Parshas Vayera

18 Cheshvan 5756
Saturday, November 11, 1995

Guest Rabbi:
Rabbi Evan Shore
Young Israel of Syracuse, New York

"And his wife looked behind him and she became a pillar of salt (B'reishit 19:26)". Why was salt used to punish and kill lot's wife, Irit? Lot's wife was killed because she looked back to see the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Amorah. But why did she become a pillar of salt? Our Rabbis tell us that when Lot invited the angels into his house for a meal, Irit said to her husband, "It is one thing to give Matzah [according to Rashi it was Pesach] to our guests; however, it is another thing to give them salt as well." Irit was telling Lot that such acts of friendliness and charity were unacceptable in Sodom. As a result one could postulate that Irit received a punishment that fit her transgression, in other words a measure for measure. To support this theory, Rashi tells us, "with salt she sinned and with salt she was smitten".

On the surface Rashi doesn't appear to make sense because if she didn't turn back she might not have been punished. Let's first understand why Irit turned back. The Torah tells us in B'reishit 19:17, "And it was when they took them out that one said, 'Flee for your life! Do not look behind you. Do not stop anywhere in the plain'." The Malbim explains that the Torah is informing us that Irit did not believe in the words of the angel who said, "Do not look back". But yet she looked back to see the death and destruction and the plague caught up with her and her body was turned into a pillar of salt. She had no right to look back because we learn from Rashi: "You were wicked together with them and it is only in the merit of Avraham that you will be saved. As a result it is not proper for you to see the punishment of Sodom." In spite of this warning, she still turned back.

The Ramban tells us that Irit looked back and had mercy upon her two daughter that were left back in Sodom. The Ralbag tells us that since these two daughters did not believe or have faith to do t'shuva, Irit had no right to have compassion upon them; especially if they were recipients of the anger of HaShem, they deserved to be destroyed because of their lack of any decent human compassion or sensitivity.

Aznaim L'Torah says that she was, in fact, worse than the people of Sodom. The people in Sodom were killed instantly by the sulfur and fire. What ever was left of their bodies was swallowed up by the earth. In a very crude way the inhabitants of Sodom and Amorah suffered death and burial, which are necessary components for atonement. Irit, on the other hand, suffered a far worse fate. There is no doubt that she died. However the pillar of salt, inhibited the decomposition of her body. As a result she never attained a complete atonement.

It is here that we can now understand why a pillar of salt was used. The Talmud tells us that charity, is called salt. When one give it preserves one's possessions. By definition, salt is a preservative that prevents things from decaying. When Irit showed herself to be so parsimonious that she did not possess any traits of charity she became the pillar of salt as a sign to all generations of the ways we should be charitable to others. Her insensitivity has been preserved for all time and her wicked acts will go unforgiven.

We learn from two sentences in Mishlei, "Charity delivers from death" (10:2) and "He that gives to the poor shall not lack (29:27)", that tzedakah delivers us from a fate where death is devoid of atonement. In other words the tzedakah we give in life insures a place in Olam Habah. Irit, by virtue of not being a charitable person, lost the chance to have her neshama preserved to merit the world to come.

Reserve the Date! The National Counci of Young Israel's Annual Dinner will be held Sunday, March 3, 1996 at the Sheraton New York Hotel in New York City. The Dinner Committee is busy with Shofar Award applications. For more information and to make a reservation, please call (212) 929-1525/(800) 617-NCYI ext 116.