Genesis Rabbah 50

¹“The two angels came to Sodom in the evening and Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom; Lot saw them, and rose to meet them, and he prostrated himself with his face to the ground” (Genesis 19:1). “The two angels came to Sodom in the evening…” – “the ḥayot were darting to [ ratzo ] and fro like the appearance of a flash” (Ezekiel 1:14). Rabbi Aivu said: Ratzot is not written here, but rather, ratzo – they had a desire to perform their mission. “Like the appearance of a flash [ habazak ]” – Rabbi Yehuda in the name of Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Levi bar Parta: Like one who scatters [ bozek ] olive pomace in an oven. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: [The ḥayot moved] as wind drives an [empty] wineskin. The Rabbis say: As wind drives the clouds. They [the angels] took their leave from Abraham at six hours and arrived in Sodom only in the evening? The explanation is that they were angels of mercy, and they were tarrying, in the belief that perhaps He might find some merit for them. When He did not find any merit for them – “the two angels came to Sodom in the evening.” ²“He acts through one, and who can respond to Him? His soul desires and He performs” (Job 23:13) – it is taught: One angel does not perform two missions, and two angels do not perform one mission. Yet you say: “[The] two [angels came to Sodom]”? The explanation is that Mikhael gave his tidings and departed, Gavriel was dispatched to overturn Sodom, and Refael, to rescue Lot. “The two angels came to Sodom” – here it says “angels,” but elsewhere, it characterizes them as “people” (Genesis 18:2). The explanation is that there, when the Divine Presence was over them, they were characterized as “people.” Once the Divine Presence departed from over them, they assumed the manifestation of angels. Rabbi Tanḥuma said that Rabbi Levi said: To Abraham, whose power was great, they appeared in the image of men; to Lot, whose strength was inferior, they appeared in the image of angels. Rabbi Ḥanina said: Before they performed their mission, they are characterized as people; after performing their mission, as angels. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: This is analogous to one who assumed a position of local government from the king. Until he reached his seat of authority, he walked about as a commoner. Once he reached the seat of his authority, he walked about as a nobleman. So, until they performed their mission, they are characterized as people, after performing their mission, they are characterized as angels. ³“To Sodom [ sedoma ]” – it is taught in the name of Rabbi Neḥemya: Every word that requires a lamed at the beginning, give it a heh at the end: at the end of a word (as in Sedoma ) can be used in place of a lamed at the beginning of the word. Sedoma , Se’ira , Mitzraima , Ḥarana . But is it not written: “The wicked will return to the netherworld [ lishola ]”? prefix and a heh suffix. If both affixes have the same meaning, how can both be used in the same word? (Psalms 9:18). Rabbi Abba bar Zavda said: It means to the lowest depths in the netherworld. “In the evening [ ba’erev ]” – the evening of Sodom arrived [ ba arba ]; its sun had set, and its sentence was sealed. Rabbi Levi said: The Holy One blessed be He judges the nations of the world only at night, when they are sleeping, and judges Israel only during the day, when they are engaged in mitzvot. That is what is written: “He will judge the world in righteousness. [He will administer fair judgment to the nations]” (Psalms 9:9). “And Lot was sitting [ yoshev ]” – yashav is written. It was on that day that they appointed him the chief justice. There were five major judges in Sodom: Ketz Sheker, Rav Sheker, Rav Masteidin, Rav Naval, and Klepander. Lot was the chief justice of them all. When he would tell them things that were agreeable to them, they would say to him: “ Gesh hala ” (Genesis 19:9) – rise to the top. But when he would tell them things that were disagreeable to them, they would say to him: “This one came to sojourn, and he sits in judgment?” (Genesis 19:9). ⁴“He said: Behold now my lords; please turn aside to your servant’s house, stay the night, and wash your feet, and you can awaken early and go on your way. They said: No; rather, we will spend the night in the street” (Genesis 19:2). “Lot saw them, and rose to meet them…He said: Behold now my lords; [please turn aside]” – Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Huna, Rabbi Yudan said: [Lot was saying:] “Please turn aside” – even if I am not worthy, diverge from the ordinary practice. Rabbi Huna said: [Lot was saying:] Take a circuitous route to me, so you will not be seen coming to me. “To your servant’s house, stay the night, and wash your feet” – Abraham mentioned washing [feet] before staying the night, but Lot mentioned staying the night before washing [feet]. The explanation is that Abraham was strict regarding the dirt of idol worship; therefore, he mentioned washing first. Lot was not strict regarding the dirt of idol worship. But some say that this, too, he did with virtuous intent, so they would emerge, and they [the people of Sodom] would see dust on their feet, and they would not say: ‘Where did they stay the night?’ “They said: No; rather, we will spend the night in the street” – one refuses [an offer from] an individual of low stature, but does not refuse an individual of higher status. “He was intensely persistent towards them, and they turned aside to him, and entered his house. He prepared a feast for them; he baked unleavened bread, and they ate” (Genesis 19:3). “He was intensely persistent [ vayiftzar ] . towards them” – he evoked anger [ af ] and anxiety [ tzara ] in them. “They turned aside to him, and entered his house” – this supports what Rav Huna said, [that Lot said to them:] ‘Take a circuitous route to me, so you will not be seen coming to me.’ “He prepared a feast for them” – he had spent time in the house of our forefather Abraham, who would welcome passersby. [“He baked unleavened bread [ matzot ].”] Rabbi Yitzḥak said: A great quarrel [ matzut ] arose over the salt. He said to her [his wife]: ‘Give these guests a little salt.’ She said to him: ‘Do you seek to promulgate this despicable and evil custom here, as well?’ ⁵“Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, from young to old, all the people from every quarter” (Genesis 19:4). “Before they lay down” they began asking him questions, saying to him: ‘The residents of the city, what [kind of people] are they?’ He said to them: ‘In every place there are good and wicked people; however, here they are mostly wicked.’ “The men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house […all the people from every quarter]” – there was no one among them who sought to hinder them. “They called to Lot, and said to him: Where are the men who came to you tonight? Take them out to us, and we will be intimate with them” (Genesis 19:5). “They called to Lot, and said to him” – Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said in the name of Rabbi Pedaya: All that night, Lot was pleading for mercy on their behalf, and they were receptive towards him. But once they said to him: “Take them out to us, and we will be intimate with them” – for sexual relations, they said to him: “Who else do you have here [ po ]?” (Genesis 19:12) – read it as: “What else could you [possibly] have to say [ peh ]? means mouth. Until now, you were permitted to advocate on their behalf, from now on, you are no longer permitted to advocate on their behalf. ⁶“Lot went out to them to the entrance, and he closed the door behind him” (Genesis 19:6). “He said: Please, my brethren, do not do evil” (Genesis 19:7). “Here now, I have two daughters who have not been intimate with a man; I will now bring them out to you, and you may do to them as is fit in your eyes; only to these men do nothing, inasmuch as they came under the shelter of my roof” (Genesis 19:8). “Lot went out to them to the entrance…please, my brethren, do not…Here now, I have two daughters…only to these [ hael ] men” – these terrible acts. ] sins. Another interpretation, they are godly, means godly or mighty. they are powerful. “Inasmuch as they came under the shelter of my roof” – not due to my merit, but due to the merit of Abraham. Another interpretation, “inasmuch as they came under the shelter of my roof” – this teaches that she [Lot’s wife] moved them [the angels] to the side of the house. She said to him: ‘If you want to receive them, receive them in your portion [of the house].’ ⁷“They said: Move aside. And they said: This one came to sojourn, and he sits in judgment? Now we will treat you worse than them. They were intensely persistent towards the man, Lot, and approached to break the door” (Genesis 19:9). “They said: Move aside [ gesh hala ]” – move over, go far away. “They said: This one came to sojourn, and he sits in judgment?” You are coming to destroy the law that was legislated by our predecessors. Rabbi Menaḥama in the name of Rabbi Beivai: This is what the residents of Sodom stipulated among themselves, they said: ‘Any guest who comes here, we will have sexual relations with them and take their possessions. Even the one in whose regard it is written: “[For I love him, so that he will command his children and his household after him] that they observe the path of the Lord [to perform righteousness and justice]” (Genesis 18:19), we would have sexual relations with him and take his possessions.’ ⁸“The men extended their hands, and brought Lot to them, to the house, and closed the door” (Genesis 19:10). “They struck the men who were at the entrance of the house with blindness, from small to great; and they were unable to find the entrance” (Genesis 19:11). “The men extended their hands, and brought Lot to them, to the house…the men who were at the entrance of the house” – the one who initiated the transgression, the punishment began with him, as it is stated: “The people of Sodom…[from young to old]”; therefore, “they struck…with blindness, from small to great.” Similarly, “He obliterated all existence that was on the face of the earth, [from man, to animal]” (Genesis 7:23) – the one who initiated the transgression, the punishment began with him. Similarly, “On the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt…[from man to animal]” (Numbers 3:13) – the one who initiated the transgression, the punishment began with him. Similarly, “Her belly will distend and her thigh shall fall” (Numbers 5:27) – the part of the body that initiated the transgression, the punishment began with it. Similarly, “You shall smite the inhabitants of that city by sword…[and its animals by sword]” (Deuteronomy 13:16) – the one who initiated the transgression, the punishment began with him. “And they were unable [ vayilu ] to find the entrance.” They grew weary [ ilun ], as it says: “It will be when it appears that Moav has wearied [ nila ]” (Isaiah 16:12). They became angry, as it says: “I am too irritated [ nileiti ] to bear” (Isaiah 1:14). They went mad, as it says: “For My people is foolish [ ehvil ]” (Jeremiah 4:22). ⁹“For we are destroying this place, as their outcry has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it” (Genesis 19:13). “For we are destroying” – Rabbi Levi in the name of Rav Naḥman: The ministering angels, because they revealed the secret of the Holy One blessed be He, they were expelled from their stations [in heaven] for one hundred and thirty-eight years. Rabbi Tanḥuma attributed it [their banishment] to a subtle [improper] expression, [as] Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: It is because they were arrogant and said: “For we are destroying this place.” “Lot came out and spoke to his sons - in - law, those who had wed his daughters, and said: Arise, depart from this place, as the Lord is destroying the city. He was as a jester in the eyes of his sons - in - law” (Genesis 19:14). “And spoke to his sons-in-law, [those who had wed his daughters]…” – he had four daughters, two who were betrothed and two who were married. “Who had wed [ lekuḥei ] his daughters” is not written here, but rather, “who were wedding [ lokeḥei ] his daughters.” “He was as a jester in the eyes of his sons-in-law” – they said to him: ‘Harps and flutes are in the province, and the province is about to be overturned?’ ¹⁰“And it was as dawn broke, the angels urged Lot, saying: Arise; take your wife, and your two daughters who are present, lest you be destroyed in the iniquity of the city” (Genesis 19:15). “And it was as dawn broke, the angels urged Lot, saying” – Rabbi Ḥanina said: [During the interval] from the first gleam of dawn until the illumination of the [entire] eastern horizon, a person can walk four mil ; from the illumination of the eastern horizon until sunrise, [he can likewise walk] four mil , as it is stated: “As dawn broke, [the angels urged Lot]” and it is written: “The sun emerged upon the earth [as Lot arrived in Tzo’ar]” (Genesis 19:23). Now, was it really four mil from Sodom to Tzo’ar? . Rabbi Ze’eira said: The angel was leveling the way before them. in the time that one would normally walk four mil . From where is it derived that from the first gleam of dawn until the illumination of the eastern horizon and Etz Yosef . a person can walk four mil ? “As [ kemo ],” “and it was as [ ukhmo ]” , but instead it stated ukhemo , adding a vav . – one period is equal to the other period. indicates that the two time periods, the period from the first gleam to the illumination of the east, and the period from the illumination of the east until sunrise, are equal. Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said: If a person says to you that the morning star is the first gleam of dawn he is saying an untruth. Sometimes it occurs in less time and sometimes it occurs in more time. It is, rather, like two rays of light that ascend in the east and illuminate the world. “And your two daughters who are present [ nimtzaot ]…” – Rabbi Toviya bar Rabbi Yitzḥak: Two [great] finds [ metziot ] [would emerge from his daughters] – Ruth the Moavitess and Naama the Amonitess. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “I found David My servant” (Psalms 89:21) – where did I find him? It was in Sodom. ¹¹“He hesitated and the men grasped his hand, and the hand of his wife, and the hand of his two daughters; out of the compassion of the Lord for him, they took him out, and placed him outside the city” (Genesis 19:16). “It was as they took them out, he said: Flee for your life; do not look behind and do not stay in the entire plain; flee to the mountain, lest you be destroyed” (Genesis 19:17). “He hesitated [ vayitmama ]” (Genesis 19:16) – [he expressed] wonderment [ timahon ] after wonderment; and not vayitma . he said: ‘What a great a loss of silver, gold, gems, and jewels.’ That is what is written: “Wealth is accrued for its owner to his detriment” (Ecclesiastes 5:12) – Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: This refers to Lot. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It refers to Koraḥ. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: This is Navot. Rabbi Levi said: This is Haman. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This is the tribe of Reuben and Gad. The Rabbis said: This is Job, who was wealthy, became poor, and was restored to what he had been. “The men grasped his hand, and the hand of his wife and the hand of his two daughters…” (Genesis 19:16) – who was this? It was Refael. They raised an objection: Is it not written: “They took him out, and they placed him outside the city” (Genesis 19:16), and it is written: “It was as they took them out”? (Genesis 19:17). He said to them: Read what is written thereafter: “They said: Flee for your life” is not written, but rather, “he said: Flee for your life.” “Flee to the mountain, lest you be destroyed” – [“to the mountain” means] by the merit of Abraham, who is called a mountain: “Leaping on the mountains” (Song of Songs 2:8), and it says: “Hear, mountains…” (Micah 6:2). “Lot said to them: Please, no, my lords” (Genesis 19:18). “Please, behold, your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have increased your kindness that you have done with me to save my life, but I will not be able to flee to the mountain, lest the evil overtake me, and I will die” (Genesis 19:19). “Lot said to them: Please, no, my lords. Please, behold, your servant has found favor in your eyes…” – Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: Two people expressed the same idea – Lot and the woman from Tzarefat. The woman from Tzarefat said [to Elijah]: ‘Until you came to me, the Holy One blessed be He would see my deeds and the deeds of the residents of my city. My deeds were greater than those of the residents of my city, and I was considered a righteous woman in their midst. Now that you have come to me, [and my good deeds are nothing compared to yours]: “Did you come to me to evoke my sin and to kill my son?”’ (I Kings 17:18). Lot said [as well]: ‘Before I go to Abraham, the Holy One blessed be He would see my deeds and the deeds of the residents of my city, and I was considered a righteous man in their midst. Now, if I would go to Abraham, whose good actions are greater than my own, I would not be able to survive in his environs.’ “But I will not be able” – Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Levi: From where do we learn: Just as a bad locale is challenging, so a good locale can be challenging? It is from here: “But I will not be able to flee to the mountain, lest [the evil] overtake me.” Sodom is located in the valley, and that is why he says: “But I will not be able to flee to the mountain.” He was living in the valley and they said to him: ‘Go to the mountain,’ and yet this is what he said. This teaches that even when going from a bad locale to a good locale, the good locale can be challenging. “Here now, this city is near to flee there, and it is small; please, I will escape there. Is it not small, and my life will be saved” (Genesis 19:20). “He said to him: Behold, I have shown you favor for this matter as well, not to overturn the city of which you spoke” (Genesis 19:21). “Here now, this city is near to flee there…He said to him: Behold, I have shown you favor for this matter as well” – Rabbi Ḥalafta of Caesarea said: [God said:] ‘If Lot, because he [merely] hosted the angel, was shown favor by him, shall I not show you [Israel] favor because of you and because of your ancestors’ – “the Lord will show you favor” (Numbers 6:26). ¹²“Hurry; escape there, as I will not be able to do anything until your arrival there. Therefore, he called the name of the city Tzoar” (Genesis 19:22). “Hurry; escape there, as I will not be able to do anything until your arrival there…” – Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a province that had two patrons, one a country-dweller and the other a nobleman. The king became angry at them [the people of the province] and sought to punish them. The king said: ‘If I punish them in the presence of the nobleman, they would then say: Had the country-dweller been here, he would have protected us. And if it would be [that I punish them] in the presence of the country-dweller, they would then say: Had the nobleman been here, he would have protected us.’ So, too, because some of the Sodomites worshipped the sun and some of them worshipped the moon, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If I punish them during the day, they would then say: Had the moon been there, it would have protected us. If I punish them at night, they would then say: Has the sun been there, it would have protected us.’ Rather, he punished them on the sixteenth of Nisan, at a time when both the sun and the moon were present in the heavens. That is what is written: “The sun rose upon the earth and Lot came to Tzoar…” (Genesis 19:23).