Daf 104a (דַּף ק״ד ע״א)

Come and see, Yitzchak is joy, gladness (תָּא חֲזֵי, יִצְחָק בְּדִיחוּתָא חֶדְוָה), in that water was exchanged for fire, and fire for water (דְּאַחְלַף מַיָּא בְּאֶשָּׁא וְאֶשָּׁא בְּמַיָּא), and because of this he is called thus (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי הָכִי). And for this reason Kudsha Berikh Hu called him thus even before he came into the world, and informed Avraham of it (וּבְגִין כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא קָרֵי לֵיהּ הָכִי עַד לָא יִפּוּק לְעָלְמָא שְׁמָא דָּא וְאוֹדַע לֵיהּ לְאַבְרָהָם). And come and see: in all other cases, Kudsha Berikh Hu left it to others to name their children-even women would name their sons (וְתָּא חֲזֵי, בְּכֻלְּהוּ אֲחֳרָנִין שָׁבַק לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמִקְרֵי לוֹן שְׁמָהָן, וַאֲפִילּוּ נָשֵׁי הֲווּ קָרָאן לִבְנַיְיהוּ שְׁמָהָן), but here Kudsha Berikh Hu did not allow even his mother to name him-only Avraham, as it is written: “And you shall call his name Yitzchak”, you and no other (אֲבָל הָכָא לָא שָׁבַק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאִמֵּיהּ לְמִקְרֵי לֵיהּ שְׁמָא אֶלָּא לְאַבְרָהָם, דִּכְתִיב: וְקָרָאתָ אֶת שְׁמוֹ יִצְחָק אַנְתְּ וְלָא אָחֳרָא), in order to reverse water into fire and fire into water, and to integrate him with his own side (בְּגִין לְאַחְלָפָא מַיָּא בְּאֶשָּׁא וְאֶשָּׁא בְּמַיָּא, לְאַכְלָלָא לֵיהּ בְּסִטְרֵיהּ). Once Avraham had received the good news of Yitzchak, what is written? “And the men arose from there and looked out over Sodom” (Bereshit 18) (כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְבַּשְּׂר אַבְרָהָם בְּיִצְחָק, מַה כְּתִיב: וַיָּקֻמוּ מִשָּׁם הָאֲנָשִׁים וַיַּשְׁקִפוּ עַל פְּנֵי סְדֹם).

Rabbi El'azar said: Come and see how much good Kudsha Berikh Hu bestows on all creatures, and all the more so upon those who walk in His ways (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר: תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּמָּה אַנְהַג קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא טִיבוּ עִם כָּל בְּרִיָּין, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן לְאִנּוּן דְּאָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחוֹי). For even at the time when He seeks to judge the world, He causes those who love Him to merit some matter before that judgment comes to the world (דְּאֲפִילּוּ בְּזִמְנָא דְּבָעֵי לְמֵידַן עָלְמָא, אִיהוּ גָּרִים לְמַאן דְּרָחִים לֵיהּ לְמִזְכֵּי בְּמִלָּה עַד לָא יֵיתֵי הַהוּא דִּינָא לְעָלְמָא). For we have learned: when Kudsha Berikh Hu loves a person, He sends him a gift. And who is it?-a poor person (דְּתָנִינָן: בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רָחִים לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ, מְשַׁדֵּר לֵיהּ דּוֹרוֹנָא. וּמַאן אִיהוּ מִסְכֵּנָא), in order that he may merit through him (בְּגִין דְּיִזְכֵּי בֵיהּ). And once he merits through him, he draws upon himself a thread of Chesed, drawn from the side of the right, and it spreads over his head and marks him (וּכְיוֹן דְּזָכֵי בֵיהּ, אִיהוּ אַמְשִׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ חַד חוּטָא דְּחֶסֶד, דְּאִתְמְשַׁךְ מִסִּטְרָא יָמִינָא, וּפָרִישׂ אֲרֵישֵׁיהּ וְרָשִׁים לֵיהּ), so that when judgment comes upon the world, that destroyer will look at him and see that marking and pass over him (בְּגִין דְּכַד יֵיתֵי דִּינָא לְעָלְמָא, הַהוּא מְחַבֵּלָא יִזְדַּהַר בֵּיהּ, וְזָקֵיף עֵינוֹי וְחָמָא לְהַהוּא רְשִׁימוּ, וּכְדֵין אִסְתַּלַּק מִנֵּיהּ וְאִזְדַּהַר בֵּיהּ). For this reason Kudsha Berikh Hu prepares him in advance with something by which he will merit (בְּגִין כָּךְ אַקְדִּים לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּמָה דְּיִזְכֵּי). And come and see (וְתָּא חֲזֵי), when Kudsha Berikh Hu desired to bring judgment upon Sedom (כַּד בָּעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַיְתָאָה דִּינָא עַל סְדוֹם), He caused merit beforehand for Avraham (אַזְכֵּי קֹדֶם לְאַבְרָהָם), and sent him a gift to merit with them (וְשַׁדַּר לֵיהּ דּוֹרוֹנָא לְמִזְכֵּי עִמְּהוֹן), in order to save Lot the son of his brother from there (בְּגִין לְשֵׁזָבָא לְלוֹט בַּר אֲחוּהָ מִתַּמָּן). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And Elohim remembered Avraham and sent Lot out from the midst of the upheaval” (Bereshit 19) (וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת אַבְרָהָם וַיְשַׁלַּח אֶת לוֹט מִתּוֹךְ הַהֲפֵכָה). And it is not written “And Elohim remembered Lot” (וְלֹא כְּתִיב: וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת לוֹט), for it was in the merit of Avraham that he was saved (דְּהָא בִּזְכוּתֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם אִשְׁתְּזִיב). And what is “He remembered”? (וּמַאי וַיִּזְכֹּר): that He remembered what Avraham had merited earlier with those three angels (דְּדָכִיר לֵיהּ מַאי דְּאַזְכֵּי קֹדֶם עִם אִנּוּן תְּלַת מַלְאָכִין). In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָא), a person who merits through righteousness with others (בַּר נָשׁ דְּיִזְכֵּי בִּצְדָקָה עִם בְּנֵי נְשָׁא), in a time when judgment dwells in the world (בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְדִינָא שָׁרְיָא בְּעָלְמָא), Kudsha Berikh Hu remembers for him that righteousness he performed (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַדְכַּר לֵיהּ לְהַהִיא צְדָקָה דְּעֲבַד). Because at every time that a person merits this way (בְּגִין דְּבְּכָל שַׁעֲתָא דְּזָכֵי בַּר נָשׁ הָכִי), it is written about him above (אַכְתִּיב עֲלֵיהּ לְעֵילָא), and even in a time when judgment dwells upon him (וְאֲפִילּוּ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְדִינָא שָׁרְיָא עֲלוֹי), Kudsha Berikh Hu remembers for him that goodness he did (קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִדְכַּר לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא טִיבוּ דְּעֲבַד), and that he merited with others (וְזָכָה עִם בְּנֵי נָשָׁא), as you say (Proverbs 11): “And righteousness saves from death” (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר: וּצְדָקָה תַּצִּיל מִמָּוֶת). For this reason (בְּגִינֵי כָךְ), Kudsha Berikh Hu prepared Avraham beforehand (אַקְדִּים לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאַבְרָהָם), so that he would merit and save Lot (בְּגִין דְּיִזְכֵּי וִישֵׁזִיב לְלוֹט). “And they looked toward Sedom” (וַיַּשְׁקִיפוּ עַל פְּנֵי סְדוֹם).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): “And the men rose up from there” (וַיָּקוּמוּ מִשָּׁם הָאֲנָשִׁים)-from that meal that Avraham had prepared for them, and he merited through them (מֵהַהִיא סְעוּדָה דְּאַתְקִין לוֹ אַבְרָהָם וְזָכָה בְּהוּ). Even though they were angels (אַף עַל גַּב דְּמַלְאָכִין הֲווּ), he merited through them (זָכָה בְּהוּ), and that whole meal was not left over in any way (וְכָל הַהוּא מֵיכְלָא לֹא אִשְׁתָּאַר מִנֵּיהּ כְּלוּם), because of Avraham, and so that he would merit through it (בְּגִינֵי דְּאַבְרָהָם וּלְמִזְכֵּי בֵיהּ), for it is written: “And they ate”-they ate in their fire (דְּהָא כְּתִיב: וַיֹּאכֵלוּ, בְּאֶשָּׁא דִּילְהוֹן אִתְאֲכִיל). And if you say: there were three angels-this one is fire, this one is water, this one is wind (וְאִי תֵימָא: הָא תְּלַת מַלְאָכִין הֲווּ, הַאי אֶשָּׁא, וְהַאי מַיָּא, וְהַאי רוּחָא)-rather, each one was comprised of the other (אֶלָּא: כָּל חַד וְחַד כָּלִיל בְּחַבְרֵיהּ), and for this reason it is written “And they ate” (וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ: וַיֹּאכֵלוּ). Like this, it is written (Exodus 24): “And they saw the Elohim and they ate and drank” (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא: וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים, וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ). It was a true eating (אֲכִילָה וַדָּאִית), they ate and were sustained from the Shekhinta (אִתְזָנוּ מִן שְׁכִינְתָּא). So too here: “And they ate”-they caused sustenance to come from that Side to which Avraham was attached (אוּף הָכָא: וַיֹּאכֵלוּ-גָּרְמוּ לְאִתְזְנָא מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּאַבְרָהָם אִתְדַּבַּק בֵּיהּ), and for this reason they left nothing over from what Avraham had given them (וּבְגִין כָּךְ לָא אַשְׁאָרוּ מִמַּה דְּיָהִיב לוֹן אַבְרָהָם כְּלוּם). In this manner (כְּגַוְונָא דָּא), a person must drink from the cup of blessing (בָּעֵי לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְמִשְׁתֵּי מֵהַהוּא כַּסָּא דִּבְרָכָה), in order to merit that supernal blessing (בְּגִין דְּיִזְכֵּי לְהַהִיא בְּרָכָה דִּלְעֵילָא). So too, they ate from what Avraham had prepared for them (אוּף אִנּוּן: אֲכְלוּ מִמַּה דְּאַתְקִין לוֹן אַבְרָהָם), in order that they should merit to be nourished from the Side of Avraham (בְּגִין דְּיִזְכּוּן לְאִתְזְנָא מִסִּטְרָא דְּאַבְרָהָם), for from that Side goes out nourishment for all the supernal angels (דְּהָא מֵהַהוּא סִטְרָא נָפִיק מְזוֹנָא לְכֻלְּהוּ מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי). “And they looked toward…”-this is an awakening of compassion to save Lot (וַיַּשְׁקִיפוּ-אִתְעָרוּתָא דְּרַחֲמֵי לְשֵׁיזָבָא לְלוֹט). It is written here: “They looked”, and it is written there (Deuteronomy 26): “Look down from Your holy habitation” (כְּתִיב הָכָא: וַיַּשְׁקִיפוּ; וּכְתִיב הָתָם: הַשְׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן קָדְשְׁךָ). Just as there it is for mercy, so too here it is for mercy (מַה לְּהַלָּן לְרַחֲמֵי-אַף הָכָא לְרַחֲמֵי).

And Avraham went with them to send them off (וְאַבְרָהָם הוֹלֵךְ עִמָּם לְשַׁלְּחָם)-to perform levayah for them (לְמֶעְבַּד לוֹן לְוָיָה). Rabbi Yisa said (אָמַר רַבִּי יֵיסָא): if you say that Avraham knew they were angels (אִי תֵימָא דְּאַבְרָהָם יָדַע דְּמַלְאָכִין אִנּוּן), why would he escort them? (אַמַּאי אַעֲבִיד לוֹן לְוָיָה) Rather, Rabbi El'azar said (אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): even though he knew (אַף עַל גַּב דְּהֲוָה יָדַע), he acted with them as he was accustomed to do with all guests, to escort them (נ״א: מַה דְּהֲוָה רְגִיל לְמֶעְבַּד עִם בְּנֵי נָשׁ, עֲבַד בְּהוֹן וַאֲלוּי לוֹן), because a person is required to escort his guests (בְּגִין דְּכָךְ אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְמֶעְבַּד לְוָיָה לְאוּשְׁפִּיזִין), for all depends on this (דְּהָא כֹּלָּא בְּהַאי תַּלְיָא). And while he was walking with them (וּבְעוֹד דְּאִיהוּ הֲוָה אָזִיל עִמְּהוֹן), Kudsha Berikh Hu was revealed upon Avraham (אִתְגְּלִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עֲלֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם), as it is written: “And Hashem said: Shall I hide from Avraham what I am about to do?” (Bereshit 18) (דִּכְתִיב: וַיְיָ אָמַר: הַמְכַסֶּה אֲנִי מֵאַבְרָהָם אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה). “And Hashem”-this is He and His court (וַיְיָ הוּא וּבֵית דִּינֵיהּ), for Kudsha Berikh Hu was going with them (בְּגִין דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הֲוָה אָזִיל עִמְּהוֹן).