Parshas Vayeira: Avraham Avinu requested that Hashem spare entire wicked cities from annihilation if there are 10 Tzadikim in each city.
Why?
Why not destroy the city & remove the individual Tzadikim? (The way Noach Survived the Mabul & Lot survived this very destruction?)
If I may suggest, the answer must be that the ENTIRE city has a 'part' in their being Tzadikim....
The Torah identifies Rivkah Imeinu as "
Bas Besuel Haarmi, achos Laval Haarami, miPadan Aram" Rashi comments that this is to teach us the greatness of Rivka: Even though her father was a rasha & her brother was a rasha. Her hometown was a place of rashaim. Yet Rivka remained a tzadeikis!
This can be understood on multiple levels:
- Either because she learned from them how NOT to act;
- Because the fact the she was in their midst & would have easily been influenced by them, she had to work much harder not be influenced by them;
- Her tzidkus is magnified when viewed in relation to her surroundings.
In the same vein, the 10 hypothetical tzadikim were able to grow to their level BECAUSE of the rest of the population. Therefore, the entire city has a part in their tzidkus!
P.S. In this manner we can also understand the Rashi about Noach.
Tzadik tamim haya bedorosav. Illu haya b'dorosav shel Avraham lo haya nechshav l'klum. Is Noach is really nothing to be impressed about?
Avraham was great in his own right; Noach was also a Tzadik, but only due to his living in his generation! If Noach would've lived in Avraham Avinu's days he might not have risen to such great heights!
Is it any wonder why Hashem, the Masterful Playwrite, placed Noach in that specific scene??
Is there any question about Hashem's infinite wisdom in placing us in our lowly generation.....??
