And, surprisingly, Jewish tradition grapples with it too.
Take, for example, the story of the Tower of Babel. We all know it – the people, united in hubris, attempt to build a tower so tall it reaches the heavens, defying God. Pretty audacious, right?
But, according to some traditions, their punishment was… surprisingly mild. God scattered them, confused their languages, and that was that. A cosmic slap on the wrist, it seems.
Now, compare that to the generation of the Flood. They were wiped out, completely and utterly destroyed. The mabul, the great deluge, erased them from existence. Why the difference? They both sound pretty bad!
The answer, or at least a compelling explanation, lies in the value God places on peace and harmony.
According to Legends of the Jews (Ginzberg), the generation of the Flood was consumed by rapine – violent theft and plunder. But more than that, they harbored deep hatred for one another. They were tearing each other apart.
The generation of the Tower, on the other hand? They may have been building a monument to their own arrogance, a symbol of defiance, but they were doing it together. They dwelt amicably, loving one another.
Think about that for a second.
As it says in the text, God spared a remnant of them. Why? Because even in their sin, they possessed something precious: unity.
It’s a radical idea, isn't it? That harmony, even amidst wrongdoing, holds such immense value. That the absence of internal conflict can, in some way, mitigate the severity of even the most blatant transgressions.
Perhaps the lesson here is not that sin is excusable, but that discord is a particularly destructive force. Maybe, just maybe, the ability of people to get along – to work together, to love one another – is so vital that its presence can, in some instances, outweigh other failings.
It's not a free pass, certainly not. But it does suggest that building bridges, fostering understanding, and striving for unity are not just nice ideals, but essential components of a just and balanced world. And that, perhaps, is why a tower built in harmony, however misguided, was ultimately less damnable than a world drowning in hatred. Something to consider, isn’t it?