Derasha 1 on Lech Lecha 12:20

TT #1 · Parashas Lech Lecha · Second Aliyah · Passuk 12:20

Complete Passuk

וַיְצַ֥ו עָלָ֛יו פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ וְאֶת־אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לֽוֹ׃

Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Sotah 46b (R. Yehoshua b. Levi): for the four steps Pharaoh walked with Avraham, his descendants were enslaved four hundred years.

E-Daf image

Core Text

Core Text אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: בִּשְׁבִיל אַרְבַּע פְּסִיעוֹת שֶׁלִּוָּה פַּרְעֹה לְאַבְרָהָם נִשְׁתַּעְבֵּד בְּבָנָיו אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַעֲבָדוּם… אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה.
English of Core Text: R. Yehoshua b. Levi said: because of the four steps that Pharaoh escorted Avraham, his children were enslaved four hundred years, as it is said “and they shall serve them… four hundred years.”
On the daf / in context: The principle is that even a small act of escort (levayah) by a gentile king toward Avraham generated a measure-for-measure consequence for Egypt. The “four steps” are read into the dismissal scene.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

Escorting a guest — even a few steps — is treated by Chazal as a weighty act with long historical consequences.