Abraham and Lot

Sources

[The invaders] seized all the wealth of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their provisions, and went their way. They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, and his possessions, and departed; for he had settled in Sodom. 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. When Abram heard that his kinsman’s [household] had been taken captive, he mustered his retainers, born into his household, numbering three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan…

Genesis 14:11-16

From Egypt, Abram went up into the Negeb, with his wife and all that he possessed, together with Lot. Now Abram was very rich in cattle, silver, and gold. And he proceeded by stages from the Negeb as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been formerly, between Bethel and Ai, the site of the altar that he had built there at first; and there Abram invoked יהוה by name. Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support them staying together; for their possessions were so great that they could not remain together…

Genesis 13:1-15

Abram went forth as יהוה had commanded him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the wealth that they had amassed, and the persons that they had acquired in Haran; and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in the land of Canaan,

Genesis 12:4-5

AND G-D REMEMBERED ABRAHAM, AND SENT LOT OUT FROM THE CATASTROPHE. The purport of this verse is that Lot had shown kindness towards the righteous one by going with him and roaming here and there, following him wherever he went. This is the intent of the verse, And Lot went with him, meaning that he went at Abraham’s command. Therefore he had the merit to be saved on account of Abraham’s meritoriousness as it was on account of him that he lived in Sodom, and were it not for Abraham he would have still been in Haran with his family…

Ramban on Genesis 19:29:1

Abraham may also have hinted to Lot that the very fact that their principals were brothers made Lot's shepherds take that relationship for granted. Familiarity breeds contempt; had the two not been related, Lot's shepherds would have given Abraham the respect due him as an elder and as a person whom G'd had obviously favoured.

Or HaChaim on Genesis 13:8:3

Prior to the verse After these things scripture states: And Abraham heard that his brother was taken captive (Gen. 14:14). Was Lot actually Abraham’s brother? No, indeed! This statement is simply proof of Abraham’s humility. Though Abraham and Lot had quarreled, as it is written: And there was a strife between the herdsmen of Abraham’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle (ibid. 13:7), he called him brother nevertheless, as it is said: For we are brethren (ibid., v. 8). And he led forth (va-yarek) his trained men (Gen. 14:14)…

Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 13:1

It is also possible that whereas Abraham's departure from Ur Casdim had included a migration of his whole family, now G'd demanded that he leave his family behind. Abraham did not understand this correctly; this is why he took Lot with him. Alternatively, Abraham did understand that he was not supposed to take Lot with him, but the latter was so attached to him that he insisted on coming along on his own. When the Torah says in 12,5 that he did "take" Lot with him, the meaning is merely that he did not push him away until he found a suitable pretext as he did not want to shame his…

Or HaChaim on Genesis 12:1:5

And the Lord said unto Jacob: “Return unto the land of thy fathers” (Gen. 31:3). May it please our master to teach us whether an Israelite may light a candle with another candle upon which is engraved an idolatrous symbol? Thus did our masters teach us: An Israelite is forbidden to light a candle with another candle upon which an idolatrous symbol is engraved. This is in accordance with the verse And thou shalt not bring an abomination into thy house (Deut. 7:26). The Shekhinah does not rest in a home in which there is an idolatrous symbol…

Midrash Tanchuma, Vayetzei 10:1

“Abram was very wealthy in livestock, in silver, and in gold” (Genesis 13:2).
“Abram was very wealthy in livestock, in silver, and in gold.” That is what is written: “He took them out with silver and gold…” (Psalms 105:37).
“He went on his journeys from the Negev to Beit El, to the place where his tent had been initially, between Beit El and Ai” (Genesis 13:3).
“He went on his journeys” – on the same journeys [routes] that he went [to Egypt], he returned. Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Menaḥem said: He went to pay his credit debts…

Bereshit Rabbah 41:3

Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: At the time that the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Abraham our Patriarch: “Walk before Me and you should be wholehearted” (Genesis 17:1), a sensation of trembling seized him and he said: Perhaps there is something disgraceful about me due to a transgression that I committed, and therefore I cannot be called complete. When God said to him: “And I will make My covenant between Me and you” (Genesis 17:2), his mind was set at ease…

Nedarim 32a:8-32b:2

The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 48:2) explains that after Avraham circumcised himself, many converts joined him, as it says, "From my flesh, I behold Hashem." Avraham proclaimed that without the circumcision, Hashem could not have revealed Himself fully to him. This implies that while Hashem revealed Himself to Avraham even before the circumcision, the nature of the revelation changed. Before the circumcision, it was an act of divine grace, but afterward, it was a merit Avraham earned through his actions…

Sefat Emet, Genesis, Vayera 5:3

I will establish My covenant between Me and thee. He was not aware which part of his body was to be circumcised. And so the Holy One, blessed be He, indicated the place of circumcision when he said; And I will make thee exceedingly fruitful. That is to say, at the place through which you increase and multiply you are to be circumcised. However, Bar Kappara was of the opinion that Abraham decided upon the place of circumcision by analogy. He said to himself: “Which part of a tree is subject to the law of orlah? It is that part of the tree which produces fruit…

Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 18:3

Lot dwelt only in one of these cities, not in all of them, but it was due only to his presence that they were not all destroyed before. And this, too, was not due to Lot’s own merits, but to the merits of Abraham.’

Zohar, Vayera 11:185

Further, Abram took LOT HIS BROTHER’S SON. Abram s reason for taking Lot with him was that he foresaw through the Holy Spirit that David was destined to issue from him. AND THE SOULS THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN IN HARAN: these were the male and female proselytes whose souls they had saved. Abram converted the men and Sarai the women, and therefore they are spoken of as if they had made them.’

Zohar, Lech Lecha 9:59

וירא אליו ה' באלוני ממרא. Since it had been Mamre who had advised Abraham on the matter of his circumcision, he is mentioned here, and G–d appeared to Abraham on his land. Many people ask how it was possible that Abraham should have consulted with this man about such a question. None of the answers that I have seen have satisfied me. I consider it blasphemous for someone to suggest that Abraham made the performance of the commandment subject to Mamre's advice. All Abraham could have done was to consult with Mamre on how to perform this commandment…

Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Vayera, Derekh Chayim 1-3

וירא אליו ה' באלוני ממרא, “The Lord appeared to him at eloney mamre, etc.” According to Rashi, Mamre was the man who had advised Avraham strongly to carry out G–d’s command to circumcise himself. This is why this revelation took place while Avraham was on his property. The obvious question here is why someone of the stature of Avraham needed to consult with his friends about if and how to relate to G–d’s commandment. He had been tested as to his faith in Him on ten occasions, and he had passed all these tests without consulting with anyone…

Da'at Zekenim on Genesis 18:1:1

Haran died in the lifetime of his father Terah, in his native land, Ur of the Chaldeans. Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves, the name of Abram’s wife being Sarai and that of Nahor’s wife Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah. Now Sarai was barren, she had no child. Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and they set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan; but when they had come as far as Haran, they settled there.

Genesis 11:28-31

Abraham sat and wondered where he was to be circumcised, after the Holy One, blessed be Him, informed him: I will establish My covenant between Me and thee (Gen. 17:2). What follows this verse? And Abraham fell on his face (ibid., v. 3). Once he fell on his face, the Holy One, blessed be He, indicated that place, and a scorpion bit him there. Forthwith, Abraham found himself circumcised. Whence do we know this? We know it from the verse And God spoke unto him, saying: As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee (ibid., vv. 3–4); that is, behold, thou art circumcised…

Midrash Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 17:2-3

Rabbi said: Abraham did not delay aught with reference to all (things) which He commanded him, as it is said, "And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised" (Gen. 17:12); and when Isaac was born, (and when) he was eight days old (Abraham) brought him to be circumcised, as it is said, "And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old" (Gen. 21:4). Hence thou mayest learn that everyone who brings his son for circumcision is as though (he were) a high priest bringing his meal offering and his drink offering upon the top of the altar…

Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 29:8

And the Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre (Gen. 18:1) Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, appear by the terebinths of Mamre? May the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, be blessed, for He does not withhold a reward from any of His creatures. Abraham had three friends, Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre, and when the Holy One commanded Abraham to circumcise himself, he consulted each of them. He went first to Aner and related to him what the Holy One had said. Aner replied: “Do you wish to cripple yourself so severely that when the descendants of the kings whom you have…

Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 3:1

Relatedראו גם

Membersמשתתפים

Abraham

Lot

Sheetsדפי מקורות

Related Sheets