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Why does Avrohom's negotiation with Hashem (ה׳) about Sodom go from 50 to 45 to 40, and what do these numbers mean? The shiur analyzes the hagasha (approach) of tefillah, examining whether the tzadikim count as separate groups of ten for each city or as one collective force of 50 in the metropolis.
This shiur provides an in-depth analysis of Avrohom's famous negotiation with Hashem (ה׳) about the destruction of Sodom, focusing on the meaning behind the descending numbers from 50 to 10. Rabbi Zweig begins by examining Rashi (רש"י)'s explanation of the word "vayigash" - that it indicates three types of approach: milchama (war), tefillah (prayer), and piyyus (appeasement), questioning how one word can encompass such different concepts. The central question emerges around the phrase "ha'af tispeh tzaddik im rasha" - are you going to destroy the righteous with the wicked? Rabbi Zweig explores whether Avrohom is asking why tzadikim should die at all, or specifically why they should die together with the reshaim. He suggests that the real argument is that the tzadikim should save the reshaim, not that tzadikim shouldn't die.
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Parshas Vayeira 18:23-32
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