When Hashem told Avraham what was going to happen to Sodom, that they were going to be destroyed, Avraham began bargaining on their behalf. “Certainly, You, O G-d, would not punish the innocent with the guilty.” Hashem agrees, and Avraham famously says, “If there are fifty righteous people, will you spare the city?” Hashem agrees, and Avraham begins to whittle down the number until he reaches ten righteous people, the number of men needed for a quorum for reading the Torah or saying Kaddish. Those were not mitzvos that took place at the time, but Avraham understood the power of the community.
He did not go lower than that, and did not appeal to Hashem’s mercy to spare these people because they didn’t realize what they were doing, or because they were ignorant of Hashem. Avraham recognized that though Hashem is the most merciful being in the Universe, sometimes mercy is not appropriate. The people of Sodom and environs made poor choices. They were selfish and cheated others. They were not building a world with chesed, but destroying it with greed.
Avraham realized they did it to themselves, and we ought to think about that too. Other religions believe G-d’s job is to forgive people unconditionally. But if that were to happen, people would never grow or know G-d. Judaism is not like that. Our actions have consequences, for good or for bad, and the choice is ours to make.
