פרשת וירא תש"ד - סדום

And they called unto Lot, and said unto him: ‘Where are the men that came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.’

THAT WE MAY KNOW THEM. Their intention [in their immoral actions] was to stop guests from [coming] among them, like the rabbis say, for they thought that because the goodness of their land which was "like the garden of Hashem" many would come there [to settle and share their wealth] and they hated charity. However, Lot [was allowed to live there] for he came with wealth and money. Also: they accepted him out of honor for Avram (his uncle). The Torah testifies that their intent was selfishness [not perversity] as it says, "Behold this was the iniquity of Sodom your sister: pride, abundance of bread, and careless ease were hers and her daughters', and she did not strengthen the hand of the poor and needy." And that which the Torah say [about Sodom] "wicked and sinful towards Hashem, exceedingly" is because they angered and rebelled [against G-D] with regard to their tranquility., and with regard to paining the poor. this is what it says: "And they became haughty and did abomination before Me, and I removed them when I saw"(Ezekiel 16:50). In the opinion of the rabbis (Sanhedrin 109a) they had all kinds of evil character traits but their judgement was sealed off because of that offense, because they didnt strengthen the hand of the poor and needy- for they were constant in that sin more than all the others. Also, all the nations show charity to their neighbors and to their poor; there was no one among them that was equal in cruelty to Sodom. You should know that the judgment of Sodom was because of the lofty level of Israel because Sodom is included in the heritage of Hashem, and doesnt tolerate people that do abominations. And just as this land would throw out the entire [Canaanite] nation because of their abominations it precede by throwing out this people (Sodom), for they were more evil than all [the Canaanite nations], toward Heaven (G-d) and toward humans. Heaven and earth became empty for them, and land destroyed without remedy, forever, for they became haughty on account of prosperity, and Hashem saw fit that it would be "a sign for rebellious people" for Israel who were destined to take possession of Israel- as he warned them: "[the later generations will say... when they will see the plagues of that Land,] sulfur and salt a conflagration of the entire land .. like the upheaval of Sodom and Amorrah, Admah and Tzvoim which G-d overturned in His anger and in His wrath" there are among the nations (outside Israel) who are very wicked and sinful and yet G-d didnt perpetuate such destruction against them. However, it was because of the high level of this land that all this occurred, for the Palace of G-d is there. Ill explain this further in Acharei Mot if He Who brings death and brings life will grant ne life.

'וירא לוט וגו AND LOT SAW THEM etc. — From the practice in Abraham’s house he had learned to look out for strangers (Genesis Rabbah 50:4).

רנה נא אדני BEHOLD NOW, MY LORDS — Behold now you are my lords since you have passed by me. Another explanation is: Behold now you should be careful with respect to these wicked people that they should not observe you, and, therefore this is the good advice that I give you, viz.:

ויסרו אליו AND THEY TURNED ASIDE UNTO HIM — They took a circuitous route towards his house (Genesis Rabbah 50:4).

כי על כן באו FOR AS MUCH AS THEY HAVE COME — For (כי) this kindness please do out of respect to me because that (על כן) they have come בצל קורתי UNDER THE SHADOW OF MY ROOF. — In the Targum this is given by בטלל שרותי: the Targum (Aramaic) for קורה (a beam) is שרותא.

כי על כן לא נתתיה BECAUSE THAT I GAVE HER NOT — For (כי) she has acted rightly, because (על כן) I did not give her to Shelah, my son.

ובניך THY SONS means the sons of your married daughters. The Midrashic explanation of עוד YET is: since they have perpetrated so disgraceful an act, can you yet be so bold (more literally, “can you yet open your mouth”) to speak in defence of them? — for the whole night through he had been talking in favor of them. To obtain this explanation you must read: עוד מי לך פֶּה Have you yet a mouth! (instead of פֹּה here) (Genesis Rabbah 50:5).

ויחזיקו AND THE MEN LAID HOLD [UPON HIS HAND]— One of these was commissioned to rescue him whilst his fellow was to overthrow Sodom; that is why it is stated (v. 17) “And he said, escape”, and it is not stated “And they said” (Genesis Rabbah 50:11).

והנה שלשה אנשים AND BEHOLD THREE MEN — one to announce to Sarah the birth of a son, one to overthrow Sodom, and one to cure Abraham, for one angel does not carry out two commissions (Genesis Rabbah 50:2). You may know that this is so because throughout this section it (Scripture) mentions them in the plural — “and they ate” (Genesis 18:8), “and they said unto him” (Genesis 18:9) — whilst in the case of the announcement it states, (Genesis 18:10) “And he said, I will certainly return unto thee”, and with regard to the overthrow of Sodom it says (Genesis 19:22) “For “I” cannot do anything” and (Genesis 19:21) “that “I” will not overthrow [the city]”. Raphael who healed Abraham went thence to rescue Lot; that explains what is stated (Genesis 19:17) “And it came to pass when they had brought them forth, that he said, Escape for thy life”, for you learn from this that only one of these acted as Deliverer

ואברהם שב למקומו AND ABRAHAM RETURNED UNTO HIS PLAGE — The Judge departed, the Advocate went away, but the Prosecutor continued his accusation, and on that account— ויבואו שני המלאכים סדומה “The two angels came to Sodom” to destroy it (Genesis Rabbah 49:14).

כי לא אוכל לעשות FOR I CANNOT DO [ANY THING]—This admission of their powerlessness was the angels’ punishment for having said, (v. 13) “For we will destroy the city”, attributing the act to themselves; therefore they could not go away from there (i. e., the incident could not close) until they were compelled to admit that the thing was not in their power) (Genesis Rabbah 50:9).

Behold now, I have two daughters that have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes; only unto these men do nothing; forasmuch as they are come under the shadow of my roof.’

And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said: ‘Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be swept away.’

אל תבט אחריך LOOK NOT BEHIND THEE — You sinned with them but art saved through the merit of Abraham. It is not fitting that you should witness their doom whilst you yourself are escaping (Genesis Rabbah 50:11).

DO NOT LOOK BEHIND YOU AND DONT STOP ANYWHERE IN ALL THE PLAIN. The passuk is equivalent to: "don't stop anywhere in all the plain and don't look behind you after you have been saved"; for until lot was in the mountain no evil would descend upon [Sodom]. Because of this lot said "I cant escape to the mountain lest the evil attach itself to me" while I am still in the plain., for [I fear] you'll not wait long enough for me as you said 'Quickly flee.'" Rabbi Avraham says: don't look behind you" means: "you and all of yours" the same as "you may not eat of it"(told to Adam). But what's the need for this explanation? The dire consequence here wasn't [a punishment] for transgressing the warning of the angel. Rather he warned them on his own that dire consequence would befall them as a result of such looking. He warned [only] lot because of his merit, but anyone who might have heard and was cautious would save himself. The idea behind the prohibition Rashi says: You did evil along with them and through Avram's merit your being saved. You are not allowed to see their punishment. There's another issue in the ban for looking at the air of a plague or any other contagious disease is very harmful and can transmit. the same is true for thinking about [such diseases] This is why a 'metzora' is quarantined and lives in solitude. Also, people who were bitten by rabid animals - such as a rabid dog or the like when they look into water or any reflective surface they see the animal that did the damage and they go insane and die, like it says in Tractate Yoma, and mentioned by those knowledgeable about nature. That's why [lots] wife became a pillar of salt because the plague entered her thoughts when she saw the sulfur and salt coming on Sodom from heaven and it infected her. However I prefer to say when G-d destroyed these cities the Destroying Angel was "standing between the earth and the heavens" appearing in a flame of fire similar to the Destroying Angel David saw and that's why the angel forbade them to look. Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer says: They said to them, "Don't look behind you for the Shechinah of G-d as descended to rain sulfur and fire on Sodom and Amorrah" the compassion that Irit lots wife had for her married daughters in Sodom stirred within her, and she looked back to see if they were following her. She saw the back of the Shechinah and became a 'pillar of salt'.

אל תביט אחריך, first of all on account of their going to experience the anguish of seeing the destruction of their city; secondly, in order not to afford them an opportunity to see the angels performing their destructive work as angels when there was no need for them to witness this. Watching divine beings in action and being saved by such spectacles requires Divine intervention and should therefore be avoided. Compare the awe with which Manoach comments on what he has seen in Judges 13,22, as well as Yaakov’s reaction in Genesis 32,31 after his wrestling match with the angel of Esau.

אל תביט אחריך, the evil would catch up with you as soon as you interrupt your march away from it. This is precisely what happened to his wife when she ignored the instructions and looked behind. (verse 26)

And Lot said unto them: ‘Oh, not so, my lord;

אל נא אדני OH NOT SO, MY LORD — Our Rabbis said, that this name (Lord) is holy (i. e. refers to God; Shevuot 35b), since it is said regarding him (i.e. regarding the one who was addressed by this name) (v. 19) “[and thou hast magnified thy mercy …] in keeping alive my soul”. Therefore it must refer to Him who has the power to kill or keep alive. Indeed the Targum renders it, “I beg of thee, O Lord)”

Then the LORD caused to rain upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

'מאת ה FROM THE LORD — This is the Scriptural way of speaking (the Lord rained … from the Lord); e. g., (4:23) “Ye wives of Lamech” and he did not say “my wives”. Thus, too, did David say, (1 Kings 1:33) “Take with you the servants of your lord” and he did not say, “my servants” and so, too, did Ahasuerus say, (Ester 8:8) “in the king’s name” and did not say, “in my name”. So, also, here: “From the Lord” and He did not say, “from Him” (Genesis Rabbah 51:2).

מאת ה', emanating from G’d, personally.

Then the LORD caused to rain upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;