THE STRANGE EPISODE OF LOT AND HIS DAUGHTERS
The story of Lot and his daughters (Gen. 19) is one of the most confounding episodes in the Torah.
After having escaped the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot and his two youngest daughters end up together in a secluded cave for safety, the only survivors of the cataclysmic devastation. Concerned that mankind would be rendered extinct if they remained childless, the two girls intoxicate their father so that they can use him to become pregnant.
Rabbi Dunner uses traditional Jewish sources to unpack this shocking story of wanton incest. How is it interpreted in the Talmud and Midrash? How was it viewed by later commentaries?
Rabbi Dunner reveals a varied and often surprising view of this seemingly sordid moment. The picture that emerges is quite unexpected, shedding light on the unique approach of rabbinic Judaism to the biblical narrative.
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