בראשית, פרק י״ח, פסוק כ׳

The divine encounter with Abraham takes a dramatic turn as God reveals the grim fate awaiting the cities of the plain. A stark picture emerges of a society whose moral and social corruption has reached unprecedented levels, causing cries of profound suffering to pierce the heavens and reach the Divine Throne. The primary approach among commentators is that God speaks directly to Abraham, deliberately sharing His plans to offer him an opportunity to pray and beg for mercy on behalf of the cities [רש״י, רמב״ן, ספורנו, מזרחי, ברכת אשר]. Alternatively, a different perspective suggests that an angel, acting as a divine messenger, delivers this harrowing news [רשב״ם, שד״ל].

The outcry echoing from Sodom and Gomorrah is fundamentally the voice of the oppressed, the persecuted, and the impoverished who suffer under the heavy hand of the local inhabitants [רמב״ן, רד״ק, הכתב והקבלה, בכור שור]. This desperate plea includes the voices of travelers and strangers victimized by cruel legislation that strictly forbids charity and basic hospitality [רד״ק, אברבנאל]. The volume of this suffering grows constantly [כלי יקר, רש״י, שטיינזלץ], reflecting a level of wickedness that far surpasses any other nation of that era [אור החיים]. A deeper layer of meaning points to a specific tragedy involving a local young woman. She was caught committing the crime of giving a piece of bread to a starving person. As a brutal punishment for her kindness, the people of Sodom smeared her body with honey and left her exposed on the city wall until she was stung to death by bees. It is her agonizing, dying scream that ascends directly to God [כלי יקר, רבנו בחיי, תורה תמימה, צאינה וראינה, חומת אנך].

The corruption in Sodom is divided into two distinct realms of rebellion. The outcry of the victims points to terrible interpersonal crimes, such as robbery, violence, and extreme cruelty. At the same time, the underlying sinfulness of the society points to severe transgressions against God, including sexual immorality, heresy, and profound arrogance [רס״ג, אור החיים, מלבי״ם, מגלה עמוקות]. Although the people are guilty in every possible category, their ultimate destruction is sealed specifically because of their thievery and their refusal to give charity. God is quick to enact justice against those who harm others and cause them to cry out, because violence and cruelty destroy the very foundation of civilized society [רד״ק, רבנו בחיי, העמק דבר, פני דוד, מגלה עמוקות].

The burden of their guilt is immense, both in the sheer daily volume of their crimes and in the horrific nature of the acts themselves [צרור המור, אדרת אליהו, מלבי״ם]. The corruption is so absolute that the earth itself can no longer bear the weight of their existence [אבן עזרא, מחוקקי יהודה]. Often, the public outcry over an injustice is far louder than the actual crime. In Sodom, however, the reality is the exact opposite. As massive as the screams of the victims are, the actual sins committed in the shadows are even heavier and more terrible than the cries suggest [אלשיך, צרור המור, העמק דבר]. By detailing the sheer horror of the situation, God makes it clear to Abraham that the corruption is so extreme that defending this society might be entirely pointless [אור החיים]. Yet, the very act of sharing this dark reality serves as an open invitation for Abraham to try and find some merit for them before strict divine justice is finally unleashed [רמב״ן, צרור המור].