Community Blog

Shabbat Shalom! This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Vayera, which includes the tale of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Isaac’s birth and near-sacrifice, and an odd sidequest between Abraham and Abimelech about the ownership of land. 

Among the most famous lines in this section of Torah is when Abraham challenges God when it comes to destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, saying, “Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty? Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” Abraham tries to bargain with God that if he can find some (starting at fifty and settling at 10) righteous people, then God will not destroy the cities. When a Jewish person does a mitzvah, we say their actions are kedushat HaShem, a sanctification to God’s name. When a Jewish person acts shamefully, with selfishiness or hatefulness, greed or corruption, we call it a chilul HaShem, a desecration of God's name. Here, Abraham uses the same verb as chilul - that it would be a desecration of God’s self for God to destroy the innocent with the guilty. Although the cities are still destroyed in the end, we see from later parts of the Torah that this does not actually wipe wickedness, so what was it for? Was there perhaps a better way to blot out the evilness that the Sodomites were doing? 

Just before Abraham’s impassioned speech to God, God is wondering aloud to God’s self (or perhaps to the angels) whether They should tell Abraham of the Divine plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. You might wonder why God feels at all beholden to this mortal, unless God expects Abraham to argue and wants to give him this opportunity. God’s consideration of Abraham’s thoughts on the matter are explained thus: “For I have singled him out, that he may instruct his children and his posterity to keep the way of Adonai by doing what is just and right, in order that Adonai may bring about for Abraham what has been promised him.” 

Talmud Sotah says: “What is the meaning of the verse, ‘You shall keep the ways of Adonai?’ G‑d clothes the naked, as it is written, ‘G‑d made for Adam and for his wife coats of skin, and clothed them’ (Genesis 3:21); so should you too clothe the naked. G‑d visits the sick, as it is written, ‘G‑d appeared to him in the plains of Mamre’; so should you too visit the sick. G‑d comforts mourners, as it is written, ‘It came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that G‑d blessed Isaac his son’ (Genesis 25:11); so too should you comfort mourners. G‑d buries the dead, as it is written, ‘He buried him in the valley’ (Deuteronomy 34:6); so should you too bury the dead.” 

When we do acts of kindness and practice community care, we are acting kedushat HaShem, toward the sanctification of the world. When we ignore those in need, we are acting chilul HaShem, toward the desecration of holiness. When we seek to find goodness in others, or try to save communities in despair even if they are different from our own, we are acting kedushat HaShem, santifying the Divine Name. When we practice collective punishment and relish in the vengeful pain of others, we are acting chilul HaShem, destroying Creation. 

This Shabbat and forward, let us try to find good in others, and work to bring it out. We certainly do not have to agree with everyone, or allow ourselves to come to harm at the hands of others. But neither do we need to be quick to destroy the innocent with the guilty. May we grow and change as people and as a people. May we bring others to walk in ways of kindness and care. And may we live to see a day where every act is a kedushat HaShem. Amen and Shabbat Shalom.