Is it power? Is it armies? Is it wealth? Well, according to Jewish tradition, the answer might surprise you. It all boils down to righteousness.
We find this idea beautifully illustrated in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating text that weaves together biblical narrative and rabbinic wisdom. It tells us that if there are fifty righteous people in the world, their very existence sustains it. Fifty people. That's all it takes to keep the whole world spinning.
This concept springs directly from the story of Abraham and his plea to God regarding the fate of Sodom. Remember that? Abraham, ever the advocate, bargains with God, attempting to save the city if even a small number of righteous individuals can be found within its walls. He starts at fifty, doesn't he? And he keeps going down… forty-five, forty, all the way down to ten.
And what’s the takeaway? The text says that if there are even ten righteous people in a place, that place can be delivered because of their merit. As it says explicitly in Genesis 18:32, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten." Ten righteous individuals – that’s all that stood between Sodom and utter destruction.
But what happens when a society loses its moral compass? What happens when wealth and prosperity become the sole focus? That's where the story of Sodom takes a darker turn.
Rabbi Ẓe'era offers a chilling perspective on the Sodomites in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer. He describes them as incredibly wealthy, blessed by the abundance of their land. "The men of Sodom were the wealthy men of prosperity," the text says, "on account of the good and fruitful land whereon they dwelt." They had everything they could possibly need. They had gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, and bread... everything sprung from their land.
Rabbi Ẓe'era even paints a picture of their extravagant lifestyle. Imagine someone wanting to buy a simple vegetable, and they’d tell their servant to go buy it for the value of an assar, a small coin. And beneath that vegetable, they’d find piles of gold! "And it had dust of gold," as it says in Job 28:6. Can you imagine?
But here’s the tragic irony: despite their material wealth, the Sodomites lacked something far more crucial: faith and a sense of moral responsibility. "They did not trust in the shadow of their Creator," the text laments, "but (they trusted) in the multitude of their wealth."
And that, ultimately, was their downfall. They forgot where their blessings came from, and they allowed their riches to corrupt their hearts. As Psalm 49:6 reminds us, "They that trust in their wealth..." are ultimately led astray. Wealth, it seems, can thrust its owners aside from the fear of Heaven.
So, what does this ancient story tell us today? Perhaps it’s a reminder that true wealth isn't measured in gold or possessions, but in the righteousness and compassion we bring to the world. Maybe it is a reminder that we have a responsibility to our communities. That it only takes a few good people to change everything. And that the pursuit of material wealth, without a strong moral foundation, can lead us down a dangerous path. And maybe, just maybe, it's a call to each of us to strive to be one of those righteous few who help hold the world together.