#8 December 7- Adam Defends Sodom

Abraham Defends Sodom

Genesis 18:16-33

And the men (who had come to see Abraham) set out from there and they looked down toward the city of Sodom, Abraham walking with them to see them on their way.

And God said, “Should I hide what I am about to do from Abraham? -- for Abraham is to become a great nation full of people and all the nations of the earth are to bless themselves by him. For I have singled him out, so that he will teach his children and his future descendants to follow God’s path by doing what is just and right so that God may fulfill His promise to Abraham.”

Then God said, “The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are so terrible - they have sinned so much! I will go down to see whether they have acted according to the cry I have heard; if they have not, I will take note of them.”

The men went on from there to Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before God. Abraham came forward and said, “Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty? What if there are 50 innocent people in the city? - Will You wipe out the whole place and not forgive it for the sake of the innocent 50 people who are in it? That’s not like You, God, to do such a thing, to kill the innocent as well as the guilty, so that the innocent and guilty get to live the same way. Far be it from You! Shouldn’t the Judge of the whole earth be just?” And God answered, “If I find 50 innocent people in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” Abraham spoke up again, saying, “I’m going to keep speaking even though I am only dust and ashes compared to You. What if there were 45 innocent people? Would you destroy the whole city because 5 are missing?” And God answered, “I will not destroy if I find 45 there.” But he spoke to God again and said, “What if 40 innocent people are found there?” And God answered, “I will not do it for the sake of the 40.” And Abraham said, “Please don’t be angry with me if I still ask: What if 30 are found there?” And God answered, “I will not do it if I find 30 there.” And he said, “I am going to go ahead and speak again to my Lord: What if 20 should be found there?” And God answered, “I will not destroy for the sake of 20.” And he said, “Please don’t be angry with me, God, if I speak just once more: What if there are 10 there?” And God answered, “I will not destroy for the sake of those 10.” When God finished speaking to Abraham, God departed and Abraham returned to his place.

Steps for Completing this Torah Hangout:

When appropriate, follow this level key:  All / 2nd-4th graders / 5th-6th graders

#1 Read the story above slowly and carefully.

#2 Respond to the following questions with a partner or on a sheet of paper:

1. How does Abraham behave toward God in this story?
2. Based on the words of the story, why does God decide to tell Abraham what God plans to do to Sodom and Gamorrah?
3. How does Abraham defend the cities? What is his argument?

#3 Investigate the following pieces of commentary and answer the related questions:

1. “Shouldn’t the Judge of the whole earth be just?” According to Rabbi Levi, this means that Abraham said: If You seek to have a world, strict justice cannot be exercised; and if You seek strict justice, there will be no world. Do You expect to take hold of the well’s rope at both ends? You desire a world and You also desire justice? You can have only one of the two. If You do not relent a little, the world will not endure.*

-According to this midrash, Rabbi Levi suggests that the world can only exist if God is not a strict judge. What does he mean by that? What kind of God is Abraham asking God to be?

2. It happened once that two young women went down to draw water from a well. One asked the other, “Why do you look so sick?” The other answered, “We have no food left and we are about to die.” What did the first one do? She filled her own pitcher with flour and the two exchanged pitchers, each taking the other’s pitcher. When the people of Sodom learned about this, they seized the one who saved the other’s life and burned her alive. The Holy One said, “Even if I wished to remain silent, justice for that young woman does not allow Me to do so.” So God said: “I will go down to see whether they have acted according to the cry I have heard.” -- the cry of that young woman.*

-How does this midrash imagine the city of Sodom?

-How does this midrash explain why God plans to destroy Sodom?

#4 Based on your discussion, please answer following question on the blog:

Do you think this story is about God testing Abraham or about Abraham testing God? (Or neither?) Explain your answer.

*Genesis Rabbah