Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Genesis 18:20

The tenth principle is that God, may He be blessed, knows the actions of people and does not ignore them. Not like the opinion of the one that said that 'the Lord abandoned the earth,' but rather as it is stated (Jeremiah 32:19), "Great of counsel and mighty of works, as Your eyes are open upon all the ways of people, etc."; "And the Lord saw that the evil of man was mighty upon the earth, etc." (Genesis 6:5); and it is stated (Genesis 18:2), "the yelling of Sodom and Ammorah, as it was mighty." And this is what indicates this tenth principle.

A man whose vices etc. Not as he thinks that what was said by the Talmudists, 'The doom of the wicked is sealed instantly' (Rosh ha-Shanah, 17a) means that they die at once; for it is not so, as there are many wicked alive. But the meaning of 'Sealed instantly' is, that they will not complete their days of the years alloted to them at birth. And the source of this matter is found in Yebamot, 50a. ^*Virtues and vices are not measured by man, to condemn one to death, or ask why he is still living. God is the sole judge thereof. One virtue of one man, or one vice, might either save or be the cause of destruction of the whole world (See Kiddushin, 39b–49a). Maimonides refers to Hosea, 7. 9. and to Genesis, 18. 20. to teach us that only God judges our iniquities, and whenever destruction comes to pass, His judgment should be justified. C. G.

ויאמר...כאשר ראם, Yaakov’s reaction to these angels (inhuman garb) was similar to that of Avraham, his grandfather, in Genesis 18,20, when the latter is described as running to welcome them as soon as he saw them.

[My people’s] transgressions surpassed, etc. [The severity of] their punishment⁹Concerning S’dom, Scripture states, “her sin is extremely grave,” in Bereishis 18:20. However, concerning Yehudah, Scripture states, “The iniquity of the house of Yisroel and Yehudah is extremely extremely great,” in Yechezkeil 9:9. proves about them that their transgression is greater than that of Sodom.¹⁰S’dom’s sins were committed before the Torah was given and are considered accidental [חטא]. However, these sins were committed after the Torah had been given and were considered to be premeditated [עון]. (Palgei Mayim)

and did not repent Since He decreed destruction upon them, he did not think another thought to rescind His decree.