Midrasch zu Bereschit 18:15

(Gen. 18:15:) FAR BE IT FROM YOU TO DO SUCH A THING! Let our master instruct us: Is it correct for someone to stand and pray < the Amidah > with frivolity? Thus have our masters taught (in Ber. 5:1):³⁹See TBer. 3:21; yBer. 5:1 (8d); Ber. 31a. ONE STANDS TO PRAY < THE AMIDAH > ONLY WITH REVERENCE. David said (in Ps. 2:11): SERVE THE LORD WITH FEAR, AND REJOICE WITH TREMBLING. There is a story about a certain person who stood < for the Amidah > with frivolity and supported himself against the wall, but R. Samuel bar Nahmani turned him back. He said that he should not behave with frivolity. And so you find with the ancestors of the world. When they prayed, they would pray with fear. < It is > just as Moses said (in Deut. 9:18, 25): THEN I PROSTRATED MYSELF BEFORE THE LORD, when he was seeking mercy for Israel. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 32:11): BUT MOSES IMPLORED < THE LORD HIS GOD >. He girded his loins in prayer [to speak in defense⁴⁰Gk.: synegoria. of Israel]. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, (according to Exod. 32:11-13) WHY DOES YOUR WRATH BURN AGAINST YOUR PEOPLE… ? WHY, O LORD, SHOULD THE EGYPTIANS SPEAK, < SAYING: WITH EVIL INTENT HE BROUGHT THEM OUT TO KILL THEM IN THE MOUNTAINS > … ? REMEMBER YOUR SERVANTS, ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND ISRAEL…. Hezekiah bar Hiyya said: It was not pleasing to the Holy One until Moses mentioned the merit of the ancestors. The Holy One said to him: Moses, if they had not had the merit of the ancestors, I would have destroyed them. You do not know how to plead merit. R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest in the name of R. Simon and R. Abbin in the name of R. Aha said: What did the Holy One do? He put on his prayer shawl, like the representative (shaliah) of a congregation [when he is passing] before the ark (i.e., leading the prayers), and said to Moses: Thus are you to pray to me and say (as in Exod. 34:6): THE LORD, THE LORD IS A MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS GOD…. < This interpretation is suggested by the beginning of the verse >, where it is stated: THEN THE LORD PASSED BEFORE MOSES AND PROCLAIMED…. What is the meaning of PASSED? < That the Holy One PASSED BEFORE MOSES > like < a prayer leader > passing before the ark. See how the righteous seek merit for the world and speak in defense⁴¹Ibid. of Israel! < They pray >, not only for Israel, but also for the wicked, since it is stated (in Ezek. 33:11): AS I LIVE, SAYS [THE LORD] GOD, I DO NOT DESIRE THE DEATH OF THE WICKED.⁴²Cf. Matthew 5:44. Why? Perhaps they may repent. You yourself know that it is so. When the Holy One desired to destroy those five cities, he consulted with Abraham, as stated (in Gen. 18:20): THEN THE LORD SAID: THE OUTCRY AGAINST SODOM AND GOMORRAH IS < SO GREAT >. Abraham began to speak to the Lord in their defense: Think! Perhaps they will repent. Where is it shown? Where they read on the matter (in Gen. 18:25): FAR BE IT FROM YOU TO DO SUCH A THING!

The nations shall know refers to the women who taunted Sarah by calling her a barren woman. I, the Lord, have builded the stricken places indicates that she was stricken with old age, as it is said: And Abraham and Sarah were old, and well stricken with age (Gen. 18:11). Have planted that which is desolate refers to her remark: After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure? (ibid., v. 12). And I, the Lord, have spoken it, and I will do it is stated because it is said: And God remembered Sarah as He has said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as He had spoken (ibid. 21:1).

And she called the name of Ad-nai who talked to her 'You are El-Roi' (Gen. 16:13) Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon and Rabbi Yochanan said, in the name of Rabbi Eleazar Bar Shimeon: The Holy One of Blessing did not grant speaking with women, with the exception of that righteous one [Sarah], and even that had a particular reason. Rabbi Aba said, in the name of Rabbi Beiri: How many roundabouts He did in order to talk to her! 'He said: 'no, you did laugh!'' (Gen. 18:16) But it is written: 'and she called the name of Ad-nai who talked to her 'You are El-Roi''! Rabbi Yehoshua Bar Nechemiah said: it was through an angel. But it is written: 'And God said to her'(Gen. 25:23)! Said Rabbi Levi, in the name of Rabbi Eleazar, in the name of Rabbi Yosi ben Zimra: it was through a name. 'You are El Roi' - said Rabbi Aivu: You are the one who sees the sufferings of the persecuted. 'Since she said: also, here [halom], I have seen after the One Who sees me.' She said: Not only I was granted a talk, but even royalty, as it is written: 'You that brought me this far [halom] (II Sam. 7:18). Not only I was granted to see with my mistress, but even if my mistress were with me right now she would not have seen. Another interpretation: Not only I was granted to see with my mistress, but now even when I am alone! Rabbi Shmuel Bar Nachman said: this is similar to a lady to whom the king said 'pass before me'. She passed before him but was relying on her slave, and hiding her face, and she did not see the king - but the slave did.