Commento su Genesi 19:17
וַיְהִי֩ כְהוֹצִיאָ֨ם אֹתָ֜ם הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הִמָּלֵ֣ט עַל־נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ אַל־תַּבִּ֣יט אַחֲרֶ֔יךָ וְאַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּכָל־הַכִּכָּ֑ר הָהָ֥רָה הִמָּלֵ֖ט פֶּן־תִּסָּפֶֽה׃
E poi che gli ebbero tratti fuori, (uno di essi) disse: Pensa a salvarti la vita, non guardarti indietro, e non fermarti in (alcun luogo di) tutta questa pianura: al monte rifuggi, se non vuoi perire.
Rashi on Genesis
המלט על נפשך ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE — Let it suffice you to save your lives; do not give a thought to your possessions.
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Ramban on Genesis
LOOK NOT BEHIND THEE, NEITHER STAY IN ALL THE PLAIN. The purport of the verse is to state: “Do not stay in all the Plain and do not look behind you after you have been saved.” For as long as Lot had not reached the mountain, disaster would not overtake the inhabitants of Sodom. It is for this reason that Lot said, “And I cannot escape to the mountain, lest the evil overtake me239Verse 19 here. when I am in the Plain since you will not extend the time for me more than a little, as you have said, Haste thee, escape thither.”240Verse 22 here.
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said, “Look not behind thee, i.e., ‘thou and all who belong to thee.’ And similarly is the verse, Thou shalt not eat of it.”241Above, 2:17. This command, given to Adam, must have included Eve as well, for otherwise she would not have been punished. Similarly, the command given to Lot must have included his wife and all who belonged to him.
But what need is there for this interpretation? The punishment here was not because they would violate the warning of the angel by looking at them. Instead, the angel merely warned them on his own that punishment would overtake them for such a glance, and he warned Lot because of his merit, and all who listened and took warning saved their lives.
Now as to the significance of the prohibition of looking, Rashi said: “You sinned with them but art saved through the merit of Abraham. You are not permitted242“You are not permitted.” In our Rashi the text reads, “It is not fitting that.…” to see their doom.”
There is yet another matter. Looking upon the atmosphere of a plague and all contagious diseases is very harmful, and they may cleave to him. Even the thought of them is harmful. Therefore, the leper is isolated and dwells alone.243Leviticus 13:40. Similarly, those who have been bitten by mad animals such as a mad dog and other animals besides, when they look into the water or any mirror, they behold in them the likeness of the offender, and as a result of this, they did just as the Rabbis have said in Tractate Yoma,244Yoma 84a. See also Ramban, Numbers 21:9. and as the students of nature have mentioned. It was for this reason that Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt245Verse 26 here. for the plague entered her mind when she saw the brimstone and salt246Brimstone and salt. Here in the chapter, brimstone and fire are mentioned (Verse 24). Salt however is mentioned in Deuteronomy 29:22, in connection with the overthrow of Sodom. which descended upon them from heaven, and it cleaved to her.
I am inclined to say that when G-d destroyed these cities the destroying angel stood between the earth and heaven,247I Chronicles 21:16. appearing in a flame of fire, as did the destroying angel whom David saw.247I Chronicles 21:16. Therefore, he prohibited them from looking.
In Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer248Chapter 25. there is a similar text: “The angels said to them, ‘Do not look behind you since the Divine Presence of the Holy One, blessed be He, has descended to rain brimstone and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah.’ The compassion of Edis, Lot’s wife, welled up for her married daughters who were in Sodom,249Lot, according to Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, had two married daughters in Sodom in addition to the two betrothed daughters who were yet in his house. See Verse 15. and she looked behind her to see if they were following her. She thereupon saw the back of the Divine Presence, and she became a pillar of salt.”
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said, “Look not behind thee, i.e., ‘thou and all who belong to thee.’ And similarly is the verse, Thou shalt not eat of it.”241Above, 2:17. This command, given to Adam, must have included Eve as well, for otherwise she would not have been punished. Similarly, the command given to Lot must have included his wife and all who belonged to him.
But what need is there for this interpretation? The punishment here was not because they would violate the warning of the angel by looking at them. Instead, the angel merely warned them on his own that punishment would overtake them for such a glance, and he warned Lot because of his merit, and all who listened and took warning saved their lives.
Now as to the significance of the prohibition of looking, Rashi said: “You sinned with them but art saved through the merit of Abraham. You are not permitted242“You are not permitted.” In our Rashi the text reads, “It is not fitting that.…” to see their doom.”
There is yet another matter. Looking upon the atmosphere of a plague and all contagious diseases is very harmful, and they may cleave to him. Even the thought of them is harmful. Therefore, the leper is isolated and dwells alone.243Leviticus 13:40. Similarly, those who have been bitten by mad animals such as a mad dog and other animals besides, when they look into the water or any mirror, they behold in them the likeness of the offender, and as a result of this, they did just as the Rabbis have said in Tractate Yoma,244Yoma 84a. See also Ramban, Numbers 21:9. and as the students of nature have mentioned. It was for this reason that Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt245Verse 26 here. for the plague entered her mind when she saw the brimstone and salt246Brimstone and salt. Here in the chapter, brimstone and fire are mentioned (Verse 24). Salt however is mentioned in Deuteronomy 29:22, in connection with the overthrow of Sodom. which descended upon them from heaven, and it cleaved to her.
I am inclined to say that when G-d destroyed these cities the destroying angel stood between the earth and heaven,247I Chronicles 21:16. appearing in a flame of fire, as did the destroying angel whom David saw.247I Chronicles 21:16. Therefore, he prohibited them from looking.
In Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer248Chapter 25. there is a similar text: “The angels said to them, ‘Do not look behind you since the Divine Presence of the Holy One, blessed be He, has descended to rain brimstone and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah.’ The compassion of Edis, Lot’s wife, welled up for her married daughters who were in Sodom,249Lot, according to Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, had two married daughters in Sodom in addition to the two betrothed daughters who were yet in his house. See Verse 15. and she looked behind her to see if they were following her. She thereupon saw the back of the Divine Presence, and she became a pillar of salt.”
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Rashbam on Genesis
אל תביט אחריך, first of all on account of their going to experience the anguish of seeing the destruction of their city; secondly, in order not to afford them an opportunity to see the angels performing their destructive work as angels when there was no need for them to witness this. Watching divine beings in action and being saved by such spectacles requires Divine intervention and should therefore be avoided. Compare the awe with which Manoach comments on what he has seen in Judges 13,22, as well as Yaakov’s reaction in Genesis 32,31 after his wrestling match with the angel of Esau.
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