Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish
Subject: A Byte Of Torah II,IV Vayera
From: ToraByte Int'l <CFRQC@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Date: Thursday, 12 Nov 1992 01:03:20 EST
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center

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                                     A                                   BS"D
   Volume II                      B Y T E     The Electronic
     Issue IV                       O F          Torah Weekly
                                 T O R A H
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 ----                    Editor : Zev S. Itzkowitz                       ----
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                           Dvar Torah of the Week
                           ----------------------

"For I know him (Abraham),
  that he will command his children and his household after him,
   and they will keep Hashem's path to do charity and justice;
    (that) Hashem will bring upon Abraham all that He has told him.
     And Hashem said: The cry of Sedom ... is great..." (Genesis 18:19,20)

 What does Hashem mean by, "For I know him"? Hashem's knowledge of Abraham can
be understood as a term of endearment (Rashi). Alternatively, Hashem's
knowledge of Abraham can be interpreted as an extra special level of Divine
Providence (Rabbeinu Bachya, Ramban). Why was Abraham given special treatment?
Abraham was a righteous individual, and Hashem watches over righteous
individuals more so than other human beings (Rabbeinu Bachya).
 How will Hashem "bring upon Abraham all that He has told him"? Did Abraham
not die before Hashem fulfilled His promises to him? Abraham never lived to
see the promises of Hashem fulfilled. However, one who raises a child to be a
righteous person is considered as if he never died (cf. Rashi). Therefore, in
raising Isaac to be righteous, and so too Isaac in raising Jacob, and so on,
it was as if Abraham never died. Thus, when Hashem fulfilled His promises to
the Children of Israel, it was as if He fulfilled His promises to Abraham
himself.
 Why is the mention of Sedom juxtaposed to the mention of Hashem's knowledge
of Abraham? It teaches us the nature of the sins of the residents of Sedom.
How? By positioning these two verses next to each other, Hashem contrasted the
deeds of Abraham and his descendants, with the deeds of the inhabitants of
Sedom (Tractate Yoma 38a). Just as Abraham and his descendants follow Hashem's
path of doing charity and justice, the denizens of Sedom do the opposite: they
steal and obstruct justice (Torah Temimah).


                             Mussar of the Week
                             ------------------

"And Hashem left when He finished speaking to Abraham ..." (Genesis 18:33)

 What does this mean? It is as if Hashem said to Abraham, 'I would like to
depart from you'. Hashem thus taught us a proper act of behavior. When one
would like to leave a person after engaging them in conversation, it is proper
to first request permission from that individual, before departing (Tractate
Derech Eretz Chp. 5).
(Note: The type of conversation being referred to, can be a discourse or
discussion in learning, or even sociable dialogue.-ZSI)

Please direct any comments, questions, etc. to bytetorah@israel.nysernet.org,
which will be forwarded to me. Please pass it on to a friend. If you want to
subscribe, please send e-mail to listserv@israel.nysernet.org with the msg:
SUB bytetorah <first name> <last name>.  --Zev Itzkowitz        Copyright 1992
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish