Partners in Torah - Wherein we discuss the need for partnership in the battle for good
Avraham is the educator of the masses in a very effective way, and it is this which brings God’s love out for him as a partner in Creation. So much so that God does not destroy Sodom and it’s surroundings until he first allowed Avraham to argue a case on behalf of humanity. Listen to what God says before He can destroy Sodom:
God said, 'Shall I hide from Avraham what I am going to do?
Avraham is about to become a great and mighty nation, and through him all the nations of the world will be blessed.
I have given him special attention so that he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep God's way, doing charity and justice. God will then bring about for Avraham everything He promised.'
God [then] said, 'The outcry against Sodom is so great, and their sin is so very grave.
I will descend and see. Have they done everything implied by the outcry that is coming before Me? If not, I will know.'
The men turned from where they were, and headed toward Sodom. Avraham was still standing before God.
He came forward and said, 'Will You actually wipe out the innocent together with the guilty?
Suppose there are fifty innocent people in the city. Would You still destroy it, and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty good people inside it?
It would be sacrilege even to ascribe such an act to You - to kill the innocent with the guilty, letting the righteous and the wicked fare alike. It would be sacrilege to ascribe this to You! Shall the whole world's Judge not act justly?'
God said, 'If I find fifty innocent people in Sodom, I will spare the entire area for their sake.'
God cannot hide from Avraham that He is going to destroy Sodom. Since when does God need to reveal anything to anyone? And notice the reasoning:
Avraham is about to become a great and mighty nation, and through him all the nations of the world will be blessed.
I have given him special attention so that he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep God's way, doing charity and justice. God will then bring about for Avraham everything He promised.'
As we saw earlier, the role of humankind was to partner with God. Therefore God cannot destroy part of humanity if there is a chance for it to be redeemed. As all the people of earth will be blessed through Avraham, God cannot destroy them without giving Avraham a chance to save them. Especially as Avraham commands his children and his household to keep God’s way, doing charity and justice. Avraham must be given the opportunity to fulfil his role, so that God may bring about for Avraham everything He promised.
As it turns out, there are not even ten righteous people in the whole place. I wonder, how righteous did those ten have to be? If they had to be holy people, one would have to ask - why did they choose to remain in Sodom, a notoriously wicked place? I think they only had to be what is called “righteous in judgment” meaning that if put on the heavenly scale, they would read at least 51% good. But not even ten people in Sodom could pass the 51% test. Yikes.
But why ten people? Would it be just for God to wipe out even one innocent? No - but as we’ve also learned, we are not simply individuals. We are also parts of families, communities, cities, countries, cultures. When God forbid destruction happens at the communal level, individuals can get swept along because they are part of that community as well. Perhaps this is why Lot’s wife was not allowed to gaze back on Sodom as it was burning. She needed to sever her attachment to the place in order to be spared its fate. She couldn’t help it though, as it had been such a fertile and lush land. But spiritually it was dead as a pillar of salt.
Still, what’s the deal with ten? Rav Noach Weinberg z’l used to say: “Give me ten men and I can change the world.” I guess even mavericks need partners.
To sum up: To “partner” with God, partner also with His partners.
God said, 'Shall I hide from Avraham what I am going to do?
Avraham is about to become a great and mighty nation, and through him all the nations of the world will be blessed.
I have given him special attention so that he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep God's way, doing charity and justice. God will then bring about for Avraham everything He promised.'
God [then] said, 'The outcry against Sodom is so great, and their sin is so very grave.
I will descend and see. Have they done everything implied by the outcry that is coming before Me? If not, I will know.'
The men turned from where they were, and headed toward Sodom. Avraham was still standing before God.
He came forward and said, 'Will You actually wipe out the innocent together with the guilty?
Suppose there are fifty innocent people in the city. Would You still destroy it, and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty good people inside it?
It would be sacrilege even to ascribe such an act to You - to kill the innocent with the guilty, letting the righteous and the wicked fare alike. It would be sacrilege to ascribe this to You! Shall the whole world's Judge not act justly?'
God said, 'If I find fifty innocent people in Sodom, I will spare the entire area for their sake.'
God cannot hide from Avraham that He is going to destroy Sodom. Since when does God need to reveal anything to anyone? And notice the reasoning:
Avraham is about to become a great and mighty nation, and through him all the nations of the world will be blessed.
I have given him special attention so that he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep God's way, doing charity and justice. God will then bring about for Avraham everything He promised.'
As we saw earlier, the role of humankind was to partner with God. Therefore God cannot destroy part of humanity if there is a chance for it to be redeemed. As all the people of earth will be blessed through Avraham, God cannot destroy them without giving Avraham a chance to save them. Especially as Avraham commands his children and his household to keep God’s way, doing charity and justice. Avraham must be given the opportunity to fulfil his role, so that God may bring about for Avraham everything He promised.
As it turns out, there are not even ten righteous people in the whole place. I wonder, how righteous did those ten have to be? If they had to be holy people, one would have to ask - why did they choose to remain in Sodom, a notoriously wicked place? I think they only had to be what is called “righteous in judgment” meaning that if put on the heavenly scale, they would read at least 51% good. But not even ten people in Sodom could pass the 51% test. Yikes.
But why ten people? Would it be just for God to wipe out even one innocent? No - but as we’ve also learned, we are not simply individuals. We are also parts of families, communities, cities, countries, cultures. When God forbid destruction happens at the communal level, individuals can get swept along because they are part of that community as well. Perhaps this is why Lot’s wife was not allowed to gaze back on Sodom as it was burning. She needed to sever her attachment to the place in order to be spared its fate. She couldn’t help it though, as it had been such a fertile and lush land. But spiritually it was dead as a pillar of salt.
Still, what’s the deal with ten? Rav Noach Weinberg z’l used to say: “Give me ten men and I can change the world.” I guess even mavericks need partners.
To sum up: To “partner” with God, partner also with His partners.