Midrash sobre Gênesis 18:17

R. Elazar said: "The righteous is blessed through his own deeds, as it is written (Pr. 10, 7) The memory of the just is to be blessed, but the name of the wicked is cursed; even through his associates, as it is written (Ib.) And the name of the wicked shall rot. R. Hamnuna said to one of the scholars who arranged the Agada for him: "Whence do we learn the saying of the Rabbis: 'The name of the just is blessed?'" He replied: "Why this is the passage (Pr. 10, 7) The memory of the just is blessed." "Whence do we learn the same from the Pentateuch? (Gen. 18, 17) And the Lord said. Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? And the next verse reads: Abraham shall surely become a great nation." "And where is the passage in the Pentateuch whence we learn that the name of the wicked shall rot?" "It is written," said he, "(Ib. 13, 12) And [Lot] pitched his tents close to Sodom. And immediately after this is written. The men of Sodom were wicked and sinners." R. Elazar said further: "From the blessings awarded to the righteous, one can infer what curses are bestowed on the wicked; and from the curses given to the wicked, one can infer thy blessings reserved for the righteous. From the blessings awarded to the righteous, one can infer what curses are bestowed on the wicked; as it is written (Ib. 18, 19) For I know him, that he will command, etc. And the Lord said, Because the cry against Sodom and Gamorrah is great. And from the curses given to the wicked the blessings reserved for the righteous can be inferred, as it is written (Ib. 13, 13) The men of Sodom were wicked and sinners, etc. And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, etc."

And the Lord said: “Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing?” (Gen. 18:17). May it please our master to teach us whether one may recite the Aramaic translation (Targum) of the Torah while looking into the Torah scroll. Our masters teach us: One is forbidden to look into the Torah scroll while translating it, lest someone should contend that the translation is contained in the Torah scroll. Conversely, one who reads the Torah is forbidden to turn away from the scroll as he reads, for the Torah was given only in writing, as it is said: And I will write upon the tables the words that were on the first tables (Exod. 34:1). That is why anyone who is translating the Torah in public is forbidden to look into the Torah scroll while doing so. R. Judah the son of Pazzi declared: There is an entire verse in Scripture that deals with this subject: Write thou these words, for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel (ibid., v. 27). Write thou these words alludes to the Pentateuch, which was given in writing, while The tenor of these words refers to the translation of the Torah that was given orally.

(Gen. 18:17:) THEN THE LORD SAID: SHALL I HIDE FROM ABRAHAM < WHAT I AM DOING >? Let our master instruct us: When someone is translating for one reading the Torah, is it correct for him to look at a written text?²⁷Tanh. Gen. 4:5; PR 5:1; cf. yMeg. 4:1 (74d); Meg. 32a (bar.) Thus have our masters taught: The translator is forbidden to look at a written text, and the reader is forbidden to take his eyes away from the Torah since the Torah was given only in a written text, as stated (in Exod. 34:1): AND I WILL WRITE UPON THE TABLETS. But it is forbidden for the translator to look at the Torah. R. Judah ben Pazzi said: There is a text (Exod. 34:27) which explicitly proves < this injunction >: WRITE DOWN THESE WORDS. Thus, the Scripture was given in writing. (Ibid., cont.:) FOR THESE WORDS ARE BY MOUTH. Here is < a reference to > the translation, which is given by word of mouth.²⁸See Pe‘ah 2:6 (17a); Exod. R. 47:3.