Avraham's Prayer for Sedom/2/en
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Avraham's Prayer for Sedom
Exegetical Approaches
Even for Sinners
Avraham wanted all of the people in Sedom to be saved. Commentators disagree, though, about for whom Avraham was actively praying:
For Both Righteous and Wicked
Avraham was praying for everyone in Sedom to be saved, both the righteous and the sinners.
"הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע"
"הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה וְלֹא תִשָּׂא לַמָּקוֹם לְמַעַן חֲמִשִּׁים הַצַּדִּיקִם"
What does "לַמָּקוֹם" mean?
Relationship between verses 23-25
Collective Punishment
Collective Salvation
What happened at the end?
Was Avraham's Prayer Accepted?
Was Lot Righteous?
Why does Hashem tell Avraham about Sedom?
Specifically for the Wicked
Avraham was only praying for the sinners, being certain that Hashem would save the righteous even without his request.
Sources:R. S"R Hirsch
"הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע"
"הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה וְלֹא תִשָּׂא לַמָּקוֹם לְמַעַן חֲמִשִּׁים הַצַּדִּיקִם"
What does "לַמָּקוֹם" mean?
Relationship between verses 23-25
Collective Punishment
Collective Salvation
What happened at the end?
Was Avraham's Prayer Accepted?
Was Lot Righteous?
Why does Hashem tell Avraham about Sedom?
Only for the Righteous
Avraham was praying only for the righteous, that they should not die due to the rest of the people's sins.
"הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע"
"הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה וְלֹא תִשָּׂא לַמָּקוֹם לְמַעַן חֲמִשִּׁים הַצַּדִּיקִם"
What does "לַמָּקוֹם" mean?
Relationship between verses 23-25
Collective Punishment
Collective Salvation
What happened at the end?
Was Avraham's Prayer Accepted?
Was Lot Righteous?
Why does Hashem tell Avraham about Sedom?
For the Physical Location
Avraham was not praying for the people of Sedom, but rather asking that Hashem not destroy the land itself.
"הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע"
"הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה וְלֹא תִשָּׂא לַמָּקוֹם לְמַעַן חֲמִשִּׁים הַצַּדִּיקִם" – This position says that Avraham was praying that Hashem should not destroy the city itself but they disagree why. Radak explains that the city should not be destroyed in merit of the righteous people. Ma'asei Hashem explains that the city should not be destroyed so that the righteous people to not lose their land.
What does "לַמָּקוֹם" mean? This approach holds that "לַמָּקוֹם" means literally the land itself.
Relationship between verses 23-25
Collective Punishment
Collective Salvation – According to this approach both Hashem and Avraham wanted the sinners to get their punishment.
What happened at the end?
Was Avraham's Prayer Accepted? According to this approach Avraham's prayer was not accepted at the end since there were not enough righteous people to save the land.
Was Lot Righteous? Radak and Ma'asei Hashem both hold that Lot was not righteous and was only saved because of Avraham.
Why does Hashem tell Avraham about Sedom? It is possible that this approach would hold like Rashbam and explain that the reason Hashem told Avraham about Sedom is because Hashem was going to destroy land which belonged to Avraham.
