1)WOODCHIPS FALL BEHIND A WEALTHY MAN
א״ל רבא לרבה בר מרי מנא הא מילתא דאמרי אינשי בתר מרי ניכסי ציבי משך א״ל דכתיב וגם ללוט ההולך את אברם היה צאן ובקר ואהלים
Translation: Rava said to Rabah bar Mari: From where (in the Torah can we source) this phrase that people say: Woodchips (or fat) fall (literally: drag) behind a wealthy man? (Those who associate with wealthy men can often become richer themselves.) Rabah bar Mari said to him: As it writes: 'And Lot, who went with Avram, also had flocks and cattle and tents.' (Bereishis 8:5.)
(a)How is this learned from the Pasuk quoted?
1.Maharsha: Since the Pasuk did not state that 'Lot had cattle and sheep', but rather, 'Lot, who went with Avram, also had...'; this indicates that his connection to Avram caused his wealth.
2)INVOKING JUDGEMENT AGAINST SOMEONE
אמר רב חנן המוסר דין על חבירו הוא נענש תחילה שנאמר ותאמר שרי אל אברם חמסי עליך וכתיב ויבא אברהם לספוד לשרה ולבכותה והני מילי דאית ליה דינא בארעא אמר רבי יצחק אוי לו לצועק יותר מן הנצעק תניא נמי הכי אחד הצועק ואחד הנצעק במשמע אלא שממהרין לצועק יותר מן הנצעק
Translation: Rav Chanan said: If someone invokes the judgment of Heaven against his friend, he will be punished first. For it says, 'And Sarai said to Avram: My anger is upon you... may Hash-m judge between me and you.' (Bereishis 16:5.) And it writes, 'And Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to weep for her.' (Bereishis 23:2.) But these words only apply when he could receive a fair judgment in this world. Rabbi Yitzchak said: Woe to the one who cries out for Hash-m's help in dealing with someone else, even more than for the one he cried out against! This was also taught in a Beraisa: When the Torah says, 'If... he cries out to me... I will hear his cry,' it implies that both the one who cried out and the one he cried out against will be punished, (Shemos 22:23.) but they punish the one who cried out faster than the one he cried out against (as in the case of Sarah).
(a)If the Gemara is merely trying to prove that Avraham outlived Sarah, any number of Pesukim could have been used, so why use the Pasuk, "Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and weep for her"?
1.Maharsha, Pnei Yehoshua: The words 'And Avraham came' are extra and teach that his coming to eulogize was against the natural course of events, since she really should have outlived him. But since she invoked judgement, it was fitting that she should die first.
2.Ba'al ha'Turim: Since Sarah caused her own death by invoking judgment; and one who commits suicide is not eulogized, Avraham only wept a little; hence the small letter 'Kaf' in the word 'Livkosah' - 'and weep for her'.
3)DO NOT TAKE THE CURSE OF A REGULAR PERSON LIGHTLY
ואמר רבי יצחק לעולם אל תהי קללת הדיוט קלה בעיניך שהרי אבימלך קלל את שרה ונתקיים בזרעה שנאמר הנה הוא לך כסות עינים אמר לה הואיל וכסית ממני ולא גילית שהוא אישך וגרמת אלי הצער הזה יהי רצון שיהו לך בני כסויי עינים ונתקיים בזרעה דכתיב ויהי כי זקן יצחק ותכהין עיניו מראות
Translation: And Rabbi Yitzchak said: One should never take the curse of a regular man lightly, because Avimelech cursed Sarah, and it was fulfilled in her descendants. (Even though Avimelech was not very righteous.) As it says, 'It should be an eye covering for you,' (Bereishis 20:16. He said this when he set her free and presented her with gifts.) This means that he said to her, Since you concealed the truth from me, and you didn't reveal that he was your husband, and you caused me all this pain, may it be Hash-m's will that you have children with covered eyes. (i.e. blind children.) And it was fulfilled in her descendants, as it writes, 'And it was, when Yitzchak was old, and his eyes dimmed from being able to see...' (Bereishis 27:1.)
(a)To whom does this apply?
1.Netziv: The 'Hedyot' - 'regular man' here refers even to a gentile.
2.Ben Yehoyada: The word 'leOlam' - 'Never' - indicates that even if a regular person cursed a Tzadik, the Tzadik should not view it lightly.
4)TO BE THE PURSUED RATHER THAN THE PURSUER
אמר רבי אבהו לעולם יהא אדם מן הנרדפין ולא מן הרודפין שאין לך נרדף בעופות יותר מתורים ובני יונה והכשירן הכתוב לגבי מזבח
Translation: Rabbi Avahu said: A person should always prefer to be the pursued rather than the pursuer. Because no birds are pursued more by predators than doves and turtledoves, and the Torah made them the only birds acceptable as an offering on the altar. (See Vayikra 14.)
(a)How is this teaching applied?
1.Maharsha: 'Min ha'Nirdafim' implies that even if a person is not personally pursued, he should take the side of those who are and try to save them. Alternatively, even if a person is able to save himself and pursue the pursuer and turn him into one who is pursued, he should not do so.
2.Ben Yehoyada: How can a person bring himself to become pursued - it seems not to be in his control? For example, the government would choose people from a community to evaluate the taxes owed by each community member, based on that member's ability. It is better to be amongst those evaluated rather than those who evaluate, even though he might ultimately be required to give more than he is able.
3.Iyun Yaakov: Even though some people are not pursued by any person, everyone is pursued by the Yetzer ha'Ra (the evil inclination). As Chazal say, 'a person's inclination rises up against him every day and attempts to kill him'. Here, 'not to be a pursuer' means that he should not agitate the Yetzer ha'Ra, as it challenges the Yetzer ha'Ra to contend with him.
