וַיַּעַל לוֹט מִצֹּעַר וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהָר הוּא וּשְׁתֵּי בְנוֹתָיו עִמּוֹ וְגו'. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּחָמָא דְּהֲוָה קָרִיב לִסְדוֹם וְאִסְתַּלַּק מִתַּמָּן. AND LOT WENT UP OUT OF ZOAR, AND DWELT IN THE MOUNTAIN, AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS WITH HIM, ETC. For what reason? Because Zoar was too near Sodom: hence he moved away further.

רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (איוב ל״ז:י״ב) וְהוּא מְסִיבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ בְּתַחְבּוּלתָיו לְפָעֳלָם וְגו'. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין דְּעָלְמָא וְאַיְיתֵי קוּמְרִין טְהִירִין לְמֶעְבַּד עוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְבָתַר מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן וְעָבִיד לוֹן כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא. R. Isaac discoursed on the verse: And they are turned round about by his devices, according to their work, etc. (Job 37, 12). ‘This means’, he said, ‘that the Holy One, blessed be He, constantly turns the wheel of events, bringing hidden things to the top, and then again giving another turn and shaping things differently; and thus “by his devices” He is ever scheming and planning how to effect the change, and make a new pattern.

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר וְהוּא מְסִבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וְאַיְיתֵי עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאִתְקָיְימָא, וּלְבָתַר דְּחֲשִׁיבוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּיִתְקָיְימוּן אִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן לְאִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין מִכְּמָה דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא. R. Eleazar interpreted the words “and they are turned round about by His devices”, in the following manner. ‘The Holy One guides the course of events so as to bring to pass a seemingly stable state of things; but when the sons of men imagine that all before them is fixed and firmly established, then the Holy One turns His works into something altogether different from their former state.

בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו. בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ כְּתִיב כְּהַאי אוֹמָנָא דְּעָבִיד מָאנִין דְּחַרְסָא. בְּעוֹד דְּהַהִיא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵיהּ. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא דָּא עָבִיד. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא עָבִיד. מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנָא דָּא לְמָאנָא דָא, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ. כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ עוֹבָדוֹי דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד. Further,’ he said, ‘we may translate not “devices”, but “device”, i.e. “instrument”, and compare God to a potter who, in turning his wheel, constantly fashions new vessels according to his fancy. So is the Holy One constantly reshaping His works,

בְּתַחְבּוּלֹתָו חָסֵר יו"ד, וּמַאן אִיהוּ, דָּא בֵּי דִינָא לְתַתָּא דְּאִיהוּ טִקְלָא דְּאִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ, וְעַל דָּא מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנִין מִמָּאנָא דָא לְמָאנָא אָחֳרָא. the instrument which constitutes His potter’s wheel, so to speak, being the lower world Judgement Court.

וְכָל דָּא כְּפִי פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, אִי מְטִיבִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, הַהוּא טִקְלָא דְּסַחֲרָא אַסְחָרַת לוֹן לְיָמִינָא, וּכְדֵין אִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְטִיקְלָא אַסְחָרַת תָּדִיר וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּיָמִינָא וְעָלְמָא מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא בֵּיהּ. And all is done in accordance with man’s works. If they are good, the wheel revolves to the right, making the course of events highly favourable to them; and however long the wheel revolves, punishment never settles on that side.

אָתוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְאַבְאָשָׁא, תַּחְבּוּלָתוֹ דְּאַסְחַר תָּדִיר וְהֲוָה קָיְימָא בְּאַסְחָרוּתָא דְּיָמִינָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַסְחַר לֵיהּ בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא וּמְהַפֵּךְ מְסִבּוֹת וּמָאנִין דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְהַהוּא סְטַר שְׂמָאלָא. Should men, however, turn to evil ways the Holy One imparts to His device a spin to the left, and all things now take a direction to the left, and the wheel gives to events a course unfavourable to the sons of men.

וּכְדֵין טִקְלָא אַסְחָרָא וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְטִקְלָא אַסְחַר לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא עַד דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא תָּיְיבִין לְאוֹטָבָא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן. וְטִקְלָא קָיְימָא בְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְעַל דָּא בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ לְפָעֳלָם, וְלָא קָיְימָא תָּדִיר. So it goes on until they become penitent and retrace their evil ways. But the motive power of the wheel is centred in the works of man; hence the phrase, “by His device, according to their work”, there being no permanency.

תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַם סִבּוּבִין וְעוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַּד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְכֹלָּא נָפְקָא מֵעִקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דִּלְעֵילָא. אַקְרִיב אַבְרָהָם לְגַבֵּיהּ, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּלָא הֲוָה אַבְרָהָם גָּזִיר כַּד נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ לְתַתָּא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּאָת קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא. In this case too God manipulated events so as to attain a certain end, and all that happened had its roots in the supernal sphere. God had brought Abraham near to Him, and there issued from him Ishmael. Ishmael was born before Abraham was circumcised, that is, before he was made perfect through the sign of the holy covenant.

לְבָתַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סִבֵּב סִבּוּבִין בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו וְאִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם וְעָאל בַּבְּרִית וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בִּשְׁמֵיהּ וְאִקְרֵי אַבְרָהָם, וְה' (צו א) עִלָּאָה אַעֲטָרַת לֵיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַיִם (לא א) מֵרוּחַ. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, so devised that Abraham circumcised himself and entered the covenant and acquired his complete name of Abraham, and was crowned by the supernal he with the symbolical issuing of water from wind.

כֵּיוָן דְּרָזָא (דברי הימים א) אִשְׁתְּלִים וְאִתְגְּזַר, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִצְחָק וְהֲוָה זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא וְאִתְקַשַּׁר לְעֵילָא בְּרָזָא דְּאֵשׁ מִמַּיִם, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (ירמיהו ב׳:כ״א) וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת. וְלָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. As soon as the symbolism was completed and Abraham was circumcised, there issued from him Isaac, who was the holy seed and who was attached to the supernal spheres as symbolising fire from water, and who was not in any way linked to the “other side”.

תָּא חֲזֵי, לוֹט נָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ וּמִבְּנָתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן, וְאִתְקְשָׁרוּ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לוֹן, וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וּמְגַלְגֵּל גִּלְגּוּלִין בְּעָלְמָא דְּיִתְעֲבִיד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת וְיִתְקַשַּׁר כֹּלָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ. From Lot, again, and from his daughters there came forth two disparate nations who became attached to the side appropriate to them. We see here, again, how the Almighty contrives “the course of things, turning them about so that everything should fit into the general scheme and fall into its proper place.

תָּא חֲזֵי, יָאוֹת הֲוָה לְלוֹט דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ (ומבנתיה) וּמֵאִתְּתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין אִלֵּין, אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְאִתְקַשָּׁרָא בְּאַתְרַיְיהוּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְהוּ. וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ מִגּוֹ יֵינָא, וְהַהוּא יֵינָא אִזְדַּמַּן לְהוֹן בַּמְּעַרְתָּא הַהִיא לֵילְיָא, וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר וְהָא אִתְּמָר וְאוּקְמוּהָ. For observe that it would have been more fitting for Lot that the Holy One should have produced these two nations from his union with his wife. It was, however, necessary that these nations should be attached to their predestined place, and for this wine had to play its part; and wine, indeed, was found ready at hand in that cavern. The mystical part played by wine here is similar to that regarding w hich we read, “and he drank of the wine, and was drunken” (Gen. 9, 21), as has already been explained elsewhere.

תָּא חֲזֵי, מוֹאָב וְעַמּוֹן אִנּוּן קָרָאן לוֹן שְׁמָהָן, מוֹאָב מֵאָב. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר בְּכִירָה בַּחֲצִיפוּ אָמְרָה מוֹאָב, מֵאַבָּא הוּא. וְהַצְּעִירָה גַּם הִיא יָלְדָה בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן עַמִּי. בִּצְנִיעוּ אָמְרָה בֶּן עַמִּי. בַּר עַמִּי, וְלָא אָמְרָה מִמָּאן הֲוָה. In regard to the names Moab and Ammon, R. Jose made the following comment. ‘The first-born daughter was boldfaced enough to call her son “Moab”, thereby proclaiming that he was meab, i.e. the issue of her own father; whereas THE YOUNGER SHE ALSO BORE A SON, AND CALLED HIS NAME BEN-AMMI: the mother out of delicacy gave him that name which being interpreted simply means “a son of my people”, without betraying who his father was.

תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב וְלָא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו וְנָקוּד עַל וא"ו, בְּגִין דְּסִיּוּעָא דְּעֵילָא הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְּזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִשְׁתְּלִים הָכָא בְּוא"ו. וּבְאָחֳרָא כְּתִיב וּבְקֻמָּהּ חָסֵר וי"ו, בְּגִין דְּלָא נָפַק מִינָּהּ חוּלְקָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּהַאי אָחֳרָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהַאי אָחֳרָא קְשִׁישָׁא וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו מָלֵא וְנָקוּד עֲלָהּ. Further, the words AND HE KNEW NOT WHEN SHE LAY DOWN, NOR WHEN SHE AROSE, occur twice in this passage, first in reference to the younger daughter, and then in reference to the elder. In the former case the word b’qumah (when she arose) occurring in it is written plene, i.e. with the letter vau, which, moreover, is provided with a dot; this is to signify that heaven, as it were, was an accomplice to the act which ultimately was to bring about the birth of the Messiah. Contrariwise, the similar word in reference to the younger one is written defectively, without the letter vau, for the reason that none of her issue had any part in the Holy One, blessed be He.’

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, לָא יְדַע דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאוֹקְמָא מִינָהּ דָּוִד מַלְכָּא וּשְׁלֹמֹה וְכָל שְׁאָר מַלְכִין וּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא. תּוּ וּבְקוּמָהּ, דִּכְתִיב בְּרוּת (רות ג׳:י״ד) וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרְם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא הֲוָה לָהּ קִימָה וַדַּאי אִתְחַבַּר עִמָּהּ בֹּעַז לְהָקִים שֵׁם הַמֵּת עַל נַחֲלָתוֹ, וְאִתָּקַם מִנָּהּ כָּל הַנֵּי מַלְכִין וְכָל עִלּוּיָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתִּשְׁכַּב מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו עַד הַבֹּקֶר. וּבְקוּמָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרֶם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. בְּגִין כָּךְ וּבְקוּמָהּ נְקוּד וא"ו. R. Simeon said: ‘The underlying meaning of the words “and he knew not” is that he was unaware that the Holy One intended to raise from her King David and Solomon and all the other kings and, finally, the Messiah.’ R. Simeon said further: ‘The expression “when she arose” has its counterpart in the words used by Ruth, “and she rose up before one could discern another” (Ruth 3, 14). For it was on that day that Lot’s daughter could be said to have risen to the height of her destiny in that Boaz became attached to one of her lineage in order “to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance”, by means of which there were raised from her all those kings and the elect of Israel. Again, “And he knew not when she lay down” has its counterpart in the verse, “and she lay at his feet until the morning” (Ibid,.).

תָּא חֲזֵי, (קה ע"א) עִנְוְתָנוּתָא דְאַבְרָהָם דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא בִּסְדוֹם לָא בָעָא מִנֵּיהּ רַחֲמֵי עַל לוֹט (דהא), לְבָתַר דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עָלָה קִיטֹר הָאָרֶץ כְּקִיטֹר הַכִּבְשָׁן לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ דְּלוֹט וְלָא אָמַר עֲלֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם, אוּף הָכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אָמַר לֵיהּ מִידִי, בְּגִין דְּלָא יַחֲשֹׂב אַבְרָהָם דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַע מִזְכוּתֵיהּ כְּלוּם. Observe the restraint of Abraham in not beseeching grace on behalf of Lot, even when the Holy One at first announced to him His determination to execute punishment on Sodom; nor after he BEHELD, AND, LO, THE SMOKE OF THE LAND WENT UP AS THE SMOKE OF A FURNACE did he intercede for Lot, or address to the Holy One any word about him. Neither did the Holy One mention this subject to Abraham, in order that the latter should not think that God had used up some of his merit in order to save Lot.

וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאַבְרָהָם לָא הֲוָה חָשִׁיב לֵיהּ לְלוֹט בְּלִבֵּיהּ כְּלוּם, הָא מָסַר נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְמֵיהַךְ לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא בַּחֲמִשָּׁה מְלָכִין תַּקִּיפִין, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (בראשית י״ד:י״ד) וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָם כִּי נִשְׁבָּה אָחִיו וְגו'. וּכְתִיב וַיֵּחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם לַיְלָה. וּכְתִיב וַיָּשֶׁב אֵת כָּל הָרְכֻשׁ וְגַם אֶת לוֹט אָחִיו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ הֵשִׁיב וְגו'. אֲבָל בִּרְחִימוּתָא דִּרְחִים לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְחָמָא עוֹבָדוֹי דְלוֹט דְּלָא כַשְׁרָן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, לָא בָעָא אַבְרָהָם דִּבְגִינֵיהּ יִשְׁבּוֹק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם מִדִּילֵיהּ, וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ רַחֲמֵי לָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא וְלָא בְסוֹפָא: It cannot be said that Lot was of no account in the eyes of Abraham, seeing that Abraham risked his life on his behalf in waging war against five powerful kings. But because of his love for the Almighty and, in addition, because he saw that Lot’s conduct fell far short of the proper standard, Abraham did not plead that any indulgence should be shown to Lot for his sake. This is the reason why Abraham did not intercede on behalf of Lot either at the beginning or at the end.’

וַיַּעַל לוֹט מִצֹּעַר וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהָר הוּא וּשְׁתֵּי בְנוֹתָיו עִמּוֹ וְגו'. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּחָמָא דְּהֲוָה קָרִיב לִסְדוֹם וְאִסְתַּלַּק מִתַּמָּן. AND LOT WENT UP OUT OF ZOAR, AND DWELT IN THE MOUNTAIN, AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS WITH HIM, ETC. For what reason? Because Zoar was too near Sodom: hence he moved away further.

רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (איוב ל״ז:י״ב) וְהוּא מְסִיבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ בְּתַחְבּוּלתָיו לְפָעֳלָם וְגו'. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין דְּעָלְמָא וְאַיְיתֵי קוּמְרִין טְהִירִין לְמֶעְבַּד עוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְבָתַר מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן וְעָבִיד לוֹן כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא. R. Isaac discoursed on the verse: And they are turned round about by his devices, according to their work, etc. (Job 37, 12). ‘This means’, he said, ‘that the Holy One, blessed be He, constantly turns the wheel of events, bringing hidden things to the top, and then again giving another turn and shaping things differently; and thus “by his devices” He is ever scheming and planning how to effect the change, and make a new pattern.

וּבְמָּה, בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו, עָבִיד תַּחְבּוּלִין וּמְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין לַאֲפָכָא לוֹן וְלָאו כְּאִנּוּן קַדְמָאֵי. לְפָעֳלָם, בְּגִין פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, כְּמָה דְאִנּוּן עָבְדִין עוֹבָדִין הָכִי מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן. כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֵּם עַל פְּנֵי תֵבֵל אָרְצָה. בְּגִין דְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא מְהַפֵּךְ לְאִנּוּן מְסִבּוֹת בְּכָל מַה דְּאִיהוּ פַּקִּיד לוֹן עַל פְּנִי תֵבֵל וְגו'. All is “according to their work”, i.e. the variation takes place in accordance to the works and deeds of man. The verse continues: “according as he commandeth them upon the face of the habitable world”, that is, it is in accordance with man’s works that God shapes the course of events, in all that He ordains on the face of the world.’

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר וְהוּא מְסִבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וְאַיְיתֵי עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאִתְקָיְימָא, וּלְבָתַר דְּחֲשִׁיבוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּיִתְקָיְימוּן אִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן לְאִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין מִכְּמָה דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא. R. Eleazar interpreted the words “and they are turned round about by His devices”, in the following manner. ‘The Holy One guides the course of events so as to bring to pass a seemingly stable state of things; but when the sons of men imagine that all before them is fixed and firmly established, then the Holy One turns His works into something altogether different from their former state.

בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו. בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ כְּתִיב כְּהַאי אוֹמָנָא דְּעָבִיד מָאנִין דְּחַרְסָא. בְּעוֹד דְּהַהִיא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵיהּ. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא דָּא עָבִיד. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא עָבִיד. מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנָא דָּא לְמָאנָא דָא, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ. כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ עוֹבָדוֹי דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד. Further,’ he said, ‘we may translate not “devices”, but “device”, i.e. “instrument”, and compare God to a potter who, in turning his wheel, constantly fashions new vessels according to his fancy. So is the Holy One constantly reshaping His works,

בְּתַחְבּוּלֹתָו חָסֵר יו"ד, וּמַאן אִיהוּ, דָּא בֵּי דִינָא לְתַתָּא דְּאִיהוּ טִקְלָא דְּאִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ, וְעַל דָּא מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנִין מִמָּאנָא דָא לְמָאנָא אָחֳרָא. the instrument which constitutes His potter’s wheel, so to speak, being the lower world Judgement Court.

וְכָל דָּא כְּפִי פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, אִי מְטִיבִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, הַהוּא טִקְלָא דְּסַחֲרָא אַסְחָרַת לוֹן לְיָמִינָא, וּכְדֵין אִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְטִיקְלָא אַסְחָרַת תָּדִיר וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּיָמִינָא וְעָלְמָא מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא בֵּיהּ. And all is done in accordance with man’s works. If they are good, the wheel revolves to the right, making the course of events highly favourable to them; and however long the wheel revolves, punishment never settles on that side.

וּכְדֵין טִקְלָא אַסְחָרָא וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְטִקְלָא אַסְחַר לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא עַד דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא תָּיְיבִין לְאוֹטָבָא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן. וְטִקְלָא קָיְימָא בְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְעַל דָּא בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ לְפָעֳלָם, וְלָא קָיְימָא תָּדִיר. So it goes on until they become penitent and retrace their evil ways. But the motive power of the wheel is centred in the works of man; hence the phrase, “by His device, according to their work”, there being no permanency.

תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַם סִבּוּבִין וְעוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַּד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְכֹלָּא נָפְקָא מֵעִקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דִּלְעֵילָא. אַקְרִיב אַבְרָהָם לְגַבֵּיהּ, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּלָא הֲוָה אַבְרָהָם גָּזִיר כַּד נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ לְתַתָּא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּאָת קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא. In this case too God manipulated events so as to attain a certain end, and all that happened had its roots in the supernal sphere. God had brought Abraham near to Him, and there issued from him Ishmael. Ishmael was born before Abraham was circumcised, that is, before he was made perfect through the sign of the holy covenant.

לְבָתַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סִבֵּב סִבּוּבִין בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו וְאִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם וְעָאל בַּבְּרִית וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בִּשְׁמֵיהּ וְאִקְרֵי אַבְרָהָם, וְה' (צו א) עִלָּאָה אַעֲטָרַת לֵיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַיִם (לא א) מֵרוּחַ. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, so devised that Abraham circumcised himself and entered the covenant and acquired his complete name of Abraham, and was crowned by the supernal he with the symbolical issuing of water from wind.

כֵּיוָן דְּרָזָא (דברי הימים א) אִשְׁתְּלִים וְאִתְגְּזַר, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִצְחָק וְהֲוָה זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא וְאִתְקַשַּׁר לְעֵילָא בְּרָזָא דְּאֵשׁ מִמַּיִם, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (ירמיהו ב׳:כ״א) וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת. וְלָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. As soon as the symbolism was completed and Abraham was circumcised, there issued from him Isaac, who was the holy seed and who was attached to the supernal spheres as symbolising fire from water, and who was not in any way linked to the “other side”.

תָּא חֲזֵי, לוֹט נָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ וּמִבְּנָתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן, וְאִתְקְשָׁרוּ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לוֹן, וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וּמְגַלְגֵּל גִּלְגּוּלִין בְּעָלְמָא דְּיִתְעֲבִיד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת וְיִתְקַשַּׁר כֹּלָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ. From Lot, again, and from his daughters there came forth two disparate nations who became attached to the side appropriate to them. We see here, again, how the Almighty contrives “the course of things, turning them about so that everything should fit into the general scheme and fall into its proper place.

תָּא חֲזֵי, יָאוֹת הֲוָה לְלוֹט דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ (ומבנתיה) וּמֵאִתְּתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין אִלֵּין, אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְאִתְקַשָּׁרָא בְּאַתְרַיְיהוּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְהוּ. וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ מִגּוֹ יֵינָא, וְהַהוּא יֵינָא אִזְדַּמַּן לְהוֹן בַּמְּעַרְתָּא הַהִיא לֵילְיָא, וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר וְהָא אִתְּמָר וְאוּקְמוּהָ. For observe that it would have been more fitting for Lot that the Holy One should have produced these two nations from his union with his wife. It was, however, necessary that these nations should be attached to their predestined place, and for this wine had to play its part; and wine, indeed, was found ready at hand in that cavern. The mystical part played by wine here is similar to that regarding w hich we read, “and he drank of the wine, and was drunken” (Gen. 9, 21), as has already been explained elsewhere.

תָּא חֲזֵי, מוֹאָב וְעַמּוֹן אִנּוּן קָרָאן לוֹן שְׁמָהָן, מוֹאָב מֵאָב. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר בְּכִירָה בַּחֲצִיפוּ אָמְרָה מוֹאָב, מֵאַבָּא הוּא. וְהַצְּעִירָה גַּם הִיא יָלְדָה בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן עַמִּי. בִּצְנִיעוּ אָמְרָה בֶּן עַמִּי. בַּר עַמִּי, וְלָא אָמְרָה מִמָּאן הֲוָה. In regard to the names Moab and Ammon, R. Jose made the following comment. ‘The first-born daughter was boldfaced enough to call her son “Moab”, thereby proclaiming that he was meab, i.e. the issue of her own father; whereas THE YOUNGER SHE ALSO BORE A SON, AND CALLED HIS NAME BEN-AMMI: the mother out of delicacy gave him that name which being interpreted simply means “a son of my people”, without betraying who his father was.

תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב וְלָא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו וְנָקוּד עַל וא"ו, בְּגִין דְּסִיּוּעָא דְּעֵילָא הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְּזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִשְׁתְּלִים הָכָא בְּוא"ו. וּבְאָחֳרָא כְּתִיב וּבְקֻמָּהּ חָסֵר וי"ו, בְּגִין דְּלָא נָפַק מִינָּהּ חוּלְקָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּהַאי אָחֳרָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהַאי אָחֳרָא קְשִׁישָׁא וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו מָלֵא וְנָקוּד עֲלָהּ. Further, the words AND HE KNEW NOT WHEN SHE LAY DOWN, NOR WHEN SHE AROSE, occur twice in this passage, first in reference to the younger daughter, and then in reference to the elder. In the former case the word b’qumah (when she arose) occurring in it is written plene, i.e. with the letter vau, which, moreover, is provided with a dot; this is to signify that heaven, as it were, was an accomplice to the act which ultimately was to bring about the birth of the Messiah. Contrariwise, the similar word in reference to the younger one is written defectively, without the letter vau, for the reason that none of her issue had any part in the Holy One, blessed be He.’

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, לָא יְדַע דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאוֹקְמָא מִינָהּ דָּוִד מַלְכָּא וּשְׁלֹמֹה וְכָל שְׁאָר מַלְכִין וּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא. תּוּ וּבְקוּמָהּ, דִּכְתִיב בְּרוּת (רות ג׳:י״ד) וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרְם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא הֲוָה לָהּ קִימָה וַדַּאי אִתְחַבַּר עִמָּהּ בֹּעַז לְהָקִים שֵׁם הַמֵּת עַל נַחֲלָתוֹ, וְאִתָּקַם מִנָּהּ כָּל הַנֵּי מַלְכִין וְכָל עִלּוּיָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתִּשְׁכַּב מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו עַד הַבֹּקֶר. וּבְקוּמָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרֶם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. בְּגִין כָּךְ וּבְקוּמָהּ נְקוּד וא"ו. R. Simeon said: ‘The underlying meaning of the words “and he knew not” is that he was unaware that the Holy One intended to raise from her King David and Solomon and all the other kings and, finally, the Messiah.’ R. Simeon said further: ‘The expression “when she arose” has its counterpart in the words used by Ruth, “and she rose up before one could discern another” (Ruth 3, 14). For it was on that day that Lot’s daughter could be said to have risen to the height of her destiny in that Boaz became attached to one of her lineage in order “to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance”, by means of which there were raised from her all those kings and the elect of Israel. Again, “And he knew not when she lay down” has its counterpart in the verse, “and she lay at his feet until the morning” (Ibid,.).

תָּא חֲזֵי, (קה ע"א) עִנְוְתָנוּתָא דְאַבְרָהָם דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא בִּסְדוֹם לָא בָעָא מִנֵּיהּ רַחֲמֵי עַל לוֹט (דהא), לְבָתַר דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עָלָה קִיטֹר הָאָרֶץ כְּקִיטֹר הַכִּבְשָׁן לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ דְּלוֹט וְלָא אָמַר עֲלֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם, אוּף הָכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אָמַר לֵיהּ מִידִי, בְּגִין דְּלָא יַחֲשֹׂב אַבְרָהָם דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַע מִזְכוּתֵיהּ כְּלוּם. Observe the restraint of Abraham in not beseeching grace on behalf of Lot, even when the Holy One at first announced to him His determination to execute punishment on Sodom; nor after he BEHELD, AND, LO, THE SMOKE OF THE LAND WENT UP AS THE SMOKE OF A FURNACE did he intercede for Lot, or address to the Holy One any word about him. Neither did the Holy One mention this subject to Abraham, in order that the latter should not think that God had used up some of his merit in order to save Lot.

וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאַבְרָהָם לָא הֲוָה חָשִׁיב לֵיהּ לְלוֹט בְּלִבֵּיהּ כְּלוּם, הָא מָסַר נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְמֵיהַךְ לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא בַּחֲמִשָּׁה מְלָכִין תַּקִּיפִין, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (בראשית י״ד:י״ד) וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָם כִּי נִשְׁבָּה אָחִיו וְגו'. וּכְתִיב וַיֵּחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם לַיְלָה. וּכְתִיב וַיָּשֶׁב אֵת כָּל הָרְכֻשׁ וְגַם אֶת לוֹט אָחִיו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ הֵשִׁיב וְגו'. אֲבָל בִּרְחִימוּתָא דִּרְחִים לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְחָמָא עוֹבָדוֹי דְלוֹט דְּלָא כַשְׁרָן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, לָא בָעָא אַבְרָהָם דִּבְגִינֵיהּ יִשְׁבּוֹק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם מִדִּילֵיהּ, וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ רַחֲמֵי לָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא וְלָא בְסוֹפָא: It cannot be said that Lot was of no account in the eyes of Abraham, seeing that Abraham risked his life on his behalf in waging war against five powerful kings. But because of his love for the Almighty and, in addition, because he saw that Lot’s conduct fell far short of the proper standard, Abraham did not plead that any indulgence should be shown to Lot for his sake. This is the reason why Abraham did not intercede on behalf of Lot either at the beginning or at the end.’

וַיַּעַל לוֹט מִצֹּעַר וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהָר הוּא וּשְׁתֵּי בְנוֹתָיו עִמּוֹ וְגו'. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּחָמָא דְּהֲוָה קָרִיב לִסְדוֹם וְאִסְתַּלַּק מִתַּמָּן. AND LOT WENT UP OUT OF ZOAR, AND DWELT IN THE MOUNTAIN, AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS WITH HIM, ETC. For what reason? Because Zoar was too near Sodom: hence he moved away further.

רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (איוב ל״ז:י״ב) וְהוּא מְסִיבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ בְּתַחְבּוּלתָיו לְפָעֳלָם וְגו'. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין דְּעָלְמָא וְאַיְיתֵי קוּמְרִין טְהִירִין לְמֶעְבַּד עוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְבָתַר מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן וְעָבִיד לוֹן כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא. R. Isaac discoursed on the verse: And they are turned round about by his devices, according to their work, etc. (Job 37, 12). ‘This means’, he said, ‘that the Holy One, blessed be He, constantly turns the wheel of events, bringing hidden things to the top, and then again giving another turn and shaping things differently; and thus “by his devices” He is ever scheming and planning how to effect the change, and make a new pattern.

וּבְמָּה, בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו, עָבִיד תַּחְבּוּלִין וּמְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין לַאֲפָכָא לוֹן וְלָאו כְּאִנּוּן קַדְמָאֵי. לְפָעֳלָם, בְּגִין פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, כְּמָה דְאִנּוּן עָבְדִין עוֹבָדִין הָכִי מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן. כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֵּם עַל פְּנֵי תֵבֵל אָרְצָה. בְּגִין דְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא מְהַפֵּךְ לְאִנּוּן מְסִבּוֹת בְּכָל מַה דְּאִיהוּ פַּקִּיד לוֹן עַל פְּנִי תֵבֵל וְגו'. All is “according to their work”, i.e. the variation takes place in accordance to the works and deeds of man. The verse continues: “according as he commandeth them upon the face of the habitable world”, that is, it is in accordance with man’s works that God shapes the course of events, in all that He ordains on the face of the world.’

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר וְהוּא מְסִבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וְאַיְיתֵי עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאִתְקָיְימָא, וּלְבָתַר דְּחֲשִׁיבוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּיִתְקָיְימוּן אִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן לְאִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין מִכְּמָה דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא. R. Eleazar interpreted the words “and they are turned round about by His devices”, in the following manner. ‘The Holy One guides the course of events so as to bring to pass a seemingly stable state of things; but when the sons of men imagine that all before them is fixed and firmly established, then the Holy One turns His works into something altogether different from their former state.

בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו. בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ כְּתִיב כְּהַאי אוֹמָנָא דְּעָבִיד מָאנִין דְּחַרְסָא. בְּעוֹד דְּהַהִיא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵיהּ. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא דָּא עָבִיד. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא עָבִיד. מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנָא דָּא לְמָאנָא דָא, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ. כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ עוֹבָדוֹי דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד. Further,’ he said, ‘we may translate not “devices”, but “device”, i.e. “instrument”, and compare God to a potter who, in turning his wheel, constantly fashions new vessels according to his fancy. So is the Holy One constantly reshaping His works,

בְּתַחְבּוּלֹתָו חָסֵר יו"ד, וּמַאן אִיהוּ, דָּא בֵּי דִינָא לְתַתָּא דְּאִיהוּ טִקְלָא דְּאִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ, וְעַל דָּא מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנִין מִמָּאנָא דָא לְמָאנָא אָחֳרָא. the instrument which constitutes His potter’s wheel, so to speak, being the lower world Judgement Court.

וְכָל דָּא כְּפִי פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, אִי מְטִיבִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, הַהוּא טִקְלָא דְּסַחֲרָא אַסְחָרַת לוֹן לְיָמִינָא, וּכְדֵין אִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְטִיקְלָא אַסְחָרַת תָּדִיר וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּיָמִינָא וְעָלְמָא מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא בֵּיהּ. And all is done in accordance with man’s works. If they are good, the wheel revolves to the right, making the course of events highly favourable to them; and however long the wheel revolves, punishment never settles on that side.

אָתוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְאַבְאָשָׁא, תַּחְבּוּלָתוֹ דְּאַסְחַר תָּדִיר וְהֲוָה קָיְימָא בְּאַסְחָרוּתָא דְּיָמִינָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַסְחַר לֵיהּ בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא וּמְהַפֵּךְ מְסִבּוֹת וּמָאנִין דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְהַהוּא סְטַר שְׂמָאלָא. Should men, however, turn to evil ways the Holy One imparts to His device a spin to the left, and all things now take a direction to the left, and the wheel gives to events a course unfavourable to the sons of men.

וּכְדֵין טִקְלָא אַסְחָרָא וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְטִקְלָא אַסְחַר לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא עַד דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא תָּיְיבִין לְאוֹטָבָא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן. וְטִקְלָא קָיְימָא בְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְעַל דָּא בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ לְפָעֳלָם, וְלָא קָיְימָא תָּדִיר. So it goes on until they become penitent and retrace their evil ways. But the motive power of the wheel is centred in the works of man; hence the phrase, “by His device, according to their work”, there being no permanency.

תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַם סִבּוּבִין וְעוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַּד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְכֹלָּא נָפְקָא מֵעִקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דִּלְעֵילָא. אַקְרִיב אַבְרָהָם לְגַבֵּיהּ, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּלָא הֲוָה אַבְרָהָם גָּזִיר כַּד נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ לְתַתָּא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּאָת קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא. In this case too God manipulated events so as to attain a certain end, and all that happened had its roots in the supernal sphere. God had brought Abraham near to Him, and there issued from him Ishmael. Ishmael was born before Abraham was circumcised, that is, before he was made perfect through the sign of the holy covenant.

לְבָתַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סִבֵּב סִבּוּבִין בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו וְאִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם וְעָאל בַּבְּרִית וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בִּשְׁמֵיהּ וְאִקְרֵי אַבְרָהָם, וְה' (צו א) עִלָּאָה אַעֲטָרַת לֵיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַיִם (לא א) מֵרוּחַ. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, so devised that Abraham circumcised himself and entered the covenant and acquired his complete name of Abraham, and was crowned by the supernal he with the symbolical issuing of water from wind.

כֵּיוָן דְּרָזָא (דברי הימים א) אִשְׁתְּלִים וְאִתְגְּזַר, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִצְחָק וְהֲוָה זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא וְאִתְקַשַּׁר לְעֵילָא בְּרָזָא דְּאֵשׁ מִמַּיִם, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (ירמיהו ב׳:כ״א) וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת. וְלָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. As soon as the symbolism was completed and Abraham was circumcised, there issued from him Isaac, who was the holy seed and who was attached to the supernal spheres as symbolising fire from water, and who was not in any way linked to the “other side”.

תָּא חֲזֵי, יָאוֹת הֲוָה לְלוֹט דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ (ומבנתיה) וּמֵאִתְּתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין אִלֵּין, אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְאִתְקַשָּׁרָא בְּאַתְרַיְיהוּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְהוּ. וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ מִגּוֹ יֵינָא, וְהַהוּא יֵינָא אִזְדַּמַּן לְהוֹן בַּמְּעַרְתָּא הַהִיא לֵילְיָא, וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר וְהָא אִתְּמָר וְאוּקְמוּהָ. For observe that it would have been more fitting for Lot that the Holy One should have produced these two nations from his union with his wife. It was, however, necessary that these nations should be attached to their predestined place, and for this wine had to play its part; and wine, indeed, was found ready at hand in that cavern. The mystical part played by wine here is similar to that regarding w hich we read, “and he drank of the wine, and was drunken” (Gen. 9, 21), as has already been explained elsewhere.

תָּא חֲזֵי, מוֹאָב וְעַמּוֹן אִנּוּן קָרָאן לוֹן שְׁמָהָן, מוֹאָב מֵאָב. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר בְּכִירָה בַּחֲצִיפוּ אָמְרָה מוֹאָב, מֵאַבָּא הוּא. וְהַצְּעִירָה גַּם הִיא יָלְדָה בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן עַמִּי. בִּצְנִיעוּ אָמְרָה בֶּן עַמִּי. בַּר עַמִּי, וְלָא אָמְרָה מִמָּאן הֲוָה. In regard to the names Moab and Ammon, R. Jose made the following comment. ‘The first-born daughter was boldfaced enough to call her son “Moab”, thereby proclaiming that he was meab, i.e. the issue of her own father; whereas THE YOUNGER SHE ALSO BORE A SON, AND CALLED HIS NAME BEN-AMMI: the mother out of delicacy gave him that name which being interpreted simply means “a son of my people”, without betraying who his father was.

תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב וְלָא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו וְנָקוּד עַל וא"ו, בְּגִין דְּסִיּוּעָא דְּעֵילָא הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְּזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִשְׁתְּלִים הָכָא בְּוא"ו. וּבְאָחֳרָא כְּתִיב וּבְקֻמָּהּ חָסֵר וי"ו, בְּגִין דְּלָא נָפַק מִינָּהּ חוּלְקָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּהַאי אָחֳרָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהַאי אָחֳרָא קְשִׁישָׁא וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו מָלֵא וְנָקוּד עֲלָהּ. Further, the words AND HE KNEW NOT WHEN SHE LAY DOWN, NOR WHEN SHE AROSE, occur twice in this passage, first in reference to the younger daughter, and then in reference to the elder. In the former case the word b’qumah (when she arose) occurring in it is written plene, i.e. with the letter vau, which, moreover, is provided with a dot; this is to signify that heaven, as it were, was an accomplice to the act which ultimately was to bring about the birth of the Messiah. Contrariwise, the similar word in reference to the younger one is written defectively, without the letter vau, for the reason that none of her issue had any part in the Holy One, blessed be He.’

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, לָא יְדַע דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאוֹקְמָא מִינָהּ דָּוִד מַלְכָּא וּשְׁלֹמֹה וְכָל שְׁאָר מַלְכִין וּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא. תּוּ וּבְקוּמָהּ, דִּכְתִיב בְּרוּת (רות ג׳:י״ד) וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרְם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא הֲוָה לָהּ קִימָה וַדַּאי אִתְחַבַּר עִמָּהּ בֹּעַז לְהָקִים שֵׁם הַמֵּת עַל נַחֲלָתוֹ, וְאִתָּקַם מִנָּהּ כָּל הַנֵּי מַלְכִין וְכָל עִלּוּיָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתִּשְׁכַּב מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו עַד הַבֹּקֶר. וּבְקוּמָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרֶם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. בְּגִין כָּךְ וּבְקוּמָהּ נְקוּד וא"ו. R. Simeon said: ‘The underlying meaning of the words “and he knew not” is that he was unaware that the Holy One intended to raise from her King David and Solomon and all the other kings and, finally, the Messiah.’ R. Simeon said further: ‘The expression “when she arose” has its counterpart in the words used by Ruth, “and she rose up before one could discern another” (Ruth 3, 14). For it was on that day that Lot’s daughter could be said to have risen to the height of her destiny in that Boaz became attached to one of her lineage in order “to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance”, by means of which there were raised from her all those kings and the elect of Israel. Again, “And he knew not when she lay down” has its counterpart in the verse, “and she lay at his feet until the morning” (Ibid,.).

תָּא חֲזֵי, (קה ע"א) עִנְוְתָנוּתָא דְאַבְרָהָם דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא בִּסְדוֹם לָא בָעָא מִנֵּיהּ רַחֲמֵי עַל לוֹט (דהא), לְבָתַר דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עָלָה קִיטֹר הָאָרֶץ כְּקִיטֹר הַכִּבְשָׁן לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ דְּלוֹט וְלָא אָמַר עֲלֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם, אוּף הָכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אָמַר לֵיהּ מִידִי, בְּגִין דְּלָא יַחֲשֹׂב אַבְרָהָם דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַע מִזְכוּתֵיהּ כְּלוּם. Observe the restraint of Abraham in not beseeching grace on behalf of Lot, even when the Holy One at first announced to him His determination to execute punishment on Sodom; nor after he BEHELD, AND, LO, THE SMOKE OF THE LAND WENT UP AS THE SMOKE OF A FURNACE did he intercede for Lot, or address to the Holy One any word about him. Neither did the Holy One mention this subject to Abraham, in order that the latter should not think that God had used up some of his merit in order to save Lot.

וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאַבְרָהָם לָא הֲוָה חָשִׁיב לֵיהּ לְלוֹט בְּלִבֵּיהּ כְּלוּם, הָא מָסַר נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְמֵיהַךְ לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא בַּחֲמִשָּׁה מְלָכִין תַּקִּיפִין, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (בראשית י״ד:י״ד) וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָם כִּי נִשְׁבָּה אָחִיו וְגו'. וּכְתִיב וַיֵּחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם לַיְלָה. וּכְתִיב וַיָּשֶׁב אֵת כָּל הָרְכֻשׁ וְגַם אֶת לוֹט אָחִיו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ הֵשִׁיב וְגו'. אֲבָל בִּרְחִימוּתָא דִּרְחִים לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְחָמָא עוֹבָדוֹי דְלוֹט דְּלָא כַשְׁרָן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, לָא בָעָא אַבְרָהָם דִּבְגִינֵיהּ יִשְׁבּוֹק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם מִדִּילֵיהּ, וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ רַחֲמֵי לָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא וְלָא בְסוֹפָא: It cannot be said that Lot was of no account in the eyes of Abraham, seeing that Abraham risked his life on his behalf in waging war against five powerful kings. But because of his love for the Almighty and, in addition, because he saw that Lot’s conduct fell far short of the proper standard, Abraham did not plead that any indulgence should be shown to Lot for his sake. This is the reason why Abraham did not intercede on behalf of Lot either at the beginning or at the end.’

וַיַּעַל לוֹט מִצֹּעַר וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהָר הוּא וּשְׁתֵּי בְנוֹתָיו עִמּוֹ וְגו'. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּחָמָא דְּהֲוָה קָרִיב לִסְדוֹם וְאִסְתַּלַּק מִתַּמָּן. AND LOT WENT UP OUT OF ZOAR, AND DWELT IN THE MOUNTAIN, AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS WITH HIM, ETC. For what reason? Because Zoar was too near Sodom: hence he moved away further.

רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (איוב ל״ז:י״ב) וְהוּא מְסִיבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ בְּתַחְבּוּלתָיו לְפָעֳלָם וְגו'. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין דְּעָלְמָא וְאַיְיתֵי קוּמְרִין טְהִירִין לְמֶעְבַּד עוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְבָתַר מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן וְעָבִיד לוֹן כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא. R. Isaac discoursed on the verse: And they are turned round about by his devices, according to their work, etc. (Job 37, 12). ‘This means’, he said, ‘that the Holy One, blessed be He, constantly turns the wheel of events, bringing hidden things to the top, and then again giving another turn and shaping things differently; and thus “by his devices” He is ever scheming and planning how to effect the change, and make a new pattern.

וּבְמָּה, בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו, עָבִיד תַּחְבּוּלִין וּמְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין לַאֲפָכָא לוֹן וְלָאו כְּאִנּוּן קַדְמָאֵי. לְפָעֳלָם, בְּגִין פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, כְּמָה דְאִנּוּן עָבְדִין עוֹבָדִין הָכִי מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן. כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֵּם עַל פְּנֵי תֵבֵל אָרְצָה. בְּגִין דְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא מְהַפֵּךְ לְאִנּוּן מְסִבּוֹת בְּכָל מַה דְּאִיהוּ פַּקִּיד לוֹן עַל פְּנִי תֵבֵל וְגו'. All is “according to their work”, i.e. the variation takes place in accordance to the works and deeds of man. The verse continues: “according as he commandeth them upon the face of the habitable world”, that is, it is in accordance with man’s works that God shapes the course of events, in all that He ordains on the face of the world.’

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר וְהוּא מְסִבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וְאַיְיתֵי עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאִתְקָיְימָא, וּלְבָתַר דְּחֲשִׁיבוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּיִתְקָיְימוּן אִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן לְאִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין מִכְּמָה דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא. R. Eleazar interpreted the words “and they are turned round about by His devices”, in the following manner. ‘The Holy One guides the course of events so as to bring to pass a seemingly stable state of things; but when the sons of men imagine that all before them is fixed and firmly established, then the Holy One turns His works into something altogether different from their former state.

בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו. בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ כְּתִיב כְּהַאי אוֹמָנָא דְּעָבִיד מָאנִין דְּחַרְסָא. בְּעוֹד דְּהַהִיא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵיהּ. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא דָּא עָבִיד. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא עָבִיד. מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנָא דָּא לְמָאנָא דָא, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ. כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ עוֹבָדוֹי דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד. Further,’ he said, ‘we may translate not “devices”, but “device”, i.e. “instrument”, and compare God to a potter who, in turning his wheel, constantly fashions new vessels according to his fancy. So is the Holy One constantly reshaping His works,

בְּתַחְבּוּלֹתָו חָסֵר יו"ד, וּמַאן אִיהוּ, דָּא בֵּי דִינָא לְתַתָּא דְּאִיהוּ טִקְלָא דְּאִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ, וְעַל דָּא מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנִין מִמָּאנָא דָא לְמָאנָא אָחֳרָא. the instrument which constitutes His potter’s wheel, so to speak, being the lower world Judgement Court.

וְכָל דָּא כְּפִי פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, אִי מְטִיבִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, הַהוּא טִקְלָא דְּסַחֲרָא אַסְחָרַת לוֹן לְיָמִינָא, וּכְדֵין אִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְטִיקְלָא אַסְחָרַת תָּדִיר וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּיָמִינָא וְעָלְמָא מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא בֵּיהּ. And all is done in accordance with man’s works. If they are good, the wheel revolves to the right, making the course of events highly favourable to them; and however long the wheel revolves, punishment never settles on that side.

אָתוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְאַבְאָשָׁא, תַּחְבּוּלָתוֹ דְּאַסְחַר תָּדִיר וְהֲוָה קָיְימָא בְּאַסְחָרוּתָא דְּיָמִינָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַסְחַר לֵיהּ בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא וּמְהַפֵּךְ מְסִבּוֹת וּמָאנִין דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְהַהוּא סְטַר שְׂמָאלָא. Should men, however, turn to evil ways the Holy One imparts to His device a spin to the left, and all things now take a direction to the left, and the wheel gives to events a course unfavourable to the sons of men.

וּכְדֵין טִקְלָא אַסְחָרָא וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְטִקְלָא אַסְחַר לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא עַד דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא תָּיְיבִין לְאוֹטָבָא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן. וְטִקְלָא קָיְימָא בְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְעַל דָּא בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ לְפָעֳלָם, וְלָא קָיְימָא תָּדִיר. So it goes on until they become penitent and retrace their evil ways. But the motive power of the wheel is centred in the works of man; hence the phrase, “by His device, according to their work”, there being no permanency.

תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַם סִבּוּבִין וְעוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַּד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְכֹלָּא נָפְקָא מֵעִקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דִּלְעֵילָא. אַקְרִיב אַבְרָהָם לְגַבֵּיהּ, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּלָא הֲוָה אַבְרָהָם גָּזִיר כַּד נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ לְתַתָּא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּאָת קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא. In this case too God manipulated events so as to attain a certain end, and all that happened had its roots in the supernal sphere. God had brought Abraham near to Him, and there issued from him Ishmael. Ishmael was born before Abraham was circumcised, that is, before he was made perfect through the sign of the holy covenant.

לְבָתַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סִבֵּב סִבּוּבִין בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו וְאִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם וְעָאל בַּבְּרִית וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בִּשְׁמֵיהּ וְאִקְרֵי אַבְרָהָם, וְה' (צו א) עִלָּאָה אַעֲטָרַת לֵיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַיִם (לא א) מֵרוּחַ. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, so devised that Abraham circumcised himself and entered the covenant and acquired his complete name of Abraham, and was crowned by the supernal he with the symbolical issuing of water from wind.

כֵּיוָן דְּרָזָא (דברי הימים א) אִשְׁתְּלִים וְאִתְגְּזַר, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִצְחָק וְהֲוָה זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא וְאִתְקַשַּׁר לְעֵילָא בְּרָזָא דְּאֵשׁ מִמַּיִם, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (ירמיהו ב׳:כ״א) וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת. וְלָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. As soon as the symbolism was completed and Abraham was circumcised, there issued from him Isaac, who was the holy seed and who was attached to the supernal spheres as symbolising fire from water, and who was not in any way linked to the “other side”.

תָּא חֲזֵי, לוֹט נָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ וּמִבְּנָתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן, וְאִתְקְשָׁרוּ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לוֹן, וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וּמְגַלְגֵּל גִּלְגּוּלִין בְּעָלְמָא דְּיִתְעֲבִיד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת וְיִתְקַשַּׁר כֹּלָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ. From Lot, again, and from his daughters there came forth two disparate nations who became attached to the side appropriate to them. We see here, again, how the Almighty contrives “the course of things, turning them about so that everything should fit into the general scheme and fall into its proper place.

תָּא חֲזֵי, יָאוֹת הֲוָה לְלוֹט דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ (ומבנתיה) וּמֵאִתְּתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין אִלֵּין, אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְאִתְקַשָּׁרָא בְּאַתְרַיְיהוּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְהוּ. וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ מִגּוֹ יֵינָא, וְהַהוּא יֵינָא אִזְדַּמַּן לְהוֹן בַּמְּעַרְתָּא הַהִיא לֵילְיָא, וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר וְהָא אִתְּמָר וְאוּקְמוּהָ. For observe that it would have been more fitting for Lot that the Holy One should have produced these two nations from his union with his wife. It was, however, necessary that these nations should be attached to their predestined place, and for this wine had to play its part; and wine, indeed, was found ready at hand in that cavern. The mystical part played by wine here is similar to that regarding w hich we read, “and he drank of the wine, and was drunken” (Gen. 9, 21), as has already been explained elsewhere.

תָּא חֲזֵי, מוֹאָב וְעַמּוֹן אִנּוּן קָרָאן לוֹן שְׁמָהָן, מוֹאָב מֵאָב. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר בְּכִירָה בַּחֲצִיפוּ אָמְרָה מוֹאָב, מֵאַבָּא הוּא. וְהַצְּעִירָה גַּם הִיא יָלְדָה בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן עַמִּי. בִּצְנִיעוּ אָמְרָה בֶּן עַמִּי. בַּר עַמִּי, וְלָא אָמְרָה מִמָּאן הֲוָה. In regard to the names Moab and Ammon, R. Jose made the following comment. ‘The first-born daughter was boldfaced enough to call her son “Moab”, thereby proclaiming that he was meab, i.e. the issue of her own father; whereas THE YOUNGER SHE ALSO BORE A SON, AND CALLED HIS NAME BEN-AMMI: the mother out of delicacy gave him that name which being interpreted simply means “a son of my people”, without betraying who his father was.

תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב וְלָא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו וְנָקוּד עַל וא"ו, בְּגִין דְּסִיּוּעָא דְּעֵילָא הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְּזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִשְׁתְּלִים הָכָא בְּוא"ו. וּבְאָחֳרָא כְּתִיב וּבְקֻמָּהּ חָסֵר וי"ו, בְּגִין דְּלָא נָפַק מִינָּהּ חוּלְקָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּהַאי אָחֳרָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהַאי אָחֳרָא קְשִׁישָׁא וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו מָלֵא וְנָקוּד עֲלָהּ. Further, the words AND HE KNEW NOT WHEN SHE LAY DOWN, NOR WHEN SHE AROSE, occur twice in this passage, first in reference to the younger daughter, and then in reference to the elder. In the former case the word b’qumah (when she arose) occurring in it is written plene, i.e. with the letter vau, which, moreover, is provided with a dot; this is to signify that heaven, as it were, was an accomplice to the act which ultimately was to bring about the birth of the Messiah. Contrariwise, the similar word in reference to the younger one is written defectively, without the letter vau, for the reason that none of her issue had any part in the Holy One, blessed be He.’

וַיַּעַל לוֹט מִצֹּעַר וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהָר הוּא וּשְׁתֵּי בְנוֹתָיו עִמּוֹ וְגו'. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּחָמָא דְּהֲוָה קָרִיב לִסְדוֹם וְאִסְתַּלַּק מִתַּמָּן. AND LOT WENT UP OUT OF ZOAR, AND DWELT IN THE MOUNTAIN, AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS WITH HIM, ETC. For what reason? Because Zoar was too near Sodom: hence he moved away further.

רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (איוב ל״ז:י״ב) וְהוּא מְסִיבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ בְּתַחְבּוּלתָיו לְפָעֳלָם וְגו'. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין דְּעָלְמָא וְאַיְיתֵי קוּמְרִין טְהִירִין לְמֶעְבַּד עוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְבָתַר מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן וְעָבִיד לוֹן כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא. R. Isaac discoursed on the verse: And they are turned round about by his devices, according to their work, etc. (Job 37, 12). ‘This means’, he said, ‘that the Holy One, blessed be He, constantly turns the wheel of events, bringing hidden things to the top, and then again giving another turn and shaping things differently; and thus “by his devices” He is ever scheming and planning how to effect the change, and make a new pattern.

וּבְמָּה, בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו, עָבִיד תַּחְבּוּלִין וּמְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין לַאֲפָכָא לוֹן וְלָאו כְּאִנּוּן קַדְמָאֵי. לְפָעֳלָם, בְּגִין פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, כְּמָה דְאִנּוּן עָבְדִין עוֹבָדִין הָכִי מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן. כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֵּם עַל פְּנֵי תֵבֵל אָרְצָה. בְּגִין דְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא מְהַפֵּךְ לְאִנּוּן מְסִבּוֹת בְּכָל מַה דְּאִיהוּ פַּקִּיד לוֹן עַל פְּנִי תֵבֵל וְגו'. All is “according to their work”, i.e. the variation takes place in accordance to the works and deeds of man. The verse continues: “according as he commandeth them upon the face of the habitable world”, that is, it is in accordance with man’s works that God shapes the course of events, in all that He ordains on the face of the world.’

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר וְהוּא מְסִבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וְאַיְיתֵי עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאִתְקָיְימָא, וּלְבָתַר דְּחֲשִׁיבוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּיִתְקָיְימוּן אִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן לְאִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין מִכְּמָה דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא. R. Eleazar interpreted the words “and they are turned round about by His devices”, in the following manner. ‘The Holy One guides the course of events so as to bring to pass a seemingly stable state of things; but when the sons of men imagine that all before them is fixed and firmly established, then the Holy One turns His works into something altogether different from their former state.

בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו. בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ כְּתִיב כְּהַאי אוֹמָנָא דְּעָבִיד מָאנִין דְּחַרְסָא. בְּעוֹד דְּהַהִיא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵיהּ. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא דָּא עָבִיד. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא עָבִיד. מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנָא דָּא לְמָאנָא דָא, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ. כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ עוֹבָדוֹי דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד. Further,’ he said, ‘we may translate not “devices”, but “device”, i.e. “instrument”, and compare God to a potter who, in turning his wheel, constantly fashions new vessels according to his fancy. So is the Holy One constantly reshaping His works,

בְּתַחְבּוּלֹתָו חָסֵר יו"ד, וּמַאן אִיהוּ, דָּא בֵּי דִינָא לְתַתָּא דְּאִיהוּ טִקְלָא דְּאִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ, וְעַל דָּא מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנִין מִמָּאנָא דָא לְמָאנָא אָחֳרָא. the instrument which constitutes His potter’s wheel, so to speak, being the lower world Judgement Court.

וְכָל דָּא כְּפִי פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, אִי מְטִיבִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, הַהוּא טִקְלָא דְּסַחֲרָא אַסְחָרַת לוֹן לְיָמִינָא, וּכְדֵין אִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְטִיקְלָא אַסְחָרַת תָּדִיר וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּיָמִינָא וְעָלְמָא מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא בֵּיהּ. And all is done in accordance with man’s works. If they are good, the wheel revolves to the right, making the course of events highly favourable to them; and however long the wheel revolves, punishment never settles on that side.

אָתוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְאַבְאָשָׁא, תַּחְבּוּלָתוֹ דְּאַסְחַר תָּדִיר וְהֲוָה קָיְימָא בְּאַסְחָרוּתָא דְּיָמִינָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַסְחַר לֵיהּ בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא וּמְהַפֵּךְ מְסִבּוֹת וּמָאנִין דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְהַהוּא סְטַר שְׂמָאלָא. Should men, however, turn to evil ways the Holy One imparts to His device a spin to the left, and all things now take a direction to the left, and the wheel gives to events a course unfavourable to the sons of men.

וּכְדֵין טִקְלָא אַסְחָרָא וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְטִקְלָא אַסְחַר לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא עַד דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא תָּיְיבִין לְאוֹטָבָא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן. וְטִקְלָא קָיְימָא בְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְעַל דָּא בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ לְפָעֳלָם, וְלָא קָיְימָא תָּדִיר. So it goes on until they become penitent and retrace their evil ways. But the motive power of the wheel is centred in the works of man; hence the phrase, “by His device, according to their work”, there being no permanency.

תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַם סִבּוּבִין וְעוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַּד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְכֹלָּא נָפְקָא מֵעִקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דִּלְעֵילָא. אַקְרִיב אַבְרָהָם לְגַבֵּיהּ, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּלָא הֲוָה אַבְרָהָם גָּזִיר כַּד נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ לְתַתָּא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּאָת קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא. In this case too God manipulated events so as to attain a certain end, and all that happened had its roots in the supernal sphere. God had brought Abraham near to Him, and there issued from him Ishmael. Ishmael was born before Abraham was circumcised, that is, before he was made perfect through the sign of the holy covenant.

לְבָתַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סִבֵּב סִבּוּבִין בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו וְאִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם וְעָאל בַּבְּרִית וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בִּשְׁמֵיהּ וְאִקְרֵי אַבְרָהָם, וְה' (צו א) עִלָּאָה אַעֲטָרַת לֵיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַיִם (לא א) מֵרוּחַ. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, so devised that Abraham circumcised himself and entered the covenant and acquired his complete name of Abraham, and was crowned by the supernal he with the symbolical issuing of water from wind.

כֵּיוָן דְּרָזָא (דברי הימים א) אִשְׁתְּלִים וְאִתְגְּזַר, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִצְחָק וְהֲוָה זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא וְאִתְקַשַּׁר לְעֵילָא בְּרָזָא דְּאֵשׁ מִמַּיִם, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (ירמיהו ב׳:כ״א) וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת. וְלָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. As soon as the symbolism was completed and Abraham was circumcised, there issued from him Isaac, who was the holy seed and who was attached to the supernal spheres as symbolising fire from water, and who was not in any way linked to the “other side”.

תָּא חֲזֵי, לוֹט נָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ וּמִבְּנָתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן, וְאִתְקְשָׁרוּ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לוֹן, וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וּמְגַלְגֵּל גִּלְגּוּלִין בְּעָלְמָא דְּיִתְעֲבִיד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת וְיִתְקַשַּׁר כֹּלָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ. From Lot, again, and from his daughters there came forth two disparate nations who became attached to the side appropriate to them. We see here, again, how the Almighty contrives “the course of things, turning them about so that everything should fit into the general scheme and fall into its proper place.

תָּא חֲזֵי, יָאוֹת הֲוָה לְלוֹט דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ (ומבנתיה) וּמֵאִתְּתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין אִלֵּין, אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְאִתְקַשָּׁרָא בְּאַתְרַיְיהוּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְהוּ. וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ מִגּוֹ יֵינָא, וְהַהוּא יֵינָא אִזְדַּמַּן לְהוֹן בַּמְּעַרְתָּא הַהִיא לֵילְיָא, וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר וְהָא אִתְּמָר וְאוּקְמוּהָ. For observe that it would have been more fitting for Lot that the Holy One should have produced these two nations from his union with his wife. It was, however, necessary that these nations should be attached to their predestined place, and for this wine had to play its part; and wine, indeed, was found ready at hand in that cavern. The mystical part played by wine here is similar to that regarding w hich we read, “and he drank of the wine, and was drunken” (Gen. 9, 21), as has already been explained elsewhere.

תָּא חֲזֵי, מוֹאָב וְעַמּוֹן אִנּוּן קָרָאן לוֹן שְׁמָהָן, מוֹאָב מֵאָב. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר בְּכִירָה בַּחֲצִיפוּ אָמְרָה מוֹאָב, מֵאַבָּא הוּא. וְהַצְּעִירָה גַּם הִיא יָלְדָה בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן עַמִּי. בִּצְנִיעוּ אָמְרָה בֶּן עַמִּי. בַּר עַמִּי, וְלָא אָמְרָה מִמָּאן הֲוָה. In regard to the names Moab and Ammon, R. Jose made the following comment. ‘The first-born daughter was boldfaced enough to call her son “Moab”, thereby proclaiming that he was meab, i.e. the issue of her own father; whereas THE YOUNGER SHE ALSO BORE A SON, AND CALLED HIS NAME BEN-AMMI: the mother out of delicacy gave him that name which being interpreted simply means “a son of my people”, without betraying who his father was.

תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב וְלָא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו וְנָקוּד עַל וא"ו, בְּגִין דְּסִיּוּעָא דְּעֵילָא הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְּזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִשְׁתְּלִים הָכָא בְּוא"ו. וּבְאָחֳרָא כְּתִיב וּבְקֻמָּהּ חָסֵר וי"ו, בְּגִין דְּלָא נָפַק מִינָּהּ חוּלְקָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּהַאי אָחֳרָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהַאי אָחֳרָא קְשִׁישָׁא וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו מָלֵא וְנָקוּד עֲלָהּ. Further, the words AND HE KNEW NOT WHEN SHE LAY DOWN, NOR WHEN SHE AROSE, occur twice in this passage, first in reference to the younger daughter, and then in reference to the elder. In the former case the word b’qumah (when she arose) occurring in it is written plene, i.e. with the letter vau, which, moreover, is provided with a dot; this is to signify that heaven, as it were, was an accomplice to the act which ultimately was to bring about the birth of the Messiah. Contrariwise, the similar word in reference to the younger one is written defectively, without the letter vau, for the reason that none of her issue had any part in the Holy One, blessed be He.’

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, לָא יְדַע דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאוֹקְמָא מִינָהּ דָּוִד מַלְכָּא וּשְׁלֹמֹה וְכָל שְׁאָר מַלְכִין וּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא. תּוּ וּבְקוּמָהּ, דִּכְתִיב בְּרוּת (רות ג׳:י״ד) וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרְם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא הֲוָה לָהּ קִימָה וַדַּאי אִתְחַבַּר עִמָּהּ בֹּעַז לְהָקִים שֵׁם הַמֵּת עַל נַחֲלָתוֹ, וְאִתָּקַם מִנָּהּ כָּל הַנֵּי מַלְכִין וְכָל עִלּוּיָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתִּשְׁכַּב מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו עַד הַבֹּקֶר. וּבְקוּמָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרֶם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. בְּגִין כָּךְ וּבְקוּמָהּ נְקוּד וא"ו. R. Simeon said: ‘The underlying meaning of the words “and he knew not” is that he was unaware that the Holy One intended to raise from her King David and Solomon and all the other kings and, finally, the Messiah.’ R. Simeon said further: ‘The expression “when she arose” has its counterpart in the words used by Ruth, “and she rose up before one could discern another” (Ruth 3, 14). For it was on that day that Lot’s daughter could be said to have risen to the height of her destiny in that Boaz became attached to one of her lineage in order “to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance”, by means of which there were raised from her all those kings and the elect of Israel. Again, “And he knew not when she lay down” has its counterpart in the verse, “and she lay at his feet until the morning” (Ibid,.).

תָּא חֲזֵי, (קה ע"א) עִנְוְתָנוּתָא דְאַבְרָהָם דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא בִּסְדוֹם לָא בָעָא מִנֵּיהּ רַחֲמֵי עַל לוֹט (דהא), לְבָתַר דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עָלָה קִיטֹר הָאָרֶץ כְּקִיטֹר הַכִּבְשָׁן לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ דְּלוֹט וְלָא אָמַר עֲלֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם, אוּף הָכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אָמַר לֵיהּ מִידִי, בְּגִין דְּלָא יַחֲשֹׂב אַבְרָהָם דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַע מִזְכוּתֵיהּ כְּלוּם. Observe the restraint of Abraham in not beseeching grace on behalf of Lot, even when the Holy One at first announced to him His determination to execute punishment on Sodom; nor after he BEHELD, AND, LO, THE SMOKE OF THE LAND WENT UP AS THE SMOKE OF A FURNACE did he intercede for Lot, or address to the Holy One any word about him. Neither did the Holy One mention this subject to Abraham, in order that the latter should not think that God had used up some of his merit in order to save Lot.

וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאַבְרָהָם לָא הֲוָה חָשִׁיב לֵיהּ לְלוֹט בְּלִבֵּיהּ כְּלוּם, הָא מָסַר נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְמֵיהַךְ לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא בַּחֲמִשָּׁה מְלָכִין תַּקִּיפִין, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (בראשית י״ד:י״ד) וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָם כִּי נִשְׁבָּה אָחִיו וְגו'. וּכְתִיב וַיֵּחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם לַיְלָה. וּכְתִיב וַיָּשֶׁב אֵת כָּל הָרְכֻשׁ וְגַם אֶת לוֹט אָחִיו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ הֵשִׁיב וְגו'. אֲבָל בִּרְחִימוּתָא דִּרְחִים לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְחָמָא עוֹבָדוֹי דְלוֹט דְּלָא כַשְׁרָן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, לָא בָעָא אַבְרָהָם דִּבְגִינֵיהּ יִשְׁבּוֹק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם מִדִּילֵיהּ, וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ רַחֲמֵי לָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא וְלָא בְסוֹפָא: It cannot be said that Lot was of no account in the eyes of Abraham, seeing that Abraham risked his life on his behalf in waging war against five powerful kings. But because of his love for the Almighty and, in addition, because he saw that Lot’s conduct fell far short of the proper standard, Abraham did not plead that any indulgence should be shown to Lot for his sake. This is the reason why Abraham did not intercede on behalf of Lot either at the beginning or at the end.’

וַיַּעַל לוֹט מִצֹּעַר וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהָר הוּא וּשְׁתֵּי בְנוֹתָיו עִמּוֹ וְגו'. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּחָמָא דְּהֲוָה קָרִיב לִסְדוֹם וְאִסְתַּלַּק מִתַּמָּן. AND LOT WENT UP OUT OF ZOAR, AND DWELT IN THE MOUNTAIN, AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS WITH HIM, ETC. For what reason? Because Zoar was too near Sodom: hence he moved away further.

רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (איוב ל״ז:י״ב) וְהוּא מְסִיבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ בְּתַחְבּוּלתָיו לְפָעֳלָם וְגו'. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין דְּעָלְמָא וְאַיְיתֵי קוּמְרִין טְהִירִין לְמֶעְבַּד עוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְבָתַר מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן וְעָבִיד לוֹן כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא. R. Isaac discoursed on the verse: And they are turned round about by his devices, according to their work, etc. (Job 37, 12). ‘This means’, he said, ‘that the Holy One, blessed be He, constantly turns the wheel of events, bringing hidden things to the top, and then again giving another turn and shaping things differently; and thus “by his devices” He is ever scheming and planning how to effect the change, and make a new pattern.

וּבְמָּה, בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו, עָבִיד תַּחְבּוּלִין וּמְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין לַאֲפָכָא לוֹן וְלָאו כְּאִנּוּן קַדְמָאֵי. לְפָעֳלָם, בְּגִין פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, כְּמָה דְאִנּוּן עָבְדִין עוֹבָדִין הָכִי מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן. כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֵּם עַל פְּנֵי תֵבֵל אָרְצָה. בְּגִין דְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא מְהַפֵּךְ לְאִנּוּן מְסִבּוֹת בְּכָל מַה דְּאִיהוּ פַּקִּיד לוֹן עַל פְּנִי תֵבֵל וְגו'. All is “according to their work”, i.e. the variation takes place in accordance to the works and deeds of man. The verse continues: “according as he commandeth them upon the face of the habitable world”, that is, it is in accordance with man’s works that God shapes the course of events, in all that He ordains on the face of the world.’

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר וְהוּא מְסִבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וְאַיְיתֵי עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאִתְקָיְימָא, וּלְבָתַר דְּחֲשִׁיבוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּיִתְקָיְימוּן אִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן לְאִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין מִכְּמָה דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא. R. Eleazar interpreted the words “and they are turned round about by His devices”, in the following manner. ‘The Holy One guides the course of events so as to bring to pass a seemingly stable state of things; but when the sons of men imagine that all before them is fixed and firmly established, then the Holy One turns His works into something altogether different from their former state.

בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו. בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ כְּתִיב כְּהַאי אוֹמָנָא דְּעָבִיד מָאנִין דְּחַרְסָא. בְּעוֹד דְּהַהִיא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵיהּ. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא דָּא עָבִיד. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא עָבִיד. מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנָא דָּא לְמָאנָא דָא, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ. כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ עוֹבָדוֹי דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד. Further,’ he said, ‘we may translate not “devices”, but “device”, i.e. “instrument”, and compare God to a potter who, in turning his wheel, constantly fashions new vessels according to his fancy. So is the Holy One constantly reshaping His works,

בְּתַחְבּוּלֹתָו חָסֵר יו"ד, וּמַאן אִיהוּ, דָּא בֵּי דִינָא לְתַתָּא דְּאִיהוּ טִקְלָא דְּאִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ, וְעַל דָּא מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנִין מִמָּאנָא דָא לְמָאנָא אָחֳרָא. the instrument which constitutes His potter’s wheel, so to speak, being the lower world Judgement Court.

וְכָל דָּא כְּפִי פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, אִי מְטִיבִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, הַהוּא טִקְלָא דְּסַחֲרָא אַסְחָרַת לוֹן לְיָמִינָא, וּכְדֵין אִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְטִיקְלָא אַסְחָרַת תָּדִיר וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּיָמִינָא וְעָלְמָא מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא בֵּיהּ. And all is done in accordance with man’s works. If they are good, the wheel revolves to the right, making the course of events highly favourable to them; and however long the wheel revolves, punishment never settles on that side.

אָתוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְאַבְאָשָׁא, תַּחְבּוּלָתוֹ דְּאַסְחַר תָּדִיר וְהֲוָה קָיְימָא בְּאַסְחָרוּתָא דְּיָמִינָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַסְחַר לֵיהּ בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא וּמְהַפֵּךְ מְסִבּוֹת וּמָאנִין דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְהַהוּא סְטַר שְׂמָאלָא. Should men, however, turn to evil ways the Holy One imparts to His device a spin to the left, and all things now take a direction to the left, and the wheel gives to events a course unfavourable to the sons of men.

וּכְדֵין טִקְלָא אַסְחָרָא וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְטִקְלָא אַסְחַר לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא עַד דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא תָּיְיבִין לְאוֹטָבָא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן. וְטִקְלָא קָיְימָא בְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְעַל דָּא בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ לְפָעֳלָם, וְלָא קָיְימָא תָּדִיר. So it goes on until they become penitent and retrace their evil ways. But the motive power of the wheel is centred in the works of man; hence the phrase, “by His device, according to their work”, there being no permanency.

תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַם סִבּוּבִין וְעוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַּד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְכֹלָּא נָפְקָא מֵעִקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דִּלְעֵילָא. אַקְרִיב אַבְרָהָם לְגַבֵּיהּ, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּלָא הֲוָה אַבְרָהָם גָּזִיר כַּד נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ לְתַתָּא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּאָת קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא. In this case too God manipulated events so as to attain a certain end, and all that happened had its roots in the supernal sphere. God had brought Abraham near to Him, and there issued from him Ishmael. Ishmael was born before Abraham was circumcised, that is, before he was made perfect through the sign of the holy covenant.

לְבָתַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סִבֵּב סִבּוּבִין בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו וְאִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם וְעָאל בַּבְּרִית וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בִּשְׁמֵיהּ וְאִקְרֵי אַבְרָהָם, וְה' (צו א) עִלָּאָה אַעֲטָרַת לֵיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַיִם (לא א) מֵרוּחַ. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, so devised that Abraham circumcised himself and entered the covenant and acquired his complete name of Abraham, and was crowned by the supernal he with the symbolical issuing of water from wind.

כֵּיוָן דְּרָזָא (דברי הימים א) אִשְׁתְּלִים וְאִתְגְּזַר, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִצְחָק וְהֲוָה זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא וְאִתְקַשַּׁר לְעֵילָא בְּרָזָא דְּאֵשׁ מִמַּיִם, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (ירמיהו ב׳:כ״א) וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת. וְלָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. As soon as the symbolism was completed and Abraham was circumcised, there issued from him Isaac, who was the holy seed and who was attached to the supernal spheres as symbolising fire from water, and who was not in any way linked to the “other side”.

תָּא חֲזֵי, לוֹט נָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ וּמִבְּנָתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן, וְאִתְקְשָׁרוּ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לוֹן, וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וּמְגַלְגֵּל גִּלְגּוּלִין בְּעָלְמָא דְּיִתְעֲבִיד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת וְיִתְקַשַּׁר כֹּלָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ. From Lot, again, and from his daughters there came forth two disparate nations who became attached to the side appropriate to them. We see here, again, how the Almighty contrives “the course of things, turning them about so that everything should fit into the general scheme and fall into its proper place.

תָּא חֲזֵי, יָאוֹת הֲוָה לְלוֹט דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ (ומבנתיה) וּמֵאִתְּתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין אִלֵּין, אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְאִתְקַשָּׁרָא בְּאַתְרַיְיהוּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְהוּ. וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ מִגּוֹ יֵינָא, וְהַהוּא יֵינָא אִזְדַּמַּן לְהוֹן בַּמְּעַרְתָּא הַהִיא לֵילְיָא, וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר וְהָא אִתְּמָר וְאוּקְמוּהָ. For observe that it would have been more fitting for Lot that the Holy One should have produced these two nations from his union with his wife. It was, however, necessary that these nations should be attached to their predestined place, and for this wine had to play its part; and wine, indeed, was found ready at hand in that cavern. The mystical part played by wine here is similar to that regarding w hich we read, “and he drank of the wine, and was drunken” (Gen. 9, 21), as has already been explained elsewhere.

תָּא חֲזֵי, מוֹאָב וְעַמּוֹן אִנּוּן קָרָאן לוֹן שְׁמָהָן, מוֹאָב מֵאָב. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר בְּכִירָה בַּחֲצִיפוּ אָמְרָה מוֹאָב, מֵאַבָּא הוּא. וְהַצְּעִירָה גַּם הִיא יָלְדָה בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן עַמִּי. בִּצְנִיעוּ אָמְרָה בֶּן עַמִּי. בַּר עַמִּי, וְלָא אָמְרָה מִמָּאן הֲוָה. In regard to the names Moab and Ammon, R. Jose made the following comment. ‘The first-born daughter was boldfaced enough to call her son “Moab”, thereby proclaiming that he was meab, i.e. the issue of her own father; whereas THE YOUNGER SHE ALSO BORE A SON, AND CALLED HIS NAME BEN-AMMI: the mother out of delicacy gave him that name which being interpreted simply means “a son of my people”, without betraying who his father was.

תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב וְלָא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו וְנָקוּד עַל וא"ו, בְּגִין דְּסִיּוּעָא דְּעֵילָא הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְּזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִשְׁתְּלִים הָכָא בְּוא"ו. וּבְאָחֳרָא כְּתִיב וּבְקֻמָּהּ חָסֵר וי"ו, בְּגִין דְּלָא נָפַק מִינָּהּ חוּלְקָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּהַאי אָחֳרָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהַאי אָחֳרָא קְשִׁישָׁא וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו מָלֵא וְנָקוּד עֲלָהּ. Further, the words AND HE KNEW NOT WHEN SHE LAY DOWN, NOR WHEN SHE AROSE, occur twice in this passage, first in reference to the younger daughter, and then in reference to the elder. In the former case the word b’qumah (when she arose) occurring in it is written plene, i.e. with the letter vau, which, moreover, is provided with a dot; this is to signify that heaven, as it were, was an accomplice to the act which ultimately was to bring about the birth of the Messiah. Contrariwise, the similar word in reference to the younger one is written defectively, without the letter vau, for the reason that none of her issue had any part in the Holy One, blessed be He.’

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, לָא יְדַע דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאוֹקְמָא מִינָהּ דָּוִד מַלְכָּא וּשְׁלֹמֹה וְכָל שְׁאָר מַלְכִין וּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא. תּוּ וּבְקוּמָהּ, דִּכְתִיב בְּרוּת (רות ג׳:י״ד) וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרְם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא הֲוָה לָהּ קִימָה וַדַּאי אִתְחַבַּר עִמָּהּ בֹּעַז לְהָקִים שֵׁם הַמֵּת עַל נַחֲלָתוֹ, וְאִתָּקַם מִנָּהּ כָּל הַנֵּי מַלְכִין וְכָל עִלּוּיָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתִּשְׁכַּב מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו עַד הַבֹּקֶר. וּבְקוּמָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרֶם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. בְּגִין כָּךְ וּבְקוּמָהּ נְקוּד וא"ו. R. Simeon said: ‘The underlying meaning of the words “and he knew not” is that he was unaware that the Holy One intended to raise from her King David and Solomon and all the other kings and, finally, the Messiah.’ R. Simeon said further: ‘The expression “when she arose” has its counterpart in the words used by Ruth, “and she rose up before one could discern another” (Ruth 3, 14). For it was on that day that Lot’s daughter could be said to have risen to the height of her destiny in that Boaz became attached to one of her lineage in order “to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance”, by means of which there were raised from her all those kings and the elect of Israel. Again, “And he knew not when she lay down” has its counterpart in the verse, “and she lay at his feet until the morning” (Ibid,.).

תָּא חֲזֵי, (קה ע"א) עִנְוְתָנוּתָא דְאַבְרָהָם דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא בִּסְדוֹם לָא בָעָא מִנֵּיהּ רַחֲמֵי עַל לוֹט (דהא), לְבָתַר דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עָלָה קִיטֹר הָאָרֶץ כְּקִיטֹר הַכִּבְשָׁן לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ דְּלוֹט וְלָא אָמַר עֲלֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם, אוּף הָכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אָמַר לֵיהּ מִידִי, בְּגִין דְּלָא יַחֲשֹׂב אַבְרָהָם דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַע מִזְכוּתֵיהּ כְּלוּם. Observe the restraint of Abraham in not beseeching grace on behalf of Lot, even when the Holy One at first announced to him His determination to execute punishment on Sodom; nor after he BEHELD, AND, LO, THE SMOKE OF THE LAND WENT UP AS THE SMOKE OF A FURNACE did he intercede for Lot, or address to the Holy One any word about him. Neither did the Holy One mention this subject to Abraham, in order that the latter should not think that God had used up some of his merit in order to save Lot.

וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאַבְרָהָם לָא הֲוָה חָשִׁיב לֵיהּ לְלוֹט בְּלִבֵּיהּ כְּלוּם, הָא מָסַר נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְמֵיהַךְ לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא בַּחֲמִשָּׁה מְלָכִין תַּקִּיפִין, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (בראשית י״ד:י״ד) וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָם כִּי נִשְׁבָּה אָחִיו וְגו'. וּכְתִיב וַיֵּחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם לַיְלָה. וּכְתִיב וַיָּשֶׁב אֵת כָּל הָרְכֻשׁ וְגַם אֶת לוֹט אָחִיו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ הֵשִׁיב וְגו'. אֲבָל בִּרְחִימוּתָא דִּרְחִים לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְחָמָא עוֹבָדוֹי דְלוֹט דְּלָא כַשְׁרָן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, לָא בָעָא אַבְרָהָם דִּבְגִינֵיהּ יִשְׁבּוֹק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם מִדִּילֵיהּ, וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ רַחֲמֵי לָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא וְלָא בְסוֹפָא: It cannot be said that Lot was of no account in the eyes of Abraham, seeing that Abraham risked his life on his behalf in waging war against five powerful kings. But because of his love for the Almighty and, in addition, because he saw that Lot’s conduct fell far short of the proper standard, Abraham did not plead that any indulgence should be shown to Lot for his sake. This is the reason why Abraham did not intercede on behalf of Lot either at the beginning or at the end.’

וַיַּעַל לוֹט מִצֹּעַר וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהָר הוּא וּשְׁתֵּי בְנוֹתָיו עִמּוֹ וְגו'. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּחָמָא דְּהֲוָה קָרִיב לִסְדוֹם וְאִסְתַּלַּק מִתַּמָּן. AND LOT WENT UP OUT OF ZOAR, AND DWELT IN THE MOUNTAIN, AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS WITH HIM, ETC. For what reason? Because Zoar was too near Sodom: hence he moved away further.

רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (איוב ל״ז:י״ב) וְהוּא מְסִיבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ בְּתַחְבּוּלתָיו לְפָעֳלָם וְגו'. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין דְּעָלְמָא וְאַיְיתֵי קוּמְרִין טְהִירִין לְמֶעְבַּד עוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְבָתַר מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן וְעָבִיד לוֹן כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא. R. Isaac discoursed on the verse: And they are turned round about by his devices, according to their work, etc. (Job 37, 12). ‘This means’, he said, ‘that the Holy One, blessed be He, constantly turns the wheel of events, bringing hidden things to the top, and then again giving another turn and shaping things differently; and thus “by his devices” He is ever scheming and planning how to effect the change, and make a new pattern.

וּבְמָּה, בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו, עָבִיד תַּחְבּוּלִין וּמְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין לַאֲפָכָא לוֹן וְלָאו כְּאִנּוּן קַדְמָאֵי. לְפָעֳלָם, בְּגִין פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, כְּמָה דְאִנּוּן עָבְדִין עוֹבָדִין הָכִי מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן. כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֵּם עַל פְּנֵי תֵבֵל אָרְצָה. בְּגִין דְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא מְהַפֵּךְ לְאִנּוּן מְסִבּוֹת בְּכָל מַה דְּאִיהוּ פַּקִּיד לוֹן עַל פְּנִי תֵבֵל וְגו'. All is “according to their work”, i.e. the variation takes place in accordance to the works and deeds of man. The verse continues: “according as he commandeth them upon the face of the habitable world”, that is, it is in accordance with man’s works that God shapes the course of events, in all that He ordains on the face of the world.’

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר וְהוּא מְסִבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וְאַיְיתֵי עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאִתְקָיְימָא, וּלְבָתַר דְּחֲשִׁיבוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּיִתְקָיְימוּן אִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן לְאִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין מִכְּמָה דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא. R. Eleazar interpreted the words “and they are turned round about by His devices”, in the following manner. ‘The Holy One guides the course of events so as to bring to pass a seemingly stable state of things; but when the sons of men imagine that all before them is fixed and firmly established, then the Holy One turns His works into something altogether different from their former state.

בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו. בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ כְּתִיב כְּהַאי אוֹמָנָא דְּעָבִיד מָאנִין דְּחַרְסָא. בְּעוֹד דְּהַהִיא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵיהּ. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא דָּא עָבִיד. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא עָבִיד. מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנָא דָּא לְמָאנָא דָא, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ. כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ עוֹבָדוֹי דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד. Further,’ he said, ‘we may translate not “devices”, but “device”, i.e. “instrument”, and compare God to a potter who, in turning his wheel, constantly fashions new vessels according to his fancy. So is the Holy One constantly reshaping His works,

בְּתַחְבּוּלֹתָו חָסֵר יו"ד, וּמַאן אִיהוּ, דָּא בֵּי דִינָא לְתַתָּא דְּאִיהוּ טִקְלָא דְּאִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ, וְעַל דָּא מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנִין מִמָּאנָא דָא לְמָאנָא אָחֳרָא. the instrument which constitutes His potter’s wheel, so to speak, being the lower world Judgement Court.

וְכָל דָּא כְּפִי פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, אִי מְטִיבִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, הַהוּא טִקְלָא דְּסַחֲרָא אַסְחָרַת לוֹן לְיָמִינָא, וּכְדֵין אִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְטִיקְלָא אַסְחָרַת תָּדִיר וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּיָמִינָא וְעָלְמָא מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא בֵּיהּ. And all is done in accordance with man’s works. If they are good, the wheel revolves to the right, making the course of events highly favourable to them; and however long the wheel revolves, punishment never settles on that side.

אָתוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְאַבְאָשָׁא, תַּחְבּוּלָתוֹ דְּאַסְחַר תָּדִיר וְהֲוָה קָיְימָא בְּאַסְחָרוּתָא דְּיָמִינָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַסְחַר לֵיהּ בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא וּמְהַפֵּךְ מְסִבּוֹת וּמָאנִין דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְהַהוּא סְטַר שְׂמָאלָא. Should men, however, turn to evil ways the Holy One imparts to His device a spin to the left, and all things now take a direction to the left, and the wheel gives to events a course unfavourable to the sons of men.

וּכְדֵין טִקְלָא אַסְחָרָא וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְטִקְלָא אַסְחַר לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא עַד דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא תָּיְיבִין לְאוֹטָבָא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן. וְטִקְלָא קָיְימָא בְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְעַל דָּא בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ לְפָעֳלָם, וְלָא קָיְימָא תָּדִיר. So it goes on until they become penitent and retrace their evil ways. But the motive power of the wheel is centred in the works of man; hence the phrase, “by His device, according to their work”, there being no permanency.

תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַם סִבּוּבִין וְעוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַּד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְכֹלָּא נָפְקָא מֵעִקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דִּלְעֵילָא. אַקְרִיב אַבְרָהָם לְגַבֵּיהּ, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּלָא הֲוָה אַבְרָהָם גָּזִיר כַּד נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ לְתַתָּא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּאָת קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא. In this case too God manipulated events so as to attain a certain end, and all that happened had its roots in the supernal sphere. God had brought Abraham near to Him, and there issued from him Ishmael. Ishmael was born before Abraham was circumcised, that is, before he was made perfect through the sign of the holy covenant.

לְבָתַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סִבֵּב סִבּוּבִין בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו וְאִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם וְעָאל בַּבְּרִית וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בִּשְׁמֵיהּ וְאִקְרֵי אַבְרָהָם, וְה' (צו א) עִלָּאָה אַעֲטָרַת לֵיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַיִם (לא א) מֵרוּחַ. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, so devised that Abraham circumcised himself and entered the covenant and acquired his complete name of Abraham, and was crowned by the supernal he with the symbolical issuing of water from wind.

כֵּיוָן דְּרָזָא (דברי הימים א) אִשְׁתְּלִים וְאִתְגְּזַר, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִצְחָק וְהֲוָה זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא וְאִתְקַשַּׁר לְעֵילָא בְּרָזָא דְּאֵשׁ מִמַּיִם, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (ירמיהו ב׳:כ״א) וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת. וְלָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. As soon as the symbolism was completed and Abraham was circumcised, there issued from him Isaac, who was the holy seed and who was attached to the supernal spheres as symbolising fire from water, and who was not in any way linked to the “other side”.

תָּא חֲזֵי, לוֹט נָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ וּמִבְּנָתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן, וְאִתְקְשָׁרוּ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לוֹן, וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וּמְגַלְגֵּל גִּלְגּוּלִין בְּעָלְמָא דְּיִתְעֲבִיד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת וְיִתְקַשַּׁר כֹּלָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ. From Lot, again, and from his daughters there came forth two disparate nations who became attached to the side appropriate to them. We see here, again, how the Almighty contrives “the course of things, turning them about so that everything should fit into the general scheme and fall into its proper place.

תָּא חֲזֵי, יָאוֹת הֲוָה לְלוֹט דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ (ומבנתיה) וּמֵאִתְּתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין אִלֵּין, אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְאִתְקַשָּׁרָא בְּאַתְרַיְיהוּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְהוּ. וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ מִגּוֹ יֵינָא, וְהַהוּא יֵינָא אִזְדַּמַּן לְהוֹן בַּמְּעַרְתָּא הַהִיא לֵילְיָא, וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר וְהָא אִתְּמָר וְאוּקְמוּהָ. For observe that it would have been more fitting for Lot that the Holy One should have produced these two nations from his union with his wife. It was, however, necessary that these nations should be attached to their predestined place, and for this wine had to play its part; and wine, indeed, was found ready at hand in that cavern. The mystical part played by wine here is similar to that regarding w hich we read, “and he drank of the wine, and was drunken” (Gen. 9, 21), as has already been explained elsewhere.

תָּא חֲזֵי, מוֹאָב וְעַמּוֹן אִנּוּן קָרָאן לוֹן שְׁמָהָן, מוֹאָב מֵאָב. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר בְּכִירָה בַּחֲצִיפוּ אָמְרָה מוֹאָב, מֵאַבָּא הוּא. וְהַצְּעִירָה גַּם הִיא יָלְדָה בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן עַמִּי. בִּצְנִיעוּ אָמְרָה בֶּן עַמִּי. בַּר עַמִּי, וְלָא אָמְרָה מִמָּאן הֲוָה. In regard to the names Moab and Ammon, R. Jose made the following comment. ‘The first-born daughter was boldfaced enough to call her son “Moab”, thereby proclaiming that he was meab, i.e. the issue of her own father; whereas THE YOUNGER SHE ALSO BORE A SON, AND CALLED HIS NAME BEN-AMMI: the mother out of delicacy gave him that name which being interpreted simply means “a son of my people”, without betraying who his father was.

תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב וְלָא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו וְנָקוּד עַל וא"ו, בְּגִין דְּסִיּוּעָא דְּעֵילָא הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְּזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִשְׁתְּלִים הָכָא בְּוא"ו. וּבְאָחֳרָא כְּתִיב וּבְקֻמָּהּ חָסֵר וי"ו, בְּגִין דְּלָא נָפַק מִינָּהּ חוּלְקָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּהַאי אָחֳרָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהַאי אָחֳרָא קְשִׁישָׁא וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו מָלֵא וְנָקוּד עֲלָהּ. Further, the words AND HE KNEW NOT WHEN SHE LAY DOWN, NOR WHEN SHE AROSE, occur twice in this passage, first in reference to the younger daughter, and then in reference to the elder. In the former case the word b’qumah (when she arose) occurring in it is written plene, i.e. with the letter vau, which, moreover, is provided with a dot; this is to signify that heaven, as it were, was an accomplice to the act which ultimately was to bring about the birth of the Messiah. Contrariwise, the similar word in reference to the younger one is written defectively, without the letter vau, for the reason that none of her issue had any part in the Holy One, blessed be He.’

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, לָא יְדַע דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאוֹקְמָא מִינָהּ דָּוִד מַלְכָּא וּשְׁלֹמֹה וְכָל שְׁאָר מַלְכִין וּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא. תּוּ וּבְקוּמָהּ, דִּכְתִיב בְּרוּת (רות ג׳:י״ד) וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרְם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא הֲוָה לָהּ קִימָה וַדַּאי אִתְחַבַּר עִמָּהּ בֹּעַז לְהָקִים שֵׁם הַמֵּת עַל נַחֲלָתוֹ, וְאִתָּקַם מִנָּהּ כָּל הַנֵּי מַלְכִין וְכָל עִלּוּיָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתִּשְׁכַּב מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו עַד הַבֹּקֶר. וּבְקוּמָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרֶם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. בְּגִין כָּךְ וּבְקוּמָהּ נְקוּד וא"ו. R. Simeon said: ‘The underlying meaning of the words “and he knew not” is that he was unaware that the Holy One intended to raise from her King David and Solomon and all the other kings and, finally, the Messiah.’ R. Simeon said further: ‘The expression “when she arose” has its counterpart in the words used by Ruth, “and she rose up before one could discern another” (Ruth 3, 14). For it was on that day that Lot’s daughter could be said to have risen to the height of her destiny in that Boaz became attached to one of her lineage in order “to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance”, by means of which there were raised from her all those kings and the elect of Israel. Again, “And he knew not when she lay down” has its counterpart in the verse, “and she lay at his feet until the morning” (Ibid,.).

תָּא חֲזֵי, (קה ע"א) עִנְוְתָנוּתָא דְאַבְרָהָם דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא בִּסְדוֹם לָא בָעָא מִנֵּיהּ רַחֲמֵי עַל לוֹט (דהא), לְבָתַר דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עָלָה קִיטֹר הָאָרֶץ כְּקִיטֹר הַכִּבְשָׁן לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ דְּלוֹט וְלָא אָמַר עֲלֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם, אוּף הָכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אָמַר לֵיהּ מִידִי, בְּגִין דְּלָא יַחֲשֹׂב אַבְרָהָם דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַע מִזְכוּתֵיהּ כְּלוּם. Observe the restraint of Abraham in not beseeching grace on behalf of Lot, even when the Holy One at first announced to him His determination to execute punishment on Sodom; nor after he BEHELD, AND, LO, THE SMOKE OF THE LAND WENT UP AS THE SMOKE OF A FURNACE did he intercede for Lot, or address to the Holy One any word about him. Neither did the Holy One mention this subject to Abraham, in order that the latter should not think that God had used up some of his merit in order to save Lot.

וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאַבְרָהָם לָא הֲוָה חָשִׁיב לֵיהּ לְלוֹט בְּלִבֵּיהּ כְּלוּם, הָא מָסַר נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְמֵיהַךְ לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא בַּחֲמִשָּׁה מְלָכִין תַּקִּיפִין, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (בראשית י״ד:י״ד) וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָם כִּי נִשְׁבָּה אָחִיו וְגו'. וּכְתִיב וַיֵּחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם לַיְלָה. וּכְתִיב וַיָּשֶׁב אֵת כָּל הָרְכֻשׁ וְגַם אֶת לוֹט אָחִיו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ הֵשִׁיב וְגו'. אֲבָל בִּרְחִימוּתָא דִּרְחִים לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְחָמָא עוֹבָדוֹי דְלוֹט דְּלָא כַשְׁרָן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, לָא בָעָא אַבְרָהָם דִּבְגִינֵיהּ יִשְׁבּוֹק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם מִדִּילֵיהּ, וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ רַחֲמֵי לָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא וְלָא בְסוֹפָא: It cannot be said that Lot was of no account in the eyes of Abraham, seeing that Abraham risked his life on his behalf in waging war against five powerful kings. But because of his love for the Almighty and, in addition, because he saw that Lot’s conduct fell far short of the proper standard, Abraham did not plead that any indulgence should be shown to Lot for his sake. This is the reason why Abraham did not intercede on behalf of Lot either at the beginning or at the end.’

וַיַּעַל לוֹט מִצֹּעַר וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהָר הוּא וּשְׁתֵּי בְנוֹתָיו עִמּוֹ וְגו'. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּחָמָא דְּהֲוָה קָרִיב לִסְדוֹם וְאִסְתַּלַּק מִתַּמָּן. AND LOT WENT UP OUT OF ZOAR, AND DWELT IN THE MOUNTAIN, AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS WITH HIM, ETC. For what reason? Because Zoar was too near Sodom: hence he moved away further.

רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (איוב ל״ז:י״ב) וְהוּא מְסִיבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ בְּתַחְבּוּלתָיו לְפָעֳלָם וְגו'. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין דְּעָלְמָא וְאַיְיתֵי קוּמְרִין טְהִירִין לְמֶעְבַּד עוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְבָתַר מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן וְעָבִיד לוֹן כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא. R. Isaac discoursed on the verse: And they are turned round about by his devices, according to their work, etc. (Job 37, 12). ‘This means’, he said, ‘that the Holy One, blessed be He, constantly turns the wheel of events, bringing hidden things to the top, and then again giving another turn and shaping things differently; and thus “by his devices” He is ever scheming and planning how to effect the change, and make a new pattern.

וּבְמָּה, בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו, עָבִיד תַּחְבּוּלִין וּמְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין לַאֲפָכָא לוֹן וְלָאו כְּאִנּוּן קַדְמָאֵי. לְפָעֳלָם, בְּגִין פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, כְּמָה דְאִנּוּן עָבְדִין עוֹבָדִין הָכִי מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן. כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֵּם עַל פְּנֵי תֵבֵל אָרְצָה. בְּגִין דְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא מְהַפֵּךְ לְאִנּוּן מְסִבּוֹת בְּכָל מַה דְּאִיהוּ פַּקִּיד לוֹן עַל פְּנִי תֵבֵל וְגו'. All is “according to their work”, i.e. the variation takes place in accordance to the works and deeds of man. The verse continues: “according as he commandeth them upon the face of the habitable world”, that is, it is in accordance with man’s works that God shapes the course of events, in all that He ordains on the face of the world.’

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר וְהוּא מְסִבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וְאַיְיתֵי עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאִתְקָיְימָא, וּלְבָתַר דְּחֲשִׁיבוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּיִתְקָיְימוּן אִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן לְאִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין מִכְּמָה דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא. R. Eleazar interpreted the words “and they are turned round about by His devices”, in the following manner. ‘The Holy One guides the course of events so as to bring to pass a seemingly stable state of things; but when the sons of men imagine that all before them is fixed and firmly established, then the Holy One turns His works into something altogether different from their former state.

בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו. בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ כְּתִיב כְּהַאי אוֹמָנָא דְּעָבִיד מָאנִין דְּחַרְסָא. בְּעוֹד דְּהַהִיא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵיהּ. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא דָּא עָבִיד. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא עָבִיד. מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנָא דָּא לְמָאנָא דָא, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ. כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ עוֹבָדוֹי דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד. Further,’ he said, ‘we may translate not “devices”, but “device”, i.e. “instrument”, and compare God to a potter who, in turning his wheel, constantly fashions new vessels according to his fancy. So is the Holy One constantly reshaping His works,

בְּתַחְבּוּלֹתָו חָסֵר יו"ד, וּמַאן אִיהוּ, דָּא בֵּי דִינָא לְתַתָּא דְּאִיהוּ טִקְלָא דְּאִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ, וְעַל דָּא מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנִין מִמָּאנָא דָא לְמָאנָא אָחֳרָא. the instrument which constitutes His potter’s wheel, so to speak, being the lower world Judgement Court.

וְכָל דָּא כְּפִי פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, אִי מְטִיבִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, הַהוּא טִקְלָא דְּסַחֲרָא אַסְחָרַת לוֹן לְיָמִינָא, וּכְדֵין אִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְטִיקְלָא אַסְחָרַת תָּדִיר וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּיָמִינָא וְעָלְמָא מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא בֵּיהּ. And all is done in accordance with man’s works. If they are good, the wheel revolves to the right, making the course of events highly favourable to them; and however long the wheel revolves, punishment never settles on that side.

אָתוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְאַבְאָשָׁא, תַּחְבּוּלָתוֹ דְּאַסְחַר תָּדִיר וְהֲוָה קָיְימָא בְּאַסְחָרוּתָא דְּיָמִינָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַסְחַר לֵיהּ בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא וּמְהַפֵּךְ מְסִבּוֹת וּמָאנִין דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְהַהוּא סְטַר שְׂמָאלָא. Should men, however, turn to evil ways the Holy One imparts to His device a spin to the left, and all things now take a direction to the left, and the wheel gives to events a course unfavourable to the sons of men.

וּכְדֵין טִקְלָא אַסְחָרָא וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְטִקְלָא אַסְחַר לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא עַד דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא תָּיְיבִין לְאוֹטָבָא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן. וְטִקְלָא קָיְימָא בְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְעַל דָּא בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ לְפָעֳלָם, וְלָא קָיְימָא תָּדִיר. So it goes on until they become penitent and retrace their evil ways. But the motive power of the wheel is centred in the works of man; hence the phrase, “by His device, according to their work”, there being no permanency.

תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַם סִבּוּבִין וְעוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַּד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְכֹלָּא נָפְקָא מֵעִקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דִּלְעֵילָא. אַקְרִיב אַבְרָהָם לְגַבֵּיהּ, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּלָא הֲוָה אַבְרָהָם גָּזִיר כַּד נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ לְתַתָּא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּאָת קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא. In this case too God manipulated events so as to attain a certain end, and all that happened had its roots in the supernal sphere. God had brought Abraham near to Him, and there issued from him Ishmael. Ishmael was born before Abraham was circumcised, that is, before he was made perfect through the sign of the holy covenant.

לְבָתַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סִבֵּב סִבּוּבִין בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו וְאִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם וְעָאל בַּבְּרִית וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בִּשְׁמֵיהּ וְאִקְרֵי אַבְרָהָם, וְה' (צו א) עִלָּאָה אַעֲטָרַת לֵיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַיִם (לא א) מֵרוּחַ. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, so devised that Abraham circumcised himself and entered the covenant and acquired his complete name of Abraham, and was crowned by the supernal he with the symbolical issuing of water from wind.

כֵּיוָן דְּרָזָא (דברי הימים א) אִשְׁתְּלִים וְאִתְגְּזַר, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִצְחָק וְהֲוָה זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא וְאִתְקַשַּׁר לְעֵילָא בְּרָזָא דְּאֵשׁ מִמַּיִם, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (ירמיהו ב׳:כ״א) וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת. וְלָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. As soon as the symbolism was completed and Abraham was circumcised, there issued from him Isaac, who was the holy seed and who was attached to the supernal spheres as symbolising fire from water, and who was not in any way linked to the “other side”.

תָּא חֲזֵי, לוֹט נָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ וּמִבְּנָתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן, וְאִתְקְשָׁרוּ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לוֹן, וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וּמְגַלְגֵּל גִּלְגּוּלִין בְּעָלְמָא דְּיִתְעֲבִיד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת וְיִתְקַשַּׁר כֹּלָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ. From Lot, again, and from his daughters there came forth two disparate nations who became attached to the side appropriate to them. We see here, again, how the Almighty contrives “the course of things, turning them about so that everything should fit into the general scheme and fall into its proper place.

תָּא חֲזֵי, יָאוֹת הֲוָה לְלוֹט דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ (ומבנתיה) וּמֵאִתְּתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין אִלֵּין, אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְאִתְקַשָּׁרָא בְּאַתְרַיְיהוּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְהוּ. וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ מִגּוֹ יֵינָא, וְהַהוּא יֵינָא אִזְדַּמַּן לְהוֹן בַּמְּעַרְתָּא הַהִיא לֵילְיָא, וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר וְהָא אִתְּמָר וְאוּקְמוּהָ. For observe that it would have been more fitting for Lot that the Holy One should have produced these two nations from his union with his wife. It was, however, necessary that these nations should be attached to their predestined place, and for this wine had to play its part; and wine, indeed, was found ready at hand in that cavern. The mystical part played by wine here is similar to that regarding w hich we read, “and he drank of the wine, and was drunken” (Gen. 9, 21), as has already been explained elsewhere.

תָּא חֲזֵי, מוֹאָב וְעַמּוֹן אִנּוּן קָרָאן לוֹן שְׁמָהָן, מוֹאָב מֵאָב. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר בְּכִירָה בַּחֲצִיפוּ אָמְרָה מוֹאָב, מֵאַבָּא הוּא. וְהַצְּעִירָה גַּם הִיא יָלְדָה בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן עַמִּי. בִּצְנִיעוּ אָמְרָה בֶּן עַמִּי. בַּר עַמִּי, וְלָא אָמְרָה מִמָּאן הֲוָה. In regard to the names Moab and Ammon, R. Jose made the following comment. ‘The first-born daughter was boldfaced enough to call her son “Moab”, thereby proclaiming that he was meab, i.e. the issue of her own father; whereas THE YOUNGER SHE ALSO BORE A SON, AND CALLED HIS NAME BEN-AMMI: the mother out of delicacy gave him that name which being interpreted simply means “a son of my people”, without betraying who his father was.

תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב וְלָא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו וְנָקוּד עַל וא"ו, בְּגִין דְּסִיּוּעָא דְּעֵילָא הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְּזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִשְׁתְּלִים הָכָא בְּוא"ו. וּבְאָחֳרָא כְּתִיב וּבְקֻמָּהּ חָסֵר וי"ו, בְּגִין דְּלָא נָפַק מִינָּהּ חוּלְקָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּהַאי אָחֳרָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהַאי אָחֳרָא קְשִׁישָׁא וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו מָלֵא וְנָקוּד עֲלָהּ. Further, the words AND HE KNEW NOT WHEN SHE LAY DOWN, NOR WHEN SHE AROSE, occur twice in this passage, first in reference to the younger daughter, and then in reference to the elder. In the former case the word b’qumah (when she arose) occurring in it is written plene, i.e. with the letter vau, which, moreover, is provided with a dot; this is to signify that heaven, as it were, was an accomplice to the act which ultimately was to bring about the birth of the Messiah. Contrariwise, the similar word in reference to the younger one is written defectively, without the letter vau, for the reason that none of her issue had any part in the Holy One, blessed be He.’

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, לָא יְדַע דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאוֹקְמָא מִינָהּ דָּוִד מַלְכָּא וּשְׁלֹמֹה וְכָל שְׁאָר מַלְכִין וּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא. תּוּ וּבְקוּמָהּ, דִּכְתִיב בְּרוּת (רות ג׳:י״ד) וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרְם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא הֲוָה לָהּ קִימָה וַדַּאי אִתְחַבַּר עִמָּהּ בֹּעַז לְהָקִים שֵׁם הַמֵּת עַל נַחֲלָתוֹ, וְאִתָּקַם מִנָּהּ כָּל הַנֵּי מַלְכִין וְכָל עִלּוּיָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתִּשְׁכַּב מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו עַד הַבֹּקֶר. וּבְקוּמָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרֶם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. בְּגִין כָּךְ וּבְקוּמָהּ נְקוּד וא"ו. R. Simeon said: ‘The underlying meaning of the words “and he knew not” is that he was unaware that the Holy One intended to raise from her King David and Solomon and all the other kings and, finally, the Messiah.’ R. Simeon said further: ‘The expression “when she arose” has its counterpart in the words used by Ruth, “and she rose up before one could discern another” (Ruth 3, 14). For it was on that day that Lot’s daughter could be said to have risen to the height of her destiny in that Boaz became attached to one of her lineage in order “to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance”, by means of which there were raised from her all those kings and the elect of Israel. Again, “And he knew not when she lay down” has its counterpart in the verse, “and she lay at his feet until the morning” (Ibid,.).

תָּא חֲזֵי, (קה ע"א) עִנְוְתָנוּתָא דְאַבְרָהָם דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא בִּסְדוֹם לָא בָעָא מִנֵּיהּ רַחֲמֵי עַל לוֹט (דהא), לְבָתַר דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עָלָה קִיטֹר הָאָרֶץ כְּקִיטֹר הַכִּבְשָׁן לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ דְּלוֹט וְלָא אָמַר עֲלֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם, אוּף הָכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אָמַר לֵיהּ מִידִי, בְּגִין דְּלָא יַחֲשֹׂב אַבְרָהָם דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַע מִזְכוּתֵיהּ כְּלוּם. Observe the restraint of Abraham in not beseeching grace on behalf of Lot, even when the Holy One at first announced to him His determination to execute punishment on Sodom; nor after he BEHELD, AND, LO, THE SMOKE OF THE LAND WENT UP AS THE SMOKE OF A FURNACE did he intercede for Lot, or address to the Holy One any word about him. Neither did the Holy One mention this subject to Abraham, in order that the latter should not think that God had used up some of his merit in order to save Lot.

וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאַבְרָהָם לָא הֲוָה חָשִׁיב לֵיהּ לְלוֹט בְּלִבֵּיהּ כְּלוּם, הָא מָסַר נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְמֵיהַךְ לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא בַּחֲמִשָּׁה מְלָכִין תַּקִּיפִין, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (בראשית י״ד:י״ד) וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָם כִּי נִשְׁבָּה אָחִיו וְגו'. וּכְתִיב וַיֵּחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם לַיְלָה. וּכְתִיב וַיָּשֶׁב אֵת כָּל הָרְכֻשׁ וְגַם אֶת לוֹט אָחִיו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ הֵשִׁיב וְגו'. אֲבָל בִּרְחִימוּתָא דִּרְחִים לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְחָמָא עוֹבָדוֹי דְלוֹט דְּלָא כַשְׁרָן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, לָא בָעָא אַבְרָהָם דִּבְגִינֵיהּ יִשְׁבּוֹק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם מִדִּילֵיהּ, וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ רַחֲמֵי לָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא וְלָא בְסוֹפָא: It cannot be said that Lot was of no account in the eyes of Abraham, seeing that Abraham risked his life on his behalf in waging war against five powerful kings. But because of his love for the Almighty and, in addition, because he saw that Lot’s conduct fell far short of the proper standard, Abraham did not plead that any indulgence should be shown to Lot for his sake. This is the reason why Abraham did not intercede on behalf of Lot either at the beginning or at the end.’

וַיַּעַל לוֹט מִצֹּעַר וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהָר הוּא וּשְׁתֵּי בְנוֹתָיו עִמּוֹ וְגו'. מַאי טַעְמָא. בְּגִין דְּחָמָא דְּהֲוָה קָרִיב לִסְדוֹם וְאִסְתַּלַּק מִתַּמָּן. AND LOT WENT UP OUT OF ZOAR, AND DWELT IN THE MOUNTAIN, AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS WITH HIM, ETC. For what reason? Because Zoar was too near Sodom: hence he moved away further.

רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (איוב ל״ז:י״ב) וְהוּא מְסִיבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ בְּתַחְבּוּלתָיו לְפָעֳלָם וְגו'. קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין דְּעָלְמָא וְאַיְיתֵי קוּמְרִין טְהִירִין לְמֶעְבַּד עוֹבָדוֹי, וּלְבָתַר מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן וְעָבִיד לוֹן כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא. R. Isaac discoursed on the verse: And they are turned round about by his devices, according to their work, etc. (Job 37, 12). ‘This means’, he said, ‘that the Holy One, blessed be He, constantly turns the wheel of events, bringing hidden things to the top, and then again giving another turn and shaping things differently; and thus “by his devices” He is ever scheming and planning how to effect the change, and make a new pattern.

וּבְמָּה, בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו, עָבִיד תַּחְבּוּלִין וּמְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין לַאֲפָכָא לוֹן וְלָאו כְּאִנּוּן קַדְמָאֵי. לְפָעֳלָם, בְּגִין פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, כְּמָה דְאִנּוּן עָבְדִין עוֹבָדִין הָכִי מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן. כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֵּם עַל פְּנֵי תֵבֵל אָרְצָה. בְּגִין דְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא מְהַפֵּךְ לְאִנּוּן מְסִבּוֹת בְּכָל מַה דְּאִיהוּ פַּקִּיד לוֹן עַל פְּנִי תֵבֵל וְגו'. All is “according to their work”, i.e. the variation takes place in accordance to the works and deeds of man. The verse continues: “according as he commandeth them upon the face of the habitable world”, that is, it is in accordance with man’s works that God shapes the course of events, in all that He ordains on the face of the world.’

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר וְהוּא מְסִבּוֹת מִתְהַפֵּךְ. הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וְאַיְיתֵי עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאִתְקָיְימָא, וּלְבָתַר דְּחֲשִׁיבוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּיִתְקָיְימוּן אִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ לוֹן לְאִנּוּן עוֹבָדִין מִכְּמָה דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא. R. Eleazar interpreted the words “and they are turned round about by His devices”, in the following manner. ‘The Holy One guides the course of events so as to bring to pass a seemingly stable state of things; but when the sons of men imagine that all before them is fixed and firmly established, then the Holy One turns His works into something altogether different from their former state.

בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו. בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ כְּתִיב כְּהַאי אוֹמָנָא דְּעָבִיד מָאנִין דְּחַרְסָא. בְּעוֹד דְּהַהִיא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵיהּ. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא דָּא עָבִיד. חָשִׁיב לְמֶעְבַּד כְּגַוְונָא אָחֳרָא עָבִיד. מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנָא דָּא לְמָאנָא דָא, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא טִיקְלָא אִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ. כָּךְ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ עוֹבָדוֹי דְּאִיהוּ עָבִיד. Further,’ he said, ‘we may translate not “devices”, but “device”, i.e. “instrument”, and compare God to a potter who, in turning his wheel, constantly fashions new vessels according to his fancy. So is the Holy One constantly reshaping His works,

בְּתַחְבּוּלֹתָו חָסֵר יו"ד, וּמַאן אִיהוּ, דָּא בֵּי דִינָא לְתַתָּא דְּאִיהוּ טִקְלָא דְּאִסְתַּחֲרַת קַמֵּיהּ, וְעַל דָּא מְהַפֵּךְ מָאנִין מִמָּאנָא דָא לְמָאנָא אָחֳרָא. the instrument which constitutes His potter’s wheel, so to speak, being the lower world Judgement Court.

וְכָל דָּא כְּפִי פָּעֳלָם דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, אִי מְטִיבִין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן, הַהוּא טִקְלָא דְּסַחֲרָא אַסְחָרַת לוֹן לְיָמִינָא, וּכְדֵין אִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאוֹטָבָא לוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְטִיקְלָא אַסְחָרַת תָּדִיר וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּיָמִינָא וְעָלְמָא מִתְגַּלְגְּלָא בֵּיהּ. And all is done in accordance with man’s works. If they are good, the wheel revolves to the right, making the course of events highly favourable to them; and however long the wheel revolves, punishment never settles on that side.

אָתוּ בְּנֵי נָשָׁא לְאַבְאָשָׁא, תַּחְבּוּלָתוֹ דְּאַסְחַר תָּדִיר וְהֲוָה קָיְימָא בְּאַסְחָרוּתָא דְּיָמִינָא, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַסְחַר לֵיהּ בְּסִטְרָא דִּשְׂמָאלָא וּמְהַפֵּךְ מְסִבּוֹת וּמָאנִין דְּהֲווּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא לְהַהוּא סְטַר שְׂמָאלָא. Should men, however, turn to evil ways the Holy One imparts to His device a spin to the left, and all things now take a direction to the left, and the wheel gives to events a course unfavourable to the sons of men.

וּכְדֵין טִקְלָא אַסְחָרָא וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ עוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא לְאַבְאָשָׁא לוֹן לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְטִקְלָא אַסְחַר לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא עַד דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא תָּיְיבִין לְאוֹטָבָא עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן. וְטִקְלָא קָיְימָא בְּעוֹבָדִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא. וְעַל דָּא בְּתַחְבּוּלָתוֹ לְפָעֳלָם, וְלָא קָיְימָא תָּדִיר. So it goes on until they become penitent and retrace their evil ways. But the motive power of the wheel is centred in the works of man; hence the phrase, “by His device, according to their work”, there being no permanency.

תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַם סִבּוּבִין וְעוֹבָדִין בְּעָלְמָא בְּגִין לְמֶעְבַּד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וְכֹלָּא נָפְקָא מֵעִקָּרָא וְשָׁרְשָׁא דִּלְעֵילָא. אַקְרִיב אַבְרָהָם לְגַבֵּיהּ, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל דְּלָא הֲוָה אַבְרָהָם גָּזִיר כַּד נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ לְתַתָּא וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים בְּאָת קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא. In this case too God manipulated events so as to attain a certain end, and all that happened had its roots in the supernal sphere. God had brought Abraham near to Him, and there issued from him Ishmael. Ishmael was born before Abraham was circumcised, that is, before he was made perfect through the sign of the holy covenant.

לְבָתַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא סִבֵּב סִבּוּבִין בְּתַחְבּוּלוֹתָיו וְאִתְגְּזַר אַבְרָהָם וְעָאל בַּבְּרִית וְאִשְׁתְּלִים בִּשְׁמֵיהּ וְאִקְרֵי אַבְרָהָם, וְה' (צו א) עִלָּאָה אַעֲטָרַת לֵיהּ בְּרָזָא דְּמַיִם (לא א) מֵרוּחַ. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, so devised that Abraham circumcised himself and entered the covenant and acquired his complete name of Abraham, and was crowned by the supernal he with the symbolical issuing of water from wind.

כֵּיוָן דְּרָזָא (דברי הימים א) אִשְׁתְּלִים וְאִתְגְּזַר, נָפַק מִנֵּיהּ יִצְחָק וְהֲוָה זַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא וְאִתְקַשַּׁר לְעֵילָא בְּרָזָא דְּאֵשׁ מִמַּיִם, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, (ירמיהו ב׳:כ״א) וְאָנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת. וְלָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא אָחֳרָא. As soon as the symbolism was completed and Abraham was circumcised, there issued from him Isaac, who was the holy seed and who was attached to the supernal spheres as symbolising fire from water, and who was not in any way linked to the “other side”.

תָּא חֲזֵי, לוֹט נָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ וּמִבְּנָתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין מִתְפָּרְשָׁן, וְאִתְקְשָׁרוּ בְּהַהוּא סִטְרָא דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לוֹן, וְעַל דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְסַבֵּב סִבּוּבִין וּמְגַלְגֵּל גִּלְגּוּלִין בְּעָלְמָא דְּיִתְעֲבִיד כֹּלָּא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת וְיִתְקַשַּׁר כֹּלָּא בְּאַתְרֵיהּ. From Lot, again, and from his daughters there came forth two disparate nations who became attached to the side appropriate to them. We see here, again, how the Almighty contrives “the course of things, turning them about so that everything should fit into the general scheme and fall into its proper place.

תָּא חֲזֵי, יָאוֹת הֲוָה לְלוֹט דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָפִיק מִנֵּיהּ (ומבנתיה) וּמֵאִתְּתֵיהּ תְּרִין אוּמִין אִלֵּין, אֶלָּא בְּגִין לְאִתְקַשָּׁרָא בְּאַתְרַיְיהוּ דְּאִתְחֲזֵי לְהוּ. וְאִתְעֲבִידוּ מִגּוֹ יֵינָא, וְהַהוּא יֵינָא אִזְדַּמַּן לְהוֹן בַּמְּעַרְתָּא הַהִיא לֵילְיָא, וְדָא הוּא רָזָא דְּאִתְעֲבִידוּ כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר וְהָא אִתְּמָר וְאוּקְמוּהָ. For observe that it would have been more fitting for Lot that the Holy One should have produced these two nations from his union with his wife. It was, however, necessary that these nations should be attached to their predestined place, and for this wine had to play its part; and wine, indeed, was found ready at hand in that cavern. The mystical part played by wine here is similar to that regarding w hich we read, “and he drank of the wine, and was drunken” (Gen. 9, 21), as has already been explained elsewhere.

תָּא חֲזֵי, מוֹאָב וְעַמּוֹן אִנּוּן קָרָאן לוֹן שְׁמָהָן, מוֹאָב מֵאָב. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר בְּכִירָה בַּחֲצִיפוּ אָמְרָה מוֹאָב, מֵאַבָּא הוּא. וְהַצְּעִירָה גַּם הִיא יָלְדָה בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן עַמִּי. בִּצְנִיעוּ אָמְרָה בֶּן עַמִּי. בַּר עַמִּי, וְלָא אָמְרָה מִמָּאן הֲוָה. In regard to the names Moab and Ammon, R. Jose made the following comment. ‘The first-born daughter was boldfaced enough to call her son “Moab”, thereby proclaiming that he was meab, i.e. the issue of her own father; whereas THE YOUNGER SHE ALSO BORE A SON, AND CALLED HIS NAME BEN-AMMI: the mother out of delicacy gave him that name which being interpreted simply means “a son of my people”, without betraying who his father was.

תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּקַדְמִיתָא כְּתִיב וְלָא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו וְנָקוּד עַל וא"ו, בְּגִין דְּסִיּוּעָא דְּעֵילָא הֲוָה אִשְׁתְּכַח בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְּזַמִּין מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא לְנָפְקָא מִנֵּיהּ, וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִשְׁתְּלִים הָכָא בְּוא"ו. וּבְאָחֳרָא כְּתִיב וּבְקֻמָּהּ חָסֵר וי"ו, בְּגִין דְּלָא נָפַק מִינָּהּ חוּלְקָא לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּהַאי אָחֳרָא, וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב בְּהַאי אָחֳרָא קְשִׁישָׁא וּבְקוּמָהּ בְּוא"ו מָלֵא וְנָקוּד עֲלָהּ. Further, the words AND HE KNEW NOT WHEN SHE LAY DOWN, NOR WHEN SHE AROSE, occur twice in this passage, first in reference to the younger daughter, and then in reference to the elder. In the former case the word b’qumah (when she arose) occurring in it is written plene, i.e. with the letter vau, which, moreover, is provided with a dot; this is to signify that heaven, as it were, was an accomplice to the act which ultimately was to bring about the birth of the Messiah. Contrariwise, the similar word in reference to the younger one is written defectively, without the letter vau, for the reason that none of her issue had any part in the Holy One, blessed be He.’

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר, לָא יְדַע דְּזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְאוֹקְמָא מִינָהּ דָּוִד מַלְכָּא וּשְׁלֹמֹה וְכָל שְׁאָר מַלְכִין וּמַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא. תּוּ וּבְקוּמָהּ, דִּכְתִיב בְּרוּת (רות ג׳:י״ד) וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרְם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. וּבְהַהוּא יוֹמָא הֲוָה לָהּ קִימָה וַדַּאי אִתְחַבַּר עִמָּהּ בֹּעַז לְהָקִים שֵׁם הַמֵּת עַל נַחֲלָתוֹ, וְאִתָּקַם מִנָּהּ כָּל הַנֵּי מַלְכִין וְכָל עִלּוּיָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלא יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתִּשְׁכַּב מַרְגְּלוֹתָיו עַד הַבֹּקֶר. וּבְקוּמָהּ דִּכְתִיב וַתָּקָם בְּטֶרֶם יַכִּיר אִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְגו'. בְּגִין כָּךְ וּבְקוּמָהּ נְקוּד וא"ו. R. Simeon said: ‘The underlying meaning of the words “and he knew not” is that he was unaware that the Holy One intended to raise from her King David and Solomon and all the other kings and, finally, the Messiah.’ R. Simeon said further: ‘The expression “when she arose” has its counterpart in the words used by Ruth, “and she rose up before one could discern another” (Ruth 3, 14). For it was on that day that Lot’s daughter could be said to have risen to the height of her destiny in that Boaz became attached to one of her lineage in order “to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance”, by means of which there were raised from her all those kings and the elect of Israel. Again, “And he knew not when she lay down” has its counterpart in the verse, “and she lay at his feet until the morning” (Ibid,.).

תָּא חֲזֵי, (קה ע"א) עִנְוְתָנוּתָא דְאַבְרָהָם דְּהָא אֲפִילּוּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא כַּד בָּעָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא בִּסְדוֹם לָא בָעָא מִנֵּיהּ רַחֲמֵי עַל לוֹט (דהא), לְבָתַר דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עָלָה קִיטֹר הָאָרֶץ כְּקִיטֹר הַכִּבְשָׁן לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ דְּלוֹט וְלָא אָמַר עֲלֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם, אוּף הָכִי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָא אָמַר לֵיהּ מִידִי, בְּגִין דְּלָא יַחֲשֹׂב אַבְרָהָם דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא גָּרַע מִזְכוּתֵיהּ כְּלוּם. Observe the restraint of Abraham in not beseeching grace on behalf of Lot, even when the Holy One at first announced to him His determination to execute punishment on Sodom; nor after he BEHELD, AND, LO, THE SMOKE OF THE LAND WENT UP AS THE SMOKE OF A FURNACE did he intercede for Lot, or address to the Holy One any word about him. Neither did the Holy One mention this subject to Abraham, in order that the latter should not think that God had used up some of his merit in order to save Lot.

וְאִי תֵימָא דְּאַבְרָהָם לָא הֲוָה חָשִׁיב לֵיהּ לְלוֹט בְּלִבֵּיהּ כְּלוּם, הָא מָסַר נַפְשֵׁיהּ לְמֵיהַךְ לְאַגָּחָא קְרָבָא בַּחֲמִשָּׁה מְלָכִין תַּקִּיפִין, כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (בראשית י״ד:י״ד) וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָם כִּי נִשְׁבָּה אָחִיו וְגו'. וּכְתִיב וַיֵּחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם לַיְלָה. וּכְתִיב וַיָּשֶׁב אֵת כָּל הָרְכֻשׁ וְגַם אֶת לוֹט אָחִיו וּרְכֻשׁוֹ הֵשִׁיב וְגו'. אֲבָל בִּרְחִימוּתָא דִּרְחִים לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְחָמָא עוֹבָדוֹי דְלוֹט דְּלָא כַשְׁרָן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, לָא בָעָא אַבְרָהָם דִּבְגִינֵיהּ יִשְׁבּוֹק קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּלוּם מִדִּילֵיהּ, וּבְגִינֵי כָךְ לָא תָבַע עֲלֵיהּ רַחֲמֵי לָא בְּקַדְמִיתָא וְלָא בְסוֹפָא: It cannot be said that Lot was of no account in the eyes of Abraham, seeing that Abraham risked his life on his behalf in waging war against five powerful kings. But because of his love for the Almighty and, in addition, because he saw that Lot’s conduct fell far short of the proper standard, Abraham did not plead that any indulgence should be shown to Lot for his sake. This is the reason why Abraham did not intercede on behalf of Lot either at the beginning or at the end.’