Slouching Towards Gemara

Evil has to be fought on all fronts. We must focus on evil actions as well as evil ideas.

Two Primary Symbols of Corruption

Sodom and Gomorrah (anglicized version of S’dom and Amorah) are the two cities, discussed in this week’s parsha, that have become the symbols of corruption, cruelty, sleaze, degenerate behavior and everything else evil. Sodom and Gomorrah were actually two of five cities whose inhabitants were evil and were ultimately destroyed. Yet when the Prophet Isaiah (1:10) castigates the Jews for their immoral behavior, he likens them to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah exclusively. It seems that these two cities were the primary sources of moral depravity for that entire region.

The question arises. If the behavior of the Sodomites and the Gomorrites were identical, why would the prophet separate them into two distinct categories? It seems that despite their similarities there was a nuance of difference between the evil of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Evil Action Versus Evil Thought

We can gain some insight into the differences between Sodom and Gomorrah and the relevance it has to today’s world from the way in which the prophet Isaiah refers to them:

Isaiah declares:

“Listen to the word of the L-rd leaders of Sodom, hearken to the Torah of our G-d, nation of Gomorrah.“ It is noteworthy that the prophet uses the expressions “word of the L-rd” when rebuking the Jews who were like the leaders of Sodom, whereas the expression “the Torah of our G-d” is used to challenge the people who have emulated the nation of Gomorrah.

It would appear, that the Jewish leaders who were compared to the Sodomites, were accused primarily of evil behavior. They were thus told to listen to the “word of the L-rd,” a reference to the clear and unequivocal directives of G-d. As the Talmud states: “The word of G-d – this is Halacha (Jewish law).

The Gomorrites — and those people likened to them — by contrast, were depraved in the way their thought processes worked. They were not as evil in their actions as they were in their ideas. Or, their evil behavior stemmed from their evil mindset.

For them it was necessary to be exposed to the “Torah of our G-d.” They had to study and master the teachings of Torah which help shape and mold the Jewish mindset and weltanschauung.

There are some Jews whose spiritually wanting lifestyle is a direct consequence of their distorted sense of priorities, that reveals a serious lack of appreciation for the attitudes that the Torah stands for. To merely be made aware of the definitive and dogmatic “word of G-d” without exposing them to the conceptual and spiritual basis of these laws, would not really change their attitudes and mindsets.

Thus, they were told to study “the Torah of our G- d,” an expression that is used to describe the theoretical truths that can be found even in the conflicting opinions of our sages.

The Talmud relates that even when there are differences of opinion between the School of Hillel and the School of Shamai, they are both to be regarded as the “words of the living G-d.” Recognizing the fact that one cannot follow both opinions, the Talmud still insists that we learn the logic of the School of Shammai just as we must learn the logic of the School of Hillel, whose opinions invariably prevailed. This is so because every opinion that is based on Torah is an expression of a Divine truth that helps to shape and mold the way we think.

The Definitive Word of G-d for the Sodomites

To counter the more pronounced depravity of Sodom, however, one must accentuate commitment to the “word of the L-rd” that denotes the unequivocal and singular authority of Halacha. A Sodomite person is one whose cruelty and insensitivity have reached the nadir.

Moshiach In Sodom

Our Sages thus say that Moshiach can be found in Sodom. This means, among other interpretations, that Moshiach’s role is to reach out even to the very lowest levels of society and to uplift it. This is done by emphasizing the need for practical commitment to the dictates of the Torah that emanate from the very essence of G-d.

But for the more mild form of the evil mindset characterized by the Gomorrites, one must advocate the theoretical study of Torah. By imbibing the logic of Torah, through the study of Talmud, or Gemara (pun intended), permeated with the realization that it is “the Torah of our G-d,” that we acquire by studying the inner dimension of Torah (mysticism and Chassidus), we can defeat the evil mindset of Gomorrah.

It is worth noting the current proliferation of the study of Gemara and Chasidic thought, as well as a return to the practice of Halacha by many, is a sign of the times. We are so close to “finding Moshiach in Sodom,” when the world that has been slouching towards Sodom and Gomorrah, is becoming a world that is scaling the heights of G-dly knowledge and commitment.

From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Vayeira by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.