Chapter Previewהַקְדָּמָה
In this aliyah, we learn about the famous story of the Dor Haflagah, the Generation of the Dispersion. The Torah describes how the entire world was united with one language, but they used this unity to rebel against Hashem by building a massive city and a tower reaching into the heavens. To stop their rebellion, Hashem confused their languages so they could no longer understand one another, which naturally forced them to stop building and scatter across the face of the earth.
Following this, the Torah traces the generations from Noach's son, Shem, all the way down to Terach and his sons, Abram, Nachor, and Haran. We are introduced to Abram's family, including his wife Sarai, and we learn about their initial journey with Terach from Ur Kasdim toward the land of Canaan, stopping and settling in Haran.
All introductions, summaries, and contextual notes are the editor's commentary and are not part of the original text.אַלע הַקְדָּמוֹת, סִכּוּמִים, און הערות זענען דעם רעדאַקטאָר'ס באַמערקונגען און זענען נישט קיין טייל פונעם אָריגינעלן טעקסט.
פָּסוּק א
Pasuk 1
וַיְהִיAnd it wasכָלallהָאָרֶץthe earthשָׂפָהlanguageאֶחָתoneוּדְבָרִיםand wordsאֲחָדִים׃unified
פָּסוּק ב
Pasuk 2
וַיְהִיAnd it wasבְּנָסְעָםin their journeyingמִקֶּדֶםfrom the eastוַיִּמְצְאוּand they foundבִקְעָהa valleyבְּאֶרֶץin the land ofשִׁנְעָרShinarוַיֵּשְׁבוּand they settledשָׁם׃there
פָּסוּק ג
Pasuk 3
וַיֹּאמְרוּAnd they saidאִישׁeach manאֶלtoרֵעֵהוּhis fellowהָבָהcomeנִלְבְּנָהlet us makeלְבֵנִיםbricksוְנִשְׂרְפָהand let us burnלִשְׂרֵפָהto a burningוַתְּהִיand wasלָהֶםfor themהַלְּבֵנָהthe brickלְאָבֶןfor stoneוְהַחֵמָרand the clayהָיָהwasלָהֶםfor themלַחֹמֶר׃for mortar
פָּסוּק ד
Pasuk 4
וַיֹּאמְרוּAnd they saidהָבָהcomeנִבְנֶהlet us buildלָּנוּfor ourselvesעִירa cityוּמִגְדָּלand a towerוְרֹאשׁוֹwith its topבַשָּׁמַיִםin the heavensוְנַעֲשֶׂהand let us makeלָּנוּfor ourselvesשֵׁםa nameפֶּןlestנָפוּץwe be scatteredעַלuponפְּנֵיthe face ofכָלallהָאָרֶץ׃the earth
פָּסוּק ה
Pasuk 5
וַיֵּרֶדAnd descendedיְהוָהHashemלִרְאֹתto seeאֶת—הָעִירthe cityוְאֶתand —הַמִּגְדָּלthe towerאֲשֶׁרwhichבָּנוּbuiltבְּנֵיthe sons ofהָאָדָם׃man
פָּסוּק ו
Pasuk 6
וַיֹּאמֶרAnd saidיְהוָהHashemהֵןbeholdעַםpeopleאֶחָדoneוְשָׂפָהand languageאַחַתoneלְכֻלָּםfor all of themוְזֶהand thisהַחִלָּםthey have begunלַעֲשׂוֹתto doוְעַתָּהand nowלֹאnotיִבָּצֵרwill be withheldמֵהֶםfrom themכֹּלallאֲשֶׁרthatיָזְמוּthey plannedלַעֲשׂוֹת׃to do
פָּסוּק ז
Pasuk 7
הָבָהcomeנֵרְדָהlet us go downוְנָבְלָהand let us confoundשָׁםthereשְׂפָתָםtheir languageאֲשֶׁרso thatלֹאnotיִשְׁמְעוּthey will understandאִישׁa manשְׂפַתthe language ofרֵעֵהוּ׃his companion
פָּסוּק ח
Pasuk 8
וַיָּפֶץAnd scatteredיְהוָהHashemאֹתָםthemמִשָּׁםfrom thereעַלuponפְּנֵיthe face ofכָלallהָאָרֶץthe earthוַיַּחְדְּלוּand they ceasedלִבְנֹתto buildהָעִיר׃the city
פָּסוּק ט
Pasuk 9
עַלThereforeכֵּן·קָרָאHe calledשְׁמָהּits nameבָּבֶלBavelכִּיbecauseשָׁםthereבָּלַלconfoundedיְהוָהHashemשְׂפַתthe language ofכָּלall ofהָאָרֶץthe earthוּמִשָּׁםand from thereהֱפִיצָםscattered themיְהוָהHashemעַלuponפְּנֵיthe face ofכָּלall ofהָאָרֶץ׃the earth
פָּסוּק י
Pasuk 10
אֵלֶּהThese areתּוֹלְדֹתthe generations ofשֵׁםShemשֵׁםShemבֶּןwas a son ofמְאַתone hundredשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotאֶת—אַרְפַּכְשָׁדArpachshadשְׁנָתַיִםtwo yearsאַחַרafterהַמַּבּוּל׃the Flood
פָּסוּק יא
Pasuk 11
וַיְחִיAnd livedשֵׁםShemאַחֲרֵיafterהוֹלִידוֹhis begettingאֶת—אַרְפַּכְשָׁדArpachshadחֲמֵשׁfiveמֵאוֹתhundredשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotבָּנִיםsonsוּבָנוֹת׃and daughters
פָּסוּק יב
Pasuk 12
וְאַרְפַּכְשַׁדAnd Arpachshadחַיlivedחָמֵשׁfiveוּשְׁלֹשִׁיםand thirtyשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotאֶת—שָׁלַח׃Shelah
פָּסוּק יג
Pasuk 13
וַיְחִיAnd livedאַרְפַּכְשַׁדArpachshadאַחֲרֵיafterהוֹלִידוֹhis begettingאֶת—שֶׁלַחShelahשָׁלֹשׁthreeשָׁנִיםyearsוְאַרְבַּעand fourמֵאוֹתhundredשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotבָּנִיםsonsוּבָנוֹת׃and daughters
פָּסוּק יד
Pasuk 14
וְשֶׁלַחAnd Shelahחַיlivedשְׁלֹשִׁיםthirtyשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotאֶת—עֵבֶר׃Ever
פָּסוּק טו
Pasuk 15
וַיְחִיAnd livedשֶׁלַחShelachאַחֲרֵיafterהוֹלִידוֹhis begettingאֶת—עֵבֶרEverשָׁלֹשׁthreeשָׁנִיםyearsוְאַרְבַּעand fourמֵאוֹתhundredשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotבָּנִיםsonsוּבָנוֹת׃and daughters
פָּסוּק טז
Pasuk 16
וַיְחִיAnd livedעֵבֶרEverאַרְבַּעfourוּשְׁלֹשִׁיםand thirtyשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotאֶת—פָּלֶג׃Peleg
פָּסוּק יז
Pasuk 17
וַיְחִיAnd livedעֵבֶרEverאַחֲרֵיafterהוֹלִידוֹhis begettingאֶת—פֶּלֶגPelegשְׁלֹשִׁיםthirtyשָׁנָהyearsוְאַרְבַּעand fourמֵאוֹתhundredשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotבָּנִיםsonsוּבָנוֹת׃and daughters
פָּסוּק יח
Pasuk 18
וַיְחִיAnd livedפֶלֶגPelegשְׁלֹשִׁיםthirtyשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotאֶת—רְעוּ׃Reu
פָּסוּק יט
Pasuk 19
וַיְחִיAnd livedפֶלֶגPelegאַחֲרֵיafterהוֹלִידוֹhis begettingאֶת—רְעוּReuתֵּשַׁעnineשָׁנִיםyearsוּמָאתַיִםand two hundredשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotבָּנִיםsonsוּבָנוֹת׃and daughters
פָּסוּק כ
Pasuk 20
וַיְחִיAnd livedרְעוּReuשְׁתַּיִםtwoוּשְׁלֹשִׁיםand thirtyשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotאֶת—שְׂרוּג׃Serug
פָּסוּק כא
Pasuk 21
וַיְחִיAnd livedרְעוּReuאַחֲרֵיafterהוֹלִידוֹhis begettingאֶת—שְׂרוּגSerugשֶׁבַעsevenשָׁנִיםyearsוּמָאתַיִםand two hundredשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotבָּנִיםsonsוּבָנוֹת׃and daughters
פָּסוּק כב
Pasuk 22
וַיְחִיAnd livedשְׂרוּגSerugשְׁלֹשִׁיםthirtyשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotאֶת—נָחוֹר׃Nachor
פָּסוּק כג
Pasuk 23
וַיְחִיAnd livedשְׂרוּגSerugאַחֲרֵיafterהוֹלִידוֹhis begettingאֶת—נָחוֹרNachorמָאתַיִםtwo hundredשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotבָּנִיםsonsוּבָנוֹת׃and daughters
פָּסוּק כד
Pasuk 24
וַיְחִיAnd livedנָחוֹרNachorתֵּשַׁעnineוְעֶשְׂרִיםand twentyשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotאֶת—תָּרַח׃Terach
פָּסוּק כה
Pasuk 25
וַיְחִיAnd livedנָחוֹרNachorאַחֲרֵיafterהוֹלִידוֹhis begettingאֶת—תֶּרַחTerachתְּשַׁעnineעֶשְׂרֵהtenשָׁנָהyearsוּמְאַתand one hundredשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotבָּנִיםsonsוּבָנוֹת׃and daughters
פָּסוּק כו
Pasuk 26
וַיְחִיAnd livedתֶרַחTerachשִׁבְעִיםseventyשָׁנָהyearsוַיּוֹלֶדand he begotאֶת—אַבְרָםAvramאֶת—נָחוֹרNachorוְאֶתand —הָרָן׃Haran
פָּסוּק כז
Pasuk 27
וְאֵלֶּהAnd these areתּוֹלְדֹתthe generations ofתֶּרַחTerachתֶּרַחTerachהוֹלִידbegotאֶת—אַבְרָםAvramאֶת—נָחוֹרNachorוְאֶתand —הָרָןHaranוְהָרָןand Haranהוֹלִידbegotאֶת—לוֹט׃Lot
פָּסוּק כח
Pasuk 28
וַיָּמָתAnd diedהָרָןHaranעַלduringפְּנֵיthe lifetime ofתֶּרַחTerachאָבִיוhis fatherבְּאֶרֶץin the land ofמוֹלַדְתּוֹhis birthבְּאוּרin Urכַּשְׂדִּים׃of the Chaldeans
פָּסוּק כט
Pasuk 29
וַיִּקַּחAnd tookאַבְרָםAvramוְנָחוֹרand Nachorלָהֶםfor themselvesנָשִׁיםwivesשֵׁםthe name ofאֵשֶׁתthe wife ofאַבְרָםAvramשָׂרָיSaraiוְשֵׁםand the name ofאֵשֶׁתthe wife ofנָחוֹרNachorמִלְכָּהMilcahבַּתthe daughter ofהָרָןHaranאֲבִיthe father ofמִלְכָּהMilcahוַאֲבִיand the father ofיִסְכָּה׃Yiscah
פָּסוּק ל
Pasuk 30
וַתְּהִיAnd wasשָׂרַיSaraiעֲקָרָהbarrenאֵיןthere was noלָהּto herוָלָד׃child
פָּסוּק לא
Pasuk 31
וַיִּקַּחAnd tookתֶּרַחTerachאֶת—אַבְרָםAvramבְּנוֹhis sonוְאֶתand —לוֹטLotבֶּןthe son ofהָרָןHaranבֶּןthe grandson ofבְּנוֹhis sonוְאֵתand —שָׂרַיSaraiכַּלָּתוֹhis daughter-in-lawאֵשֶׁתthe wife ofאַבְרָםAvramבְּנוֹhis sonוַיֵּצְאוּand they went outאִתָּםwith themמֵאוּרfrom Urכַּשְׂדִּיםof the Chaldeansלָלֶכֶתto goאַרְצָהto the land ofכְּנַעַןCanaanוַיָּבֹאוּand they cameעַדas far asחָרָןHaranוַיֵּשְׁבוּand they settledשָׁם׃there
פָּסוּק לב
Pasuk 32
וַיִּהְיוּAnd wereיְמֵיthe days ofתֶרַחTerachחָמֵשׁfiveשָׁנִיםyearsוּמָאתַיִםand two hundredשָׁנָהyearsוַיָּמָתand diedתֶּרַחTerachבְּחָרָן׃in Charan
Chapter Summaryסִכּוּם
The aliyah begins with the people of the world migrating to a valley in Shinar, where they decided to make bricks and build a city and a tower to make a name for themselves and avoid being scattered. Hashem saw their rebellion and confounded their single language into many, causing them to abandon the construction of Babel and disperse across the globe. The Torah then lists the ten generations from Shem to Terach, detailing their ages and offspring, and concludes by introducing Abram, his wife Sarai, and their nephew Lot, noting Sarai's barrenness and the family's journey from Ur Kasdim to Haran, where Terach eventually passed away.
לְמַעֲשֶׂהWhat To Take Home
The Torah is telling us a fascinating thing about the Dor HaHaflagah, the generation of the tower. They had an unbelievable koach of unity, "one language and the same words." Lichoira, they were using this tremendous power for the worst possible thing, rebelling against Hashem. Yet, look at how Hashem dealt with them. He didn't bring a flood to destroy them like the previous generation; He simply mixed up their languages so they couldn't communicate, which naturally stopped their plans. Rashi brings down the famous Chazal that because they acted with love and friendship among themselves, Hashem showed them mercy.
Think about the yesod here. Even when people are completely off the derech, even when their goals are wrong, the simple fact that they are united and care about one another creates a massive zechus that holds back midas hadin. If this is true for those rebelling against Hashem, how much more so is it true for us? When we, as frum Yidden trying to do Hashem's will, stand together in achdus, we create an impenetrable shield of protection for Klal Yisrael.
We often think that to merit Hashem's bracha, we need to be perfect in every single area of our avodah. But the sugya of the Migdal Bavel teaches us that the ultimate key to holding back judgment and bringing down shefa is how we talk to and treat one another. When we stop bickering, when we overlook our differences and speak "saphah achas", with a soft, unifying language, Hashem says, "I cannot destroy them."
Today, make a conscious effort to build achdus in your immediate circle. When you speak to a family member, a coworker, or a fellow mispallel in shul, use words that connect rather than divide. Avoid any cynical comments or sharp remarks that create distance, and instead, use your speech to bring Yidden closer together.