Derasha 1 on Lech Lecha 14:24

TT #1 · Parashas Lech Lecha · Fifth Aliyah · Passuk 14:24

Complete Passuk

בִּלְעָדַ֗י רַ֚ק אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָֽכְל֣וּ הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְחֵ֨לֶק֙ הָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלְכ֖וּ אִתִּ֑י עָנֵר֙ אֶשְׁכֹּ֣ל וּמַמְרֵ֔א הֵ֖ם יִקְח֥וּ חֶלְקָֽם׃

Nothing for me — only what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre; they shall take their share.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

TT points to R. Abba: consumed theft is especially hard — even the completely righteous cannot fully restore it.

Core Text

Core Text אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא: קָשֶׁה גָּזֵל הַנֶּאֱכָל, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ צַדִּיקִים גְּמוּרִים אֵין יְכוֹלִים לְהַחְזִירוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בִּלְעָדַי רַק אֲשֶׁר אָכְלוּ הַנְּעָרִים.
English of Core Text: R. Abba said: consumed theft is hard — even the completely righteous cannot restore it, as it is said “only what the young men have eaten.”
On the daf / in context: Avraham can return property still in hand, but food already eaten cannot be restored; the verse becomes the proof-text for that legal/moral difficulty.

Type of Learning

Custom

What Is Learned

What has been consumed cannot be returned even by the righteous; the verse marks the limit of restitution.