Vayeira 20:17 · unit 1

Parashas Vayeira · Passuk 20:17

The Complete Passuk

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֥ל אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיִּרְפָּ֨א אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־אֲבִימֶ֧לֶךְ וְאֶת־אִשְׁתּ֛וֹ וְאַמְהֹתָ֖יו וַיֵּלֵֽדוּ׃

And Avraham prayed to God, and God healed Avimelech and his wife and his maidservants, and they bore children.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Bava Kamma 92a.

TT lemma: ויתפלל אברהם.

Sefaria — Bava Kamma 92a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אַבְרָהָם. מִנַּיִן שֶׁהַמְּבַקֵּשׁ מֵחֲבֵרוֹ מְחִילָה וְאֵינוֹ מוֹחֵל לוֹ שֶׁהוּא אַכְזָרִי? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אַבְרָהָם אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים.

English: “And Avraham prayed.” From where do we know that one who is asked by his fellow for forgiveness and does not forgive him is cruel? As it is said, “And Avraham prayed to God.”

On the daf / in context: Avraham’s willingness to pray (and thereby forgive) after the injury is the model for the duty not to withhold forgiveness when it is properly requested.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The act of intercession is taken as the paradigm of granting mechilah.

What Is Learned

One who refuses to grant forgiveness when properly asked is called cruel; Avraham’s prayer for Avimelech is the proof that forgiveness should be given.