In the Parsha dealing with Abraham and Sodom, we will find Abraham praying that if 50 righteous, that is at least ten from each city in the plain of Sodom. The book of Ezekiel tells us why God destroys the cities, that is another study in itself.

When reading the English we do not get the whole story. It isn’t till we examine the Hebrew till we find the truth behind the request.

What we find out with the Hebrew, is that we have a direct miss-spelling of the word that is translated as ‘righteous’. In reference to Sodom. It is missing the second ‘yod’, pointing to defective ‘righteousness’.

When we read the rest of the commentary, we find that if their commandment keeping was flawed in some way that this would have saved them. But, even those “in the midst of the city“, those who were somebodies of the city was not observant of what we might think is a least of the commandants given unto man.

In the commentary Ibn Ezra even considering that they were looking for what he called ‘Open God-fearing’

In Ezekiel 9 we are told Hashem said to mark the men who sighed and cried out for all the abominations in the midst of city and kill everyone else. The wickedness of the holy city did not drive these inside they didn’t hide their righteousness. If there was
open God-fearing people of Sodom, the story would read different.

The Removal Of The Blindfold

Today in the USA as in times past we have what is called “Lady Justice” she is a blindfolded lady holding a set of scales. It is time to take the blindfold off. Everyone needs to know all their actions are seen and heard.

The Jewish father’s of old have said that a deterrent for wrong doing is to know that there is an eye that sees, an ear that hears and every thing you do is written down in a book.

The same with the Seven Universal Commandments, we do nothing for our cities by keeping ourselves and the Seven Commandments locked up. We don’t evangelize, we do not even have a commandment from the Most High to share the Seven Commandments only to set up courts of justice to ensure that we keep them.

One of the things I see in this modern age that I do not agree with is that for the most part is that a lot of people wanting Noahide Synagogues so they can keep their feeling of community, what we need is more Noahide Courts that teach their communities the Seven Commandments.
Even though most of us aren’t leaders of our cities, this is where God has placed us. Sometimes we are maybe alone in our cities, this isn’t time to hide. We are not to hide what the Creator has done for us it is time learn from the story Abraham and Sodom.

Being a God-fearing Noahide is letting the Seven become who you are and not expecting everyone be you or even believe as you. There is plenty of time for words, let your actions change the world around you.

Let the Seven Commandments change you first then others will follow. Be like Abraham, beseech the Creator for the city you live in. Lift up the abominations of where you live to God before looking for somewhere else to live. This means get out and be amidst where God has put you. Be that righteous person that your city needs.

Terry W. Hayes
10/2017

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