Saadia's Tafsir on Bereshit 19 (Parashat Vayera)

Bereshit 19:1

וַיָּבֹאוּ שְׁנֵי הַמַּלְאָכִים סְדֹמָה בָּעֶרֶב וְלוֹט יֹשֵׁב בְּשַׁעַר-סְדֹם וַיַּרְא-לוֹט וַיָּקָם לִקְרָאתָם וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אַפַּיִם אָרְצָה

. . .

Then the two angels came to Sodom at the time of evening; and Lot was sitting at its gate. And when he saw them, he rose to meet them, and bowed down upon his face to the earth.

Bereshit 19:2

וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֶּה נָּא-אֲדֹנַי סוּרוּ נָא אֶל-בֵּית עַבְדְּכֶם וְלִינוּ וְרַחֲצוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּם וַהֲלַכְתֶּם לְדַרְכְּכֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹּא כִּי בָרְחוֹב נָלִין

. . . .

He said: 'O my two lords! Turn aside to the house of your servant, and lodge, and wash your feet; and you shall rise early, and go on your way.' They said: 'No; rather, we shall lodge in the open square.'

Bereshit 19:3

וַיִּפְצַר-בָּם מְאֹד--וַיָּסֻרוּ אֵלָיו וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל-בֵּיתוֹ וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם מִשְׁתֶּה וּמַצּוֹת אָפָה וַיֹּאכֵלוּ

. . . .

But he urged them strongly; so they turned aside to him, and entered his house; and he made them a feast, and baked them unleavened bread, and they ate.

Bereshit 19:4

טֶרֶם יִשְׁכָּבוּ וְאַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר אַנְשֵׁי סְדֹם נָסַבּוּ עַל-הַבַּיִת מִנַּעַר וְעַד-זָקֵן כָּל-הָעָם מִקָּצֶה

. . . .

Before they lay down — and behold, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, had surrounded the house, from small to great — all the people who were in its quarter.

Bereshit 19:5

וַיִּקְרְאוּ אֶל-לוֹט וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ אַיֵּה הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר-בָּאוּ אֵלֶיךָ הַלָּיְלָה הוֹצִיאֵם אֵלֵינוּ וְנֵדְעָה אֹתָם

. . . .

And they called to Lot, and said to him: 'Where are the men who entered to you this night? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.'

Bereshit 19:6

וַיֵּצֵא אֲלֵהֶם לוֹט הַפֶּתְחָה וְהַדֶּלֶת סָגַר אַחֲרָיו

. .

And Lot went out to them, to the door, and shut the bolt behind him.

Bereshit 19:7

וַיֹּאמַר אַל-נָא אַחַי תָּרֵעוּ

.

He said: 'O my brothers, do not do evil to them.

Bereshit 19:8

הִנֵּה-נָא לִי שְׁתֵּי בָנוֹת אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יָדְעוּ אִישׁ--אוֹצִיאָה-נָּא אֶתְהֶן אֲלֵיכֶם וַעֲשׂוּ לָהֶן כַּטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶם רַק לָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵל אַל-תַּעֲשׂוּ דָבָר כִּי-עַל-כֵּן בָּאוּ בְּצֵל קֹרָתִי

. . . . .

Behold, I have two daughters who have not known a man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them what is good in your eyes; only to these men, do nothing — for they have entered under the shade of my roof.'

Bereshit 19:9

וַיֹּאמְרוּ גֶּשׁ-הָלְאָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ הָאֶחָד בָּא-לָגוּר וַיִּשְׁפֹּט שָׁפוֹט--עַתָּה נָרַע לְךָ מֵהֶם וַיִּפְצְרוּ בָאִישׁ בְּלוֹט מְאֹד וַיִּגְּשׁוּ לִשְׁבֹּר הַדָּלֶת

. . . . . .

And they said: 'Come hither!' Then they said: 'Has one come to dwell with us — and now he sets himself to judge over us? Now we shall do worse to you than to them.' And they pressed greatly upon Lot, and drew near to break the bolt.

Bereshit 19:10

וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים אֶת-יָדָם וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת-לוֹט אֲלֵיהֶם הַבָּיְתָה וְאֶת-הַדֶּלֶת סָגָרוּ

. . .

Then the men put forth their hands, and brought Lot in to them, into the house; and they shut the bolt.

Bereshit 19:11

וְאֶת-הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר-פֶּתַח הַבַּיִת הִכּוּ בַּסַּנְוֵרִים מִקָּטֹן וְעַד-גָּדוֹל וַיִּלְאוּ לִמְצֹא הַפָּתַח

. .

And the men who were at the door of the house, they struck with blindness, from young to old; and they grew weary of finding the door.

Bereshit 19:12

וַיֹּאמְרוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים אֶל-לוֹט עֹד מִי-לְךָ פֹה--חָתָן וּבָנֶיךָ וּבְנֹתֶיךָ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר-לְךָ בָּעִיר הוֹצֵא מִן-הַמָּקוֹם

. . . .

The men said to Lot: 'Who do you have here — son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and all whom you have in the city — bring them out from this place.

Bereshit 19:13

כִּי-מַשְׁחִתִים אֲנַחְנוּ אֶת-הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה כִּי-גָדְלָה צַעֲקָתָם אֶת-פְּנֵי יְהוָה וַיְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ יְהוָה לְשַׁחֲתָהּ

. .

For we are destroying this place — for their cry has grown great before God; so He has sent us to destroy them.'

Bereshit 19:14

וַיֵּצֵא לוֹט וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל-חֲתָנָיו לֹקְחֵי בְנֹתָיו וַיֹּאמֶר קוּמוּ צְּאוּ מִן-הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה כִּי-מַשְׁחִית יְהוָה אֶת-הָעִיר וַיְהִי כִמְצַחֵק בְּעֵינֵי חֲתָנָיו

. . . .

And Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law who had married his daughters; and he said: 'Arise, go out from this place — for God is destroying it.' And he was in their sight as one jesting.

Bereshit 19:15

וּכְמוֹ הַשַּׁחַר עָלָה וַיָּאִיצוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים בְּלוֹט לֵאמֹר קוּם קַח אֶת-אִשְׁתְּךָ וְאֶת-שְׁתֵּי בְנֹתֶיךָ הַנִּמְצָאֹת--פֶּן-תִּסָּפֶה בַּעֲו‍ֹן הָעִיר

. . . .

And as the dawn was rising, the angels urged Lot, saying: 'Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are present, lest you be swept away in the iniquity of the dwellers of the land.'

Bereshit 19:16

וַיִּתְמַהְמָהּ--וַיַּחֲזִיקוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים בְּיָדוֹ וּבְיַד-אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבְיַד שְׁתֵּי בְנֹתָיו בְּחֶמְלַת יְהוָה עָלָיו וַיֹּצִאֻהוּ וַיַּנִּחֻהוּ מִחוּץ לָעִיר

. .

But he tarried; and the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters — through God's compassion upon him — and they brought him out, and left him outside the city.

Bereshit 19:17

וַיְהִי כְהוֹצִיאָם אֹתָם הַחוּצָה וַיֹּאמֶר הִמָּלֵט עַל-נַפְשֶׁךָ--אַל-תַּבִּיט אַחֲרֶיךָ וְאַל-תַּעֲמֹד בְּכָל-הַכִּכָּר הָהָרָה הִמָּלֵט פֶּן-תִּסָּפֶה

. . . .

And when they had brought him outside, they said to him: 'Escape with your life! Do not look behind you, nor stand anywhere in the plain. Flee to the mountain, lest you be swept away.'

Bereshit 19:18

וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹט אֲלֵהֶם אַל-נָא אֲדֹנָי

.

And Lot said to them: 'No, O messenger of God!

Bereshit 19:19

הִנֵּה-נָא מָצָא עַבְדְּךָ חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ וַתַּגְדֵּל חַסְדְּךָ אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ עִמָּדִי לְהַחֲיוֹת אֶת-נַפְשִׁי וְאָנֹכִי לֹא אוּכַל לְהִמָּלֵט הָהָרָה--פֶּן-תִּדְבָּקַנִי הָרָעָה וָמַתִּי

. . . . .

Behold, your servant has found favor with you; and you have made great your kindness, which you have done with me, to keep my soul alive. But I cannot escape to the mountain, lest the calamity overtake me, and I perish.

Bereshit 19:20

הִנֵּה-נָא הָעִיר הַזֹּאת קְרֹבָה לָנוּס שָׁמָּה--וְהִוא מִצְעָר אִמָּלְטָה נָּא שָׁמָּה הֲלֹא מִצְעָר הִוא--וּתְחִי נַפְשִׁי

. .

Behold, this town is near, that I may flee to it; and it is small. Let me escape to it — though it is small — and my soul shall live.'

Bereshit 19:21

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו--הִנֵּה נָשָׂאתִי פָנֶיךָ גַּם לַדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְבִלְתִּי הָפְכִּי אֶת-הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ

. . .

He said to him: 'Behold, I have accepted your intercession in this matter as well — not to overturn the town concerning which you have asked.

Bereshit 19:22

מַהֵר הִמָּלֵט שָׁמָּה כִּי לֹא אוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר עַד-בֹּאֲךָ שָׁמָּה עַל-כֵּן קָרָא שֵׁם-הָעִיר צוֹעַר

. . .

Hasten, escape to it — for I cannot do anything until you enter it.' Therefore the town was called Zoar.

Bereshit 19:23

הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ יָצָא עַל-הָאָרֶץ וְלוֹט בָּא צֹעֲרָה

.

The sun rose over the earth; and Lot entered Zoar.

Bereshit 19:24

וַיהוָה הִמְטִיר עַל-סְדֹם וְעַל-עֲמֹרָה--גָּפְרִית וָאֵשׁ מֵאֵת יְהוָה מִן-הַשָּׁמָיִם

.

And God rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Him, from the sky.

Bereshit 19:25

וַיַּהֲפֹךְ אֶת-הֶעָרִים הָאֵל וְאֵת כָּל-הַכִּכָּר וְאֵת כָּל-יֹשְׁבֵי הֶעָרִים וְצֶמַח הָאֲדָמָה

. . .

And He overturned those towns, and all the plain, and all their inhabitants — even their vegetation.

Bereshit 19:26

וַתַּבֵּט אִשְׁתּוֹ מֵאַחֲרָיו וַתְּהִי נְצִיב מֶלַח

.

And his wife looked from behind him; and she became a pillar of salt.

Bereshit 19:27

וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם--אֲשֶׁר-עָמַד שָׁם אֶת-פְּנֵי יְהוָה

. .

And Abraham rose early in the morning to the place where he had stood before God.

Bereshit 19:28

וַיַּשְׁקֵף עַל-פְּנֵי סְדֹם וַעֲמֹרָה וְעַל-כָּל-פְּנֵי אֶרֶץ הַכִּכָּר וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה עָלָה קִיטֹר הָאָרֶץ כְּקִיטֹר הַכִּבְשָׁן

. . . .

And he looked out over the face of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the rest of the land of the plain; and he looked — and behold, its smoke had gone up like the smoke of a furnace.

Bereshit 19:29

וַיְהִי בְּשַׁחֵת אֱלֹהִים אֶת-עָרֵי הַכִּכָּר וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת-אַבְרָהָם וַיְשַׁלַּח אֶת-לוֹט מִתּוֹךְ הַהֲפֵכָה בַּהֲפֹךְ אֶת-הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר-יָשַׁב בָּהֵן לוֹט

. . . .

And when God destroyed the towns of the plain, God remembered Abraham, and rescued Lot out of the midst of the overthrow — when He overturned the towns in which Lot had dwelt.

Bereshit 19:30

וַיַּעַל לוֹט מִצּוֹעַר וַיֵּשֶׁב בָּהָר וּשְׁתֵּי בְנֹתָיו עִמּוֹ כִּי יָרֵא לָשֶׁבֶת בְּצוֹעַר וַיֵּשֶׁב בַּמְּעָרָה--הוּא וּשְׁתֵּי בְנֹתָיו

. . .

And Lot went up from Zoar, and settled in the mountain; and his two daughters were with him — for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he dwelt in the cave, he and his two daughters.

Bereshit 19:31

וַתֹּאמֶר הַבְּכִירָה אֶל-הַצְּעִירָה אָבִינוּ זָקֵן וְאִישׁ אֵין בָּאָרֶץ לָבוֹא עָלֵינוּ כְּדֶרֶךְ כָּל-הָאָרֶץ

. . .

And the elder said to the younger: 'Our father is old; and there is no man in the land to come to us in the way of all the earth.

Bereshit 19:32

לְכָה נַשְׁקֶה אֶת-אָבִינוּ יַיִן וְנִשְׁכְּבָה עִמּוֹ וּנְחַיֶּה מֵאָבִינוּ זָרַע

. .

Come, let us make our father drink wine, and lie with him, and let us preserve from our father offspring.'

Bereshit 19:33

וַתַּשְׁקֶיןָ אֶת-אֲבִיהֶן יַיִן בַּלַּיְלָה הוּא וַתָּבֹא הַבְּכִירָה וַתִּשְׁכַּב אֶת-אָבִיהָ וְלֹא-יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ וּבְקוּמָהּ

. . .

And they made their father drink wine that night; and the elder rose and lay with him; and he did not know of her lying down or her rising.

Bereshit 19:34

וַיְהִי מִמָּחֳרָת וַתֹּאמֶר הַבְּכִירָה אֶל-הַצְּעִירָה הֵן-שָׁכַבְתִּי אֶמֶשׁ אֶת-אָבִי נַשְׁקֶנּוּ יַיִן גַּם-הַלַּיְלָה וּבֹאִי שִׁכְבִי עִמּוֹ וּנְחַיֶּה מֵאָבִינוּ זָרַע

. . . . .

And on the morrow, the elder said to the younger: 'Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight as well; and you go in, lie with him, that we may preserve from our father offspring.'

Bereshit 19:35

וַתַּשְׁקֶיןָ גַּם בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא אֶת-אֲבִיהֶן--יָיִן וַתָּקָם הַצְּעִירָה וַתִּשְׁכַּב עִמּוֹ וְלֹא-יָדַע בְּשִׁכְבָהּ וּבְקֻמָהּ

. . .

And they made their father drink wine that night also; and the younger rose, and lay with him; and he did not know of her lying down or her rising.

Bereshit 19:36

וַתַּהֲרֶיןָ שְׁתֵּי בְנוֹת-לוֹט מֵאֲבִיהֶן

.

And the two daughters of Lot conceived from their father.

Bereshit 19:37

וַתֵּלֶד הַבְּכִירָה בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ מוֹאָב הוּא אֲבִי-מוֹאָב עַד-הַיּוֹם

. .

And the elder bore a son, and named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day.

Bereshit 19:38

וְהַצְּעִירָה גַם-הִוא יָלְדָה בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ בֶּן-עַמִּי הוּא אֲבִי בְנֵי-עַמּוֹן עַד-הַיּוֹם

. .

And the younger — she too bore a son, and named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the children of Ammon to this day.