Derasha 1 on Lech Lecha 13:10

TT #1 · Parashas Lech Lecha · Third Aliyah · Passuk 13:10

Complete Passuk

וַיִּשָּׂא־ל֣וֹט אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן כִּ֥י כֻלָּהּ֙ מַשְׁקֶ֔ה לִפְנֵ֣י שַׁחֵ֣ת ה׳ אֶת־סְדֹם וְאֶת־עֲמֹרָ֑ה כְּגַן־ה׳ כְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בֹּאֲכָ֖ה צֹֽעַר׃

Lot lifted his eyes and saw the whole plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered, before Hashem destroyed Sodom and Amorah, like the garden of Hashem, like the land of Egypt, as you come to Tzoar.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to R. Yochanan: the entire verse is spoken in the language of transgression (parallel verbs of illicit gazing).

Core Text

Core Text אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כָּל הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה עַל שֵׁם עֲבֵירָה נֶאֱמַר — וַיִּשָּׂא לוֹט אֶת עֵינָיו כְּמוֹ וַתִּשָּׂא אֵשֶׁת אֲדוֹנָיו אֶת עֵינֶיהָ; וַיַּרְא כְּמוֹ וַיַּרְא אֹתָהּ שְׁכֶם…
English of Core Text: R. Yochanan said: this entire verse is spoken in the language of transgression — “Lot lifted his eyes” like “his master’s wife lifted her eyes”; “and he saw” like “Shechem saw her”…
On the daf / in context: The derasha reads Lot’s choice of the plain through the lens of later (and earlier) biblical scenes of improper looking, foreshadowing the moral character of Sodom.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

Lot’s gaze is already marked as problematic by the very wording Chazal compare to other scenes of illicit desire.