Ilustration Credit: Rivka Tsinman
Midrash מִדְרָשׁ
God says that the outcry coming out of Sedom from their terrible behavior is very great (18:20-21). Before we see the people of the town try to harm Lot and his guests, that's all the information we have about Sedom. What do you think that could mean? Where do you think the outcry was coming from?
This midrash offers a backstory to explain.
ר' יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, הִכְרִיזוּ בִּסְדוֹם כָּל מִי שֶׁהוּא מַחֲזִיק בְּפַת לֶחֶם עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן יִשָּׂרֵף בָּאֵשׁ.
פְּלִיטִת בִּתּוֹ שֶׁל לוֹט הָיְתָה נְשׂוּאָה לְאֶחָד מִגְּדוֹלֵי הָעִיר, וְרָאֲתָה עָנִי אֶחָד מְדַקְדֵּק בִּרְחוֹב הָעִיר, וְעָגְמָה נַפְשָׁהּ עָלָיו שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "עָגְמָה נַפְשִׁי לָאֶבְיוֹן" (איוב ל:כה).
מֶה עָשְׂתָה? בְּכָל יוֹם הָיְתָה יוֹצְאָהּ לִשְׁאֹב הָיְתָה נוֹתֶנֶת בַּכַּד שֶׁלָּהּ מִכָּל מְזוֹן בֵּיתָהּ וּמַאֲכֶלֶת לְאוֹתוֹ עָנִי.
אָמְרוּ אַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם: הֶעָנִי הַזֶּה, מֵאַיִן הוּא חַי? וּכְשֶׁיָּדְעוּ בַּדָּבָר הוֹצִיאוּ אוֹתָהּ לְהִשָּׂרֵף.
אָמְרָה: רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים, עֲשֵׂה מִשְׁפָּטִי וְדִינִי מֵאַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם!
וְעָלְתָה צַעֲקָתָהּ לִפְנֵי כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא "אֵרְדָה נָא וְאֶרְאֶה" (בראשית יח:כא) אִם כְּצַעֲקַת הַנַּעֲרָה הַזֹּאת עָשׂוּ אַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם...
R. Yehudah said: They made a proclamation in Sedom: Everyone who helps the poor shall be burnt by fire.
Peleṭit, Lot’s daughter, was married to a leader of Sedom. She saw a very poor man in the street, and she felt pained for him.
What did she do? Every day when she went out to draw water, she put food from her home into her pitcher, and she would give it to that poor man to eat.
The people of Sedom said: How is this poor man still alive? When they figured out what was going on, they took Pelitit out to be burnt.
She cried out: Ruler of all worlds! Do justice for me from the people of Sedom!
Her cry went up before the Throne of Glory. The Holy Blessed One said: "I will now descend, and I will see" (Bereishit 18:21) whether the people of Sedom have committed the crime this young woman is crying about…
The story about Pelitit is inspired by an unusual word in these pesukim! Do you see which word it is? (We helped you by bolding it.)
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יהוה זַעֲקַ֛ת סְדֹ֥ם וַעֲמֹרָ֖ה כִּי־רָ֑בָּה וְחַ֨טָּאתָ֔ם כִּ֥י כָבְדָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃ אֵֽרְדָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה הַכְּצַעֲקָתָ֛הּ הַבָּ֥אָה אֵלַ֖י עָשׂ֣וּ ׀ כָּלָ֑ה וְאִם־לֹ֖א אֵדָֽעָה׃
God said, “The outcry of Sedom and Amorah is so great, and their sin so serious!
I will go down to see whether they have acted according to its outcry that has reached Me; if not, I will know.”
Yup, it’s הַכְּצַעֲקָתָהּ (haketza’akatah, according to its outcry)! This word could also be translated as, “according to her outcry.” That possibility is why the midrash thinks the destruction has something to do with this story of Pelitit!
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