## Tur HaArokh, Genesis

###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:1:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:1:1)

**וירא אליו ה'.**פירש"י לבקר את החולה לפי שלא נאמר לא מאמר ולא דבור אנו מפרשים שלא בא אלא לכבודו ולבקרו. וכתב הרמ"בן שלא נראה לו אלא להודיע כי רצה אלהים מעשיו והוא תשלום גמול למצוה כענין שנאמר אני בצדק אחזה פניך וכן ביעקב ויפגעו בו מלאכי אלהים ואין שם דבור ולא חדשו לו דבר רק שזכה לראיית מלאכי עליון וידע כי מעשיו רצויים וכן היה לאברהם. וי"מ שעיקר זה שנראה לו בשביל מעשה סדום אלא שהפסיק בביאת המלאכים ובשליחותם:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
וירא אליו ה', “The Lord appeared to him, etc.” According to*Rashi,* G’d’s purpose in appearing to Avraham at that time was in the nature of a get well visit one makes to the sick. It was the third day after his circumcision, the most painful day. *Rashi* arrived at that commentary by noting that the Torah does not report G’d as engaging Avraham in a conversation, or giving him any verbal instructions. G’d simply wanted to honour Avraham and wish him well.
 Nachmanides writes that he does not feel comfortable with *Rashi’s* explanation, but that G’d wanted to demonstrate His appreciation of what Avraham had done and His visit was a kind of reward for this. The phenomenon is similar to what is described by Psalms 17,15 אני בצדק אחזה פניך אשבעה בהקיץ תמונתך, “Then, I, justified, will behold Your face; I am filled with the vision of You.” Yaakov experienced something similar upon his return to the land of Canaan from Lavan when the “angels of G’d came to meet and welcome him.” (Genesis 32,2) In that instance the angels are also not reported as delivering a verbal message to Yaakov. As a result of the very absence of such communication, Yaakov realized that his conduct had been approved by G’d. In this case too, Avraham’s conduct had been approved. Some commentators feel that G’d’s major purpose had been to tell Avraham about what He was going to do to Sodom, but that the arrival of the three angels interrupted the conversation.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:1:2
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:1:2)

**באלוני ממרא.**פ' בזכות שנטל ממנו עצה על המילה נגלה לו בחלקו. ומקשים וכי עצה היה צריך לקיום מצות השם ומתרצים שנתן לו עצה באיזה אבר ימול ולא נהירא לי וכי לא ידע אברהם לדרוש וערל זכר שדרשו רבותינו שהמילה באותו מקום. וי"מ בשביל שרבים מעמי הארץ מלו עמו רצה שיהיה בעצת השרים שלא יהיה פתחון פה עליו. כתב הרמ"בם שזו הפרשה כלל ופרט אמר הכתוב תחלה כי נראה לו השם במראה הנבואה ואיך היתה המראה הזאת כי נשא עיניו במראה והנה ג' אנשים זה ספור מה שאמר במראה הנבואה וכן פירש ויאבק איש עמו האמור ביעקב שהיה במראה הנבואה. והרמ"בן סתר דבריו בכמה קושיות וכתב הוא שבכל מקום שמזכיר ראיית מלאך או דבור מלאך הוא במראה או בחלום אבל אינו מראה הנבוא' כי המשיג לראו' מלאך או דבורו איננו נבי' אבל היא מרא' תקרא גילוי עינים כמו ויגל ה' את עיני בלעם וירא את המלאך וכן ויתפלל אלישע ויאמר פקח נא את עיניו ויראה אבל במקום שמזכיר את המלאכים בשם אנשים כעין הפרשה הזאת ופרשת לוט וכן ויאבק איש עמו על דעת רבותינו הוא כבוד נראה במלאכים יקרא אצל היודעים המלבוש יושג אצל היודעים כזכי הנפשות בחסידים ובבני הנביאים:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
באלוני ממרא, ”in the grove belonging to Mamre.” This is not to be understood as a reference to the location per se, but the reason Mamre is mentioned here in connection with where G’d appeared to Avraham is that Avraham was granted this revelation in this location on account of having accepted the advice of Mamre to proceed with the circumcision. Other commentators ask whether Avraham really needed advice from Mamre on the subject of fulfilling a commandment by the Lord or not. They answer that the consultation did not concern if Avraham was to circumcise himself, but on which organ he was to perform this circumcision. This does not make sense to me either, as it is foolish to think that Avraham could not correctly interpret the words וערל זכר אשר לא ימול את בשר ערלתו ונכרתה הנפש ההיא, as referring to the male organ of the person referred to. Some commentators believe that seeing that so many other people were circumcised by him at the same time, Avraham wanted the stamp of approval on what he had done by a prominent person in that society. If he could not secure their approval, he in turn might lose his standing in that society.
 Maimonides, addressing the subject, writes that the whole paragraph has to be viewed as being written in the format known as כלל ופרט, a general instruction first, followed by detailed instructions later. The Torah first reports that Avraham was granted a revelation, without specifying the nature of this revelation. The Torah then proceeds that this revelation which had first consisted only of his raising his eyes and seeing the three men approach, afterwards turned out to have been the introduction to a number of messages, such as when Sarah would give birth and that Sodom would be destroyed. According to Maimonides, these three men were not real, but were part of Avraham’s visions on that occasion. [if so, debating Sarah’s denials is an exercise in futility. Ed.]
 Nachmanides contradicts Maimonides’ approach, listing a number of difficulties with such an exegesis. Among other points, he cites the fact that if Avraham is described on numerous occasions when he had visions as prostrating himself in awe of the spectacle occurring, then clearly these were not nocturnal visions in a dream but actual happenings. In this case Avraham was fully awake. He claims that any human being experiencing the appearance of an angel and being addressed by him, is not experiencing prophecy but an overwhelming revelation of divine forces. [the interested reader is referred to Rabbi Chavell’s translation of Nachmanides’ commentary for further study of the subject. Ed.]


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:3:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:3:1)

**אל נא תעבור.**למאן דמפרש שהוא קודש ולשכינה אמר שתמתין לו קשה והלא כבר נאמר וירץ לקראתם וצריך לומר כשרץ לקראתם נסתלקה שכינה וכשחזר חזרה ואמר לה שתמתין עד שיכניס את האורחים:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
אל נא תעבור, “please do not just pass by.” According to the commentators who perceive this plea of Avraham as being addressed to divine beings, holy ones, i.e. Avraham asking G’d to wait until he had had finished attending to something he had already started, it is difficult, seeing that we know already that he had run to meet these messengers. What reason would he have to ask G’d to wait, seeing he had already welcomed G’d’s messengers? We would have to answer that he had experienced G’d’s presence departing the moment he had given his attention to the three men (angels) he had seen. When he turned in the direction of his vision again, G’d’s presence returned, and he asked G’d to wait until he had fulfilled his obligation of hosting his guests.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:3:2
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:3:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:3:2)

**אל נא תעבור מעל עבדך.**לגדול שבהם אמר אל נא תעבור אתה וריעך. אי נמי אמר לכל אחד ואחד. וי"מ שלא הוצרך לבקש אלא לאחד כי השנים יתעכבו שמה אחד לבשרו ואחד לרפאותו ולא הוצרך לבקש אלא השלישי השלוח להפוך את סדום:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
אל נא תעבור מעל עבדך, “do not pass your servant by.” He addressed these words to the senior one among them, including his two companions in his remarks. Alternatively, he addressed each one of these individuals separately, asking them to stop by.
 Some commentators believe that he only needed to make this request from one of them, as the other two had come to deliver a message to him (as opposed to dealing with the Sodomites.) They therefore had to stop by his house to deliver their messages.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:4:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:4:1)

**יוקח נא מעט מים ורחצו רגליכם.**הכיר בהם שהם עוברי דרך ואין חפצם ללון ולכך לא ביקש מהם אלא שיאכלו מעט וינוחו באויר תחת העץ ויעברו לדרכם:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
יוקח נא מעט מים ורחצו רגליכם, ”let a little water be brought so that you can wash your feet.” He recognized from their appearance that they were travelers passing by and had no intention to spend the night with him. This is why he only invited them for lunch and for enjoying the shade of the tree. After that, he was willing to allow them to continue on their journey without detaining them further.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:5:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:5:1)

**כן תעשה באשר דברת.**פי' פת לחם לבד ולהשען תחת העץ ואל תאספנו הביתה. וי"מ כן תעשה כאשר דברת שתהיה זהיר בכל עת בהכנסת אורחים. וי"מ שכאן רמזו לו שהם מלאכים פי' כן תעשה אתה אבל לפנינו אין אכילה ושתיה:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
כן, תעשה כאשר דברת, ”O.K. you may do as you have suggested.” In other words, they agreed to accept just a piece of bread and to rest up under the tree’s shade. They meant that he should not bring them into his house.
 Some commentators understand the words כן תעשה כאשר דברת as an approval and warning to always practice hospitality in this fashion. Still another commentary sees in these words an allusion to the fact that they were in fact angels, and the word תעשה marks the difference between him and them, i.e. you may eat, we, being angels, do not eat.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:6:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:6:1)

**קמח סולת.**פירש קמח לעמלן של טבחים אע"פ שפסח היה לא היה בהם משום חמץ דהבל אינו מחמיץ. ובב"ר איתא שהיה שלש סאין לכל אחד. וכתב הרמ"בן למה הרבה בלחם לג' אנשים ואפשר שסעדו עמהם גדולי ביתו כדי לכבדם אבל על דרך הפשט מהרי שלש סאים קמח לעשות מהם עוגות שהוציאה מכל ג' הסאין סולת נקי' מעט:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
קמח סלת, “flour, the finest.” Coarse flour {made into a sticky mass as the grain it is made from is underdeveloped. The thin, wafer like mass, is used to absorb rising impurities of what is boiling in the pots used by the cooks in the kitchen. Although this is the way it is described in the *Mishnah Pessachim* 42, [I am not sure how it applies to baked goods such as cake, unless it is placed under the cake to prevent the underside from being burned by the oven. Ed.] Although it was Passover, there was no danger of it becoming leavened, as the heat would prevent this from happening. 
 According to Nachmanides the reason Avraham ordered Sarah to use such a huge quantity of flour for just three men (equivalent of 432 eggs), is that Avraham may have invited numerous dignitaries to share this meal with them.
 According to the plain meaning, three measures of coarse flour yield 1 measure of fine flour after it has been sieved in a fine-meshed sieve.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:7:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:7:1)

**ואל הבקר רץ אברהם.**בקר חד רך שנים וטוב ג' מלמד שהאכילם ג' לשונות בחרדל ולמה לשונות שהיה ממהר לשולחם ולשון יכול למהר מכל שאר בשר שחותכו מיד אחר הבדיקה בלא הפשט:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ואל הבקר רץ אברהם, “meanwhile Avraham had run to the cattle (pens)” From the triple description בקר (1), רך (2) וטוב,(3), we learn that he took 3 calves and served each guest a whole tongue with mustard. Why would he serve them 3 tongues? These could be prepared in a hurry, and Avraham did not want to delay his guests for longer than necessary.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:8:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:8:1)

**ויקח חמאה וחלב ובן הבקר.**והלחם דרשו רבותינו שפירסה נדה ונטמאה. ולפי הפשט הלחם אין צריך להזכירו כי הוא עיקר הסעודה. אי נמי הזכיר אלו בשביל הסדר לומר שבזה הסדר הביאם לפניהם:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ויקח חמאה וחלב, “he took butter and milk;” according to our sages the bread was never served, as Sarah had begun menstruating suddenly, so that she had become ritually impure while doing her chores in the kitchen. According to the plain meaning of the text, there was no need to mention the basic ingredients of the meal, the bread. Alternately, the reason the individual components of the meal are listed, is to show the correct order in which to serve such course during a meal.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:9:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:9:1)

**ויאמרו אליו איה שרה אשתך.**אע"פ שאין שואלין בשלום אשה אפי' ע"י בעלה שאני הכא שלא שאלו בשלומה אלא שאלו היכן היא. נקוד על אי"ו שבאליו ששאלו לה איו שדי למד שבאליו אאיה וקרי בי' ויאמרו אליה איו דכל מקום שהנקודה רבה על הכתב אתה דורש הנקודה וכל מקום שהכתב רבה אתה דורש הכתב. ומקשים א"כ לא ינקד אלא הלמד ויהיה הכתב רבה ונדרש הכתב ומתרצינן כיון שהלמד יש עליה נקודה בשביל הטעם לא היה ניכר:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ויאמרו אליו איה שרה אשתך?, They said to him: “where is your wife Sarah?” Although it is not considered proper manners to enquire after the welfare of someone else’s wife even from her own husband, this was an exceptional situation as they did not really enquire after her well being but they only asked where she was at that time.
 The letters *aleph, yud* and *vav* in the wordאליו have a dot above them, whereas the letter *lamed* does not have such a dot. According to Rabbi Shimon ben Eleazar (*Bereshit Rabbah* 48,15) whenever you encounter more undotted letters in a word than dotted ones, you interpret the word according to the normal spelling. When there are more dotted than undotted letters in the word, we are guided by the dotted letters. In this instance, more letters are dotted than undotted.. According to Rabbi Azaryah, just as the angels asked Avraham where his wife was, they asked Sarah where Avraham was, i.e. איו ”where is he?” The reason is that it would have sufficed to write: “they said ויאמרו איה שרה אשתך, “where is your wife Sarah,” and the reader would have known that they were speaking to Avraham. The extra word אליו alerts us to the fact that they also spoke to someone else. The question raised against this interpretation is that if so it would have sufficed to put a dot only on the letter *lamed* in the word אליו, as we would then have concentrated on the undotted letters איו and we would have arrived at precisely the same result, saving the dots on two letters. The answer given to this objection is that seeing the letter *lamed* needed a dot in any case on account of the tone sign, the meaning of the dot would not have been clear.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:10:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:10:1)

**שוב אשוב אליך כעת חיה.**לפי שהיה מלאך ויודע שיחיה לשנה הבאה אמר שוב אשוב אליך אבל אלישע אמר בשביל שהיה בשר ודם ולא היה יודע אם יחיה לשנה הבאה אמר כעת חיה את חובקת בן ומ"מ לא מצינו שחזר אליה המלאך וכתב הרמ"בן אולי היה נכלל בכלל וה' פקד את שרה ויעש ה' לשרה כאשר דבר. ונכון בעיני שהוא מן לתשובת השנה פי' כי שוב אשוב אליך כעת שתהיו בו חיים ויהיה בן לשרה אשתך וזה כמה שנאמר לאברהם למועד הזה בשנה האחרת שוב אשוב אליך:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
שוב אשוב אליך כעת חיה, “I will surely return to you, at the same time next year;” seeing that he was an angel he knew that he would still be alive at this time in the following year, he could afford to make such a confident-sounding statement. Elisha, though also a prophet, but a human being, did not know if he would be alive a year from a certain day. When he promised the woman in Shunem that she would embrace a son a year from the date he promised her this, did not include himself in his description of the event, and only said כעת חיה את חובקת בן, “at this time year you will embrace a son.” (Kings II 4,16). In spite of all this, there is no written record in the Torah that this angel visited Avraham and Sarah in the year following this conversation. Nachmanides suggests, that the words וה' פקד את שרה וגו', “G’d remembered Sarah as He had said,” in 21,1 includes what the angel had said here.
 Personally, I believe that the true explanation is that the angel was not referring to himself at all, when he said this, but was announcing that at the turn of the year, i.e. at *Rosh Hashanah,* Sarah would have a son. This would be exactly in line with what Avraham had been told למועד הזה בשנה האחרת “at this time of year next year” (17,21)


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:11:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:11:1)

**חדל להיות לשרה אורח כנשים.**וברחל כתיב דרך נשים לי לפי שרחל היתה בחורה ובא לה כדרכה מן המקור והכא שהיתה זקנה ונסתלקו דמיה בא לה אורחות עקלקלות:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
חדל להיות לשרה אורח כנשים, “Sarah had long stopped menstruating.” Here the Torah refers to the process of menstruation as אורח כנשים, whereas in connection with Rachel the Torah uses the term דרך נשים. The reason is that Rachel being in her prime at the time, experienced the flow of menstrual blood coming directly from her ovaries, whereas in the case of aged Sarah the blood had to find other conduits until it could exit from her body.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:12:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:12:1)

**ותצחק שרה.**אין זה כשחוק של אברהם שהיה מחמת שמחה שהאמין אבל שרה לא האמינה ומה שלא האמינה כאברהם לפי שהוא שמע מהקב"ה אבל היא לא שמעה אלא מהמלאכים שנראו לה כאנשים:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ותצחק שרה, “Sarah laughed (internally),” This was not like the joyful laughter the Torah reports Avraham as breaking out into in 17,17 upon being told something similar by G’d. Avraham rejoiced because he believed the message, whereas Sarah found the message as beyond belief. The reason that she did not match her husband in believing in this instance was that whereas he had received the message from G’d directly, she had only heard it from a man dressed like an Arab. [even though she laughed soundlessly, so as not to embarrass the messenger. Ed.]


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:13:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:13:1)

**ואני זקנתי.**מכאן שמותר לשנות מפני השלום שהיא אמרה ואדוני זקן. ופי' הרמ"בן דאין כאן שנוי שאמת הוא שתלתה הדבר בזקנותה שהרי אמרה אחרי בלותי היתה לי עדנה אלא זה השנוי שלא רצה לגלות ואדוני זקן שהיה ראוי לו לומר ואני ואדוני זקנים שהרי שרה בשניהם צחקה. וי"מ שלא היה השחוק אלא עליו שלא אמרה בתמי' אלא בניחותא והכי פירושא אחרי בלותי היתה לי עדנה ואז ראיתי כי אפשר הוא אבל אדוני זקן ואיך אלד עוד ממנו:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ואני זקנתי, “seeing that I have become old.” From this verse we know that it is permissible to utter a white lie if it helps preserve harmonious relations between husband and wife. Actually, Sarah had not described herself as too old, but her husband. The angel changed what she had said in a way that would not embarrass Avraham or insult him.
 Nachmanides holds that the angel had not changed anything at all, as Sarah attributed the unlikelihood of the message becoming true to her state, as she had added that she had long ago stopped menstruating and therefore was unable to conceive. She had added however, that she had suddenly experienced a rejuvenation, אחרי בלותי היתה לי עדנה, something she did not want to reveal to the messenger. Her error was in not saying (or thinking, rather) “I and my husband are too old.” Sarah laughed at both parts of the message. Some commentators believe that Sarah’s laughter was directed only at her husband; seeing that she had experienced rejuvenation, she knew that as far as she was concerned conception had become possible. However, she was not aware of anything similar having happened to her husband.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:14:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:14:1)

**כעת חיה.**פירש"י כעת הזאת לשנה האחרת ופסח היה ולשנה האחרת נולד יצחק וקשה לפירושו דאמרינן בפ"ק דר"ה דקאי בסוכות ואומר למועד ראשון שיבא אחריו יהא נולד. ועוד קשה לר' אליעזר דאמר בתשרי נולד אברהם ויעקב ופרשת מילה נאמרה לו בשנת צ"ט א"כ ע"כ בתשרי שמל בן צ"ט היה. ועוד קשה על ההוא דר"ה ממאי דכתיב בפ' מילה ואת בריתי אקים את יצחק אשר תלד לך שרה בשנה האחרת למועד הזה אלמא בתשרי נולד. ואין לומר שנאמר לו בפסח שבשנת צ"ט פרשת מילה ולא מל עד תשרי שאחריו ואז נאמר לו למועד הראשון דהיינו פסח שנולד יצחק דמסתמא דמיד כשנצטוה נימול דזריזין מקדימין ועוד קרא קאמר בעצם היום הזה נמול שבו ביום שנצטוה נמול. ותירץ הר' שמעון בר' אברהם דב' פעמים באו המלאכים פעם ראשונה באו בניסן ואמרו כעת חיה ושוב באו בתשרי ואמרו למועד הזה ואז שחקה שרה לפי שראתה שעברו כבר ו' חדשים מהזמן ועדיין לא תירץ הרב קרא דאשר תלד לך שרה לשנה האחרת דע"כ בתשרי היה ולשנה הבאה נולד יצחק:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
כעת חיה, according to *Rashi:* ”at this time next year.” This happened on Passover (the date when Passover would occur in the future) Yitzchok, as we know, was born in the following year. *Rashi’s* commentary poses a problem, as, according to our tradition, (*Rosh Hashanah 11)* that these angels arrived on *Sukkot* if they promised that Yitzchok would be born by the next מועד, holiday, this would be Passover, and the baby would be 3 months premature. According to Rabbi Eliezer there that Yitzchok was born on *Rosh Hahanah* there are other difficulties, such as that if Avraham and Yaakov had both been born in *Tishrey,* and he was told about the circumcision while 99 years of age, he was 99 at the time he circumcised himself. Avraham would still have been 99 years old at the time he circumcised Yitzchok, something which contradicts Genesis
 Furthermore, there is another difficulty with a statement on folio 11 in *Rosh Hashanah,* where reference is made to the angel having told Sarah that the child would be born in the following year, based on the words למועד אשוב אליך plus the prediction in It is not possible that these words, i.e. בשנה האחרת, were said to Avraham on Passover of his 99th year when he was told about the forthcoming need to circumcise himself, whereas the actual circumcision did not occur until six months later in Tishrey, and that only then was he told the words that Yitzchok would be born at the first festival (מועד) thereafter which would then have occurred on the following Passover when Yitzchok would indeed be born. We have a tradition that Avraham carried out the commandment to circumcise himself immediately, and certainly did not let 6 or 7 months elapse before doing what G’d had told him to do. The Torah itself testifies that he circumcised himself on the day he had received the commandment, by describing the date as בעצם היום, on the day he was so commanded (17,26).
 The answer given to all these questions is by Rabbi Shimon ben Avraham. He explains that the angels actually visited Avraham on two separate occasions. The first time they visited him in *Nissan* and they told him they would return again כעת חיה, The second time they visited him in *Tishrey* and said to him that in another year, at the same season, Sarah would have a son. It was on the second occasion that Sarah laughed (to herself) seeing that 6 months had already passed since these same men’s first visit, and nothing had changed in her or her husband’s condition. Even with the explanation of Rabbi Shimon ben Avraham there remains the problem of the words אשר תלד לך שרה למועד הזה בשנה האחרת, “whom Sarah will bear for you at this season in the following year.” (17,21) These words were spoken in Tishrey and Yitzchok was born in the year following.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:15:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:15:1)

**ותכחש שרה.**כתב הרמ"בן אני תמיה בנביאה הצדקת איך תכחש באשר אמר ה' לנביא וגם לא האמינה לדברי מלאכי אלהים ונראה בעיני כי המלאכים האלה נראו כאנשים ובאו אל אברהם והוא בחכמתו הכיר בהם ובשר אותו שוב אשוב אליך ולשרה בן ושרה שומעת ולא ידעה כי מלאכי אלהים הם כענין אשת מנוח או שמא לא ראתה אותם ותשחק ללעג כמו יושב בשמים ישחק ה' ילעג למו והקב"ה האשים אותה לאברהם למה היה הדבר נמנע בעיניה היה לה להאמין או שתאמר אמן כן יעשה השם ואברהם אמר לה שחקת היפלא מה' דבר ולא גילה לה כי הב"ה גילה אליו סודו והיא מפני יראתו של אברהם תכחש כי חשבה כי אברהם בהכרת פניה יאמר כן או מפני ששתקה ולא נתנה שבח והודאה בדבר והוא אמר לה לא כי שחקת אז הבינה כי בנבואה נאמר לו ושתקה ולא ענתה אותו דבר. וראוי שנאמר עוד כי אברה' לא גילה לה מה שנאמר תחלה אבל שרה אשתך יולדת לך בן שהמתין עד ששלח לה הב"ה לאמר לה לבשרה או מפני זריזותו שהיה טרוד למול אותו ואת כל בני ביתו ואח"כ בחולשתו ישב פתח האהל והמלאכים באו טרם שהגיד לה דבר:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ותכחש שרה, “Sarah denied (having laughed derisively)” Nachmanides writes that he cannot get over the fact that a prophetess of the caliber of the matriarch Sarah denied that she had laughed at the prophecy and had not believed the prophecy delivered in the name of the Lord. The only possible answer he could accept was that seeing that these messages were delivered by people in human garb, low ranking individuals at that, this made it difficult for her to credit what they said. Avraham, in his wisdom, discerned who they were when they gave him the message that Sarah would have a son a year hence when one of them would come back. Sarah overheard what these men said without having seen them face to face, or suspecting that they were angels, as they had not introduced themselves as such. [as when these same “men” appeared to Lot later on, on the evening of the same day as “angels. (compare 19,1) This was not like the wife of Manoach to whom the angel appeared in the first place and addressed her face to face, and whose appearance already frightened her almost out of her wits. (Judges 13,3).] It is also possible that Sarah, not having seen these men at all, silently ridiculed the prophecy which she might have considered a blessing by strangers whom her husband had entertained, a situation similar to the one in which G’d is described as ridiculing man’s efforts when these efforts are intended to thwart His will. (Psalms 2,4)
 Nonetheless, G’d reprimanded Sarah by revealing her innermost thoughts, described here as laughter, to her husband. G’d’s complaint against Sarah was that she considered the prophecy as incapable of fulfillment, thereby displaying a lack of faith in G’d and in His powers. Instead of ridiculing the good tidings, she should have reacted by saying: “Amen, may it be G’d’s will.” Avraham challenged her about not having believed the prophecy by saying: “is anything impossible for the Lord,” היפלא מה' דבר?, and she, being afraid of her husband, resorted to denying that she had laughed at the prophecy. Avraham had not realized that what G’d had revealed to him, He had not revealed to Sarah. She was not sure whether Avraham had said the line היפלא מה' דבר because he wanted to flatter his guests who had made the prediction, or because he was displeased with Sarah’s silence instead of her grateful acknowledgment of the good news.
 It is proper to add here that clearly Avraham did not inform Sarah about what G’d had said to him in 17,19-21 when He had informed him that his wife Srarah would indeed bear a son for him, so that what Avraham had now heard from the angel was not news except for the time frame when the birth would take place. Avraham had not informed Sarah as he thought that G’d Himself would inform her, just as He had informed him. It is also possible that having been so preoccupied with the circumcision of his male household members, his son Ishmael, his own circumcision and the days of recuperation, it had slipped his mind to tell Sarah about this relatively minor item in the revelation he had experienced when Sarah’s name had also been changed. The sudden arrival of the angels had taken him by surprise.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:17:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:17:1)

**וה' אמר.**כתב הרמ"בן אל צבא השמים העומדים ממעל לו או אל המלאכים השלוחים. ויתכן שהוא מהמחשבה פי' חשב שלא יכסה ממנו וכל אמירה עם הלב היא מחשבה:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
וה' אמר, “and the Lord had said, etc.” According to Nachmanides G’d had said what follows to His celestial army. It is also possible that the word אמר when applied to G’d and no specific person is being addressed, means that G’d “thought.” G’d’s “thinking” is at least equivalent to man’s “saying” with his mouth.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:18:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:18:1)

**ואברהם היו יהיה.**פירש"י כיון שהזכירו ברכו. והרמב"ן כתב הנכון כי השם ית' דבר בכבוד אברהם אמר הנה הוא עתיד להיות לגוי גדול ויהיה זכרו וזרעו בכל גויי הארץ לברכה לכן לא אכסה ממנו כי יאמרו הדורות הבאים איך כסה ממנו או איך נתאכזר הצדיק על שכניו ולא ריחם עליהם להתפלל עליהם כי אני ידעתי כי הוא מכיר ויודע כי אני ה' אוהב צדקה ומשפט כלומר שאני עושה משפט בצדקה ולכן יצוה את בניו ואת ביתו לאחוז דרכי והנה אם בדרך צדקה ומשפט יפטרו ויתפלל לפני להניחם טוב הדבר ואם חייבים הם לגמרי גם הוא יחפוץ במשפטם לכן ראוי שיבא בסוד ה':

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ואברהם היו יהיה, “seeing that Avraham will surely become, etc., etc.” According to *Rashi* as soon as G’d made mention of Avraham, He immediately also blessed him. Nachmanides claims that the true meaning of this phrase is that G’d spoke deferentially about Avraham, saying that in view of the fact that this man would become the founder of such an important nation and kingdoms, and his memory as a dispenser of blessing would never fade from mankind’s consciousness, it was no more than courtesy to inform him of His plans and to record his intercession on behalf of the people of Sodom, so that future generations could not accuse him [as they might have accused Noach who had also been informed of the impending destruction of mankind, without, however raising his voice in prayer. Ed.] of mutely, and cruelly making peace with G’d’s plan without at least inquiring into the circumstances more deeply. Having been on record as praying on behalf of people who had already been condemned, his way of life of combining charity with righteousness, justice, would prove to be an acceptable role model for his descendants, and in fact, for much of mankind as a whole. It was also important to convey to future generations that even an Avraham, with his almost boundless love of mankind, agreed with G’d that there are people who are beyond the pale of redemption.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:19:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:19:1)

**כי ידעתיו.**פירש"י כתרגומו ארי ידעתיניה לשון חיבה פי' אהבתיו בשביל שיצוה. והרמ"בן פי' שהוא לשון גדולה פי' גדלתיו בעבור שיצוה את בניו ואת ביתו אחריו לעשות הישר בעיני ולכן אשימנו לגוי גדול ועצום שיעבדוני כמו ידעתיך בשם. אי נמי ידעתיו שיצוה וכן למען ינוח עבדך ואמתך שפירושו שינוח. והנכון בעיני שהיא ידיעה ממש ירמוז כי ידיעת השם שהוא השגחתו בעולם השפל הוא לשמור הכללים גם בני אדם מונחים בו למקרים עד עת בא פקודתם אבל בחסידיו ישים אל לבו לדעת אותו בפרט להיות שמירתו דבוקה בו תמיד לא תפרד ממנו הידיעה והזכירה כלל כענין לא יגרע מצדיק עינו:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
כי ידעתיו, “for I know him intimately.” *Rashi* follows Onkelos in understanding the word ידעתיו as: “I love him.” G’d is saying that the reason He loves Avraham is because he will command his family and people under his control to observe the ways of the Lord.
 Nachmanides understands the word ידעתיו as a description of Avraham as an individual whom G’d has endowed with greatness in order that he will pass on his lifestyle to his descendants, his lifestyle being that he emulates the ways of the Lord. It is because of this that G’d will make a great nation out of him. That nation in turn will serve the Lord just as their founder had done.
 Another meaning of the word ידעתיו in connection with the preface למען could be parallel to Deut. 5,14 למען ינוח עבדך ואמתך, “in order that your manservant and woman servant shall rest, (abstain from forbidden activities on the Sabbath)” In that instance the word למען substitutes for the prefix ש, i.e. שינוח.
 Personally, I believe that the word has to be understood as ידיעה, true knowledge of someone, like one possesses knowledge of facts. G’d hints that He supervises Avraham (and others) minutely even though we live in the world known as the עולם השפל, “the lower regions of the universe.” Although many people are assigned a role in life and are therefore exposed to what appear as accidents of nature until the day they die and hopefully qualify for residence in the higher regions of the universe, deserving individuals will always attract G’d’s attention and especial protection while on earth. Avraham will be a prime example of such people, and he can inspire them due to what people know about him.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:20:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:20:1)

**ויאמר ה' זעקת סדום.**פי' ר' אברהם ויפנו דכתיב בתר הכי קודם היה כי אחר שהלכו המלאכים אמר ה' אל אברהם זעקת סדום ועמורה כי רבה. ופי' הפסוק ויאמר ה' אל אברהם לאחר שנפנו משם האנשים שאז אמר לו זעקת סדום ועמורה וגו' אז עמד בתפלה והאריך בתפלתו עד שבאו האנשים סדומה:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ויאמר ה' זעקת סדום, “G’d said: ‘the outcry about Sodom, etc.” According to Ibn Ezra, the line ויפנו משם האנשים“the men turned away from there” in verse 22 of our chapter, describes an event that preceded the conversation between Avraham and G’d introduced here. The whole verse has to be understood thus: After the men, i.e. angels, had taken their leave of Avraham, G’d said to him that the outcry about the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah which had come to His attention was such that, if upon closer examination, these reports would prove to be accurate, that would be the end of these cities. Thereupon Avraham began to pray on behalf of the innocent people in those cities.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:20:2
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:20:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:20:2)

**זעקת סדום ועמורה כי רבה.**פי' ר' אברהם שספרו דברים כנגד השם. והרמ"בן אומר זעקת העשוקי' מסדום ועמורה שיזעקו וישועו מרוע רשעם.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
זעקת סדום ועמורה כי רבה, “the outcry rising from Sodom and Gomorrha is indeed of vast proportions.” According to Ibn Ezra, they either spoke out openly against G’d (the seven universal laws given by G’d to mankind,) or they indulged in violent means to enforce their views. According to Nachmanides, the wordsזעקת סדום וגו' refer to the outcry to G’d of the souls of the victims of such violence (compare Job 35,9: יזעיקו ישועו רבים, ”many oppressed cry out.”)


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:21:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:21:1)

**ארדה נא ואראה הכצעקתה הבאה אלי עשו כלה.**פי' שכולם חטאו בהם אכלה אותם ואם לאו אלא שחטאו מקצתם אדעה מי הם החוטאים ואדון אותם וכן יראה מתפלת אברהם שאמר האף תספה צדיק עם רשע. ופי' עוד ארדה נא ממדת רחמים למדת הדין ואראה הכצעקת' הבאה אלי עשו במדת הדין אעשה כלה בהם ואם לא אדעה וארחם כמו וידע אלקים ואחר שסיפר הכתוב דעת עליון חזר לענין הראשון וסיפר במעשה כי האנשים אשר השקיפו על פני סדום ללכת שמה ושלחם אברהם הגיעו שמה ואברהם מעת הפרדם ממנו עד הגיעם שם עודנו עומד לפניו כי קראו והגיד לו כי מלאכיו הם השלוחים האלה להשחית המקום כאשר אמר ולא הוצרך לפרש מתי עמד לפניו כי מעת שאמר המכסה אני מאברהם נודע שהגיד לו:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ארדה נא ואראה הכצעקתה הבאה אלי עשו, כלה,”I will descend and investigate if they have indeed done in accordance with the outcry that has come to Me; that would be the end.” If all of them have sinned that will be the end of them, but if only a part of the inhabitants have been guilty of such sins, אדעה, I will take note of this and act accordingly. From Avraham’s intervention at this point it is clear that G’d had left him an opening to plead on behalf of those who had not actively been guilty. Avraham only asked to spare the righteous.
 An additional meaning of the words ארדה נא ואראה sees in the wording a change by G’d from invoking the attribute of Mercy to invoking the attribute of Justice. G’d is saying that if things are as bad as He has heard, the time has come to invoke the attribute of Justice, as a result of which there will be total destruction of these cities. If not, He will take note of this and employ the attribute of Mercy. We find a parallel verse to this in Exodus 2,25 when G’d tells Moses that now that the Jewish people themselves have turned to Him to complain about the outrageous treatment of them by the Egyptians, He will employ the attribute of Justice against them, i.e. וידע אלוקים, G’d’s attribute of Justice had now taken notice.
 After the Torah had revealed to us G’d’s thinking, it reverts to the story involving the three angels who had visited Avraham, and how these angels after having looked down on Sodom (in the deep valley) arrived there, and what happened next. During all this time, Avraham was still standing in the presence of the Lord, pleading for those who might qualify for survival. G’d had made it clear to him that the men who had visited him were His agents and had been dispatched to carry out the decree against these 5 cities.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:23:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:23:1)

**האף תספה צדיק עם רשע.**פי' וכי במדת הדין תדין אותם להמית צדיק עם רשע חלילה לך מעשות כדבר הזה שיאמרו לשוא עבד הצדיק את האלקים וכ"ש במדת הרחמים שהוא שופט כל הארץ שעושה משפט בצדק לא יעשה עמהם צדקה בצדק שיצילו צדיקים את הרשעים זהו שאמר חלילה ב' פעמים:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
האף תספה צדיק עם רשע?, “are You really going to wipe out the righteous with the wicked?” Avraham meant if G’d would really apply the attribute of Justice also to the people who had not directly aroused His anger as a result of the reports which had come to His attention. חלילה לך מעשות כדבר הזה, “surely You would not do something which would make people conclude that there was no advantage in leading a righteous life if they had to die with the wicked people surrounding them.” Especially, seeing that G’d normally applies His attribute of Mercy when judging people, how could such an attribute be denied the righteous whose very existence is the reason that G’d tempers justice with mercy when judging mankind? This is why the word חלילה, “far be it,” appears twice in our verse.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:24:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:24:1)

**חמשים צדיקים.**פירש"י עשרה לכל כרך וכרך ואחר כן בקש מ' לד' כרכים ול' לג' ועשרים לב' ועשרה לכרך אחד. וכ' הרמ"בן אני תמיה למה כל התפלה והתחנה הזאת אם יצילו נ' ה' למה לא יצילו מ' ד' וכן יצילו ל' ג' וכ' יצילו ב' ועשרה א' וכן מה שכתב רש"י ועל ידי צירוף בקש ולא מצא והלא למ"ה היה מבקש הצירוף ולא היה שם מ"ה אבל ט' אולי ימצאון והיה לו לבקש על ט' להצטרף עמהם להציל אחד ואולי רוצה לומר שרבים ראויים להצלה גדולה יותר מאשר יצילו מעטים אפילו הצלה מועטת ועל כן היה צריך להתחנן בכל פעם וכן מה שלא בקש ע"י צירוף עם ט' מפני שהב"ה הודה לו שיצילו מ"ה בצירוף צדיקו של עולם על כל הכרכי' ומעתה ד' כרכי' ינצלו בל"ו על ידי צירוף וכן הל' ועשרה כיון שהודה בצירוף הזה ואין לומר נהי שהודה לו שיצטרף עם מ"ה שהם רבים שמא לא יודה לו בצירוף עם מעטים כמו שאמרנו דודאי בלא צירוף שייך לחלק בין מועטים למרובים אבל כאן שההצלה ע"י צירוף אין לחלק שצדקת ה' ראוי להצטרף ולהציל כיון שהודה ולא יבדיל בין רב למעט. ומיהו כתב הוא שלפי הפשט תחלה אמר נ' לתת חשבון של עשרה לכל אחד ואחד ומעט מעט פיחת ולעולם על הכל בקש. ור' אברהם כתב שלא נגש אברהם להתפלל על סדום אלא על שהיה בה לוט: צ"ע למה אמר בפעם ראשונה ורביעית וחמישית לא אשחית ובשנייה ובשלישית אמר לא אעשה.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
חמשים צדיקים, “fifty righteous people.” *Rashi* explains the reason why Avraham commenced with the number 50 as meaning one quorum of ten righteous people in each of these five cities, so that 40 would be able to save the inhabitants of four cities, etc. 
 Nachmanides writes that he is perplexed by *Rashi’s* comment. If indeed 50 righteous people were enough to save 5 cities, why would it be necessary to pray that 40 righteous people should be enough to save four cities, and so on down the line? Another query against *Rashi’s* explanation is that it appears that He assumes that G’d Himself can be added to 9 righteous people to complete the quorum of a “holy congregation,” why else would he have asked about 45 righteous people? (seeing that the combination of 9 righteous in each city plus the Lord, would provide 5 quorums which would save all five cities) Why would he not have asked about 9 righteous people, who, with the addition of G’d, would at least be able to save one of the cities? 
 Perhaps, what *Rashi* meant to convey was that a greater number of righteous people could save more than merely a proportionately greater number of cities. This is why Avraham had to enumerate each scenario separately and repeatedly. Actually, when G’d agreed that if He were to find 45 righteous people, i.e. 9 in each town, He would save all 5 cities, Avraham knew that if there were only 36 such people spread equally over four towns G’d would consider Himself the 10th in each group and four cities would be saved. This pattern could in theory be repeated down to 9. The reason Avraham did not have the audacity to ask about a total of only nine righteous men to whom G’d would be added to form the quorum, was that in all the other examples G’d had already indicated that He Himself would complete the quorum.
 According to the plain meaning of the text, (as understood by Nachmanides) Avraham commenced by asking about 50 righteous people in order to establish that he realized that unless there was a quorum of 10 good people per town such a town had no claim on the attribute of Mercy. According to this approach, it did not even occur to Avraham to ask for the saving of the cities piecemeal, he only wanted to establish the minimum number of righteous people that would suffice to annul the decree of the destruction of the five cities.
 According to Ibn Ezra, Avraham did not pray altogether on behalf of these people, had it not been a fact that his nephew Lot lived among them. An unresolved problem is the change for describing destruction, sometimes as לא אשחית, and sometimes לא אעשה, “I will not do it.”


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:32:1
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:32:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:32:1)

**לא אשחית בעבור העשרה.**הבטיחו שלא ישחית אם ימצא שם אבל לא אמר דע לך כי אין שם כי עדיין לא נגמר דינם כמו שאמר ארדה נא ואראה ואברהם לא ידע מה יעשה בהם והשכים בבקר והשקיף על פני סדום וכשראה ידע שלא נמצאו שם עשרה:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
לא אשחית בעבור העשרה, “I will not destroy on account of those ten.” He promised Avraham that He would not destroy the towns (or town) if He were to find ten such good people there. He did not add that Avraham should know that there were no ten such people in those cities. The reason G’d did not add these words was that the decree had not yet been finalized so as to become irrevocable. This was the meaning of G’d having said: “I will descend and take a personal look at the situation.” Avraham was left in doubt about the outcome until the following morning when he saw a column of smoke rising from that region. When he saw that, he knew that no ten righteous men had been found there.


###### Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:32:2
[Tur HaArokh, Genesis 18:32:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Genesis/r/18:32:2)

**בתוך העיר.**פי' ר' אברהם שיהיו יראים את השם בפרהסיא כענין שוטטו בחוצות ירושלם. והרמב"ן פי' כי אמר בתוך לומר אפי' היו הנזכרים יושבים בתוכה ולא מתושב העיר ראוי שיצילוה והיתה הכוונה על לוט:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
בתוך העיר, “within the city.” According to Ibn Ezra the condition was that these ten people are visibly G’d-fearing, display their faith in public. We find something analogous described in Jeremiah 5,1 שוטטו בחוצות ירושלים, “roam the streets of Jerusalem!” [in that instance the search would not turn up a single G’d-fearing man. Ed.]
 Nachmanides sees in the expression בתוך העיר that even if the ten men in question were sojourning in Sodom only temporarily, were not citizens, their presence at this time would help save the town from destruction. The words were a veiled reference to people such as Lot.