Midrasch zu Bereschit 19:5

(Numb. 25:1:) “[While Israel was staying at Shittim,] the people began to go whoring.” There are springs that rear warriors, and there are those that rear weaklings; some that rear handsome ones and some that rear ugly ones; some that rear modest ones and some that rear lecherous ones. The spring of Shittim was one of whoredom, and it watered Sodom. You find that [the men of Sodom] said (in Gen. 19:5), “Where are the men …; bring them out unto us that we may know them.” Because that spring was cursed, the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to dry it up [and then renew it],⁹⁰Although neither this text nor its parallels contain the bracketed words, some such addition is necessary for the words cited from Joel 4:18 to make sense. as stated (in Joel 4:18), “then a spring shall issue from the house of the Lord and shall water the Wadi of the Acacias (Shittim).” From the days of Abraham they were never unbridled in unchastity, until they came to Shittim and drank of its water. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 25:1), “the people began to go whoring.” Come and see what is written in their leaving from Egypt: (In Exodus 14:2,) “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp before Pi-Hahiroth (which sounds like liberty, heiruth).” What is the meaning of Pi-Hahiroth? It was a place that was fixed for unchastity. And because they sheltered themselves [from it] in their leaving it was called Pi-Hahiroth. But these [ones at Shittim] because they made themselves out of control to women, it is written, (in Numb. 25:1), “the people began to go whoring unto the Daughters of Moab.” (Numb. 25:1:) “The people began.” Every place that “the people” is mentioned, it is an expression of shame; but every place that “Israel” is mentioned, it is an expression of commendation:⁹¹Numb. R. 20:23. (In Numb. 11:1,) “Now the people were as murmurers [speaking evil in the ears of the Lord]”; (in Numb. 21:5,) “So the people spoke against God and against Moses”; (in Numb. 14:1,) “and the people wept”; (in Exod. 32:25,) “And Moshe saw that the people were wild”; (in Exod. 32:1,) “and the people gathered together against Aaron”; ( and in Numb. 25:1,) “the people began.” (Numb. 25:1:) “The people began.” Throw a stick into the air,⁹²Gk.: aer. [and] it falls to its place of origin (i.e., its root).⁹³For this proverb in other contexts, see Gen. R. 53:15; 86:6. The one who had begun with the whoredom at first, finished with it in the end. Their matriarchs (i.e., the matriarchs of Ammon and Moab) began with whoredom (according to Gen. 19:31-34), “And the first-born said to the younger, ‘Let us give our father to drink….’ [So it came to pass on the next day] that the first-born said unto the younger….” She (the first-born) had instructed her in whoredom, and for that reason the Holy One, blessed be He, had pity on the younger and did not expose her. Rather (according to vs. 35), “and she slept with him”; but with reference to the elder, it is written (in vs. 33), “and slept with her father.”⁹⁴Thus in the case of the elder, her incest was specifically mentioned. In the case of the one who began in whoredom at first, her daughters (i.e., the daughters of Moab) went after her to finish [it], as stated (in Numb. 25:1), “the people began to go whoring unto the Daughters of Moab.”

“And Israel abode in Shittim…” (Bamidbar 25:1) This is the law. Israel was redeemed from Egypt in the merit of many things. Our Rabbis taught: Israel was redeemed from Egypt in the merit of four things. They did not change their names, they did not change their language, they did not reveal their secrets. Moshe said to them “…and every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her that live in her house, vessels of silver and vessels of gold…” (Shemot 3:22) They kept this command hidden between them for twelve months and not one of them revealed it to the Egyptians. They did not breakdown into forbidden sexual relationships, as it is written “A locked up garden is my sister, my bride…” this refers to the men, “…a locked up spring, a sealed fountain,” (Shir HaShirim 4:12) and this refers to the virgins. You should know this, because there was one who transgressed and the Torah publicized it “Now, the son of an Israelite woman and he was the son of an Egyptian man went out among the children of Israel…” (Vayikra 24:1) All the forty years in the wilderness they did not go astray until they came to Shittim. Therefore it says “And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry…” (Bamidbar 25:1) It was called Shittim because there they did foolishness (shtut), “He who commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding…” (Mishle 6:32) ‘the people began to commit harlotry’ There are springs which raise mighty people and there are those that raise weaklings, those that raise beautiful people and those that raise ugly ones, those that raise modest people and those that raise people steeped in licentiousness. The spring of Shittim was one of harlotry, and it watered Sodom. You find that they said “Where are the men who came in to you? Bring them out to us…” (Bereshit 19:5) Since that spring was accursed, in the future the Holy One will dry it out, as it says “…and a spring will issue from the house of the Lord and will water the valley of Shittim…” (Yoel 4:18) From the days of Avraham no one had broken out in harlotry. Once they arrived at Shittim and drank from its waters, they burst forth.

(Gen. 19:5:) AND THEY CALLED UNTO LOT < AND SAID TO HIM: WHERE ARE THE MEN > … THAT WE MAY KNOW THEM.⁸⁷Cf. Gen. R. 50:5-8. < They did so > because they desired to rape them. R. Hiyya bar Abba said: From here you learn that they were lecherous. He said to them (in vs. 8): LOOK HERE, I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS WHO HAVE NOT KNOWN ANYONE. < The verse > teaches that he wanted to bring them into the midst of his house, but that his wife would not let him. What did he do? He brought them to his own part of the house.⁸⁸Literally: “To midst of his own rafter.” (Gen. 19:11:) SO THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE DOOR.⁸⁹I.e., the door to the women’s quarters. When < the angels > saw that the < Sodomites > deserved destruction, they also rescued Lot. What is written there (in Gen. 19:23-25)? THE SUN HAD RISEN UPON THE EARTH … THEN THE LORD RAINED DOWN UPON SODOM < … > AND HE DESTROYED THOSE CITIES. Perhaps you will say: He destroyed it with his five fingers.⁹⁰See above, 4:15. R. Ayyevu said: < It was > with one of his fingers < that > he destroyed the cities of Sodom, as stated (in Job 28:9): HE PUT OUT HIS HAND BAHALLAMISH.⁹¹The midrash has interpreted bahallamish (“against the hard rock”) as bahamishi (“with the fifth”). In the world to come, when the Holy One heals Israel, he will heal her, as stated (in Hos. 2:17 [15]): I WILL GIVE < ISRAEL > HER VINEYARDS FROM THERE. HER VINEYARDS: These are the prophets. (Ibid.:) THE VALLEY OF ACHOR (rt.: 'KR) IS WITH A DOOR OF HOPE. < This means >: A valley which I afflicted (rt.: 'KR) with my wrath IS WITH A DOOR OF HOPE. At that time they will voice a song, as stated (in ibid., cont.): AND SHE WILL RESPOND (rt.: 'NH) FROM THERE AS IN THE DAYS OF HER YOUTH; and one does not use RESPOND (rt.: 'NH) except in reference to song. Thus one finds stated (in Ps. 147:7): SING (rt.: 'NH) TO THE LORD WITH THANKSGIVING.

A certain young man of the people of that city saw them, and he ran and told all the men of that city, and they all gathered together at the door of the house to do according to their wont, even deeds of sodomy, as it is said, "And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, || Where are the men who came to thee to-night? bring them forth unto us that we may know them" (Gen. 19:5). What did Lot do? Just as Moses gave his life for the people, so Lot gave up his two daughters instead of the two angels, as it is said, "Behold, now, I have two daughters" (Gen. 19:8). But the men would not agree (and did not accept them). What did the angels do to them? They smote them with blindness until the dawn of the (next) morning. All were treated with (measure for) measure. Just as he had taken them by the hand without their will and taken them into his house, so they took hold of his hand, and the hand of his wife, and the hand of his two daughters, and took them outside the city, as it is said, "But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand" (Gen. 19:16). And they said to them: Do not look behind you, for verily the Shekhinah of the Holy One, blessed be He, has descended in order to rain upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire. The pity of 'Edith the wife of Lot was stirred for her daughters, who were married in Sodom, and she looked back behind her to see if they were coming after her or not. And she saw behind the Shekhinah, and she became a pillar of salt, as it is said, "And his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt" (Gen. 19:26).

(Numb. 25:1:) WHILE ISRAEL WAS STAYING AT SHITTIM, <THE PEOPLE BEGAN <TO GO WHORING>…. There are springs that rear warriors, and there are those that rear weaklings¹¹⁰Tanh., Numb. 7:17. Some are handsome and some ugly; [some are modest] and some lecherous. The spring of Shittim was one of whoredom and it watered Sodom. You find that it says (in Gen. 19:5): <AND THEY CALLED UNTO LOT AND SAID TO HIM:> WHERE ARE THE MEN …? < BRING THEM OUT UNTO US THAT WE MAY KNOW THEM.> Because that spring was cursed, the Holy One is going to dry it up <and then renew it>,¹¹¹Although neither the Buber text nor its parallels contain the bracketed words, some such addition is necessary for the words cited from Joel 4:18[3:16] to make sense. as stated (in Joel 4:18[3:18]): THEN A SPRING SHALL ISSUE FROM THE HOUSE OF THE LORD AND SHALL WATER THE WADI OF THE ACACIAS (Shittim). From the days of Abraham they were never unbridled in unchastity, until they came to Shittim and drank of its water. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 25:1): <WHILE ISRAEL WAS STAYING AT SHITTIM,> THE PEOPLE BEGAN TO GO WHORING….

And the sons of El-him saw (Genesis 6:2) - Rabi Shimeon ben Yochai called them judges. Rabi Shimeon ben Yochai curses everyone who would call them 'sons of divine beings'. Rabi Shimeon ben Yochai taught that any licentiousness that did not come from powerful people is not licentiousness. When priests steal [their] gods, is it possible to make oaths or offer sacrifices?! And why does the text call them 'sons of divine beings'? Both Rabbi Chanina and Rabbi Shimeon Ben Lakish say that [these beings'] lived to ripe old age with no difficulties or punishments. Rabbi Chana in the name of Rabbi Yosi said that this was so that seasons and [astronomical] calculations should be well established. The rabbis say that this was so that [these beings] would receive their punishments and also the punishments of the generations that would come after them. 'Because they were beautiful'. Rabbi Yudan says: 'it is written 'good', and this means that when a woman was made good for a husband, the powerful one [of the place] would take her and have relations with her first. See, 'good' here means that these were virgins; 'they took wives from those who pleased them' (Gen. 6:2) means even wives already married to other men. 'from those who pleased them' also men and animals. Rabbi Huna says, in the name of Rabbi [Yehuda Hanasi] that the generation of the flood was only wiped out once they wrote marriage contracts between humans and animals. Rabbi Simlai says that any place in which sexual perversions are found, pestilence comes to the world, killing both the good [people] and the bad. Rabi Azaria and Rabi Yehuda bar Rabi Simon in the name of Rabi Yehishua ben Levi said: The Holy One of Blessing is patient with everything but with sexual perversion. What is the reason for this [opinion]? It is written 'and the sons of El-him saw' and after 'And Ad-nai said I will blot out' (Genesis 6:7). Rabbi Yehoshua Bar Levin says, in the name of Pedayah, all through the night Lot was asking forgiveness for the people of Sdom, and his entreaties were received, up to the moment that they said 'bring those men out so we can know them' (Genesis 19:5), 'know' as in sex, and they said to him 'who do you have else?' (Genesis 19:12) - who else could say anything in their defense?! From here onward there was no one who could say anything in their defense.