about me. We see this in other places. The people asked about his wife. What does it mean about his wife? So too we find in the book of Exodus when he uses a similar termin terminology pharaoh says to the Jewish people about the Jewish people. Next then he says also when we find later on we we find in the book of judges maybe you will say that a woman you have killed again about a woman that you have killed verse 14 took sheep and cattle and slaves and maid servants and he gave them returned turned Sarah's wife to him. Why did he give him all these gifts? So Rashi tells us that he should appease him and he should also then pray for him that he should live and not be punished [clears throat] verse and he said I'm sorry verse 15 verse 15 said My land is here before you. You may settle whatever you please. Shave, you may settle here. Rashi 15. You look a contrast over here between parro and aime. When parro uh returned Sarah, he says take her and go. on the other hand says stay here. He was afraid to keep them there. He knew that the Egyptians were very promiscuous and he was worried about having the problem again. Therefore, he told her, "Go, don't stay here." However, was offering them to stay there. Verse 16 said, "I've now given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Let him serve you as a cover over the eyes for all those that are with you for anyone as proof of innocence." And that's why I'm giving you this. What does this mean? So Rashi explains what's going on over here. Not only was he looking to appease, but also he wanted because of what she went through. So Rashi says these words in her honor in order to appease her over here. I'm giving you this great honor and I'm giving money to your brother. What does it mean to your brother? the fellow the fellow who you said is your brother. So here's the money and the honor that I gave to Abra will be as a covering for the eyes for all the people that are here and will hear about the story. They will see the money that I gave and therefore will be a great honor for you. They will this will cover their eyes meaning that they will not you will not be embarrassed and they will not look with embarrassment on you is because if I would have gave you back empty-handed they're going to say well after they made this whole liel she became disgusted by him and therefore she left but now that everybody sees that I gave all this money people will see that I'm giving you money and I'm trying to appease you and I'm trying to be cut into your good books. They will all know you that this was against your will and it was against my will that I took you and against my will that I returned you. And it was all because of the miracle. What does it mean? All the people that come to see you. What does it mean? meaning against the people that are trying to put doubts into what's going on here. you'll have what to answer them these to debate them be able to show them clearly these things showing them the money and the honor knowing that I was forced to give you back anytime you talk about rebuke or in such places is to clarify the words to show the truth and in old French it was translates it in a different way in a different way however when learning the language of the it seems to say this and how as it's explained according to the Aramaic translation this is what it means that means he is for you is therefore a garment of respect on your on your on your respect he has to appease you meaning your husband has to appease you because he allowed my eyes to see you and everything that's with you That's why the says and I saw you and everything that you have there are plenty explanations but as Rashi always tells us he is here only to tell us a simple interpretation and therefore he is sticking to the simple interpretation and not going to tell us the one the all the extra madrashic meanings on it. Back to the Torah verse 17. pray to God and God healed and his wife and his bondoman and they were able to give birth. They relieve themselves and they and the fact that they and what does it mean to give birth? They were able to relieve themselves. And [clears throat] verse 18, viu rashi rashi vu. What does it mean? Did they actually give birth? So rashi explains that the word viu does not mean that they literally gave birth. Like the says they relieved themselves as we mentioned. What was their plague was that all their holes got clogged. Now it was all open and whatever had to come out came out. That's their birth. They felt like a new person. So therefore he uses the terminology of giving birth. Why was it so important because God had blocked every orphice of the members of family? The family of because of the wife of what does it mean? So generally the word means a womb but she says of it's a metaphoric of any opening in their body because of her words. Meaning according to medit explains this what she said that whenever they would try to come close she would say the angel to punish them to hit them. So this was the punishment that came because of Sarah. We are now at chapter 21. The Torah goes back to telling us remember that a year ago Sarah was promised that she would have a child. And right after the story of it tells us about not only were the people of healed but also Sah gives birth to a child and God remembered what he said to like he said like he spoke. Verse one tells us what does it mean? He put the story of Sah having birth right after the story of to teach us a very important lesson to teach you. When you pray for your friend and you need the same exact thing as your friend needs, the one who prays gets answered first. It says that prayed for what happens right afterwards. And afterwards it tells us that God remembered about Sah. She already was remembered by God even before was healed. Omar what does it mean like he said? Like he said in the promise that she would become pregnant. Then why does it say at the end of the verse? Like he said again there's Omar like he spoke and then like he said. So the first one is that he said about that she'll become pregnant. Not only will she become pregnant that shall give birth where do we find these two terminology that he said and spoke we find when God said sorry your wife will give birth a child actually speaking we find later on we before by the um by the covenant that was said where it says was the words to normally where God tells them is not going to be the one or at that point it was alzar was not going to be the one to inherent you and who is going to be the one you hear that's going to be coming from he says who did he speak to like he spoke to a verse two and Sarah became pregnant and she conceived and gave birth to a child to a in his old age at that appointed time that God has spoken to him. What is that appointed time? And over here Rashi brings to us an interesting debate in the Talmud says that he was born after nine months. What does it mean that appointed time? The appointed time of a natural birth. Why n months after this that people shouldn't say that it came from and that this child was born from says he was born seven months after pregnancy. And why does he tell us to that appointed time? The seventh month from tre is Nissan which is that he was born on Pes. to that holiday that he was born on PES. So he was remembered on and was born on PES. The word is made up of multiple words. He looked exactly like his father. They look the same. What is the he spoke to him? The day that he set and appointed that would be when the angels came and they said that we will come back to you. They made a line on the wall. He said look when the sun reaches this point of the wall the following year you'll know that a year passed. That was I guess their calendar tailored the calendar on the fridge of the wall of Aram's tent tailored. You'll know that that's when they will give birth. Verse three called the son that he gave birth to the one that was born to Sarah because Ara had another child as you know. Verse four and a gay circumcised his son Isaac on the eighth day. as God has commanded us. If you recall, Ara himself was circumcised 99 was at 13. The first one to be circumcised at 8 days old, born into it without even a choice. Meaning that his whole life was an entity of holiness was and from him we learn that we continue to circumcise at 8 days old, giving the child the moment that he's born, giving him a fusion of holiness. This concludes the Torah reading for the fourth portion of Viraa.