“To Sodom [sedoma]” – it is taught in the name of Rabbi Neḥemya: Every word that requires a lamed at the beginning,10Indicating the preposition “to.” give it a heh at the end:11A heh at the end of a word (as in Sedoma) can be used in place of a lamed at the beginning of the word. Sedoma, Se’ira, Mitzraima, Ḥarana.12To Sodom, to Se’ir, to Egypt, to Ḥaran. But is it not written: “The wicked will return to the netherworld [lishola]”?13It has both a lamed prefix and a heh suffix.
If both affixes have the same meaning, how can both be used in the same word? (Psalms 9:18). Rabbi Abba bar Zavda said: It means to the lowest depths in the netherworld. “In the evening [ba’erev]” – the evening of Sodom arrived [ba arba]; its sun had set, and its sentence was sealed. Rabbi Levi said: The Holy One blessed be He judges the nations of the world only at night, when they are sleeping,14And not engaged in sin. and judges Israel only during the day, when they are engaged in mitzvot.
That is what is written: “He will judge the world in righteousness. [He will administer fair judgment to the nations]” (Psalms 9:9). “And Lot was sitting [yoshev]” – yashav is written.15Meaning: He assumed his seat. It was on that day that they appointed him the chief justice. There were five major judges in Sodom: Ketz Sheker, Rav Sheker, Rav Masteidin, Rav Naval, and Klepander.16The meanings of these names are, respectively: Ultimate in Lies, Chief of Lies, Chief Perverter of Justice, Chief Scoundrel, Abductor.
Lot was the chief justice of them all. When he would tell them things that were agreeable to them, they would say to him: “Gesh hala” (Genesis 19:9) – rise to the top. But when he would tell them things that were disagreeable to them, they would say to him: “This one came to sojourn, and he sits in judgment?” (Genesis 19:9).