As we approach the eve of the day of giving thanks – in the USA, my mind shifts to the story of Lot’s young daughter, Plotit..
“It was announced in Sodom, “Whoever will give bread to a poor person will be burnt at the stake.”
(Sidenote a contentious issue local to us in the state of Utah in a highly performative and culturally dogmatic faith-based community norms – Sourced from: Click here for article.
Plotit, the daughter of Lot, who was married to a prominent Sodomite, once saw a poor man who was so hungry that he was unable to stand. She felt sorry for him. From then on, she made sure to pass him every day on her way to the well, and she would feed him some food that she had stashed in her water jug.
People wondered how the man managed to live. Upon investigation, they discovered her act and prepared to burn her. Before she died, she turned to G‑d and cried, “Master of the world, carry out justice on my behalf!” Her cries pierced the heavens, and at that moment G‑d said, “I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached Me.”’
It is my hope that I can be more like Plotit of old and perhaps lift more burdens than I create. As I mentioned earlier, my 6 year old in her what I am thankful “fors” shared that she was thankful to not be worried about bombs like other kids on the world.
To not want for shelter or for basic needs being fulfilled as a human each day is truly something that weighs heavy in my being as a human. I am grateful, privileged and indeed blessed. As a parent my wells of empathy have grown immensely and from there many courage events have come forward – many will never be known or understood by anyone other than me and Liz Livingston . My journey of reasonable self security is rarely easy and seemingly never finished. But thru it all, I am still grateful and hope to stay that way.
Here’s a source to the midrash and story about Plotit and the truths around S and G.
Sourced from: : Sodom and Gomorrah: Cities Destroyed by G-d By Mendy Kaminker
