Genesis 18:20 - Divine justice investigates wickedness.

The Cry of Sedom and Amorah

The verse states, "And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sedom and ῾Amora is great, and because their sin is very grievous" (Bereishit 18:20). Rashi explains that the "cry" refers to the outcry of the oppressed in these cities, whose suffering reached Hashem. The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 49:6) elaborates that the people of Sedom were notorious for their cruelty, particularly in denying hospitality and exploiting strangers. Their sins were so severe that their collective wickedness demanded divine intervention.

The Nature of Their Sins

Rambam (Hilchot De'ot 6:1) teaches that the sins of Sedom stemmed from extreme selfishness and a rejection of chesed (kindness). The Talmud (Sanhedrin 109a) details their harsh decrees against acts of charity, even punishing those who offered food to the poor. The severity of their sins is emphasized by the phrase "כִּי כָבְדָה מְאֹד" ("because it is very grievous"), indicating that their corruption was irredeemable.

Divine Justice and Measure-for-Measure

The punishment of Sedom reflects the principle of middah k'neged middah (measure-for-measure). The Sforno notes that since they oppressed the vulnerable, their destruction came through a reversal of their own cruelty—fire and brimstone from above. The Kli Yakar adds that their societal corruption was so entrenched that repentance was impossible, justifying their fate as a necessary act of divine justice.

Lessons for Future Generations

• The importance of gemilut chasadim (acts of kindness) as a foundational Jewish value.
• The danger of societal corruption that normalizes cruelty and oppression.
• The principle that Hashem judges nations based on their collective moral state.