Preparing video...
0:00 / 0:00
Snapshots: Avraham & Family | Rabbi Shmuel Goldin | November 4th
89 views
www.ouisrael.org facebook.com/ouisrael #OUisrael #torah #judaism #torahlectures
Comments
Transcript
Auto-generated transcript. Not time-synced to the video.
Thank you very much. Okay. Uh we're
going to a bit of a change of pace today
and I'm going to put you guys to work.
What we're going to do is generally we
take one particular issue or theme and
trace it through the text. This time
what we're going to do is what I call
snapshots. We're going to take specific
points in the career of Abraham and his
family and we're going to try to
understand those snapshots. It's sort of
short brief dra to on particular moments
in Abraham's life and we're going to
take those moments from
the last para and from the coming para
particularly from Vera right so let's
start let's take a look at the first
text before us and this is the text that
begins a career
God says to Abraham, "Go from your land,
from your birthplace, from the home of
your father to the home to the land that
I will show you." And then the Torah
continues in
When you take a look at those two texts,
what questions immediately arise in your
mind? Like I said, I'm putting you to
work. Yes.
>> Why does it repeat that he left? That's
not a repetition. He's commanded to go
and then he goes. So that's not a
repetition necessarily.
>> First time around it says lot and then
at the next say
>> okay excellent. Why does it describe
lotus veniv
in the in the second time in the all
right actually
no no it only says it in the second time
because that's when he goes. It doesn't
mention load because load is not
commanded to go in the first section.
The first section God says to
and he doesn't mention anything about
los
it says in
that Abraham decides to take load. It
doesn't say that God commands to take
load. Take a look at Puk Olive. Doesn't
mention it there.
>> Yeah.
>> Oh, Kimmel is not there. All right.
[laughter]
All right. What is it saying? Pu Kimmel.
Remind me. I don't have the text in
front of me.
>> Yeah. Thank you.
>> Okay. So it in the in that sentence
it's describe it's describing them
leaving and therefore it includes load
because they're leaving. But here it
indicates that it is Abraham's idea to
take load. And why is it Abraham's idea
to take load? Because it's lo
in other words giving you the therefore
and we'll see that that's important
later. Yes. Right.
That when they left they already knew.
>> Okay. Good question. Here we go. What?
And not that that wasn't a good
question. That was a good question, too.
All right. [laughter] All right. But how
do they know that they're supposed to go
to Ka? What does Hashem say?
I would assume then that Abraham is
going somewhere. And then when God gets
to Cananan or travels to Cananan, Hashem
will say this is the land. How does he
know from the start to travel towards
Cananan? Now I'm also going to make it
diff I'm going to exacerbate the problem
or underscore the problem by asking you
to take a look at the next text which
happens before Aram is told to leave.
Veram's
father.
So what do we see happening in that
text? Before
Abraham leaves, before God says to
Abraham leave, what does Terak do? He
goes on a journey and where is he going?
>> To Cananan, right? But what happens is
he gets to and he stops.
So what what might be emerging from this
text on one level is that Abraham is
really completing the journey what that
his father began. But where's
where's the
>> No, it doesn't. It says,
>> but the first
>> first it doesn't say can
>> That's right. No, correct. Correct. But
what I'm saying is what I'm saying is
that one reason that perhaps Abraham
knew to travel to Cananan was because
his father was already doing that.
Why was
>> ah and why was his father going to
Cananan? Excellent question. We don't
know. There are those who say that
Cananan had a reputation of being a land
where spiritual growth could occur and
therefore Aram says to himself, "My
father was looking for this. I'm looking
for this. I suppose that's where God
wants me to go." But he it's not clear.
One thing that becomes clear is that
finishing the journey is very important
and Terra
leaves his life with an unfinished
journey. And for those of us who live
here, we are finishing the journey. For
those of us who still have to come,
you you haven't finished yet. and and
the difference between a tra and an aim
is that aim completes the journey. All
right, that that emerges from the text.
Now why terra is going toan is not
clear. As I said there are various
interpretations. There are those who say
that cananan had this reputation of
being a place where you would and kak
therefore emerges according to that
explanation. Not the way we saw him in
in in our childhood where we he was an
idol worshipper and a destroys the idols
etc etc. Terra emerges as someone who
may have been searching for a spiritual
growth as well according to the text
>> because had just died. His other son had
already died. He didn't take him. He
took Lo the son of Orurin. Right.
>> So after the whole
>> the Okay then. Right. Why did Haron die?
That's Medish. Correct. Medish says that
Haron died because he was thrown into
the furnace because Right. But
>> could be. Could be. That's another
explanation. But the text doesn't say
that, right? Yes.
>> The ter has already described as an idol
worship in the footage itself. It's not
just mid
>> the uh
>> uh in the what? Oh, later on later on.
Yes. Not not not when the text first
introduces him. So we don't know. Maybe
after he went to Karan he became an
Irish worshipper. Maybe in the beginning
he was searching and going to Kanan. We
don't know. Right. It mentions yes that
that terra was but that's in retrospect.
Yes. If that Abraham knew that he just
read that he they were on their way to
why does
say
>> okay good question the answer would be
if if the question did everyone hear it
if if Abraham knew to travel to Cananan
in the first place because his father
was traveling there why does God say
lash echo and the answer seems to be
that Hashem is not telling him that
Terra's goal was is his goal. He wants
him to understand it himself from the
journey that began. But he's going to
but he's saying to him, I'm going to I'm
going to tell you when you get there.
And there are those also who say, why
doesn't he say it outright? Why doesn't
he say go to Eritz Cananan? And they
answered to give Abraham greater reward
for being willing to travel to the land
that God will show as opposed to being
traveling to Cananan. How does he know
it's Cananan? I'm supposing from the
text because that's where his father was
going, but it's not necessarily so. It
may be because other of other reasons,
but clearly Abraham into it without God
telling him where am I supposed to go?
supposed to go to Kanan. That's where
that's where we're going. Okay. Yes. Uh
now we'll take questions very quickly
because we got a lot to do. Uh I'll save
them for the end. Okay. Jot them down,
please, and save them for the end
because some people actually complain to
me that I'm taking too many questions.
So I won't do that. All right. Next. All
right. So that now one other thing we
see from this text which is very
interesting. Look at Hashem's
commandment to Abraham.
What's strange about that?
>> It's it's backwards, right? Right. First
you leave, right? First you leave the
home of your father, then you leave your
birth. First you leave your birthplace,
then the home of your father, then your
land. Right. That's how you're going.
Why does God command it in the reverse?
Because it's not a physical journey.
That's the most important thing here.
Most important thing here is the
philosophical journey. And when you are
leaving philosophically, when you are
leaving spiritually,
it's easier to leave your land, it's
harder to leave your birthplace and it's
even hardest to leave the home of your
father.
Baraku is saying that in ascending order
recognizing and teaching us that this
isn't just a journey to Israel as much
as that is appropriate but it is a
journey that Aram is spiritually and
philosophically taking. And we said by
the way that there's a two there's a
really a two-pronged message here which
doesn't emerge from the text but kazal
say it and and they actually does emerge
from the text. I think I'll tell you
why.
We said if you'll remember when we spoke
about Aram's journey we said that the
commandment of was two proud.
It is number one to be apart from
and number two to be a part of. Number
one to be apart from the land you you
born in your home of your father etc etc
but be a part of where you're going.
make a difference because I'll say that
it's like a small cruise of oil or
perfume that's in the corner of a room,
right? Which doesn't do anybody any
good, but if you take it and you move it
around, then everyone will benefit.
Was saying to Abraham, travel in the
world, make a difference. And I believe
that's hinted to when in not in the text
before you but in the other which say
when it says
that you all the nations be involved and
if you'll remember just um I'm
summarizing something we spent a lot of
time on that there is a beautiful circle
to Aram's journey if this is correct.
Aram is told to be apart from and apart
of and when you get to paras how does he
describe himself
vtov I'm a straight so by the time you
get to that moment and we said it may
have been because of the ao in vro the
rashbam's explanation that that that the
aedo in this week's para was a step too
far he was willing to endanger his child
the rashbam said I'm going to teach you
what it would mean to lose that child
the a that's one level of the a by the
time to get he's only concerned and
dealing with his family and and his
selfdefin is very important I am a gto
they try to suck him in he resists and
that's why we're here today very
important [laughter]
a conflict taking place beneath the
surface of the beginning of parasuro in
the aftermath of the Okay, let's go down
to the next next section. Okay, now the
next section is no sooner does Aram get
to the land of Cananan than what
happens? Anybody know?
>> Very often
there's a famine. You he gets to the
land. God says to him apparently, "This
is the land I want you to go to." And no
sooner does he get there than there's a
famine. And what happens?
What does he do?
>> He leaves. He goes down to Mitraim.
And in Mitraim, he endangers his wife
Sora by by saying, "You're my sister or
protecting himself." It would seem if
you look at the text that So there are
very serious questions about what's
happening here. The first question is,
was he right to leave?
>> No.
>> All right. So interesting. We can take a
vote.
>> What? Huh?
>> He didn't have permission.
>> He didn't have permission to leave. So
you shouldn't have left. Okay. Others
will say what?
>> Right. God promised him those things,
right? God promised him that he would
have uh he would have material, but
you're allowed to leave. You're saying
you're allowed to leave for
and for Okay. But that again, that's
which we learn much later. Ara doesn't
Aram's [snorts]
making his decisions based upon what he
feels he needs to do. All right. So do
you what do you do? Do you stay in
Israel and rely oneshu to take care of
you or do you leave? So the answer is
it's a mlo right and and it's a math
locus because it's a different because
why? Because the truth is that we will
encounter events like this where both
pathways are potentially right and we
will have to decide between the two. So
first take a look at the Ramban. The
Ramban's fascinating because the Ramban
says the section that I told you on page
two that I copied for you.
Look what the Ramban says.
All
right. He sinned a great sin. Now,
what's bishko? What's shogi?
>> All right. Not quite. Not quite. By
mistake, but
>> in
>> he inadvertently he should have known
better. What do I mean by that? There is
a spectrum of guilt when it comes to
Jewish law. The top of the spectrum is
mazed. What's the bottom of the
spectrum? Oness. Oness is totally by
mistake, totally an error. I couldn't
have done better. Show gig is you
shouldn't you could have you could have
been more careful. Show is you you you
know you you should have onus is you
check your brakes and the vase tells you
they're fine and then they fail and you
hit somebody, god forbid. That's onus. I
I show gig is I should have checked my
brakes, right? I didn't check my brakes
for the last few years. Maybe I should
check my brakes. It's I'm not mazy. I'm
not doing it on purpose, but it's shake.
So, the Ramban is saying he's bish he
should have known better. And not only
does he say that, but keep going. He
says,
etc., etc. And then he says,
where is it? there at the bottom
etc. is is going to be played out
generations later
and also says the Ramban it was a sin
for him to tell Sora say you're my wife
now my sister he says the Ramban says
that was also a sin now it's amazing
when you think about it isn't it we're
talking about Abraham au and yet what
the Ramban is telling us which I believe
is a very very important message that
will keep repeating and that is the
heroes of the Bible were people. They
were not gods. They were not angels. And
potentially they may at times have made
missteps may hard for us to say it.
Ramban says it so I feel more
comfortable. But
uh the very fact that we could
potentially admit
fault in our heroes is a very important
point. Why? Because if your heroes are
gods,
you cannot be like them. You can be you
could try to say the attributes of
Hashem, but I can't really be. But if
our heroes are people facing real
issues,
then we can aspire to be like them. In
other words, isn't
>> why didn't Gitzk repeat the why didn't
he learn from
>> Why didn't he learn? Good question.
We're not up to that yet. All right,
good question. Why didn't Yitzk repeats?
If you look at his life, he repeats a
lot of things. But what the story if you
have your if your heroes are people, you
can have hero emulation.
If you're heroes or gods, you can only
have hero worship. Really? And look at
what happens. Pagans
had hero worship. They they made
everything a god.
The Jews come along and we say our
heroes are people. And what did the
Christians do? They come along and say
our heroes are God. Again, right? In
other words, you deify. when you deify
your hero then you're you're you're
taking away much of the lessons that can
emerge now. Okay. So the Ramban says yes
>> that's a excellent point. I think the
Ramban would agree with you. What you're
saying is that Aram's on a learning
curve and that his amuna has to be he
has to learn more stronger amuna
according to the Ramba. Now let's take a
look at the swarno. The swarno does not
really comment on whether it's right or
wrong. But the swarno just simply says
one thing. Take a look at page number
three
lost.
It says he went down lagore. Remember I
told you there are two different ways
you could describe someone living in a
particular place. Generally it's lagore
or lash. Lagore means temporary. Sarno
says note the Torah is telling us that
this he wasn't planning to stay there.
So it's sort of giving you an indication
maybe the sarno thinks he may not have
been wrong. If you read the next
paragraph and I'm not going to go into
it in depth. Sarno comes up with a whole
explanation of why Avam does what he
does visa visor and how it wasn't really
that bad. What does he say? He says just
as a summary, he says Aram turns to Sar
and says if I say you're my sister
then they're all going to be vying for
your hand. And while they're vying for
your hand, I'll get the food. I'll do
what I need. and we'll have that that
time where they're struggling and then
we'll leave. We'll get out, says the
Sarna. We we'll get out in time and
won't be a problem. What happened was if
you look at the text is that when they
got there, the the nation saw her and
wanted her as Aram said, but then
Parro's advisors took a look and they
said, "Oh, forget it. None of these
guys. She belongs with the king." And
that was unexpected to Abraham and
therefore it it destroyed his plan.
That's the son and he bases it on text
basically saying if you look carefully
the nation saw and then all of a sudden
the officers of parro are in the scene
and and he says it's really a two-stage
event. First the people wanted her and
then the officers wanted her. Okay. Now
let's go on.
Take a look at
number number three. Roman numeral
number three.
No,
bars. Now, we looked at this once
before. I'm testing your memory. All
right. What's strange about that poke?
>> What the What does What does it have to
do with the Brooklyn Bridge? Right. What
does what does the end of the pus have
to do with its beginning? In other
words, there what's the key of the
puzzle? Kusk is telling me that there
was a dispute between Lot Shepherds and
Aram shepherds and therefore they had to
part ways. What is
ovaris? What does that have to do with?
So I'll teach you medish and this is a
perfect example of the difference
between medish and chant. Medish is that
the se shepherds very famous medish that
the shepherds of lot
were allowing their cattle to graze on
the land belonging to the canananim and
the priest. And what were they saying?
They were saying this land's going to
become ours, right? Because it's going
to go to Abraham. Ara doesn't have any
kids. It's going to be ours. So, we can
we can do what we want now. And along
comes the come the shepherds of Araham.
And they say, "No, it's not ours yet. We
don't have a right to take it yet." And
we'll see that in in an even clearer
fashion in just a moment. And therefore,
what? Therefore, we can't take this. And
that caused the riv and that's why it
says vakaniar
as it belonged to them at this point.
But on the other hand, on the other hand
there's another explanation and this one
is suggested by the Sarno and the Sarno
says
Pashup Sha
there was a dispute between the
shepherds
and it was made even more dangerous
because the Canananim and the prism saw
what was happening and they would say to
themselves if they can't get along with
each other right?
>> Then then then they're vulnerable. Then
they're vulnerable. Also, if they can't
get along with each other, they won't
get along with us. Now, when we first
learned this and I repeat it, this this
particular learning has a very st very
powerful resonance to our tone. Right?
In other words, what we're saying is
that,
>> you know, we become weak when we can't
get along with each other. And there are
clear March Republic,
>> right?
>> Well, and there are clear reports that
the attack on October 7th took place
because Kamas thought we were vulnerable
because we were we were arguing with
each other concerning uh legislative
matters. Yes.
>> Why was the why were the shepherds not
already separate from it implies almost
that they've already had some of
agreement and their separation got into
groups.
I I suppose that that you know they were
they were traveling together and that he
had Araman had his cattle and load had
his cattle. Why are they separate?
Because they were separate I separate
families. I you know I I think probably
maybe it's teaching us maybe that that
you have when you travel when you have
relationships they have to be as we've
said before aerdo you have to be a
together and apart right and you can't
totally submerge one in the other all
right next take a look we're going to go
now to four
next two things statements are are again
invo
Take a look at Roman numeral number
four. Vavo. What's the What's the case
here? The case is that Lo
is in stone, right? Remember Lo started
off outside stone, then in stone, then
the gates of stone. We we spoke about
that. He's taken captive.
He's taken captive.
and during the war and Aon hears about
this and the Torah tells us the
following. Vavo
the fugitive came and it's a very
strange statement. I'm not going to
spend time on it because there are all
sorts of different interpretations. What
do you mean the the fugitive? You're
you're indicating that it's a particular
fugitive. Medra says it's oabash
earlier but there a fugitive cause
and they he tells a
vushi
he is living in
ashes
onair
is the brother of eshk and onair the ba
Allay Brris Abraham and they are
uh holders of a covenant with Ara. What
strikes you about that?
>> So elaborate much
>> too much information. Look at the title.
What
it what what's the purpose of the
sentence? Purpose of the sentence is
what
pallet comes and tells me tells a what's
happening to Lo. Why does the text then
go on to say
why do I know where he's living? Why do
I know he's an i? What? And this is by
the way the only place where the Torah
actually calls him an iy a Hebrew,
right? Coming from the word of ours
coming from somewhere else. Yes, you
have an answer.
>> Establish credibility for this rumor for
this.
>> Okay, good. Good. She's saying that that
in order to get people to fight with
him, he had to estab he had to establish
his own credibility first. That's
possible. But I think there's an even
more powerful answer. The next puk says
hears that what his brother was taken
captive. Is this his brother? Load his
brother. No, it's not his brother, but
it is his brother. Right. And what does
he do? He immediately runs to save him.
This puk is telling you that he had
every reason not to do that.
He was not in the fray.
He was living in a place and a situation
where he was particularly comfortable
and he wasn't which means what? I'm not
involved in this political dispute here.
He had every reason to say lo went his
way. Goodbye.
He hears his brother is taken captive.
That's it.
>> What?
>> That's right. I'm saying correct. He
hears that his brother Aiv is taken
captive. That's And again, resonance to
our time. Amazing how the country
rallied around the the hostages and and
and you didn't feel you didn't feel that
things were right as long as they were
still there and and they've emerged as
heroes. I mean, when you hear the
stories of their
standing strong
um actually having a birth of a
religious fervor in in the darkness of
those tunnels, it's just unbelievable.
It's just unbelievable.
Yeah. Comment.
>> Yeah. Who says that was
>> the medish? Yeah.
>> 318 1039 103.
>> What? Uh 319.
>> Yeah. That comes from Yeah. Voric is
it's not this puzz
and they learn it from from the word
somehow with the letters. It's real med.
Therefore, they he should he had a
peace.
>> He had he had or right. He is living he
is an iy. He came here. He has no
business getting involved. He's living
in a secure place with secure friends
with allies. What do I what do I have to
put myself into that into that trouble?
>> The comes from the medish from
[snorts]
where am I?
Yeah, correct. I remember what I'm what
I was going to say. It's all right. It
says he has all of those people. The
medish says he had only Eleazar and that
if you take the the the numerical value
of Eleazar, it comes out to that. But
but Pashupshot Yes. which underscores
her suggestion which was that if you
take that that in order to get those 318
he had to what? He had to establish his
own credibility and that may be what the
puss is saying. So that's another
explanation. Okay. wasn't not uh an
orphan. was kind of adopted as a
>> yeah it would seem that lo was was was
adopted by Avam but they then parted
ways and they parted ways because they
couldn't get along right so again a has
no reason to get involved next
one last one last thing in then we're
going to go to vo this this puk I
believe is one that nobody pays
attention to it's the bottom of the page
that I think is is so powerful in its
message and unsettling in its message.
Hashem is conducting the britar
the covenant between the pieces. In
other words, he's between the covenant
that he's making with and in that
covenant during that covenant
says to Abram,
"Know full well that your children are
going to go down to an erit lhem to a
strange land. They're going to be
they're going to be uh tortured. Things
are going to be bad, but they will come
out, right?" And then the Torah says,
Hashem says,
The fourth generation will come back to
this land.
Aon what is she?
>> To fill to fulfill shalom to complete.
The aon of the amorim will not be
complete until then. What is God saying?
They're going to come back when these
guys deserve to get kicked out.
But before they deserve to get kicked
out, you're not going to come in. In
other words, what is a kesh is saying
[clears throat] all human beings have
rights.
These people have rights. You can't. So
you're going to wait till you're fourth
generation of you're not going to be
able to come back earlier because they
have rights. Wh why why does it say
iniquity of the IR?
>> What?
>> Why does it say the iniquity of the
>> Because what it's saying is the ini
their their sin will not be complete
until then. Iniquity is a sin.
>> The Marites, right?
>> They can stay in cananan until such time
as I they deserve to get kicked out.
That's what he's saying.
Only the fourth generation will come
back because
the iniquity the sin of the Amorites
will not be complete until then.
>> What?
>> No. No. Then then the door the door of
the E is the he is the Ben Israel. Bene
Israel will not be able to enter Erit
Israel
until the inhabitants who are there
deserve to be expelled.
That's what the puss is saying. And
that's an amazing amazing statement
because it underscores how we as Jews
believe and should believe and we we
sometimes forget this that all human
beings have rights. everyone, but how
you do what how you use them and what
you do with them and and how you claim
them and how you fight for them. All
sorts of things that that determine who
you are. But but do does a kesh relate
to all individuals? The answer
potentially yes. Let's hold up to the
ego. So Yako made a mistake and thought
that his children were join. So when he
went down, he thought that was it. So
where did the dorine really start?
>> It's where does the dark he is saying
that the bristen absorum is saying that
the fourth generation from Abraham
>> go on
>> will return to Israel.
>> Well we don't again again again again if
you take a look at the first of all it's
two it says 400 years but it's not 400
years it's really 210. 210 is
potentially the fourth generation,
right? If you [laughter]
>> right, in other words,
>> the the fourth generation of those who
will go down,
>> the the fourth generation of those who
are enslaved,
right? Okay. Next, quick take a look at
the next pok. This is the first puk in
parro.
So I'm now getting to par
famous statement, right? God appears to
Abraham in the middle of the day. The
day is heat
goes out and Abram greets guests. Do you
have any question about those troops?
>> But where did he leave? How famous?
>> Okay. Seems seems to leave Hashem. We'll
see if that's the case in a minute. What
what what
is missing? What's missing in the
>> What's Hashem doing there? [laughter]
When Hashem appears to someone in the
Torah, there's generally a message.
There's generally a purpose. Why is it
say Hashem appears and not tell me why
he appears?
So there are two interpretations.
Two interpretations of what's happening
here. One interpretation f focuses back
on the last paragraph. One
interpretation focuses forward. Let me
explain what I mean. The paragraph
before this at the end of le is the
paragraph describing the briso
of Aram's family. The paragraph coming
describes the angels who are going to
appear right
therefore there are those who say what
was God doing and this is medashik. I
think this is the medish. The next one I
think is the pashad. The medish is
Hashem was
right. Hashem was he was coming on the
third day to Abraham's brisma. The
rabbis say the third day of an oper to
an operation is is usually the hardest.
And by the way I I in visiting many
people in the hospital I have found that
to be the case because before then
they're out of it more than the third
day and then it really becomes tough.
Okay. And therefore And therefore when
he says
when he says
let's uh where are you
he says
who is he talking to.
And the rabbis say, "You learn from here
that that
is greater than
you." A a visit from Barak who fails to
reach the level of buri. That's that's
that interpretation.
>> Say he lifted up his eyes and saw. Where
were his eyes before?
>> Good question. Good question. Why does
it say lifted up his eyes? Why is it why
doesn't it just say he saw?
All right.
>> Right. Okay. So the again it the answer
lifting up eyes doesn't necessarily mean
your head is down. It means you're
looking around you. And so therefore the
rabbis will say that he what was
happening here
he was in the middle of the day and yet
he was looking for guests. He was
searching and therefore [clears throat]
v he saw no he looks up and he sees
guests. That's what's happening.
>> His eyes were down.
>> Yeah. Again, literally literally his
eyes are down. But it means he's not
looking. He's not he has to he's forcing
himself to look. Yes.
>> That's correct. Correct. So that why
does it say why does excellent question
why does it repeat in that vo
numerous explanations the one that I
would suggest is that it vo to see in
this case is not just to see but to
comprehend.
In other words he sees these guests and
what does he see? He sees in their need
and then he goes. That's what he does
right now. Let's let's go on. The second
interpretation is not that Hashem is
visiting him and and it's the law. The
second interpretation is that this is
the introduction to what comes next.
Meaning Hashem appeared to him how
with the appearance of the Malohim.
In other words, Hashem and looks up
right sees Malohim. That is the that is
the explanation of vayarashem
I'm telling you how god appear to him
how did god appear to him through the
angels that I say is pashad that that I
believe is the the straightforward
explanation of the text now let's go to
this is this is really interesting take
a look at the bottom of the page
is arguing with akadesh baraku for stone
and amora
Right? And um he offers a very very
passionate arguments.
But take a look at what he says. What
does he say?
Will you destroy
the righteous with the wicked?
Maybe there are 50 in the city.
Will you destroy the place
and and not allow [snorts] them to
survive because of the
Okay. Where's the leap of logic?
If Aram was a lawyer, I wouldn't hire
him.
Where does he take a step?
Okay. What's his first statement? Will
you destroy what?
>> The righteous. What's the logical
conclusion of that?
>> Save the righteous. Right? Will you
destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Save the righteous. And then all of a
sudden he says, "Don't destroy the
righteous with the wicked. Save them
all." Where does that come from? Right?
So, I'm going to suggest to you, and
this is uh I guess we're going to have
to stop here. If you take a look at the
next page,
you find a very interesting paragraph
that precedes this argument. Now, you
you got me right. In other words, the
logical argument is why why destroy the
righteous with the wicked? The logical
conclusion of that argument is save the
righteous. How does he get to save? So,
what's happening? Take a look at the
next page. The first paragraph,
something very, very strange happens.
The Torah tells us that
is talking to himself. [snorts]
Right? By the way, I don't know about
you, but I find myself doing that a lot
more nowadays. Right? Okay.
Is talking to himself.
And he says, what does he say?
Aer anos
could I possibly hide from Ara what I'm
about to do I know and then he goes on
to say a is going to be a great nation
etc etc
goets
what does that have to do with me
telling him about stone why why what's
the argument here and why is the Torah
telling me that is talking to himself to
decide whether or not he's supposed to
tell and this is the argument look at
the English if you want so I'm suggest
want to suggest to you that this
paragraph
is the introduction to the debate
and what it says is that a kadesh made
abraham two promises
promise number one was you will survive
and your children will survive you will
you will be a god doll promise Promise
number two
is what?
Promise number two is if you survive and
you do what is right, who will you save?
Not only you but everyone.
So therefore he is operating based upon
the promises that a karesh who gave to
him which is if I'm righteous I'll
survive and if I'm righteous I will not
only survive but I will what save others
and if that's the case and and this
occurred to me a number of years ago
then hashem has to tell a what's
happening to sad why and that's what
this is saying Why? Because if he
destroys Suda
and Abraham thinks there were 50 sadik
in there or 10 whatever that will cause
Abraham to doubt what his own his own
fate. It will cause Abraham to say well
you you killed the righteous. You
promised me the righteous would survive.
You killed everyone else. You said the
righteous would save everyone else. And
therefore what what is happening here is
not only that is telling him because he
wants him to argue for Saddam but it's
because it underscores he needs to know
the truth about his own that there are
no sadikim in Sedon and and that's why
they're being destroyed. Okay. So again
what we did is we took a look at some
very very specific events in the life of
Aram and his family. We could do more.
Unfortunately, we've run out of time.