זוהר, לך לך ז׳Zohar, Lech Lecha 7

Segment 1א׳

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הֲוָה יָתִיב קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲבוֹי, וְהֲוֵי עִמֵיהּ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יִצְחָק וְרַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה. אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲבוֹי, הַאי דִכְתִיב לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ, כֵּיוָן דְּכֻלְהוּ נָפְקוּ לְמֵהַךְ, אַמַּאי לָא אִתְּמָר לֵיהּ דְּכֻלְהוּ יִפְקוּן.

R. Eleazar was sitting one day before his father, R. Simeon, and with him were R. Judah and R. Isaac and R. Hizkiah. Said R. Eleazar to R. Simeon: In reference to this verse, GET THEE FORTH FROM THY LAND AND FROM THY KINDRED, since they all went forth, why was not Abram told that they should go?

Segment 2ב׳

דְּהָא אַף עַל גַּב דְּתֶרַח הֲוָה פְּלַח לְעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְעַר בְּאִתְעֲרוּתָא טַב לְמֵיפַק בַּהֲדֵיהּ דְּאַבְרָהָם, וְחָמִינָן דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אִתְרָעֵי בִּתְיוּבְתָּא דְּחַיָּיבַיָא וּשְׁרָא לְמֵיפַק אַמַּאי לָא כְּתִיב לְכוּ לָכֶם, אַמַּאי לְאַבְרָהָם בִּלְחוֹדוֹי לֶךְ לְךָ.

For though Terah was an idolater, yet since he had the good impulse to go forth with Abram, and since, as we know, God delights in the repentance of sinners, and Terah actually began the journey, why is it not written “get ye forth”? Why was it said to Abram alone “get thee forth”?

Segment 3ג׳

אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, אִי תֵימָא דְּתֶרַח כַּד נָפַק מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים בְּגִין לְאַהֲדָרָא בִּתְשׁוּבָה הֲוָה, לָאו הָכִי. אֶלָּא כַּד נָפַק לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא נָפַק, דְּהֲווּ כֻּלְהוּ בְּנֵי אַרְעֵיהּ בָּעָאן לְמִקְטְלֵיהּ. כֵּיוָן דְּחָזוּ דְּאִשְׁתְּזִיב אַבְרָהָם הֲווּ אָמְרֵי לֵיהּ לְתֶרַח, אַנְתְּ הוּא דְּהֲוִית מַטְעֵי לָן בְּאִלֵּין פְּסִילִין, וּמִגּוֹ דַּחֲלָא דִּלְהוֹן נָפַק תֶּרַח, כֵּיוָן דְּמָטָא לְחָרָן לָא נָפַק מִתַּמָּן לְבָתַר, דִּכְתִיב וַיֵּלֶךְ אַבְרָם כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו יְיָ וַיֵּלֶךְ אִתּוֹ לוֹט, וְאִילוּ תֶּרַח לָא כְּתִיב (ביה וילך, אלא ויצא).

R. Simeon replied: If you think that Terah left Ur of the Chaldees in order to repent of his past life, you are mistaken. The truth is that he was running away for his life, as his fellow-countrymen wanted to kill him. For when they saw that Abram was delivered (from the fiery furnace) they said to Terah, “It is you who misled us with those idols of yours”, and it was through fear of them that Terah left. When he reached Haran he did not go any further, as it is written, “And Abram went as the Lord had said to him, and Lot went with him”, but Terah is not mentioned.