Derasha 2 on Lech Lecha 14:14

TT #2 · Parashas Lech Lecha · Fourth Aliyah · Passuk 14:14

Complete Passuk

וַיָּ֨רֶק אֶת־חֲנִיכָ֜יו יְלִידֵ֣י בֵית֗וֹ… וַיִּרְדֹּ֖ף עַד־דָּֽן׃

…and he pursued as far as Dan.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to R. Yochanan: when that righteous man reached Dan his strength ebbed, because he saw his descendants who would later serve idolatry at Dan.

Core Text

Core Text אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק עַד דָּן תָּשַׁשׁ כֹּחוֹ — רָאָה בְּנֵי בָּנָיו שֶׁעֲתִידִים לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְּדָן.
English of Core Text: R. Yochanan said: once that righteous man reached Dan, his strength ebbed — he saw his descendants who would in the future serve idolatry at Dan.
On the daf / in context: The place-name Dan is read proleptically; the future sin of the northern cult weakens Avraham already in the pursuit.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

Even a future descendant’s idolatry can diminish the strength of the ancestor who passes the place.