Parashat Vayira: Sodom and Gomorrah, Separation and Reconciliation

What was the main sin in Sodom and Gomorrah? How is it related to the situation that is emerging in society today? What is important to change so that we do not bring destruction upon ourselves? On the trend of development in nature, and on the level to which evolution leads.

They say that the motto of Sodom was "Mine-mine, yours-yours". I am here, you are there, and do not come near me. Period. This is reflected in the fact that in Sodom it was forbidden to help others, to support someone, to be kind to the environment.

At the peak of our development, we will come to the realization that we are all parts of one whole, and we will treat each other with consideration and love. We will ascend together to a new, spiritual, eternal, complete level of existence.

The Midrash tells: "A story about two girls who went down to drink and fill their water. One said to her friend: Why is your face so sick? She said to her: Her food is gone and she is about to die. What did she do? She filled the jar with flour and exchanged it, each took what was in her hand. And when they felt it, they took her and burned her" (Genesis Rabbah 49:6).

Simply put, the girl said that she had nothing to eat, her friend filled her water jar with flour and exchanged jars with her so that they would not see that she was helping her. But the secret was revealed, and the girl who helped was executed. This was the atmosphere in Sodom, and therefore it symbolizes the most terrible place. There is nothing worse than the severance of ties between people. A severance is a state of death, and this is also implied in the story of Lot's wife who became a pillar of salt.

Some of this can be felt in any relationship. If there is fighting and shouting, there is a chance that later they will reconcile and make up. The bond even deepens thanks to overcoming friction. But if you completely cut off all contact, there is no hope for any development.

In a broad sense, lack of respect is the greatest evil, because it runs counter to the general development trend of reality. What is meant by this? The system of nature is interconnected in all its details, it is a global and integral system. All of nature is drawn to balance, to mutual complementarity. This is how the fabric of life is created and develops, this is how our body works in cooperation between its various parts. The synchronized and connected into a single mechanism, by the force of nature that activates them instinctively. Only we, humans, have evolved to a level of awareness with the possibility of free choice. Nature, so to speak, has left us room for action.

At the peak of our development, we will come to the realization that we are all parts of one whole, and we will treat each other with consideration and love. We will ascend together to a new, spiritual, eternal, complete level of existence. Above the limitations of time, space and movement. But on the way there is a lot of investigation to do, we must learn what is good and what is evil, what is a lie and what is a great truth.

And back to Sodom. The legend tells of the "Sodom bed", one bed on which all the guests would lie. When the guest was longer than the bed, they would cut him. And when he was shorter than it, they would stretch him (Sanhedrin 19:2). Here the Sodomite principle of straightening out the line, where creating uniformity through force stands out. Everyone must have the same tendencies, the same opinions, the same behaviors. No more and no less. Why? In order not to allow a reality of complementarity between different people.

This is the destruction of the uniqueness that nature has given to each person, a uniqueness that allows for fertilization between all. If there is something in me that is not in you, and in you there is something that is not in me, if we connect with each other we can both benefit from the virtues that each one has received, we can give to each other and receive from each other, create a flow of life between us. But Sodom sanctified the separation , and in a certain sense there is logic in that. Because if I am inherently evil and you are inherently evil, then perhaps it is better to keep a distance.

In any case, Abraham the man of mercy had a fundamentally different worldview. After discovering that one force operates throughout nature, and realizing that a complementary unity must also be created among humans, he discovered the method for correcting narrow egoism, the so-called evil inclination. Today, the method is taught in the wisdom of Kabbalah.

Abraham checked whether it was possible to save Sodom, but he did not find even ten people, the minimum number for group work on an integral connection, who would fit into the overall development trend of creation. Because of this, Sodom had no right to exist and was destroyed.

We have evolved over thousands of generations, we have established an extensive civilization, the world is very interconnected, interdependence is increasing and day by day is closing us in the same boat. Anyone who tries to differentiate themselves from others discovers that it is impossible, because they are all influenced by them. Whether they like it or not, that is a fact.

At the same time, the ego has reached such a high level, and the relationship between people has become increasingly bad, and this is dangerous. Very. For everyone. When we recognize that we have reached a point of no return, and we must correct the evil in human nature, then we will need Abraham's wisdom of connection.