Pt1 The Tower of Babel and the Sins of Sodom: Rebellion, Idolatry, Wealth, and Injustice in Genesis 11-13 (Sanhedrin 109a)

Series, on the occasion of this week’s parsha reading (Vayera), which includes the biblical narrative discussed in this Talmud passage. This is the first part of a two-part series; the outline of the series is below.¹

This aggadic sugya in Perek Chelek in tractate Sanhedrin examines two biblical communities condemned for their collective wrongdoing: the Generation of the Dispersion (דור הפלגה), associated with the Tower of Babel, and the inhabitants of Sodom. Both appear in the Mishnah’s list of groups excluded from the World-to-Come. The Talmud investigates the nature of their sins, the reasons for their punishment, and the biblical evidence supporting these judgments.

The discussion draws primarily on Genesis 11, concerning the Tower of Babel, and Genesis 13 and 19, concerning Sodom. It also makes extensive use of other biblical passages, particularly Job, Psalms, Exodus, and Deuteronomy. Through scriptural interpretation, the rabbis develop accounts of the two societies’ behavior that go considerably beyond the information explicitly supplied by Genesis.

1. The Generation of the Dispersion and the Tower of Babel

The first part begins with the Mishnah’s declaration that the Generation of the Dispersion has no share in the World-to-Come. The Talmud asks what these people actually did to deserve such a severe punishment. Genesis 11:1–9 describes humanity’s construction of a city and tower, God’s intervention to confuse their language, and their subsequent dispersion across the earth. However, the narrative does not explicitly identify their precise offense.

The school of R’ Sheila proposes that the builders intended to ascend to heaven and strike the sky with axes, causing its waters to flow down. This explanation imagines the tower as a means of physically accessing and manipulating the heavens. The rabbis of Eretz Yisrael ridicule this interpretation on geographical grounds: if the builders wanted to reach heaven, they should have constructed their tower on a mountain rather than in the Mesopotamian valley described in Genesis 11:2.

R’ Yirmeya bar Elazar offers a more elaborate account, dividing the builders into three factions, each with a distinct objective and punishment. The first faction wished to ascend to heaven and establish its residence there. Its members were punished by being dispersed across the earth. The second intended to ascend and wage war. Its members were transformed into apes, spirits, demons, and liliths (a category of female demons). The third faction intended to ascend for the purpose of idol worship. Its punishment was the confusion of human language, as described in Genesis 11:9.

R’ Natan disagrees with the division of motives, maintaining that all three factions intended to engage in idolatry. His interpretation rests on a verbal analogy between two biblical passages. Genesis 11:4 records the builders’ declaration, “Let us make a name for ourselves.” Exodus 23:13 prohibits mentioning the “name” of other gods. Since the latter passage concerns idolatry, R’ Natan interprets the reference to making a “name” in Genesis as similarly referring to idol worship.

The discussion then turns from the builders’ intentions to the physical fate of the tower and its surroundings. According to R’ Yoḥanan, one-third of the tower was burned, one-third was swallowed by the earth, and one-third remained standing. This tradition presents the tower as a structure whose destruction was incomplete, leaving visible ruins.

Rav adds that the atmosphere surrounding the tower causes forgetfulness, specifically the loss of previously acquired learning. Rav Yosef extends this association to Babylonia and nearby Borsippa, describing both places as unfavorable for Torah study. Finally, R’ Asi interprets the name Borsippa (בורסיף) as a contraction of bor shafi, meaning “empty pit.”

These statements connect the biblical story of linguistic confusion with the later theme of intellectual forgetfulness. They also locate the effects of the ancient event within the geography of Babylonia.

2. The Sins and Punishment of Sodom

The second part addresses the Mishnah’s declaration that the people of Sodom likewise have no share in the World-to-Come. A baraita derives this punishment from Genesis 13:13, which describes the inhabitants of Sodom as “wicked and sinners before YHWH exceedingly.” It interprets “wicked” as referring to punishment in this world and “sinners” as referring to punishment in the World-to-Come.

The Talmud then analyzes the individual words of this verse to identify the specific categories of wrongdoing attributed to Sodom. Rav Yehuda interprets “wicked” as referring to bodily sins and “sinners” as referring to financial wrongdoing. He supports these readings with Genesis 39:9, where Joseph describes adultery with Potiphar’s wife as a great wickedness, and Deuteronomy 15:9, where refusing assistance to the poor is described as a sin. He further interprets “before YHWH” as referring to blasphemy and “exceedingly” as indicating deliberate wrongdoing.

A baraita presents an alternative arrangement. It reverses the first two interpretations, associating “wicked” with financial offenses and “sinners” with bodily offenses. It agrees that “before YHWH” refers to blasphemy but interprets “exceedingly” as referring specifically to murder, based on the description of King Manasseh’s extensive bloodshed in II Kings 21:16.

Both interpretations portray Sodom’s wickedness as encompassing multiple categories of offenses, including sexual or bodily misconduct, economic wrongdoing, and offenses against God. The disagreement concerns how the individual words of Genesis 13:13 correspond to these categories.

The discussion next develops an explanation for the origins of Sodom’s wrongdoing. A baraita states that the inhabitants became arrogant because of the extraordinary prosperity God had bestowed upon them. Their land produced abundant food and possessed valuable natural resources, including precious stones and gold. The Talmud describes this prosperity through an interpretation of Job 28:5–8, a passage depicting the earth’s hidden mineral wealth.

The inhabitants of Sodom consequently regarded outsiders as an economic burden. Since their land already supplied everything they needed, they saw no reason to accommodate travelers who might consume their resources. They therefore resolved to eliminate the practice of hospitality toward travelers from their territory. The Talmud connects this policy with Job 28:4, interpreting its description of a place forgotten by pedestrians as an allusion to Sodom’s exclusion of outsiders.

The sugya then supplies concrete examples of the Sodomites’ criminal behavior, particularly their systematic exploitation of wealthy individuals. Rava describes a practice in which the inhabitants targeted property owners, seated them beside unstable walls, and deliberately collapsed the walls upon them. After killing their victims, they appropriated their possessions. This account is derived from Psalms 62:4, which refers to attacking a person like a leaning wall or tottering fence.

Rava describes another method involving fragrant balsam. The Sodomites would deposit balsam with a wealthy individual, who would place it in his treasury. At night, the thieves would follow the distinctive scent to locate the hidden valuables, break into the building, and steal them.

This account combines Job 24:16, describing burglars digging through houses in darkness, with Psalms 59:7, which compares prowling figures to dogs roaming a city at night.

The sugya concludes with additional citations from Job describing the mistreatment of vulnerable individuals and violations of property rights. These include depriving people of clothing, seizing an orphan’s donkey, taking a widow’s ox as collateral, moving boundary markers, stealing livestock, and conduct associated with burial.

The Talmud applies these biblical descriptions to Sodom, expanding its characterization from a society hostile to travelers into one marked by theft, murder, exploitation of the vulnerable, and disregard for basic social obligations.

Outline

Intro

The Passage

Part 1 - The Generation of the Dispersion and the Tower of Babel

1. Mishnah - The Generation of the Dispersion (Tower of Babel) has no share in the World-to-Come

2. R’ Sheila’s School - The builders of the Generation of the Dispersion (Tower of Babel) intended to ascend to heaven (via the tower) and strike the sky with axes to release its waters

3. Rabbis of Eretz Yisrael - Reject the preceding explanation: If their goal was to reach heaven, they should have built the tower on a mountain (rather than in the Mesopotamian valley) - Genesis 11:2

4. R’ Yirmeya bar Elazar - The builders divided into three factions: (1) Those wishing to reside in heaven were dispersed; (2) those wishing to wage war became apes, spirits, demons, and liliths; (3) those wishing to worship idols had their language confused - Genesis 11:9

5. R’ Natan - All three factions intended idolatry

   1. Prooftext - The word “name” in the Babel narrative is interpreted as referring to idolatry, based on its use elsewhere - Genesis 11:4; Exodus 23:13

6. R’ Yoḥanan - One-third of the tower was burned, one-third swallowed by the earth, and one-third remained standing

7. Rav - The atmosphere surrounding the ruins of the Tower of Babel causes people to forget their learning

8. Rav Yosef - Babylonia and Borsippa are unfavorable places for Torah study (because they cause forgetfulness)

9. R’ Asi - The name ‘Bursif’ (=Borsippa) means “empty pit” (bor shafi)

Part 2 - The Sins and Punishment of Sodom

1. Mishnah - The people of Sodom have no share in the World-to-Come

2. Baraita - The description of Sodom’s inhabitants as “wicked and sinners” indicates punishment in both this world and the World-to-Come - Genesis 13:13

3. Rav Yehuda - Interprets Sodom’s sins: “wicked” refers to bodily sins; “sinners” to financial sins; “before YHWH” to blasphemy; and “exceedingly” to deliberate wrongdoing - Genesis 13:13, 39:9; Deuteronomy 15:9

4. Baraita - Reverses Rav Yehuda’s first two interpretations: “wicked” refers to financial sins and “sinners” to bodily sins; “Before YHWH” indicates blasphemy, while “exceedingly” indicates murder - Genesis 13:13, 39:9; Deuteronomy 15:9; II Kings 21:16

5. Baraita - Sodom’s prosperity and natural wealth led its inhabitants to arrogance and sin

   1. Prooftext - Job 28:5–8

6. Because their land supplied abundant food and wealth, Sodom’s inhabitants regarded travelers as economic burdens, and resolved to eliminate hospitality toward outsiders

   1. Prooftext - Job 28:4–5

7. .Rava - Sodom’s inhabitants targeted wealthy individuals by seating them beside unstable walls, collapsing the walls upon them, and stealing their property - Psalms 62:4

8. Rava - The Sodomites deposited fragrant balsam with wealthy individuals, followed its scent at night to locate their treasuries, and broke in to steal their possessions - Job 24:16; Psalms 59:7

9. Additional biblical descriptions of Sodom’s practices, including deprivation of clothing, exploitation of orphans and widows, theft of livestock, and mistreatment associated with burial - Job 24:2-7, 21:32

The Passage

Sanhedrin/109a#4 thru #15

Part 1 - The Generation of the Dispersion and the Tower of Babel

Mishnah - The Generation of the Dispersion (Tower of Babel) has no share in the World-to-Come

דור הפלגה אין להם חלק לעולם הבא וכו׳.

מאי עבוד?

§ The Mishnah teaches that the members of the Generation of the Dispersion have no share in the World-to-Come.

The Talmud asks: What sin did they perform?

Their sin is not explicitly delineated in the Torah.

R’ Sheila’s School - The builders of the Generation of the Dispersion (Tower of Babel) intended to ascend to heaven (via the tower) and strike the sky with axes to release its waters

אמרי דבי רבי שילא:

נבנה מגדל

ונעלה לרקיע,

ונכה אותו בקרדומות

כדי שיזובו מימיו.

The school of R’ Sheila say that

the builders of the Tower of Babel said:

We will build a tower

and ascend to heaven,

and we will strike it with axes (קרדומות)

so that its waters will flow (יזובו)

Rabbis of Eretz Yisrael - Reject the preceding explanation: If their goal was to reach heaven, they should have built the tower on a mountain (rather than in the Mesopotamian valley) - Genesis 11:2

מחכו עלה במערבא:

אם כן,

ליבנו אחד טורא!

They laughed at this explanation in the West, Eretz Yisrael, and asked:

If that was their objective,

let them build a tower on a mountain;

why did they build it specifically in a valley (see Genesis 11:2)?

R’ Yirmeya bar Elazar - The builders divided into three factions: (1) Those wishing to reside in heaven were dispersed; (2) those wishing to wage war became apes, spirits, demons, and liliths; (3) those wishing to worship idols had their language confused - Genesis 11:9

(אלא) אמר רבי ירמיה בר אלעזר:

נחלקו לשלש כיתות:

1. אחת אומרת:

   1. נעלה ונשב שם,

2. ואחת אומרת:

   1. נעלה ונעבוד עבודה זרה,

3. ואחת אומרת:

   1. נעלה ונעשה מלחמה.

Rather, R’ Yirmeya bar Elazar says:

They divided into 3 factions (כיתות):

1. one said:

   1. Let us ascend to the top of the tower and reside there.

2. And one said:

   1. Let us ascend to the top of the tower and engage in idol worship.

3. And one said:

   1. Let us ascend to the top of the tower and wage war.

1. זו שאומרת נעלה ונשב שם ⁠–

   1. ״הפיצם ה׳״,

2. וזו שאומרת נעלה ונעשה מלחמה ⁠–

   1. נעשו

      1. קופים

      2. ורוחות

      3. ושידים

      4. ולילין,

3. וזו שאומרת נעלה ונעבוד עבודה זרה ⁠–

   1. ״כי שם בלל ה׳ שפת כל הארץ״.

1. With regard to that faction that said: Let us ascend to the top of the tower and reside there,

   1. God dispersed them.

2. And that faction that said: Let us ascend to the top of the tower and wage war,

   1. became

      1. apes,

      2. and spirits,

      3. and demons,

      4. and female demons²

3. And with regard to that faction that said: Let us ascend to the top of the tower and engage in idol worship,

   1. it is written: “Because there YHWH confounded the language of all the earth” (Genesis 11:9).

R’ Natan - All three factions intended idolatry

תניא,

רבי נתן אומר:

כולם לשם עבודה זרה נתכוונו.

It is taught in a baraita:

R’ Natan says:

All of those factions intended to build the tower for the sake of idol worship.

Prooftext - The word “name” in the Babel narrative is interpreted as referring to idolatry, based on its use elsewhere - Genesis 11:4; Exodus 23:13

• כתיב הכא:

  • ״נעשה לנו שם״,

• וכתיב התם:

  • ״ושם אלהים אחרים לא תזכירו״.

• מה להלן

  • עבודה זרה,

• אף כאן

  • עבודה זרה.

• It is written here:

  • “And let us make a name for us” (Genesis 11:4),

• and it is written there:

  • “And make no mention of the name of the other gods” (Exodus 23:13).

• Just as there,

  • the connotation of “name” is idol worship,

• so too here,

  • the connotation of “name” is idol worship.

R’ Yoḥanan - One-third of the tower was burned, one-third swallowed by the earth, and one-third remained standing

אמר רבי יוחנן:

מגדל —

1. שליש נשרף,

2. שליש נבלע,

3. שליש קיים.

R’ Yoḥanan says:

the tower —

1. The uppermost 1/3rd of the tower was burned,

2. the lowermost 1/3rd of the tower was swallowed into the earth,

3. and the middle 1/3rd remained intact³

Rav - The atmosphere surrounding the ruins of the Tower of Babel causes people to forget their learning

אמר רב:

אויר מגדל משכח.

Rav says:

The atmosphere⁴ of the tower causes forgetfulness⁵

Rav Yosef - Babylonia and Borsippa are unfavorable places for Torah study (because they cause forgetfulness)

אמר רב יוסף:

בבל ובורסיף --

סימן רע לתורה.

Rav Yosef says:

Babylonia and the adjacent place, Bursif (=Borsippa)--

are each a bad omen for Torah,

i.e., they cause one to forget his knowledge.

R’ Asi - The name ‘Bursif’ (=Borsippa) means “empty pit” (bor shafi)

מאי בורסיף?

אמר רבי אסי:

בור שאפי.

The Talmud asks: What is the meaning of Bursif?

R’ Asi says:

It is an abbreviation of empty pit [bor shafi].

1. For the previous aggadic sugya, see my recent re-post; for the sugya after, see my previous series, which I plan to repost later this week.

2. לילין - liliths

3. Presumably referring to known ruins. Possibly the ruins of the famous ziggurat of Bablyon. See Wikipedia, “Tower of Babel“, section “Possible origins“, sub-section “Etemenanki“:

Etemenanki (Sumerian: “temple of the foundation of heaven and earth”) was the name of a ziggurat dedicated to Marduk in the city of Babylon. It was famously rebuilt by the 6th-century BCE Neo-Babylonian rulers Nabopolassar and Nebuchadnezzar II, but had fallen into disrepair by the time of Alexander the Great’s conquests. He managed to move the tiles of the tower to another location, but his death stopped the reconstruction, and it was demolished during the reign of his successor Antiochus Soter. Greek historian Herodotus (c. 484 – c. 425 BCE) wrote an account of the ziggurat in his Histories, which he called the “Temple of Zeus Belus”.

According to modern scholars, the biblical story of the Tower of Babel was likely influenced by Etemenanki. Stephen L. Harris proposed this occurred during the Babylonian captivity.

Isaac Asimov speculated that the authors of Genesis 11:1–9 were inspired by the existence of an apparently incomplete ziggurat at Babylon, and by the phonological similarity between Babylonian Bab-ilu, meaning “gate of God”, and the Hebrew word balal, meaning “mixed”, “confused”, or “confounded”.

Other proposals in the past have been the ziggurats of Borsippa, Dur-Kurigazlu, Dur-Sharrukin, or the Tower of Esagil which has a mythological counterpart in the Enuma Elish that shares literary parallels with the Tower of Babel narrative. Thus, the story possibly serves as a polemic against Neo-Babylonian temple dedication practices to Marduk.

4. אויר

Literally: “air” (from Greek).

5. Steinsaltz:

anyone who goes there forgets what he has learned.

As a result of the building of the Tower of Babel, forgetting was introduced into the world.