Abraham to the Rescue
Torah Study 2/14 - Rabbi Marder
Genesis 14:14-17 The Battle of 4 Kings vs 5 Kings and Abraham
Seems that Lot and his family are captured and Abraham comes to the rescue!
Of course there are many questions:
Lot is referred to as “brother” - think about that – last time we heard they didn’t really have that great a relationship – but then again it is “family”
Book:
A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide (P.S.) by Samantha Power
Eli Munk: Connects the sense of obligation to relatives.
Maimonides: Links to Redemption of the Captive mitzvot. This has priority over even feeding the poor.
(because of the added danger of possible death)
Today this relates to the rescue of immigrants – in cases like “operation Moses”.
Of course there are specific words with unusual usage in this passage:
“Muster his retainers”
Yerek = emptied and Hanahim = Hannah = Dedication
Who are the servants in his house and do they become Abraham’s army?
This also brings up the question regarding Torah Scholars going to war. As it is interpreted that the people in Abraham’s household were much like students in a yeshivah.
It says that the 318 men overcame the 5 Kings and their army: What was the strategy? What is the number 318 relate to?
(this number doesn’t appear anywhere else in Torah) But it is used in other ancient writings including the Iliad in the 8th Cen BCE where 318 men were killed. It is also the sum of 12 prime numbers starting with 7! And in Gematra 318 can equal the Hebrew name of Eliazer. Another midrash on this explains that only Eliazer fought because the rest of the men decided to return home and not fight based on the mitzvot in Deuteronomy 20 where a soldier should not fight if he is afraid.
The battle strategy is explained in detail.
The went to Dan – this is said to be the same place where a golden calf was built. This is where they ran out of energy.
(deeds of patriarchs forsee the deeds of the future) Dan also means “justice”.
The attack was from 3 directions and at night which was a total surprise which resulted in the overtaking of the king’s armies.
(similar strategy works in other places in the Bible as well – like Gideon vs the Middianites and David vs the Philistines)
The result was the freedom of Lot and his family. But there was no mention of children. Midrash says that Abraham kept the children and taught them the moral ways of life.
Genesis 14:14-17 The Battle of 4 Kings vs 5 Kings and Abraham
Seems that Lot and his family are captured and Abraham comes to the rescue!
Of course there are many questions:
Lot is referred to as “brother” - think about that – last time we heard they didn’t really have that great a relationship – but then again it is “family”
Book:
A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide (P.S.) by Samantha Power
Eli Munk: Connects the sense of obligation to relatives.
Maimonides: Links to Redemption of the Captive mitzvot. This has priority over even feeding the poor.
(because of the added danger of possible death)
Today this relates to the rescue of immigrants – in cases like “operation Moses”.
Of course there are specific words with unusual usage in this passage:
“Muster his retainers”
Yerek = emptied and Hanahim = Hannah = Dedication
Who are the servants in his house and do they become Abraham’s army?
This also brings up the question regarding Torah Scholars going to war. As it is interpreted that the people in Abraham’s household were much like students in a yeshivah.
It says that the 318 men overcame the 5 Kings and their army: What was the strategy? What is the number 318 relate to?
(this number doesn’t appear anywhere else in Torah) But it is used in other ancient writings including the Iliad in the 8th Cen BCE where 318 men were killed. It is also the sum of 12 prime numbers starting with 7! And in Gematra 318 can equal the Hebrew name of Eliazer. Another midrash on this explains that only Eliazer fought because the rest of the men decided to return home and not fight based on the mitzvot in Deuteronomy 20 where a soldier should not fight if he is afraid.
The battle strategy is explained in detail.
The went to Dan – this is said to be the same place where a golden calf was built. This is where they ran out of energy.
(deeds of patriarchs forsee the deeds of the future) Dan also means “justice”.
The attack was from 3 directions and at night which was a total surprise which resulted in the overtaking of the king’s armies.
(similar strategy works in other places in the Bible as well – like Gideon vs the Middianites and David vs the Philistines)
The result was the freedom of Lot and his family. But there was no mention of children. Midrash says that Abraham kept the children and taught them the moral ways of life.
posted by Chavarah @ 10:39 PM
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