Derasha 2 on Lech Lecha 13:10

TT #2 · Parashas Lech Lecha · Third Aliyah · Passuk 13:10

Complete Passuk

וַיִּשָּׂא־ל֣וֹט אֶת־עֵינָ֗יו וַיַּרְא֙ אֶת־כָּל־כִּכַּ֣ר הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן כִּ֥י כֻלָּהּ֙ מַשְׁקֶ֔ה… כְּגַן־ה׳ כְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם…

…like the garden of Hashem, like the land of Egypt…

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to Ketubot 112a: there is no land more excellent than Egypt; Sodom is compared both to the garden of Hashem (trees) and to Egypt (crops).

E-Daf image

Core Text

Core Text תַּנְיָא: אֵין לְךָ מְעֻלָּה בְּכָל הָאֲרָצוֹת יָתֵר מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כְּגַן ה׳ כְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם.
English of Core Text: It was taught: there is no land more excellent among all lands than the land of Egypt, as it is said “like the garden of Hashem, like the land of Egypt.”
On the daf / in context: The double comparison is read as assigning Sodom the excellence of both orchard and field agriculture at once.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

Egypt stands as the benchmark of agricultural excellence; Sodom is described by that same standard before its destruction.