[Avodah] What was the point of Avrahams tefilla/debate with Hashem about Sdom?

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Sun, Nov 01, 2015 at 11:11:04AM +0200, Marty Bluke via Avodah wrote:
: When Hashem informs Avraham that he is going to destroy Sdom, Avraham
: launches into tefilla/debate with Hashem and tries to use logical/emotional
: arguments to save Sdom. What was Avraham's point? Did he really think he
: could influence Hashem's decision with logical/emotional arguments? How
: does this fit into our general understanding of Tefilla?

To follow the general mehalekh of RSRH and RYBS on tefillah...

RQBH will do what's best, regardless of pleading.

However, turning to Him with our problems changes who we are. Thus the
hitpa'el (reflective) conjugation of "hitpalel". Prayer is something
we do to ourselves, and as a consequence changes how Hashem responds
to us.

Did Avraham expect to change Hashem's mind? No. Did he think that if
he protested, the situation might become one in which clemency is more
appropriate maybe. Maybe the whole point was to illicit the prayer.

But from this perspective, a chance of success is not necessarily
part of Avraham's calculus altogether. It is more about leaning on
Hashem as part of my support system than expecting something out
of it.

Mashal: I have spent many hours whining to my parents about the "joys"
of raising adolescents without any expectations they had solutions,
or at least not ones they hadn't already given me.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             I slept and dreamt that life was joy.
micha at aishdas.org        I awoke and found that life was duty.
http://www.aishdas.org   I worked and, behold -- duty is joy.
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