Bava Metzia 87A

״ויפצר בם מאד״? אמר רבי אלעזר: מכאן שמסרבין לקטן, ואין מסרבין לגדול.

“And he urged them greatly” (Genesis 19:3), only after which they acquiesced? R' Elazar says: From here we learn that one may decline the request of a lesser man, but one may not decline the request of a great man.

כתיב: ״ואקחה פת לחם״, וכתיב: ״ואל הבקר רץ אברהם״, אמר רבי אלעזר: מכאן שצדיקים אומרים מעט ועושים הרבה, רשעים אומרים הרבה, ואפילו מעט אינם עושים.

The Talmud continues analyzing the same passage. It is written: “And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and satisfy your heart” (Genesis 18:5), and it is written: “And Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good” (Genesis 18:7). R' Elazar said: From here we learn that the righteous say little and do much, whereas the wicked say much and do not do even a little.

מנלן, מעפרון. מעיקרא כתיב: ״ארץ ארבע מאות שקל כסף״, ולבסוף כתיב: ״וישמע אברהם אל עפרון וישקל אברהם לעפרן את הכסף אשר דבר באזני בני חת ארבע מאות שקל כסף עבר לסחר״, דלא שקל מיניה אלא קנטרי, דאיכא דוכתא דקרי ליה לתיקלא ״קנטירא״.

From where do we derive this principle that the wicked say much and do not do even a little? We derive it from Ephron. Initially, it is written that Ephron said to Abraham: “A piece of land worth 400 shekels of silver, what is that between me and you?” (Genesis 23:15). And ultimately it is written: “And Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the hearing of the children of Heth, 400 shekels of silver, current money with the merchant” (Genesis 23:16), i.e., shekels that could be used in any location. This teaches that not only did Ephron take shekels from Abraham, he took from him only centenaria [kantarei], i.e., superior coins, as there is a place where they call a shekel a centenarius.

כתיב ״קמח״ וכתיב ״סלת״. אמר רבי יצחק: מכאן שהאשה צרה עיניה באורחים יותר מן האיש.

The verse states: “Make ready quickly 3 measures of flour, fine flour” (Genesis 18:6). The Talmud questions the apparent redundancy. It is written: “Flour,” and it is also written: “Fine flour.” R' Yitzḥak says: From here we learn that a woman is more stingy with guests than a man. Sarah wanted to use merely flour, and Abraham persuaded her to use fine flour.