Pages

Sunday, November 10, 2024

Lech L'cha Hapalit & HaIvri

Lech L'cha  Hapalit & HaIvri

Rashi informs us of Og's sinister intent to have Avraham run to a sure death in war and Og could then take Sarah as his wife. We may ask from where did the medrash extrapolate this idea? Perhaps it is the general approach of חסד לאומים חטאת  - That even the kindness of Gentiles is assumed to be selfishly driven and considered a sin. But precisely this intent seems to be a leap? We also may ask where on earth did Og get the idea that he would be a fitting match for Sarah?

R' Moshe Zakheim asked why is it that Rashi only introduces this intent after telling us a second reason for Og's title here - Hapalit - the refugee of the flood. Shouldn't his intent follow the fact that he ran from the war hoping Avraham would fall? 

Perhaps we can say, that as we mentioned in Parshas Noach, there is stark distinction between how Noach and Og were saved from the mabul. Noach was saved as part of the world community - Hashgacha Klalis. Whereas Og was a true loner, refugee being saved from within the onslaught of the flood itself. This suggests that Og had something very unique about himself that set him apart from Noach - and perhaps aligns him a bit more in relation to Avraham Ha'Ivri. This is why it is here that the passuk says the "palit" came and told the "Ivri". In some way they were both very alone in the world. They were unique and had outstanding qualities that made them both outliers. And so the refugee of the mabul, had thoughts that he might marry the "Ivri's" widow. This also may explain the specific reward for schar p'sios - as a lonely "introvert" for him to go out of his comfort zone, his "daled amos" was a big deal. As was lech l'cha  for Avraham who spent 20 years of his life living in underground tunnels.