(יז) וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אָמָ֑ר הַֽמְכַסֶּ֤ה אֲנִי֙ מֵֽאַבְרָהָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶֽׂה׃ (יח) וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יט) כִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו לְמַעַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהוָ֔ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט לְמַ֗עַן הָבִ֤יא יְהוָה֙ עַל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֖ר עָלָֽיו׃ (כ) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה זַעֲקַ֛ת סְדֹ֥ם וַעֲמֹרָ֖ה כִּי־רָ֑בָּה וְחַ֨טָּאתָ֔ם כִּ֥י כָבְדָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃ (כא) אֵֽרֲדָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה הַכְּצַעֲקָתָ֛הּ הַבָּ֥אָה אֵלַ֖י עָשׂ֣וּ ׀ כָּלָ֑ה וְאִם־לֹ֖א אֵדָֽעָה׃
(17) Now the Lord had said: ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? (18) since Abraham will become a big and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. (19) For I have known him for the purpose that he will command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice; and for the purpose of the Lord bringing upon Abraham what He spoke about him.’ (20) And the Lord said: ‘The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah, how great it is, And there sin, how heavy it is. (21) I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.’
Rashi on 18:17 "What I am about to do?" in Sodom. It would be improper for Me to do this thing without Abraham's knowledge. I gave him the land. I called him Abraham, the father of a multitude of nations. Now, can I destroy the sons without informing the father? (from Genesis Rabbah)
Etz Hayim on 18:19 This is a verse of supreme importance in the Book of Genesis. God promises to have a special relationship with Abraham and his children, so that they will be inspired to do what is right and just. The negotiations over the fate of Sodom is one result of that relationship and the commitment to what is right and just. "The descendants of Abraham are characterized by three traits: a capacity for kindness, a sense of honor, and a commitment to do what is right." (Talmud)
Rashi on 18:20 "And the Lord said" to Abraham. For He did as He Had said, that God would not hide from him.....
Rashi on 18:21 "I will go down now..." This teaches judges that they should not decide capital punishment cases unless they see it (for example, they must go to the site and investigate the matter.
(כב) וַיִּפְנ֤וּ מִשָּׁם֙ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ סְדֹ֑מָה וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם עוֹדֶ֥נּוּ עֹמֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ (כג) וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הַאַ֣ף תִּסְפֶּ֔ה צַדִּ֖יק עִם־רָשָֽׁע׃ (כד) אוּלַ֥י יֵ֛שׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר הַאַ֤ף תִּסְפֶּה֙ וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א לַמָּק֔וֹם לְמַ֛עַן חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים הַצַּדִּיקִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃ (כה) חָלִ֨לָה לְּךָ֜ מֵעֲשֹׂ֣ת ׀ כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה לְהָמִ֤ית צַדִּיק֙ עִם־רָשָׁ֔ע וְהָיָ֥ה כַצַּדִּ֖יק כָּרָשָׁ֑ע חָלִ֣לָה לָּ֔ךְ הֲשֹׁפֵט֙ כָּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
(22) And the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood before the LORD. (23) And Abraham drew near, and said: ‘Will You annihilate the virtuous with the wicked? (24) Maybe there are fifty virtuous people within the city. Will You also annihilate, and not sustain the place for the fifty virtuous that are in it? (25) Far be it from You to do a thing like this, to kill the virtuous with the wicked, and it will be the same for the virtuous and the wicked - far be it from you; will the judge of all the earth not do justly?’
Etz Hayim on 18:24 "Fifty virtuous people within the city" If a community can produce a subculture of righteous people, and if they involve themselves within the city, trying to change it, then there is hope for the community. But, if the righteous are only isolated individuals who avoid or are barred from being involved in the affairs of the city, there is no hope. One can only extricate them and condemn the rest.
Rashi on 18:25 "Far be it from You" Chalillah. This is unfitting for you. They will say "So is His craft. He inundates everyone, virtuous and wicked." So you did to the Generation of the flood....
Richard Elliot Freedman on 18:25 "Far be it from you to do a thing like this....." This is the first time in the Bible that a human questions (challenges) a divine decision. Moses will take this even further on at least three occasions.
Rashi on 18:25 "will the judge of all the earth not do justly?" This is an expression of wonder: Will he who judges not perform true justice?
Etz Hayim on 18:25 "will the judge of all the earth not do justly?" Abraham's challenge to God is rooted in the audacious claim that even God is subject to moral standards divinely decreed to humans. If God is to be obeyed when commanding moral behavior, God must exemplify that moral behavior. One commentary (Mishkekh Hokhma) takes this not as a challenge but as a demand "Do no exact strict justice on these people! You, Lord, know how weak human nature is. You know how hard it is to be a good person in Sodom. Treat them more leniently than strict justice would require."
Etz Hayim on 18:25 "will the judge of all the earth not do justly?" Abraham's conviction that God must be just has provided theological grounds for Jewish commitments to justice and to social action, for just as God seeks justice and helps the poor, so must we.
(כו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה אִם־אֶמְצָ֥א בִסְדֹ֛ם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר וְנָשָׂ֥אתִי לְכָל־הַמָּק֖וֹם בַּעֲבוּרָֽם׃ (כז) וַיַּ֥עַן אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הִנֵּה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃ (כח) א֠וּלַי יַחְסְר֞וּן חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים הַצַּדִּיקִם֙ חֲמִשָּׁ֔ה הֲתַשְׁחִ֥ית בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אֶת־כָּל־הָעִ֑יר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית אִם־אֶמְצָ֣א שָׁ֔ם אַרְבָּעִ֖ים וַחֲמִשָּֽׁה׃ (כט) וַיֹּ֨סֶף ע֜וֹד לְדַבֵּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם אַרְבָּעִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה בַּעֲב֖וּר הָאַרְבָּעִֽים׃ (ל) וַ֠יֹּאמֶר אַל־נָ֞א יִ֤חַר לַֽאדֹנָי֙ וַאֲדַבֵּ֔רָה אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם שְׁלֹשִׁ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֔ה אִם־אֶמְצָ֥א שָׁ֖ם שְׁלֹשִֽׁים׃ (לא) וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּֽה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֶשְׂרִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הָֽעֶשְׂרִֽים׃ (לב) וַ֠יֹּאמֶר אַל־נָ֞א יִ֤חַר לַֽאדֹנָי֙ וַאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה אַךְ־הַפַּ֔עַם אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֲשָׂרָ֑ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הָעֲשָׂרָֽה׃ (לג) וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ יְהוָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר כִּלָּ֔ה לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְאַבְרָהָ֖ם שָׁ֥ב לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃
(26) And the Lord said: ‘If I find in Sodom fifty virtuous people within the city, then I will sustain the whole place for their sake.’ (27) And Abraham answered and said: ‘Here, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord, and I'm dust and ashes. (28) Maybe the fifty virtuous people will be short by five. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?’ And He said: ‘I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there.’ (29) And he went on again to speak to Him and said: ‘Maybe forty will be found there.’ And He said: ‘I will not do it for the sake of the forty’ (30) And he said: ‘Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and let me speak. Maybe there shall thirty be found there.’ And He said: ‘I will not do it, if I find thirty there.’ (31) And he said: ‘Here I've undertaken to speak to my Lord. Maybe twenty shall be found there.’ And He said: ‘I will not destroy it for sake of the twenty.’ (32) And he said: ‘May my Lord not be angry, and let me speak just this one time. Maybe ten will be found there.’ And He said: ‘I will not destroy for the sake of the ten.’ (33) And the Lord went when He had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham went back to his place.
Rashi on 18:32 "Maybe ten will be found there" For fewer than ten, Abraham did not ask. He said, "in the generation of the floor, there were eight, Noah and his sons and their wives, but they did not save the generation."
Etz Hayim on 18:32 "Maybe ten will be found there" Why does Abraham stop at ten? Perhaps it takes a critical mass to generate and alternative way of living. The number ten may be psychologically related to the stipulation of ten individuals for a minyan, the quorum for public worship, this is the point at which an assembly of individuals becomes a group, a congregation.