The String and the Shoe-Strap

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Date:
October 25 2017
Length:
29min 49s
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47
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460
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Parsha:
Lech Lecha 

Description

The enigmatic description of the meeting of kings in the aftermath of the war described in Beresheet 14 contains numerous unusual phrases. One of well-known opaque declarations is Avraham's unwillingness to take "from a string to a shoe-strap" from the king of Sodom. We examine this odd phrase, both in light of the various approaches of the Rishonim as well as Ancient Near East parallels and suggest a surprising significance to this oath and what it reflects about Avraham's stature.

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    Learning on the Marcos and Adina Katz YUTorah site is sponsored today in memory of PRZ, Reb Zeilig z"l and Bobby Lola z"l, & Zeidy Benci z”l and Bubby Perla z"l, Yosef Malachi Geudalia HY"D, Ben Zussman HY"D, and Oma Els z"l and by Debbie Nossbaum in loving memory of her father, Nathan Werdiger, נתן בן שלמה אלימלך and by Harris and Elli Teitz Goldstein l'ilui nishmas Elli's beloved father, הרה'ג רב פינחס מרדכי טייץ, on his 30th yahrzeit on ד' טבת and in loving memory of Dr. Felix Glaubach, אפרים פישל בן ברוך, to mark his first yahrtzeit, by Miriam, his children, grandchildren & great grandchildren