Hebrew Bible Study
Hebrew Bible Study

Musar for Genesis 19:17

וַיְהִי֩ כְהוֹצִיאָ֨ם אֹתָ֜ם הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הִמָּלֵ֣ט עַל־נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ אַל־תַּבִּ֣יט אַחֲרֶ֔יךָ וְאַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּכָל־הַכִּכָּ֑ר הָהָ֥רָה הִמָּלֵ֖ט פֶּן־תִּסָּפֶֽה׃

And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said: ‘Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be swept away.’

Shenei Luchot HaBerit

אל תבט אחריך . When G–d does a person a favor to which he is not entitled by personal merit, such a person should feel shame and embarrassment. He most certainly should not feel superior because G–d has chosen to do him such a favor. This is why the angels rushed Lot, as if to say: "Be happy that at least you save your life." On the other hand, when the Jewish people were liberated by G–d from Egypt, and G–d performed many miracles, they had indeed merited those. This is why the Torah says אשר עשה ה' אלוקיך במצרים לעיניך, the miracles G–d performed for you in Egypt in front of your very eyes" (Deut. 4,34). Not only were the Israelites saved from the effects of the plagues, but they were allowed to watch the Egyptians suffer from them.
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