Vayeira 18:33 · unit 1

Parashas Vayeira · Passuk 18:33

The Complete Passuk

וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר כִּלָּ֖ה לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְאַבְרָהָ֖ם שָׁ֥ב לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃

And Hashem went His way when He had finished speaking to Avraham, and Avraham returned to his place.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Derech Eretz Rabbah 5 (and parallel).

TT lemma: וילך ה'.

Sefaria — Derech Eretz Rabbah

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וַיֵּלֶךְ ה׳. תַּנְיָא, לְעוֹלָם אַל יִפָּטֵר אָדָם מֵרַבּוֹ וּמֵחֲבֵרוֹ אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן נוֹטֵל מִמֶּנּוּ רְשׁוּת; וְלָמְדִין אָנוּ דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ מִן הַמָּקוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיֵּלֶךְ ה׳ כַּאֲשֶׁר כִּלָּה לְדַבֵּר אֶל אַבְרָהָם, כִּבְיָכוֹל שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ, הֲרֵי אֲנִי נִפְטָר מִמְּךָ.

English: “And Hashem went.” It was taught: A person should never take leave of his teacher or his friend unless he first obtains permission from him. We learn proper conduct from the Omnipresent, as it is said, “And Hashem went when He had finished speaking to Avraham”—as if to say, “Behold, I am taking leave of you.”

On the daf / in context: The orderly departure of the Divine Presence after the conversation is taken as the model for how a student or friend should take leave.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (baraita / Derech Eretz) — not a formal named middah of the 13. Divine behavior teaches human etiquette.

What Is Learned

One should not depart from a teacher or friend without first taking leave; Hashem Himself modeled this by “going” only after finishing the conversation with Avraham.