GEN805 … one is obligated to observe and understand children, and to distinguish between one who is perverse and warped (Deuteronomy 32:5) and one who goes upright--all of this for an exalted purpose ... [presumably, to protect one's children from negative influences (see Zeh Hasha'ar)].When you see gluttonous people who disregard the need to wash their hands before meals, who sit and eat bread without reciting the brachach [blessing] before and after the meal, (Grace after Meals is derived from the Torah Deuteronomy 8:10) and flout the restrictions of many other such Rabbinic rulings and enactments – through this they can be appraised, and through this you will be able to know and discern their ways, tor they re exceedingly evil and sinful towards Hashem [this verse] and their end will be eternal ruin Numbers 24:20.  It is in respect to these that the Sages said: “Anyone who violates a Rabbinic ruling is punishable with death.”  This is because these actions are not forced by one’s yetzer – these people are not swayed to sin as a result of their earthiness, through their physical desire.  They emerge solely from one’s evil disposition and the desire to throw off the yoke of Heaven from their necks.  Indeed, they are like the throng of that class of evil-doers who say to God: “Leave us alone; we have no desire to know Your ways.” Job 21:14. These, too, are far from the way of truth.  GATES 169-171

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN806 “evil” to each other; “sinful” through adultery Yerushalmi, Sanhedrin 10:3 TEMIMAH-GEN 61

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN807 R. Yehudah said: “Evil,” in their bodies, as in Genesis 39:9: ‘How can I do this great evil [adultery] and be sinful to God!’; “sinful,” with respect to their money, as in Deuteronomy 23:22: ‘And it [not paying what you owe] will be sinful in you.’” In a Mishnah it was taught: “evil,” with respect to their money, as it is written Deuteronomy 15:9: ‘And your eye will be evil against your poor brother’: “sinful,” in their bodies, as it is written: ‘…and be sinful to God’” Sanhedrin 109a. TEMIMAH-GEN 61

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN808 The people of Sodom have no share in the world to come, as it is written: “And the people of Sodom were exceedingly evil and sinful” – “evil” in this world; “sinful” in respect to the next world” Sanhedrin 107b TEMIMAH-GEN 61

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN809 The people of Sodom have no share in the world to come, as it is written: “And the people of Sodom were exceedingly evil and sinful” – “evil” in this world; “sinful” in respect to the next world” Sanhedrin 107b TEMIMAH-GEN 61

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN810 See [[GEN767]] Genesis 12:1 go LOC 62-3

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN811 It was taught: “If one sells a path to his neighbor, if the other walks along it, he is considered to have acquired it.  Whence is this derived?  From [this verse]. Yerushalmi, Kiddushin 1:3 TEMIMAH-GEN 63

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN812 If Genesis 14 does not preserve a record of a battle of Abram or provide a guide to how wars were really fought at some point in history of ancient Israel, this text does record how its author pictures a battle of Abram, and that image is filled with informative significance for understanding the history of ideas of war in Israelite culture. The patriarch is portrayed as socially equivalent to the warrior kings around him, but a leader who undertakes war only for defensive purposes to right an injustice, and who does not seek to profit from the battle.  The author who creates such an image of Abram would presumably believe10 in the use of military power for moral purposes. This already says a great deal. NIDITCH 12

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN813 The Talmud implies Ketubot 51b that a person who is a political prisoner or a prisoner because of his Judaism has the same status as an actual captive.  Based on this equality, the obligation to secure freedom for Jews who are denied their ability to practice their Judaism openly is no less a mitzvah than freeing Jews behind physical bars.  Thus, the obligation to help Jews in Syria denied their religious freedom or Jews anywhere in the world under a dictatorship that prevents their freedom to behave as Jews (as was the case for many years in the Soviet Union) has precedence over any other obligation, according to the Shulchan Aruch. Yoreh De’ah 252:1,3. AMEMEI 198

SHOW FULL EXCERPT

GEN815 We are obligated to do all we can to sve someone who is held captive. The Torah goes into detail about the war of the four kings against the five kings in order to show us how much Abraham exerted himself in his effort to save the captive Lot.  This was a fulfillment of the commandment to save a person whose life is in danger (see Leviticus 19:16). Although Lot had only himself to blame for choosing to dwell in Sodom amongst wicked inhabitants, Abraham did all he could to save him.  Ahavas Chesed, Introduction.  The Ramban points out that it probably took Abraham a long time to reach Lot and free him, because the distance he traveled was great.  From this we learn that we must try to free someone from captivity, no matter how much time it entails.  PLYN 48-49

SHOW FULL EXCERPT