[AT EVEN.] The term ba-erev (at even) will be explained in the chapter dealing with the Passover observed by the Israelites in Egypt.¹

footnotes: ¹ See I.E.’s comment on Ex. 12:6.

AND HE FELL DOWN ON HIS FACE TO THE EARTH. Until his nose touched the earth. Appayim (his face) refers to the nostrils which protrude from the face.² means a nostril; hence appayim (his face) means nostrils or nose. I.E. renders and he fell down on his face to the earth as: and he fell down on his nostrils to the earth.

footnotes: ² Af

BEHOLD NOW, MY LORDS. Adonai is to be rendered my lords. It does not refer to God.³ beneath the nun. See I.E.’s comment on Gen. 18:13. When the word sur (turn aside) is followed by a mem it means to turn away from.⁴ (turn aside from evil) (Ps. 34:15). When it is followed by the word el⁵ itself or el plus a pronominal suffix. Cf. Krinsky. We have translated according to Vat. Ebr. 38. The printed editions read alef with a pattach. The meaning is the same. (to) it means turn from your place and come here, or turn from your place and go to a designated place. Compare, surah elai (turn in to me) (Jud. 4:18).

footnotes: ³ It is vocalized with a pattach ⁴ See sur mera ⁵ Either el

AND THEY SAID: “NAY.” Unless you urge us to do so.⁶ The word va-yiftzar (and he urged) indicates the use of many conciliatory words. Haftzar (stubbornness) in And stubbornness (haftzar) is as idolatry and teraphim (I Sam. 15:23)⁷ is similar.

footnotes: ⁶ That is why Lot did not take their refusal as final. According to Krinsky, I.E. was bothered by the angels apparently changing their mind. Thus I.E. interpreted that the tone of their voices indicated that, if pleaded with, they would change their minds (Weiser). ⁷ Which I.E. renders: pleading with God to change a prohibition is like idolatry and teraphim (Weiser).

COMPASSED. Nasabbu (compassed) is a nifal.

ALL THE PEOPLE FROM EVERY QUARTER. Those who did not live in the vicinity of Lot’s house.

THAT WE MAY KNOW THEM. A euphemism for sexual intercourse.

TO THE DOOR. Ha-petchah means to the door.⁸ at the end of the word petach means to. The tav of the word delet (door) is the sign of the feminine.⁹ The word delet is also found spelled without the tav.¹⁰ (dal) of my lips in Ps. 141:3.

footnotes: ⁸ The heh ⁹ It is not a root letter. ¹⁰ Keep watch at the door

KNOWN MAN. The third person plural perfect is the same in both the masculine and feminine when not written with a vav conversive which is vocalized with a pattach.¹¹ (have known) is used both for the masculine and the feminine. However, when have known is written with a vav conversive, which is vocalized with a pattach, then the masculine and feminine have different forms. The masculine in this case is va-yede’u and the feminine va-tedanah.

footnotes: ¹¹ In other words, yade’u

THESE. Ha-el (these) means the same as ha-eleh.¹² is the usual term for these. Saadiah Gaon claims that Scripture used the term ha-el because one of the three angels was missing.¹³. However, his comment is far-fetched, for the Aramaic translation of the Pentateuch renders both ha-el and ha-eleh by the same word.¹⁴ and ha-eleh by ha-illen. If they had different nuances Onkelos would have used a different word for each.

footnotes: ¹² Ha-eleh ¹³ According to Saadiah, had all three angels been present then Lot would have said ha-eleh ¹⁴ Onkelos renders both ha-el

WITH BLINDNESS. Sanverim (blindness) has a quadriliteral root. This term is also found in the account of Elisha (II Kings 6:18). It refers to physical and intellectual blindness.¹⁵

footnotes: ¹⁵ Netter. Had they only been blind they still could have found the door.

HAST THOU HERE ANY BESIDES? SON-IN-LAW. If you have a son-in-law here.¹⁶

footnotes: ¹⁶ The angel was not asking a question; he was making a statment: “If you have a son-in-law here…take him out” (Krinsky).

AND THY SONS, AND THY DAUGHTERS. Or sons-in-law who are considered as your sons and daughters.¹⁷, usually translated as and, here is to be rendered as as (vav ha-dimuy). Cf. Weiser.( We have here a refutation of the opinion that maintains that one of the two angels was sent to save Lot.¹⁸, Chap. SO, states that each of the two angels sent to Lot had a separate task, one to save him, the other to destroy Sodom. For behold, both angels spoke to Lot. Furthermore, they said to him, for we will destroy this place (v. 13).¹⁹ Also, Lot later said to the angel, behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shown unto me in saving my life, etc. (v. 19). Now that very angel replied to Lot, Hasten thou, escape thither, for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither (v. 22).²⁰

footnotes: ¹⁷ Lot had no sons (Krinsky). The words “or sons-in-law” have to be supplied by the reader. It is implied in the text. The vav ¹⁸ Bereshit Rabbah ¹⁹ Which shows that both angels destroyed Sodom. ²⁰ We thus see that the very angel who saved Lot was also involved in the destruction of Sodom.

WHO MARRIED HIS DAUGHTERS. Lot had two other daughters who perished in Sodom. This is clear from Scripture’s statement: Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters that are here (v. 15).²¹ (v. 14). Thus Lot had married daughters. Daughters implies at least two.

footnotes: ²¹ Which implies that he took the two daughters who were with him in the house. The term “here” implies that there were others. As to the number two, I.E. probably arrived at it as follows: Scripture speaks of sons-in-law, who married his daughters

AND WHEN THE MORNING AROSE. Rabbi Jonah, the Spanish grammarian,²² said that it is ungrammatical to say u-khemo alah ha-shachar (and when arose the morning).²³ (and when the morning arose). The usual Biblical syntax for a clause such as ours is verb, noun, alah ha-shachar, rather than ha-shachar alah (Krinsky). Hence Ibn Janah’s comments that kemo cannot come before a verb in the perfect. However, Rabbi Jonah seems to have forgotten the verse ve-ravu kemo ravu (and they shall increase as they have increased) (Zech. 10:8).²⁴ is connected to ravu, a verb in the perfect.

footnotes: ²² Ibn Janah. ²³ Our verse reads, u-khe-mo ha-shachar alah ²⁴ Kemo

THEN THE ANGELS HASTENED. Va-ya’itzu (hastened) means they pressured. Compare, And the taskmasters were urgent (atzim), saying (Ex. 5:13).

[BUT HE LINGERED.] I am amazed by Ben Ephraim’s²⁵ commentary. He claims that va-yitmahmah (but he lingered) is derived from the same root as mah (what).²⁶, i.e., what do you want from me, why are you rushing me? Cf. Luzzato’s commentary on Gen. 19:25. However, he seems to have forgotten that both hehs of va-yitmahmah are pointed.²⁷ is silent in mah (what). However, it is pointed in va-yitmahmah (but he lingered). I.E.’s comment is difficult. Only the last heh in va-yitmahmah is pointed. Filwarg explains that what I.E. means is that the first heh has a sheva beneath it, while the final heh has a mapik. Hence va-yitmahmah cannot be derived from mah. In reality va-yitmahmah means lingered. It comes from a triliteral root²⁸. This root means to linger. with the first letter written twice.²⁹ is written twice in the word va-yitmahmah.

footnotes: ²⁵ A Kariate Biblical commentator. ²⁶ It is written twice. S.D. Luzzato explains this as follows: When one rushes his companion, the latter replies, mah, mah ²⁷ The heh ²⁸ Its root is mem, heh, heh ²⁹ The mem

AND THE MEN LAID HOLD UPON HIS HAND. The verse notes that Lot was overcome with fear and had no strength to flee on his own.

[WHEN THEY HAD BROUGHT THEM FORTH.] Ke-hotzi’am (when they had brought) is an infinitive. Ke-hotzi’am should not be confused with le-hotzi’am (to bring them out), in to bring them out (le-hotzi’am) of the land of Egypt (Jer. 31:32), for in our verse the mem suffix stands for the subject, i.e., the angels.³⁰ the mem suffix stands for the object. The object of the sentence, Lot and his family, are indicated by the word otam (them).

footnotes: ³⁰ While in le-hotzi’am

LOOK NOT BEHIND THEE. Neither you nor any that belong to you.³¹ (look not) is in the singular. I.E.’s point is that al tabbit did not only apply to Lot, but to his entire household. Thou shalt not eat of it (Gen. 2:17)³² is a singular. This command did not only apply to Adam. It also applied to Eve. Its meaning is thus: Neither you nor any of yours shall eat of it. Otherwise why would Eve have been punished? is similar.

footnotes: ³¹ Al tabbit ³² Thou shalt not eat of it

OH, NOT SO MY LORD. Adonai (my lord) does not refer to God. It is vocalized with a kamatz only because it comes at the end of the verse.³³ with a kamatz usually refers to God. Here it does not. It means my lords. It is vocalized with a kamatz because the pattach changes to a kamatz at the end of a verse. Rabbi Samuel Ha-Nagid the Spaniard, of blessed memory, said that al (not so) in al na (Oh, not so) is derived from the same root as ho’il (wanted, was willing).³⁴ is an imperative from the root yod, alef, lamed, meaning to want or to be willing (Krinsky). Lot’s reply to the angels was: My lords, please accept (want, show willingness to) my request. However, I believe that al means no. The meaning of our verse is as follows: When the angels told Lot, escape to the mountain, Lot replied, “Oh, not so my lords.”

footnotes: ³³ Adonai ³⁴ According to Rabbi Samuel the Nagid the word al

He then turned to one of the angels and said, behold now, thy servant³⁵ (thy servant) is in the singular. Hence I.E. says that this was addressed to the angel whom Lot considered to be the most important of the two. hath found grace in thy sight, etc. (v. 19). He did so because he considered this angel to be the more important of the two. The truth is that even among angels there are superiors who lord it over other angels. The tav of the root of mavet (death) is dropped in the word va-matti (and I die). The reason for this is that in the first person perfect a tav and a yod are added to the root. When the tav of the stem and the tav of the suffix come together, the tav of the root is lost in the pronunciation.³⁶ would be written with two tavs, rather than with one. The tav of the root is dropped (swallowed is the term used by I.E.) because it is difficult to pronounce two tavs in succession. The word ve-kharatta (and cut down) in them thou mayest destroy and cut down (ve-kharatta) (Deut. 20:20)³⁷ were not lost, ve-kharatta (and cut) would have two tavs, rather than one, for in the second person singular perfect a tav is added to the root. is similar.

footnotes: ³⁵ Avdekha ³⁶ Otherwise and I die ³⁷ If the tav

A LITTLE ONE. The meaning of mitzar (a little one) is small. It comes from the same root as tza’ir (young, little). It is an adjective.³⁸, rather than mitzar. Even so, it is written without a heh at its end.³⁹ at the end of an adjective or noun indicates that the word is in the feminine. Compare, shegal (consort).⁴⁰ (consort) is written without a heh at its end.

footnotes: ³⁸ Modifying city, which is not in the text. Hence the text should read mitzarah ³⁹ City is feminine. Therefore the adjective modifying city should be feminine. A heh ⁴⁰ A consort is of course a female. Yet the noun shegal

FROM THE LORD. This is a poetic way of saying from Himself.⁴¹. The second from the Lord is redundant. The line should have read: then the Lord caused rain…from Himself out of heaven. I.E. points out that it is poetic to repeat “the Lord” twice. The term I.E. uses for poetic is tzachot (elegant). Weiser interprets it to mean, in our context, precise. The Bible wanted to be precise. We similarly find Scripture repeating the term the children of Israel five times in one verse (Num. 8:19).

footnotes: ⁴¹ The verse reads: Then the Lord caused to rain upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven

AND THAT WHICH GREW UPON THE GROUND. The trees growing there were consumed.

FROM BEHIND HIM. From behind Lot.⁴², who interpreted the word to mean from behind her.

footnotes: ⁴² In contradistinction to Targum Jonathan

A PILLAR. Nitziv (pillar) means the same as matzevah.⁴³ is the term usually used for pillar, hence I.E.’s comment. Her bones were burned by brimstone and she was encrusted in salt,⁴⁴ (with salt) to be an error for ammud melech (a pillar of salt). for it is written, brimstone, and salt…like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim⁴⁵ (Deut. 29:22). This verse also shows that Zoar was not destroyed.⁴⁶ The latter is also borne out by the words of the angel.⁴⁷ (v. 21).

footnotes: ⁴³ Matzevah ⁴⁴ Weiser suggests translating: she became a pillar of salt. He believes im melech ⁴⁵ We thus see that salt as well as brimstone descended upon Sodom. ⁴⁶ Deut. 29:22 lists the following cities as being overthrown: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zaboiim. Zoar is not mentioned. ⁴⁷ Who said, that I will not overthrow the city of which thou hast spoken

AS THE SMOKE OF. Ke-kitor means as the smoke of. Kitor is derived from the same root as ketoret (incense).⁴⁸

footnotes: ⁴⁸ Incense produces a lot of smoke.

A FURNACE. A place where fire is continually burning.

WHEN HE OVERTHREW THE CITIES IN WHICH LOT DWELT. In one of which Lot had been living.⁴⁹ Each of these is similar: Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in the cities of Gilead (Jud. 12:7);⁵⁰ Even upon a colt the foal of she-asses (Zech. 9:9);⁵¹ and And if a man take with his wife also her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they (Lev. 20:14).⁵² does not mean both women. It is only the second one who is burned. If a man is married to a woman and sleeps with her daughter, the daughter is burned. If he is married to the daughter and sleeps with her mother, then it is the mother who is burned. See I.E. on Lev. 20:14. Hence, although the plural is used, it means one of them.

footnotes: ⁴⁹ Lot did not dwell in all of the overthrown cities. He dwelt only in Sodom. ⁵⁰ Its meaning is: and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. ⁵¹ Its meaning is: Even upon a colt the foal of one of the she-asses. ⁵² They

AND THE FIRST-BORN SAID. Lot possibly had a wife who predeceased the wife who turned into a pillar of salt.⁵³ Lot’s daughters thought that the world was destroyed by fire and brimstone in the same manner that it had previously been destroyed by the flood.

footnotes: ⁵³ The Bible mentions that Lot had married daughters (v. 14) in addition to the ones whom he had at home (v. 8). It is unlikely that any of the unmarried daughters was older than any one of the married ones. I.E. therefore concludes that the married daughters were from a wife other than the mother of the first-born mentioned in our verse. Since the “elder” (literally, the first-born) was younger than the married daughters, she was from the second wife. In view of that fact that Scripture refers only to one wife in the account of Lot’s fleeing from Sodom, I.E. assumes that Lot’s first wife was then no longer alive.

WHEN SHE LAY DOWN. Be-shichvah (when she lay down) is an infinitive even though it is vocalized with a chirik beneath the shin.⁵⁴ beneath the shin. Be-shivri⁵⁵ beneath the first letter of the root. in When I break (be-shivri) your staff of bread (Lev. 26:26) is similar.

footnotes: ⁵⁴ We would expect a kamatz katan ⁵⁵ It, too, is an infinitive and is vocalized with a chirik

MOAB. Moab is the same as me-av and means from a father.

[UNTO THIS DAY.] No other people were intermingled with them.⁵⁶ Unto this day may also signify that the incestuous origin of the Moabites is known to this day.⁵⁷

footnotes: ⁵⁶ Moab is still the ancestor of the Moabites because all of them are his descendants. ⁵⁷ The time that the Torah was written.