Tom Bledsoe
Calhoun, Georgia, USA

Inquiry: Three New Things I learned in this weeks Parsha:

1. Based on the Gemara Shabbat 127a, Avraham's response to the three guests, namely getting up from the presence of HaSheim and hurriedly and meticulously supervising the reception despite his recent surgery is appropriate because hospitality is of greater worth than receiving the Shechina, because G-d prefers that we tend to the needy stranger than to him; He can wait.

   

   
   

   If only the khareid•imꞋ  rabbis would learn that!

2. I very much appreciated the insight from you that (although Avraham Aveinu most certainly observed the separation of khalav and basar) special significance arose with the mixed multitude in the Exodus, since as Righteous Converts were converted they (as young kids) should never be boiled (reminded, degraded) in their mother's (their past lives as goyim) milk.

   

   
   

   Learn, too, the terms ei•ruvꞋ , Y^әtzi•âhꞋ , Geir To•shâvꞋ  and Geir •TzëdꞋ ëq.

   You're on the right track. Because it is contrary to popular rabbinic and Jewish misconception, virtually everyone makes the same mistake: while geir•imꞋ  do convert to become Jews, there is no such thing as a Jewish convert. Once a geir converts (s)he becomes a Jew(ess), not a convert! The notion of a "convert Jew" inescapably violates Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ  (since Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ  prohibits bringing his or her past life to mind) and boils the kid in its mother's milk. There are geir•imꞋ  and Y^әhud•imꞋ —but no converts.

   You didn't know. You're learning; in training –boot camp, if you will. So don't get upset when you make mistakes. Just correct them and move on. Further, if you didn't make the mistake here in an environment where you can learn, you'd be likely to make the mistake in future elsewhere in the Orthodox Jewish community–a potential problem. Even the phrase "Jew(s) by choice" should be reserved for use by the Jew by choice. Using the term "convert" to refer to a Jew is always a breach of Tor•âhꞋ  and never acceptable.

3. I also found new insight's in Rashi's commentary regarding the flight of Lot from Sodom: he was first instructed to head to the mountains (where Avraham was) but didn't want to go there (perhaps shame?) so he requested to go to Zoar. He was granted permission to go to Zoar, but ended up leaving there because of fear. Lot ended up in the mountain cave (wilderness) where he experienced the shame of incest by his daughters who thought they were the only ones left on earth. I am struck by the fact that it was his presence in limbo, on the fence if you will, after being instructed to go to one place or the other, that led to his tremendous shame, and left us all the legacy of the Moabites and Ammonites.

The map demonstrates why the ma•lâkh•imꞋ  were probably not directing Lot toward Khëv•ronꞋ , where Av•râ•hâmꞋ  lived.

The consensus of archeologists seem to locate the five cities discussed on the southeastern shores of Yâm ha-MëlꞋ akh.

The text reads "…and don't stand in any [part of] הַכִּכָּר," then they direct Lot הָהָרָה."

"The mountainward" suggests the nearest mountain and, if not that, either Har Sin•aiꞋ  or Har ha-•BaꞋ yit. The latter two are essentially the same case, referring to his need to make a spiritual t^әshuv•âhꞋ . If the first case, then which mountains depends on whether these cities were strung along the southeastern, or southwestern, shores of Yâm ha-MëlꞋ akh.

It seems to me that Lot preferred to remain as close to his familiar lifestyle as he could, eschewing advice to move from the city–business (as usual)–commercial life along the shore of Yâm ha-MëlꞋ akh to take up, instead, a rural and pastoral life in the mountains. The ma•lâkh•imꞋ  warned him that if he continued to cling to his old lifestyle "תִּסָּפֶה."

The theme of clinging to his old ways is corroborated in pâ•suqꞋ  19: "I cannot slip away toward the mountain lest the râ תִּדְבָּקַנִי." This suggests that Lot may have become a periodic participant in the râ of S^Ədom – social pressure, political correctness and all that. At the least, he may have feared that his reputation would be sullied by his residency in, and governing of, S^Ədom.

When you write, pay attention, too, to the xlit spellings we use in NQ. Look them up in our glossary as needed. This is not merely pedantic. If you learn the xlits correctly it will translate later to an easier time learning the spellings בעברית – and that's imperative.

Kol ha-kâ•vodꞋ  for digging into the text. Forced me to get in and check some things, find, crop and resize a map compatible with the archeology, etc. – and that's good.