“I will descend now and see, if they have acted in accordance with her outcry that has reached me, destruction, and if not, I will know” (Genesis 18:21). “I will descend now” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: This is one of the ten descents [of God] that are stated in the Torah. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: This teaches that the Omnipresent opened for them an opening for repentance,24The sinfulness of the people of Sodom was already an established fact; God did not have to “go down” and investigate it.
The verse means that God here was offering them a chance to repent from their evilness. as it is stated: “I will descend now and see, if they have acted in accordance with her outcry that has reached me,25And they do not repent. destruction” – they have incurred liability to be destroyed. “And if not,26If they repent. I will know” – I will let them know about the attribute of justice in the world.27They will not be punished by total destruction, but with some other form of punishment to expiate their sins.
Rabbi Levi said: [God said:] ‘Even if I would want to keep silent, the plight of a certain girl does not allow me to be silent.’ There was an incident involving two girls who went down to drink and to draw water. One said to the other: ‘Why is your face so sickly?’ She said to her: ‘Her28She was referring to herself. food supply is depleted and she is close to death [from starvation].’
What did she [the other girl] do? She filled her jug with flour and exchanged that jug for the jug that was in the hand of the other. When they realized what she had done, they took her and burned her.29Charity was considered a great evil in Sodom. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Even if I would want to keep silent, the plight of that girl does not allow me to be silent.’
That is what is written: “In accordance with her outcry.”30Haketzaakata can mean “its outcry,” or “her outcry.” It does not say: “In accordance with their outcry,”31Referring to the people of Sodom in general. but rather, her outcry. Which is that? The plight of that girl.
Rabbi Yirmeya ben Elazar said: The main period of tranquility of Sodom was only fifty-two years, twenty-five years of which the Holy One blessed be He caused the mountains to thunder over them, and brought quakes upon them, so that they would repent. But they did not do so. That is what is written: “He who moves mountains and they do not know” (Job 9:5), and ultimately, “who overturns them in His wrath” (Job 9:5).