[B]y revealing the angels’ identity,
the narrator creates a gap between the reader and the protagonist. This gap is utilized
for a clever wordplay at the outset of Abraham’s conversation with his guests: “he
said, ‘אדני, if it pleases you, do not go on past your servant’” (3). The word אדני
can be interpreted in one of three ways. Depending on the placement of vowels,
the word אדני can be read as plural (אֲדֹנָ֗י—my lords) or as singular (אדֹנִ֗י—my
lord). Additionally, if the title is read in plural, it might simply refer to
Abraham’s guests (my lords), but it might also be a divine title—one of God’s
names (my Lord).
Some scholars read the title in the
singular simply because of the context of the sentence, which continues to
address the guests in singular form. Others preferred the Samarian version that
continues the sentence in plural.
The debate regarding the term “Adonai”
(“my lords”), has been discussed throughout the generations of biblical
exegesis. The term is used interchangeable as a divine and human title
throughout the Abraham cycle. (E.g. 15:2 and 8; 18:27 and 31; 20;4, among many
others, in reference to God; alternatively, 19:2 [from Lot’s viewpoint!]; 23:6,
11, 15; 24:18, and many others) The debate is emphasized in modern translations
of the verse: some translated “my lords” (e.g., NPJS; NAU; RSV) while others
wrote “My Lord” (e.g., KJV; NKV). (Jonathan Grossman, Abram to Abraham: A
Literary Analysis of the Abraham Narrative [Das Alte Testament Im Dialog
11; New York: Peter Lang, 2016], 254-55)
For the Rabbinic debate, see b.
Shavuot 35b; cf. b. Shabbat 127a. See also Genesis Rabbah Theodore-Albeck edition,
p. 486, note on line 5. The punctuation indicates that according to the
Masoretic text the word reflects the divine name. Onkelos translated
accordingly (“He said, God, if it pleases you . . .”); Rashi noted this
as a second possibility, as did Nahmanides and R. Joseph Bekhor Shor. R. Levi ben
Gershon believed the term was secular. (Ibid., 254 n. 18)
Shevuot
35b:9
All names that could be understood as
the name of God that are stated in the Torah with regard to Abraham are sacred
and are referring to God, except for this name, which is non-sacred, as it is
stated: “My lords, if I have found favor in your eyes” (Genesis 18:3). In that
passage, Abraham is addressing the angels who appeared to him in the guise of
men, not God.
Shabbat
127a:13
We learned in the mishna: One may move
baskets of produce due to the guests and in order to prevent the suspension of
Torah study in the study hall. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Hospitality toward guests is
as great as rising early to go to the study hall, as the mishna equates them
and teaches: Due to the guests and due to suspension of Torah study in the
study hall. And Rav Dimi from Neharde’a says: Hospitality toward guests is
greater than rising early to the study hall, as it teaches: Due to the guests,
and only afterward: And due to suspension of Torah study in the study hall. Rav
Yehuda said that Rav said on a related note: Hospitality toward guests is
greater than receiving the Divine Presence, as when Abraham invited his guests
it is written: “And he said: Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight,
please pass not from Your servant” (Genesis 18:3). Abraham requested that God,
the Divine Presence, wait for him while he tended to his guests appropriately.
Rabbi Elazar said: Come and see that the attribute of the Holy One, Blessed be
He, is not like that of flesh and blood. The attribute of flesh and blood
people is such that a less significant person is unable to say to a more
significant person: Wait until I come to you, while with regard to the Holy
One, Blessed be He, it is written: “And he said: Lord, if now I have found
favor in Your sight, please pass not from Your servant.” Abraham requested that
God wait for him due to his guests.
Rashi:
'ויאמר אדני אם נא וגו AND HE SAID, MY
LORD, IF NOW etc. — He addressed himself to the Chief of them; calling them all
“lords”, (אדני may mean “my lords”), whilst to their Chief he said “Do not I
pray thee pass away”, for he knew that if he would not pass by, his companions
would certainly remain with him. In this explanation the word אדני has a
“profane” sense (does not refer to God, being merely a term of address, “Sirs”)
. Another explanation is that the word is “holy” (referring to God): he asked
God to wait for him whilst he ran and invited the travellers. For although this
is written after the words “and he ran to meet them”, yet the conversation took
place beforehand. It, indeed, is the way of the Scriptures to speak in this
manner as I have explained in my comment on “My spirit shall not strive”
(Genesis 6:3) which is written after the passage. “And Noah begot” (Genesis
5:32) whereas it is impossible to say otherwise than that the decree of a
respite of 120 years made in reference to this verse “My spirit shall not
strive etc.” was twenty years before the birth of Noah’s sons.) Both these
explanations of אדני are to be found in Genesis Rabbah 48:10 (see also Shevuot
35b).
Onkelos
Genesis 18:3:
He said, My Master, if I have found
favor in Your eyes [before you], please [now] do not bypass your servant.
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