(1)יהוה said to Abram, “Go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. (2) I will make of you a great nation, And I will bless you; I will make your name great, And you shall be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless you And curse the one who curses you; And all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you.” (4) Abram went forth as יהוה had commanded him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.

(13)“Haran died in the presence of Teraḥ his father in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans” (Genesis 11:28). “Haran died during the lifetime of Teraḥ his father” – Rabbi Ḥiyya grandson of Rav Ada of Yafo: Teraḥ was an idol worshipper [and a seller of idols]. One time, he went away to some place, and he installed Abraham as salesman in his stead. A person would come seeking to buy. He [Abraham] would say to him: ‘How old are you?’ He would say to him: ‘Fifty or sixty years old.’ He would say to him: ‘Woe to this man who is sixty years old and seeks to prostrate himself before something that is one day old.’ He would be ashamed and leave. One time, a certain woman came, carrying a dish of fine flour in her hand. She said to him: ‘Here, offer it before them.’ He arose, took a club in his hand, shattered all the idols, and placed the club in the hand of the largest among them. When his father came, he said to him: ‘Who did this to them?’ He said to him: ‘I will not lie to you, a certain woman came, carrying a dish of fine flour in her hand. She said to me: Here, offer it before them. I offered it before them. This one [idol] said: I shall eat first, and another one said: I shall eat first. This big idol, who was standing among them, got up and took the club and shattered them.’ He [Teraḥ] said to him: ‘What, are you mocking me? Are they sentient at all?’ He said to him: ‘Do your ears not hear what your mouth is saying?’ He [Teraḥ] took him and handed him over to Nimrod (the ruler of the land). He [Nimrod] said to him [Abraham]: ‘Let us bow down to fire.’ Abraham said to him: ‘Let us better bow down to water, that extinguishes fire.’ Nimrod said to him: ‘[All right,] let us bow down to water.’ He said to him: ‘If so, let us bow down to the clouds, that bear the water.’ He said to him: ‘[All right,] let us bow down to the clouds.’ He said to him: ‘If so, let us bow down to the wind, that scatters the clouds.’ He said to him: ‘[All right,] let us bow down to the wind.’ He said to him: ‘Better let us bow down to a person, who can withstand the wind.’ He said to him: ‘You are saying mere words. I bow down only to fire. I will cast you into it, and let that God to whom you bow down come and rescue you from it.’ Haran was there and he was conflicted. He said: ‘Either way [I will know what to do]; If Abraham is victorious, I will say: I am with Abraham, and if Nimrod is victorious, I will say: I am with Nimrod.’ When Abraham descended into the fiery furnace and was rescued, they said to him [Haran]: ‘With whom are you?’ He said to them: ‘I am with Abraham.’ They took him and cast him into the fire and his innards were scorched. He emerged and died in the presence of Teraḥ his father. That is what is written: “Haran died in the presence of Teraḥ…”

(1)“Adonai said to Abram: Go you, from your land, and from your birthplace, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). “Adonai said to Abram: Go you, from your land…” – Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “Listen, daughter, see, and incline your ear. Forget your people and your father’s house” (Psalms 45:11). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This is analogous to one who was passing from place to place, and saw a בִּירָה אַחַת דּוֹלֶקֶת birah echat doleket . He said: ‘Is it possible that this building has no one in charge of it?’ The owner of the building looked out at him and said: ‘I am the owner of the building.’ So, because Abraham our patriarch was saying: ‘Is it possible that this world is without someone in charge?’ The Holy One blessed be God looked at him and said to him: ‘I am the owner of the world.’ “The ruler will desire your beauty, as they are your master” (Psalms 45:12) – to show your beauty in the world. “And bow to him” (Psalms 45:12) – that is, “Adonai said to Abram.”

"And saw a palace." The matter of the parable is that whoever sees a beautiful and orderly building understands and acknowledges that there is a master and owner of this palace, and a wise artisan built it. Yet he saw the palace burning up in fire. Then he thought that its master and owner abandoned it, until the owner of the palace said to him "It is I who is the master of the palace and its owner," meaning, "From me it is burning." So too, the world testifies about itself that there is a Creator, who leads it with wisdom and kindness. Yet when the Creator saw that evil people cause damage to the world, the loss and annihilation burns like fire. From this was Abraham's mind confused, until the Holy Blessed One was revealed to him and said to him, "It is I who is the owner of this world and its master, and all of this annihilation and punishment was done intentionally. This is what is written "let the king be aroused by your beauty; since he is your lord, bow to him," for God wants his service.

Example of a building. It seems to me that [God's will] is like one [Abraham] who saw a building doleket. It wants to say that the building was burning and logically given that no one comes to douse the fire. Of course the building is without a guardian. The owner of the building looks upon it and says: 'I am the owner of the building. I, God, want the building to burn... Just like Abraham our father saw when the world was becoming abandoned in the generation of Enosh and the flood and the plague...