It wasn't just one thing, of course. But according to our sages, two sins in particular stand out when describing the generation that was ultimately destroyed: unchastity and greed.
Think about it. Imagine a world where people had so much ease, so much comfort, that it actually bred wickedness. The Legends of the Jews tells us that it was precisely their "care-free life" that afforded them the "space and leisure for their infamies." A chilling thought, isn’t it? When things are too easy, do we sometimes lose our way?
For a while, God, in His infinite patience, overlooked their misdeeds. He gave them chance after chance. But there's a limit, right? As the saying goes, God is slow to anger, erekh apayim, but anger does eventually come. And according to the ancient texts, that limit was reached when they started engaging in immoral behavior. "God is patient with all sins," we learn, "save only an immoral life." A pretty strong statement.
But it wasn't just about sex. The other sin that really sealed their fate? Downright greed. And not the kind of "rob a bank" kind of greed. Oh no, this was far more insidious. This was greed dressed up in cleverness, in a way that made it almost impossible to punish.
Imagine this: a farmer comes to market with a basket overflowing with fresh vegetables, eager to sell his produce. Now, imagine a group of people, one by one, sidling up to that basket. Each person takes just a little bit – a single carrot, a small handful of beans. Nothing that seems significant on its own. But as they all do it, over and over, the farmer's basket slowly empties. He's left with nothing. According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, "So cunningly were their depredations planned that the law could not touch them."
Can you see how infuriating that would be? It's not just the theft itself, but the audacity, the complete disregard for the other person's livelihood. It’s the kind of petty cruelty that grinds you down, isn’t it?
This reminds me of a teaching from the Talmud (Sanhedrin 108a) which emphasizes the corruption and robbery of that generation as a reason for their destruction. In other words, it's not just the big, dramatic sins that matter. Sometimes, it's the accumulation of small, seemingly insignificant acts of selfishness that truly corrupt a society.
So, what's the takeaway here? Maybe it's a reminder to be mindful of our own actions, both big and small. To think about the impact we have on others. And to remember that true freedom isn't just about having leisure and comfort, but about using those blessings to create a more just and compassionate world. Because as the story of the flood reminds us, even the most patient among us has their limits.