aruch hashulchan 

ket8b

the am ha`aretz was not muchzak to grind there that day, and you should suspect?

And here {by the sealed city} I say, the illegitimately born person did not descend except to fill water on that day, and you should suspect?

But Rabbi Ila, Rabbi Yannai says: within Tzippori he had intercourse?
But Rabbi Bo cited Rabbi Yannai: If they saw him separate from Tzippori and have intercourse, there is a chazaka that someone of illigitimate birth from there had intercourse?

And where it is found {Rabbi Yannai holds} we go after the majority.

With difficulty, the Sages compared it to sheratzim.
For they learnt {tnei}: Nine {dead} frogs {which do not convey ritual impurity}, and among them one sheretz, in a private domain, and he touched one of them and does not know which of them he touched, the doubt is impure.
If it separated to the public domain and he touched, the doubt is pure.
If it {the doubt} returned to the private domain and he touched, the doubt is impure.
And where it is found, he goes after the majority.

Rav Chisda said {=asked}: And all these men of valor did not find their hands?
Rabbi Ami said: Blessed be He who chose them and their words.
{Returning to Rav Chisda - }
Before you compare it to a private domain, compare it to a public domain!

For we learn {tnei}: Nine sheratzim, and one frog amongst them, in the public domain, and he touched one of them and does not know which of them he touched, the doubt is pure.
If it separated to the private domain and he touched it, his doubt is impure.
If it returned to the public domain and he touched it, his doubt it pure.
And where it is found, he goes after the majority.
Rav Chisda said: The men of valor did not find their hands!
Rabbi Imi said: Blessed be He who chose them and their words.

{And the reason we do not go leniently is}
The market of Tzippori is not a public domain.

Rabbi Yossi said: since both of them are able to be alone together, it is like a private domain.

There was a case with a girl that they found cast to the refuse area. The case came before Rabbi Yishmael bei Rabbi Yossi, and he said: she is combined to the "dough."
Rabbi Yirmiya thought to say: kosher "dough."
Rabbi Yishmael bei Rabbi Yossi argues with his father.

Rabbi Yossi said: Even if you say to pasul dough, Rabbi Yishmael bei Rabbi Yossi does not argue with his father.
Why?
"Kosher" people will engage in improper sexual relations, while "pesulim" cast.

ket8a

Rabbi Yehoshua admits in case of rape.
Rabbi Chizkiya, Rabbi Abahu citing Rabbi Yochanan: Rabbi Yehoshua admits in case of rape.

Rav Chiyya bar Ashi cited Rav: The halacha is like Rabbi Yossi who cited Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri.

Rabbi Zera asked before Rabbi Yasa: How do we actually practice?
He said to him: Like Rabbi Yossi who cited Rabbi Yochanan ben Nuri.

Rabbi Ila cited Rabbi Yannai: within Tzippori he had intercourse.
Rava (=Rabbi Ba = Rabbi Abba) cited Rabbi Yannai: If they saw him separate from Tzippori and have intercourse, there is a chazaka that someone of illigitimate birth from there had intercourse.

A platia {public domain}, what?
Rabbi Yirmiya bar Vo, Rabbi Yossi says: based on the majority.

The strength of Rabbi Yirmiya is from this that Rabbi Chiyya cited Rabbi Yochanan: an alleyway of which the majority are gentiles, and one Israelite lived in it, and something collapses within it [upon someone], we remove stones because of the one Israelite there.
And a platia, we go after the majority.

And what of {=how do you explain} that which Rabbi Bo cited Rabbi Yannai, that if they saw him separate from Tzippori and have intercourse, there is a chazaka that someone of illigitimate birth from there had intercourse?
According to Rabbi Yannai, this is where they him separate from one of the houses.
And according to Rabbi Yossi, even in a platia - for Tzippori was shut in.

Rabbi Yossi says: Until he proves.
And {yet} here: Rabbi Yossi says: based on the majority.

The strength of Rabbi Yossi is from this that Rabbi Zera cited Rabbi Yochanan: if his basket was switched at the grinder's, if one who is muchzak to be an am haaretz ground there that day, he must worry, and if not, he does not worry.
What is the difference between this and the sirki ?
Did we not learn {tnei}: a sirkit {a marketplace of Ishmaelites} that sells forbidden material one day, that day becomes a proof for all days.
A sirkit, it is possible to last selling permitted materials,
And here, I say

ket7b

MISHNAH. R. JOSE SAID: IT HAPPENED THAT A GIRL. WENT DOWN TO DRAW WATER FROM A SPRING AND SHE WAS RAVISHED.
R. JOHANAN B. NURI SAID: IF MOST OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN MARRY [THEIR DAUGHTERS] INTO THE PRIESTHOOD, THIS [GIRL] MAY [ALSO] MARRY INTO THE PRIESTHOOD.

Gemara:
Rav Yehuda cited Rav Kohen: It was the market day in Tzippori that the case was.
Rabbi Yirmiya, Rabbi Chama bar Ukva - both cite Rabbi Chanina who cited Rabbi Yannai:

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min to exclude, howso?
Shemot 18:13:

יב וַיִּקַּח יִתְרוֹ חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה, עֹלָה וּזְבָחִים--לֵאלֹהִים; וַיָּבֹא אַהֲרֹן וְכֹל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֶאֱכָל-לֶחֶם עִם-חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה--לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹקִים.	12 And Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for God; and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God.
יג וַיְהִי, מִמָּחֳרָת, וַיֵּשֶׁב מֹשֶׁה, לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת-הָעָם; וַיַּעֲמֹד הָעָם עַל-מֹשֶׁה, מִן-הַבֹּקֶר עַד-הָעָרֶב.	13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the evening.

Is it possible the entire day? When do the disciples learn? Therefore it comes to teach "from the morning" as an exclusion, which teaches that he did not sit there the entire day. And the chachamim gave an estimate of until 6 hours.

Discussion/Clarification: Not that this is how long Moshe judged, because otherwise what is meant by "until evening. Rather, this is a reference to Shabbat 10a {Rif Shabbat 4a}:
Rav Chisda and Rabba bar Rav Huna were sitting all day engaged in judgements, and their hearts grew faint. {Rashi: since they were not able to learn Torah. Alternatively, they grew faint because they had not opportunity to eat all day.} Rav Chiyya bar Rav, of Difti, taught {tnei} (Shmot 18:13:)

יג וַיְהִי, מִמָּחֳרָת, וַיֵּשֶׁב מֹשֶׁה, לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת-הָעָם; וַיַּעֲמֹד הָעָם עַל-מֹשֶׁה, מִן-הַבֹּקֶר עַד-הָעָרֶב. 13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the evening. And does it enter your mind that Moshe sat and judged the entire day? And the {teaching/learning of} Torah, when was it done? Rather, to tell you that every judge who judges a true judgment {that is, a fair judgement}, even for one hour, the Scriptures considers him a partner in Creation. It is written here מִן-הַבֹּקֶר עַד-הָעָרֶב - from the morning unto the evening, and it is written there, by the Creation {Bereishit 1}, וַיְהִי-עֶרֶב וַיְהִי-בֹקֶר - "and there was evening and there was morning."

Until when must they {the judges} sit at judgment?
Rav Sheshet said: Until the time of the [main] meal [of the day].

And this is the sixth hour, which is the time of eating for a {Torah} scholar.

so this is what is meant by how the Sages estimated it. And note that besides the exclusive min, there is another midrashic method in play here - that of parallel language.

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Similarly, Shmuel Bet 22:14:

יד יַרְעֵם מִן-שָׁמַיִם, ה; {ר} וְעֶלְיוֹן, יִתֵּן קוֹלוֹ. {ס

14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the Most High gave forth His voice.

It is possible that the thundering was heard from all corners of Heaven, therefore it teaches us min to exclude, that it is only heard from the curtain from which is is requested from. {in other words, there aple designated sections that handle specific matters}

And so it says:

ה יַרְעֵם אֵל בְּקוֹלוֹ, נִפְלָאוֹת; עֹשֶׂה גְדֹלוֹת, וְלֹא נֵדָע.

5 God thundereth marvellously with His voice; great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend.

In the place that He needs to introduce a new thing.

(The explanation of this method, too, is that these three words come always to exclude, from that subject matter that it is speaking of. And within this method are other words or letters that come to exclude when they are extra.)

{I would categorize it differently - that these three words literally, and by themselves, connote exclusion, and thus they are being taken hyper-literally.}

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First middah: From a Ribbuy, how so?
The ribbuy utilized three terms. את, גם, אף.

את:
(Bereishit 21)

א וַה פָּקַד אֶת-שָׂרָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר; וַיַּעַשׂ ה לְשָׂרָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר.

1 And the LORD remembered Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as He had spoken.

If it had merely said פָּקַד שָׂרָה, I would have said that only Sarah had been remembered. Since it says את, it teaches that all those who were barren were remembered with her. And so it states:

ו וַתֹּאמֶר שָׂרָה--צְחֹק, עָשָׂה לִי אֱלֹהִים: כָּל-הַשֹּׁמֵעַ, יִצְחַק-לִי.

6 And Sarah said: 'God hath made laughter for me; every one that heareth will laugh on account of me.'

Discussion: see context, in preceding story and specifically verse. Also, how does verse 6 above show anything? Also, what alternatives could we have for using the word את?

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In a similar vein, you say (Mishlei 17):

כד אֶת-פְּנֵי מֵבִין חָכְמָה; וְעֵינֵי כְסִיל, בִּקְצֵה-אָרֶץ.

24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.

If it had stated merely פְּנֵי, I would have said at only at his time. When it says את, it includes for his generations. And so it states (Mishlei 31):

כה עֹז-וְהָדָר לְבוּשָׁהּ; וַתִּשְׂחַק, לְיוֹם אַחֲרוֹן.

25 Strength and dignity are her clothing; and she laugheth at the time to come.

Discussion:
את as the marker of the object, as opposed to subject. The function of את in other situations.

Bereishit 4:

א וְהָאָדָם, יָדַע אֶת-חַוָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ; וַתַּהַר, וַתֵּלֶד אֶת-קַיִן, וַתֹּאמֶר, קָנִיתִי אִישׁ אֶת-ה.	1 And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived and bore Cain, and said: 'I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.'
ב וַתֹּסֶף לָלֶדֶת, אֶת-אָחִיו אֶת-הָבֶל; וַיְהִי-הֶבֶל, רֹעֵה צֹאן, וְקַיִן, הָיָה עֹבֵד אֲדָמָה.	2 And again she bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

What is the function of את in the first pasuk?
What is the function of את in the second pasuk?
(Midrashic hint: only Eve was created from Adam's rib/tail/back)

What is the function of את in Bereishit 22:3?

ב וַיֹּאמֶר קַח-נָא אֶת-בִּנְךָ אֶת-יְחִידְךָ אֲשֶׁר-אָהַבְתָּ, אֶת-יִצְחָק, וְלֶךְ-לְךָ, אֶל-אֶרֶץ הַמֹּרִיָּה; וְהַעֲלֵהוּ שָׁם, לְעֹלָה, עַל אַחַד הֶהָרִים, אֲשֶׁר אֹמַר אֵלֶיךָ.	2 And He said: 'Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.'
ג וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר, וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ אֶת-חֲמֹרוֹ, וַיִּקַּח אֶת-שְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו אִתּוֹ, וְאֵת יִצְחָק בְּנוֹ; וַיְבַקַּע, עֲצֵי עֹלָה, וַיָּקָם וַיֵּלֶךְ, אֶל-הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר-אָמַר-לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים.	3 And Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he cleaved the wood for the burnt-offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

begin cite.
גם: how does it include?
Shemot 12:31:

לא וַיִּקְרָא לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן לַיְלָה, וַיֹּאמֶר קוּמוּ צְּאוּ מִתּוֹךְ עַמִּי--גַּם-אַתֶּם, גַּם-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וּלְכוּ עִבְדוּ אֶת-ה, כְּדַבֶּרְכֶם.	31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night and said: 'Rise up, get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.
לב גַּם-צֹאנְכֶם גַּם-בְּקַרְכֶם קְחוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתֶּם, וָלֵכוּ; וּבֵרַכְתֶּם, גַּם-אֹתִי.	32 Take both your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.'
לג וַתֶּחֱזַק מִצְרַיִם עַל-הָעָם, לְמַהֵר לְשַׁלְּחָם מִן-הָאָרֶץ: כִּי אָמְרוּ, כֻּלָּנוּ מֵתִים.	33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, to send them out of the land in haste; for they said: 'We are all dead men.'

If it had said "your flocks and your herds" I would have said he only gave them their sheep and cattle. Therefore the גם comes to include, and teaches us that he gave them a gift of his own and from his officers, in order to fulfil what is written (Shemot 10:25):

כד וַיִּקְרָא פַרְעֹה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, וַיֹּאמֶר לְכוּ עִבְדוּ אֶת-ה--רַק צֹאנְכֶם וּבְקַרְכֶם, יֻצָּג: גַּם-טַפְּכֶם, יֵלֵךְ עִמָּכֶם.	24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said: 'Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed; let your little ones also go with you.'
כה וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה, גַּם-אַתָּה תִּתֵּן בְּיָדֵנוּ זְבָחִים וְעֹלֹת; וְעָשִׂינוּ, לַה אֱלֹהֵינוּ.	25 And Moses said: 'Thou must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.

Discussion: What is the function of גם on a pshat level? Could we omit it? What does it imply? (I would suggest eagerness - see next psukim about how eager they are to let them leave.) How does the midrash feed into this basic message? How does it feed into the contrast with the earlier pasuk?

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similarly, you say:
Dvarim 22:

כב כִּי-יִמָּצֵא אִישׁ שֹׁכֵב עִם-אִשָּׁה בְעֻלַת-בַּעַל, וּמֵתוּ גַּם-שְׁנֵיהֶם--הָאִישׁ הַשֹּׁכֵב עִם-הָאִשָּׁה, וְהָאִשָּׁה; וּבִעַרְתָּ הָרָע, מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל.

22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both of them die, the man that lay with the woman, and the woman; so shalt thou put away the evil from Israel.

If it had not said גם I would have said that if she was liable and pregnant, we would wait for her until she gave birth. It comes to teach us with this גם to include the fetus, that we do not wait until she gives birth.

Discussion: This is halachic or aggadic? How exactly is the גם functioning? How exactly is שְׁנֵיהֶם now functioning?

Before proceeding, one of my favorite גםs. Shemot 7:

י וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, אֶל-פַּרְעֹה, וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן, כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה; וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ אַהֲרֹן אֶת-מַטֵּהוּ, לִפְנֵי פַרְעֹה וְלִפְנֵי עֲבָדָיו--וַיְהִי לְתַנִּין.	10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so, as the LORD had commanded; and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
יא וַיִּקְרָא, גַּם-פַּרְעֹה, לַחֲכָמִים, וְלַמְכַשְּׁפִים; וַיַּעֲשׂוּ גַם-הֵם חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם, בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם--כֵּן.	11 Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their secret arts.

How do the two גםs function in pasuk 11?
(Midrash: Pharoah's wife, students of magicians.) What does this show about the role of גם?
Answer: of a like kind to that to which it is joined.
How does this fit into the mood of the perek?

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אף to include, how?
II Kings 2:

יג וַיָּרֶם אֶת-אַדֶּרֶת אֵלִיָּהוּ, אֲשֶׁר נָפְלָה מֵעָלָיו; וַיָּשָׁב וַיַּעֲמֹד, עַל-שְׂפַת הַיַּרְדֵּן.	13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
יד וַיִּקַּח אֶת-אַדֶּרֶת אֵלִיָּהוּ אֲשֶׁר-נָפְלָה מֵעָלָיו, וַיַּכֶּה אֶת-הַמַּיִם, וַיֹּאמַר, אַיֵּה ה אֱלֹהֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ; אַף-הוּא וַיַּכֶּה אֶת-הַמַּיִם, וַיֵּחָצוּ הֵנָּה וָהֵנָּה, וַיַּעֲבֹר, אֱלִישָׁע.	14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said: 'Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?' and when he also had smitten the waters, they were divided hither and thither; and Elisha went over.

אַף-הוּא וַיַּכֶּה אֶת-הַמַּיִם teaches that greater miracles were wrought for Elisha in the splitting of the Jordan than for Eliyahu. That in the first time there was the merit of two righteous individuals, and in the second instance, a single righteous person's merit stood.

And so it states

ח וַיִּקַּח אֵלִיָּהוּ אֶת-אַדַּרְתּוֹ וַיִּגְלֹם וַיַּכֶּה אֶת-הַמַּיִם, וַיֵּחָצוּ הֵנָּה וָהֵנָּה; וַיַּעַבְרוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם, בֶּחָרָבָה.	8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground.
ט וַיְהִי כְעָבְרָם, וְאֵלִיָּהוּ אָמַר אֶל-אֱלִישָׁע שְׁאַל מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה-לָּךְ, בְּטֶרֶם, אֶלָּקַח מֵעִמָּךְ; וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלִישָׁע, וִיהִי נָא פִּי-שְׁנַיִם בְּרוּחֲךָ אֵלָי.	9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha: 'Ask what I shall do for thee, before I am taken from thee.' And Elisha said: 'I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.'

Discussion:
What does the English expression "take up the mantle" mean?
What is the theme of this perek?
What is the import of two tzadikim vs. one? Suggestion: being solitary - now have to stand as own man, as opposed to being sidekick.
Note how both אף and the "double portion" connote extra.

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So too you find 8 miracles by Eliyahu and 16 by Elisha.

Similarly, in Iyyov 37: (Note: Elihu's speech)

יא אַף-בְּרִי, יַטְרִיחַ עָב; יָפִיץ, עֲנַן אוֹרוֹ.	11 Yea, He ladeth the thick cloud with moister, He spreadeth abroad the cloud of His lightning;

This teaches that the clouds and the rain are harsh, and Hashem imposes {matriach} upon them. And how do we know that just as he imposes upon them to rain, so too he imposes upon them to stop, after it rains sufficiently? Therefore the word אף comes to include.

(A perush in parentheses: The meaning of this midda - that these three words - אף, גם, את. come always to include. And within this midrashic method is that every extra word or letter comes to include, except that the Tanna only mentioned something which is constant, since these three words include in every place that they are written. Meanwhile, the other words only include when they are extra. And the inclusion in all places is of the subject by which it is written. And this is of the 13 hermenutical methods of the matter which is learnt from its subject matter. and not of something which is not of its subject matter. And the rest of the words explaining the brayta in this method and in all of the remaining methods, with many examples, all is made clear at length in my sefer Midrash Tanaim. דרוש משם. And it requires investigation, for we do not find further that the word אף comes to include.)

Middah 2:
Via a miut {exclusion}, howso?
The miut consists of three terms: אך, רק, מן.
אך, to exclude, how?

For it is written (Bereishit 7)

כב כֹּל אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁמַת-רוּחַ חַיִּים בְּאַפָּיו, מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר בֶּחָרָבָה--מֵתוּ.	22 all in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, whatsoever was in the dry land, died.
כג וַיִּמַח אֶת-כָּל-הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר עַל-פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה, מֵאָדָם עַד-בְּהֵמָה עַד-רֶמֶשׂ וְעַד-עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם, וַיִּמָּחוּ, מִן-הָאָרֶץ; וַיִּשָּׁאֶר אַךְ-נֹחַ וַאֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ, בַּתֵּבָה.	23 And He blotted out every living substance which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and creeping thing, and fowl of the heaven; and they were blotted out from the earth; and Noah only was left, and they that were with him in the ark.

What does אך come to teach us?
That even Noach in the ark was spitting up blood because of the cold.

Discussion: What is the feel of the perek. How does this expand upon the idea of a single person surviving of the entire world, while massive forces were wreaking havoc outside. The ark as a flimsy refuge.

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Similarly you say (Vayikra 23:27):

כו וַיְדַבֵּר ה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.	26 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
כז אַךְ בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַזֶּה יוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים הוּא, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם, וְעִנִּיתֶם, אֶת-נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם; וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם אִשֶּׁה, לַה.	27 Howbeit on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; there shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; and ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

If it had said בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ I would have said - to atone for those who return and upon those who do not return. Once it states אך it restricts the atonement to only those who return.

Discussion: what does it mean to afflict, and how those who do not afflict will be cut off - in the subsequent psukim? Could this feed into the message here?

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רק to exclude, how?
Bereishit 20:

י וַיֹּאמֶר אֲבִימֶלֶךְ, אֶל-אַבְרָהָם: מָה רָאִיתָ, כִּי עָשִׂיתָ אֶת-הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה.	10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham: 'What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?'
יא וַיֹּאמֶר, אַבְרָהָם, כִּי אָמַרְתִּי רַק אֵין-יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים, בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה; וַהֲרָגוּנִי, עַל-דְּבַר אִשְׁתִּי.	11 And Abraham said: 'Because I thought: Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.

Perhaps this means that there was no fear of God at all? Therefore it tells us רק. Say now, until they heard, they did not fear - once their ears hear they will fear.

Discussion: see pasuk 8, which this is a reference to. What is it that Avimelech told them that made them "sore afraid." What insight is the midrash giving us about the men's character?
Further, why did they ask about Sarah? Is Avraham justified? Why does Hashem need to give a threat about not returning her to Avraham?

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And so it states

ח וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אֲבִימֶלֶךְ בַּבֹּקֶר, וַיִּקְרָא לְכָל-עֲבָדָיו, וַיְדַבֵּר אֶת-כָּל-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, בְּאָזְנֵיהֶם; וַיִּירְאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים, מְאֹד.

8 And Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears; and the men were sore afraid.

Similarly you say: I Kings 22:

טז וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הַמֶּלֶךְ, עַד-כַּמֶּה פְעָמִים אֲנִי מַשְׁבִּיעֶךָ: אֲשֶׁר לֹא-תְדַבֵּר אֵלַי, רַק-אֱמֶת--בְּשֵׁם ה.

16 And the king said unto him: 'How many times shall I adjure thee that thou speak unto me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?'

This teaches that he did not speak with his full heart, but rather because Yehoshafat was there.

Discussion: How could Micah lie? Was this a blessing/prayer, or a prophecy? Look at the context of the perek. Who suggested bringing the prophet? What is the king of Israel's (as opposed to that of Judah) attitude in general towards Micah? Does he believe in the truth of prophecy? Why then, his calling the prophet? Why then the objection to Michah's initial words?


to be continued...

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