CHAPTER XXV THE SIN OF SODOM [29A. ii.] THE third descent [ See preceding chapter. On the ten descents see Ẓohar, Gen. 75a; Aboth de Rabbi Nathan (a) xxxiv.; Gen. Rab. 38:9 and xlix. 6; and Jalḳuṭ, Gen. §27 and §83, and supra, p. 97, note 1.] which He descended [ The first editions read: “which the Holy One, blessed be He, descended.”] || was at Sodom, as it is said, "I will go down now and see" (Gen. 18:21). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Shall I not [ The first editions read: “I will tell.”] tell My friend Abraham an important matter which I will do in My world in the future, as it is said, "And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do?" (ibid. 17). Rabbi Chanina, son of Dosa, [ The first editions read here “Chaninah.”] said: The Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed, and three angels [ According to our book, God with three angels appeared to Abraham at Mamre; see Rashbam, Ibn Ezra, and Nachmanides, in loc. (Gen. 18). According to Midrash Agadah, Gen. (p. 39), the three angels were Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. See also T.B. Joma, 37a, and Leḳach Ṭob, Gen. p. 41b.] (appeared) unto our father Abraham, as it is said, "And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men" (ibid. 2). He [ The first editions read: “One” (angel).] began to inform him about the conception [ On the angelic message to Abraham see T.B. Baba Mezi’a, 86b; Pal. Targum to Gen. 18:2; Gen. Rab. 48:16 and 1. 2; Ẓohar, Gen. 99a.] of the womb by Sarah his wife, as it is said, "I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round" (ibid. 10). Afterwards He [ Instead of “Afterwards,” the first editions read: “Another” (angel).] told (him) about the doom [ Lit. the work, or affair, or business.] of Sodom, [ The first editions add: “and Gomorrah.”] as it is said, "And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great" (ibid. 20).
Hence thou mayest learn: [ The first editions read: “they said,” i.e. the sages.] Everyone, who wishes to tell his companion a matter which is a disgrace to him, begins with a good word [ This rule still obtains in connection with the public recital of the Torah; see Orach Chayyim, 138] and concludes with the evil matter which is unpleasant to him. Whence do we learn this? From the Holy One, blessed be He, for when He was revealed to our father Abraham, He began to announce to him (the good news) concerning the conception by Sarah his wife. Afterwards He told him about the fate of Sodom, as it is said, "And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great" (ibid.). [ The first editions omit the repetition of the quotation here.] (Abraham) began to ask for compassion before Him on behalf of Lot, the son of his brother. He spake before Him: Sovereign of all worlds ! Like the death of the wicked shall the death of the || righteous be? (As it is said), [ “As it is said” is omitted in the MS.] "Wilt thou consume the righteous [ “The righteous” in the Hebrew is in the singular number; this fact might suggest the idea that Abraham was referring to Lot.] with the wicked?" (ibid. 23). The Holy One, blessed be He, answered him: Abraham ! [ The first editions add: “By thy life!”] By the merit of the righteous [ The first editions read: “By the merit of fifty righteous (people).”] (one) will I forgive Sodom. [ The first editions read: “as it is said.”] "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous" (ibid. 26), then will I forgive it all its [ The first editions read: “their.”] sins.
Hence they [ The sages.] said: If there be fifty righteous in the world, the world exists through their righteousness. (Abraham) arose and began to beseech (God), and made supplication before Him until he brought (the number down to) ten. Hence (the sages said): [ The first editions read: “Hence the sages said: If there be ten righteous people in a place, by their merit the place is delivered.”] (When there are) ten people in a place, the place is delivered by their righteousness, as it is said, "And he said, I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten" (ibid. 32). [ See Gen. Rab. 49:13; Shocher Ṭob, Ps. 5 p. 26b; and Ẓohar, Gen. 105b. Jer. 5:1 is the Biblical authority for the doctrine that the merit of the individual procures Divine forgiveness; cf. Ezek. 14:19. The inference as to the salvation of the world by the merit of fifty righteous people is derived from God’s words in Gen. 18:26: “And I will spare for their sake all the place” (i.e. every place). Abraham had spoken merely of “the place.”]
Rabbi Ẓe'era said: The men of Sodom were the wealthy men of prosperity, [ The first editions read: “the wealthy men of the world.”] on account of the good and fruitful land [ Sodom was situated at the right of Jerusalem; see Ezek. 16:46. The phraseology in our text is borrowed from Num. 13:19, 20.] whereon they dwelt. For every need which the world requires, they obtained therefrom. They procured gold therefrom, as it is said, "And it had dust of gold" (Job 28:6). What [ The first editions omit this sentence.] is the meaning (of the text), "And it had dust of gold"? At the hour when one of them wished to buy a vegetable, he would say to his servant, Go and purchase for me (for the value of) an assar. [ of a silver Denar. On this point see Krauss, T.A. ii. p. 407. The first editions add: “(some) vegetables.”] He went and bought (it), and found beneath it heaps of gold; [ Lit. “full of gold.” The first editions read: “gold.” See T.B. Synhedrin, 109a; Siphrê, Deut. § 43; and Tosephta Soṭah iii. p. 296.] thus it is written, "And it had dust of gold" [ See Lev. Rab. 5:2; and Jalḳuṭ, Job, § 915. The idea of the Haggadah seems to be as follows: When the vegetable was bought at the cost of an Assar, the dust of the earth which was clinging to the vegetable was so valuable (owing to the gold which it contained) that the purchaser received back more than he had paid.] (ibid.). They obtained silver therefrom, as it is said, "Surely there is a mine for silver" (ibid. 1). They procured precious stones and pearls thence, as it is said, || "The stones thereof are the place of sapphires" (ibid. 6). They obtained bread therefrom, as it is said, "As for the earth, out of it cometh bread" (ibid. 5). But they did not trust in the shadow of their Creator, but (they trusted) in the multitude of their wealth, [ See Ps. 52:9; the Midrashim refer this passage to the story of Sodom.] for wealth thrusts aside its owners from the fear of Heaven, [ The first editions read: “thrusts aside from its owners the fear of Heaven.”] as it is said, "They that trust in their wealth" (Ps. 49:6). [ See Prov. 30:8.]
Rabbi Nathaniel [ The first editions read: “Joshua, son of Ḳorchah.”] said: The men of Sodom had no consideration for the honour of their Owner by (not) distributing food to the wayfarer and the stranger, [ The first editions read: “the native and the stranger”; see Job 28:4. They caused human intercourse with the outside world to cease. To honour God is to be merciful; see Prov. 3:3 and xiv. 31; T.B. Sabbath, 127a. The men of Sodom did not suffer the birds to praise God by singing on the trees in their land. The Book of Jashar (xix. 7) says: “And when men heard all these things that the people of the cities of Sodom did, they refrained from coming there.” For further stories of cruelty see Pal. Targum on Gen. 18; and cf. Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, pp. 60 ff.] but they (even) fenced in [ The first editions read: “they cut off.”] all the trees on top above their fruit so that they should not be seized; [ The first editions read: “so that there should not be any benefit from them.”] (not) even by the bird of heaven, as it is said, "That path no bird of prey knoweth" (Job 28:7).
Rabbi Joshua, son of Ḳorchah, [ The first editions read “Nathaniel.”] said: They appointed over themselves judges who were lying judges, and they oppressed every wayfarer [ The first editions read: “the native and the stranger”; see Job 28:4. They caused human intercourse with the outside world to cease. To honour God is to be merciful; see Prov. 3:3 and xiv. 31; T.B. Sabbath, 127a. The men of Sodom did not suffer the birds to praise God by singing on the trees in their land. The Book of Jashar (xix. 7) says: “And when men heard all these things that the people of the cities of Sodom did, they refrained from coming there.” For further stories of cruelty see Pal. Targum on Gen. 18; and cf. Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, pp. 60 ff.] and stranger who entered Sodom by their perverse judgment, and they sent them forth naked, as it is said, "They have oppressed the stranger without judgment" (Ezek. 22:29). [ See the Book of Jashar xix. 3 ff.; T.B. Synhedrin, 109a.]
They were dwelling in security without care and at ease, without the fear of war from all their surroundings, as it is said, "Their houses are safe from fear" (Job 21:9). [ The first editions omit this quotation.] They were sated with all the produce of the earth, but they did not strengthen with the loaf of bread either the hand of the needy or of the poor, [ The Book of Jashar (xix. 44) reads: “For they (the men of Sodom) had abundance of food and had tranquillity amongst them, still they would not sustain the poor and needy.”] as it is said, "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom; pride, fulness of bread, [ In the MS. the quotation ends here, “etc.” being added.] and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy" (Ezek. 16:49). [ Their prosperity led to their rebellion against God; cf. Hos. 13:6. In the Book of Jashar, chapter xix., we have two stories on the theme of this paragraph; they are probably variants of one tradition.] ||
Rabbi Jehudah said: They made a proclamation in Sodom (saying): Everyone who strengthens the hand of the poor or the needy with a loaf of bread shall be burnt by fire. Peleṭith, [ See T.B. Synhedrin, 109b. The name Peleṭith is given by the Pal. Targum on Gen. 18:21, Book of Jashar xix. 24; cf. Gen. Rab. 49:6; Jalḳuṭ, Gen. §83; and Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, p. 63. In the Midrash Agadah (Genesis), p. 42. the name of Lot’s daughter is Kalah. The Oxford MS. (O.A. 167) reads “Palṭia.”] daughter of Lot, was wedded to one of the magnates of Sodom. She saw a certain very [ Lit. “broken,” “afflicted,” or “humiliated.” See J.E. xi. 424.] poor man in the street of the city, and her soul was grieved on his account, as it is said, "Was not my soul grieved for the needy?" (Job 30:25). [ This quotation is not in the printed texts of P.R.E.] What did she do? Every day when she went out to draw water she put in her bucket all sorts of provisions from her home, and she fed that poor man. The men of Sodom said: How does this poor man live? When they ascertained the facts, they brought her forth to be burnt with fire. She said: Sovereign of all worlds ! Maintain my right and my cause [ Ps. 9:4 may have suggested the phrase of our text. Luria observes that this Psalm might well apply to the story of Sodom.] (at the hands of) the men of Sodom. And her cry ascended before the Throne of Glory. In that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, said: "I will now descend, and I will see" (Gen. 18:21) [ The first editions continue the verse: “whether according to her cry which is come unto me.” The word in the Hebrew text which the R.V. renders “according to the cry of it” is rendered by the Midrash literally “according to her cry.”] whether the men of Sodom have done according to the cry [ Pal. Targum, Gen. 18:20 f., reads: “And the Lord said to the ministering angels, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah, because they oppress the poor, and decree that whosoever giveth bread to the needy shall be burnt with fire, is therefore great; and their guilt is exceedingly heavy. I will now appear, and see whether, as the cry of the damsel Peleṭith, which ascendeth before Me, they have completed their sins.”] of this young woman, I will turn her foundations upwards, [ See Job 28:5. This chapter is applied by our author to the story of Sodom. See also Lev. Rab. 5:2; and Midrash Haggadol, c. 282, note 98.] and the surface thereof shall be turned downwards, as it is said, "I will now descend, and I will see whether they have done altogether according to her cry, which is come unto me" (ibid.). "According to their cry" is not written here (in the text), only "According to her cry."
And thus the text says, [ Luria reads: “Behold (the text) says.” The reading, if rendered literally, is: “And thus it (or he) says.”] "He who walketh with wise men shall be wise: but the companion of fools shall be broken" (Prov. 13:20). || "He who walketh with wise men shall be wise." To what is this like? To one who enters a perfumer's shop, although he neither takes anything nor gives anything, [ Or, “he neither sells nor buys.”] nevertheless he absorbs a good scent, and goes away (therewith). Likewise everyone who walks with the righteous acquires some of their good ways and deeds. Therefore it is said, "He who walketh with wise men shall be wise." "But the companion of fools shall be broken" (ibid.). To what is this comparable? To a man who enters a tannery, although he neither takes or gives anything, [ Or, “he neither sells nor buys.”] nevertheless he has absorbed a foul odour. [ The first editions add: “and he brings it away with himself.”] Likewise he who walks with the wicked acquires some of their evil ways and deeds, that is according to what is written, [ The first editions read: “as it is said.”] "But the companion of fools shall be broken" (ibid.).
Another explanation: [ This is missing in the first edition.] "He who walketh with wise men shall be wise" (ibid.). This refers to Lot, [ See Jalḳ’uṭ, Deut. § 824; Midrash, Prov. (ed. Buber), ch. xiii. p. 36b; and Jalḳuṭ, Prov. 13 § 950.] who walked with our father Abraham, and learned of his good deeds and ways. They [ The sages.] said: What did our father Abraham do? He made for himself a house opposite to Haran, [ Cf. Gen. 12:4 f. Luria suggests that the reading should be “Sodom.” See Agadath Bereshith, 25Gen. Rab. 52:1 and liv. 6; Jalḳuṭ, Gen. § 84, reads: “outside Haran.”] and he received everyone who entered into or went out from Haran, and he gave him to eat and to drink. He said to them: Say ye, The God of Abraham is the only one in the universe. [ The first editions read: “He said to him: There is one God in the Universe.”] || When Lot came to Sodom he did likewise. When they made proclamation in Sodom: All who strengthen the hand of the poor or needy with a loaf of bread shall be burnt by fire, [ See Pal. Targum, quoted supra, p. 183, note 6.] he was afraid of the men of the city, (and did not venture) to do so by day, but he did it by night, as it is said, "And the two angels came to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom" (Gen. 19:1). Why did Lot sit in the gate of Sodom? [ The first editions read: “For on that day they had appointed him (judge) over themselves. (Lot) overtook them (the angels) and said to them,” etc. Cf. Esth. 5:13, for Mordecai who sits in the “king’s gate,” i.e. as a judge; cf. Sublime Porte for the use of “gate” as a court of government or law. The MS. seems to have a mistake here; it merely repeats what was stated a few lines previously, without explaining why Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. See Pal. Targum, in loc.] Because he was afraid of the men of the city, (and did not venture) to act (charitably) by day, but he did so by night. He saw the two angels walking in the street of the city, and he thought that they were wayfarers in the land, and he ran to meet them. He said to them: Come and lodge ye overnight in my house, eat and drink, and ye shall go your way in peace. But the men would not accept this for themselves, and he took them by the hand against their will, and brought them inside his house, as it is said, "And he urged them greatly" (ibid. 8).
A certain young man of the people of that city saw them, and he ran and told all the men of that city, and they all gathered together at the door of the house to do according to their wont, even deeds of sodomy, [ The first editions omit “deeds of sodomy.” A parallel occurs in Clement of Alexandria, Pæd, iii. 8.] as it is said, "And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, || Where [ The MS. does not give this part of the verse.] are the men who came to thee to-night? bring them forth unto us that we may know [ “Know” in the sense of punishing offenders, cf. Judg. 8:16; see Parchon’s Heb. Lexicon, s.v. ידע; or perhaps it is used here in the sense of carnal knowledge.] them" (ibid. 5). What did Lot do? Just as Moses gave his life for the people, [ The first editions read “Israel.” See Mekhilta, p. 34b.] so Lot [ The first editions read: “So Lot gave his life for them.” By going out to reason with the men of Sodom, who threatened to deal with him according to their wont.] gave up his two daughters instead of the two angels, as it is said, "Behold, now, I have two daughters" (ibid. 8). But the men [ Of Sodom.] would not agree (and did not accept them). What did the angels do to them? They smote them with blindness until the dawn of the (next) morning. All were treated with (measure for) measure. [ See Pal. Targum, Gen. 19:24: “And the word of the Lord had caused showers of favour to descend upon Sodom and Gomorrah that they might repent, but they did not.”] Just as he had taken them by the hand without their will and taken them into his house, so they took hold of his hand, [ Cf. Gen. 19:16 ff. Some of the later editions omit the words “the hand of his wife.” See Midrash Haggadol, c. 291 f.] and the hand of his wife, and the hand of his two daughters, and took them outside the city, as it is said, "But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand" (ibid. 16). And they [ The angels.] said to them: [ Lot and his family. The text in Gen. (19:17) says, “Do not look behind thee”; note that the singular number is employed.] Do not look behind you, for verily the Shekhinah of the Holy One, blessed be He, has descended in order to rain upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire. [ Pal. Targum, Gen. 19:24, reads: “There are now sent down upon them sulphur and fire from before the word of the Lord from Heaven.” See Ẓohar, Gen. 107b f.] The pity of 'Edith [ The MS. reads either “‘Erith” or “‘Edith.” Midrash Haggadol, c. 293, has “‘Edith.” In Jalḳuṭ, in loc., “‘Erith” is the reading. ’Edith points to “‘Ed,” witness, for such was the pillar of salt. “Ado” is the reading in the Book of Jashar (xix. 52). Pal. Targum, loc. cit. 26, reads: “And his wife looked after the angel to know what would be the end of her father’s house, for she was of the daughters of the men of Sodom, and because she sinned by salt she was manifestly punished; behold, she was made a statue of salt.” The Second Version adds: “until the time of the resurrection shall come when the dead shall arise.”] the wife of Lot was stirred for her daughters, who were married in Sodom, [ See Midrash Haggadol, loc. cit.] and she looked back behind her to see if they were coming after her or not. And she saw behind [ The first editions read: “behind her.”] the Shekhinah, and she became a pillar of salt, as it is said, "And his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt" (ibid. 26). [ The first editions add the following: “And she stands even now. All day the oxen lick it and it decreases up to her feet, and in the morning (the pillar of salt) grows afresh, as it is said: ‘And his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt’” (Gen. 19:26). In the days of Maimonides all trace of the pillar had been lost. The Book of Jashar (xix. 54) reads: “And the oxen which stood in that place daily licked up the salt to the extremities of their feet, and in the morning it would spring forth afresh and they again licked it up, unto this day.” For a parallel Christian Midrash, see “A Strain of Sodom” in A.N.C.L. xviii. p. 230. See Jalḳuṭ, Esth. § 1055; Jalḳuṭ, Exodus, § 256. See Koran (ed. Rodwell), lxxxvii. p. 301, and Josephus, Ant. i. 11. 4, for references to Sodom. On Lot’s wife, see Wisdom x. 7; Cyril of Jerusalem; Mystagogue’s Catechism viii.; Augustine, de Civ. Dei, x. 8. On the Flight from Sodom, see Ambrose, Flight from the World, 54; Gregory the Great, Pastoral Rule, iii. 27. On Lot’s hospitality, see Chrysostomus, Hom, xxxiii. 2; cf. Heb. xiii. 2. See also Grünbaum, op. cit. pp. 132 ff., and Ginzberg, op. cit. pp. 108 ff.]