בראשית, פרק י״ט, פסוק ד׳

Night descends on Sodom, and the guests who have just dined in Lot’s home prepare for their rest. Yet, just before they can finally sleep, the true, terrifying face of the city is exposed as an angry mob converges on the house in a unified display of cruelty. The event unfolds while the household is still awake [שד״ל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Local spies had swiftly reported Lot’s act of hospitality to the city’s officers, prompting the mob to arrive immediately to punish him for violating their strict laws against hosting outsiders [ביאור יש״ר, מלבי״ם]. On a deeper level, the timing of this attack is intimately tied to heavenly judgment. The angels had delayed destroying the city because Lot was still attempting to find merit and defend its inhabitants. The mob strikes while these words of defense are still being spoken, instantly sealing the city’s fate [רש״י, מזרחי, גור אריה, אור החיים, ברכת אשר על התורה]. The angels also purposefully waited for morning, a time associated with mercy, to ensure Lot’s rescue [אור החיים].

The crowd that gathers is not a fringe gang or an unruly group of foreign agitators. They are the recognized, official citizens of the city, arriving to zealously defend their corrupt laws and represent the local government [רש״ר הירש, רבנו בחיי]. Their identity is synonymous with absolute wickedness, proving that their reputation as grievous sinners before God is entirely justified [רש״י, רד״ק, שד״ל, מזרחי, ביאור שטיינזלץ, שפתי חכמים]. They encircle the house like a chokehold, cutting off any possibility of escape [שד״ל, ביאור יש״ר, מחוקקי יהודה], executing their gathering not merely as a protest, but as a deliberate military siege [מלבי״ם].

This siege encompasses every layer of society, from the youngest to the oldest. The youth take the lead in initiating the offense, which ultimately makes them the first to face punishment [ר׳ סעדיה גאון]. This cross-generational cooperation highlights a profound social decay. Typically, young people might be reckless but possess natural compassion, while elders and upper classes tend to avoid public scandals and maintain decorum. In Sodom, however, all natural restraints have collapsed. Every age group and social class unites for a cruel, immoral objective [רש״ר הירש]. The wickedness on display is not the work of isolated individuals; it is an accepted social norm that no one views as flawed [העמק דבר].

The residents arrive from every corner of the city, whether they live nearby or far away [אבן עזרא, שד״ל, ביאור יש״ר]. While some suggest the massive crowd simply spills over into the adjacent streets to physically surround the house [משכיל לדוד], the primary approach among commentators offers a sharp moral principle: even those who are not physically present are considered full accomplices. Because no one in the city objects or protests the attack, their silence makes them equally guilty [רש״י, מזרחי, גור אריה, שפתי חכמים]. This absolute mobilization of the city serves as final, undeniable proof that not even the ten righteous people Abraham had prayed for can be found in Sodom. The complete absence of righteousness justifies their imminent destruction and validates the severity of God's judgment before the entire world [רשב״ם, רד״ק, חזקוני, מלבי״ם].