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

[Lisa Liel via Avodah]

He wasn't trying to convince Hashem of anything.  We don't do that. 
Tefillah is all about us and not at all about Hashem.  Hashem wants us 
to daven because He wants us to get it.  Get that we don't control the 
world.  And when it comes to the "bargaining" with Avraham, that was 
more a lesson for Avraham (and for us) than anything else.  Making the 
argument was good for Avraham.  I mean, do you think Hashem didn't know 
that there weren't even 10 tzaddikim in Sdom?  At any point during the 
discussion, He could have said, "Look, Abe, let's cut to the chase.  
This is pointless, because there aren't even 10 tzaddikim in Sdom.  Give 
it up."  He didn't. Why?  Not because He wanted to see how far Avraham 
would take it. He wanted /Avraham/ to see how far Avraham would take 
it.  And He wanted /us/ to see how far Avraham would take it.  And /how/ 
he would take it that far.

The Phoenicians had a type of sacrifice that scholars render as /mulk/. 
No vowels, of course, because their language was a close relative of 
Hebrew, so the sacrifice was probably called a molekh sacrifice. This 
sacrifice was brought for the purpose of changing a god's mind.  It was 
a suasion offering.  It usually consisted of sheep, actually, but when 
things were really tough, they'd sacrifice the child of a noble or 
royal.  The name of the offering itself comes from the same root as the 
Hebrew /l'himmalekh/ (to change one's mind) or the Akkadian /malaku/ 
(advisor).  The commandment not to sacrifice /l'molekh /may not mean "to 
a deity called Molekh".  It may be parallel to bringing a korban 
/l'olah/, and no one suggests that Olah was the name of some deity.

We don't try and change Hashem's mind.  It would be blasphemous. It's 
the reason we phrase so many things as "yehi ratzon milfanecha".  We're 
stating /our/ hope that this is what Hashem wants.  Not asking Him to 
want it.

Lisa

On 11/2/2015 11:09 AM, Marty Bluke via Avodah wrote:
> I understand all that, my problem is with Avraham making logical 
> arguments to Hashem. To pay even beg for clemency is one thing, to try 
> to persuade Hashem with logical arguments is a whole different ball game.