Genesis 18:1 Now YHVH was seen by him by the oaks of Mamre as he was sitting at the entrance to his
tent at the heat of the day.
Genesis 18:2 He lifted up his eyes and saw: here, three men standing over against him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the entrance to his tent and bowed to the earth
Genesis 18:3 and said: My lords, pray if I have found favor in your eyes, pray do not pass by your servant!
Genesis 18:4 Pray let a little water be fetched, then wash your feet and recline under the tree;
Genesis 18:5 let me fetch (you) a bit of bread, that you may refresh your hearts, then afterward you may pass on- for you have, after all, passed your servant's way! They said: Do thus, as you have spoken.
Genesis 18:6 Avraham hastened into his tent to Sara and said: Make haste! Three measures of choice flour! Knead it, make bread-cakes!
Genesis 18:7 Avraham ran to the oxen, he fetched a young ox, tender and fine, and gave it to a serving-lad, that he might hasten to make it ready;
Genesis 18:8 then he fetched cream and milk and the young ox that he had made ready, and placed it before them. Now he stood over against them under the tree while they ate.
Genesis 18:17 Now YHVH had said to himself: Shall I cover up from Avraham what I am about to do?
Genesis 18:18 For Avraham is to become, yes, become a nation great and mighty (in number), and all the nations of the earth will find blessing through him.
Genesis 18:19 Indeed, I have known him, in order that he may charge his sons and his household after him: they shall keep the way of YHVH, to do what is right and just, in order that YHVH may bring upon Avraham what he spoke concerning him.
Genesis 18:20 So YHVH said: The outcry in Sedom and Amora-how great it is! And their sin-how exceedingly heavily it weighs!
Genesis 18:21 Now let me go down and see: if they have done according to its cry that has come to me- destruction! And if not- I wish to know.
(ח) ר' יהודה אומר, הכריזו בסדום כל מי שהוא מחזיק בפת לחם עני ואביון ישרף באש פליטת בתו של לוט היתה נשואה לאחד מגדולי העיר וראתה עני אחד מדקדק ברחוב העיר ועגמה נפשה עליו שנאמר עגמה נפשי לאביון מה עשתה בכל יום היתה יוצאה לשאוב היתה נותנת בכד שלה מכל מזון ביתה ומאכלת לאותו עני אמרו אנשי סדום העני הזה מאין הוא חי וכשידעו בדבר הוציאו אותה להשרף אמרה רבון כל העולמים עשה משפטי ודיני מאנשי סדום ועלתה צעקתה לפני כסא הכבוד באותה שעה אמר הב"ה ארדה נא ואראה אם כצעקת הנערה הזאת עשו אנשי סדום אהפוך יסודותיה למעלה ופניה למטה שנאמר ארדה נא ואראה הכצעקתה הבאה אלי עשו כלה הכצעקתם אין כתיב כאן אלא הכצעקתה.
(8) Rabbi Jehudah said: They made a proclamation in Sodom (saying): Everyone who strengthens the hand of the poor or the needy with a loaf of bread shall be burnt by fire. Peleṭith, daughter of Lot, was wedded to one of the magnates of Sodom. She saw a certain very poor man in the street of the city, and her soul was grieved on his account, as it is said, "Was not my soul grieved for the needy?" (Job xxx. 25).What did she do? Every day when she went out to draw water she put in her bucket all sorts of provisions from her home, and she fed that poor man. The men of Sodom said: How does this poor man live? When they ascertained the facts, they brought her forth to be burnt with fire. She said: Sovereign of all worlds ! Maintain my right and my cause (at the hands of) the men of Sodom. And her cry ascended before the Throne of Glory. In that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, said: "I will now descend, and I will see" (Gen. xviii. 21) whether the men of Sodom have done according to the cry of this young woman, I will turn her foundations upwards, and the surface thereof shall be turned downwards, as it is said, "I will now descend, and I will see whether they have done altogether according to her cry, which is come unto me" (ibid.). "According to their cry" is not written here (in the text), only "According to her cry."
Genesis 19:4 They had not yet lain down, when the men of the city, the men of Sedom, encircled the house,
from young lad to old man, all the people (even) from the outskirts.
Genesis 19:5 They called out to Lot and said to him: Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, we want to know them!
Genesis 19:6 Lot went out to them, to the entrance, shutting the door behind him
Genesis 19:7 and said: Pray, brothers, do not be so wicked!
Genesis 19:8 Now pray, I have two daughters who have never known a man, pray let me bring them out to you, and you may deal with them however seems good in your eyes; only to these men do nothing, for after all, come under the shadow of my roof-beam!