In describing the conditions that led to the Great Flood where G-d cleansed the earth, the Torah tells us that “... the earth was corrupt before G-d, and the earth was filled with violent crime.” (6:11)
What does the Torah mean by “... corrupt before G-d”?
Ibn Ezra suggests that the people sinned publicly or that they sinned privately – depending on how one views the concept of ‘before G-d’.
The Netziv explains that the people of the pre-Flood generation sinned against G-d but only in ways that were prohibited by G-d such as immoral relationships or idol worship. They thought that as long as people weren’t harmed, then nothing really was wrong.
This idea that ‘no harm, no foul’ is prevalent in contemporary society. Behaviour is not judged by whether it is moral or immoral, right or wrong, good or bad, but whether someone Is hurt or hurt sufficiently badly. Or if the wrong people are hurt or the behaviour is justified.
Last year’s atrocities are an example – if the victims of terror are considered oppressors, colonisers, racists or occupiers then incredibly, any actions, however abhorrent, are justified in the eyes of many.
Such behaviour corrupts and warrants erasure.
