Author: Shlomo Bar-Ayal

Before the Torah mentions the death of Sarah, we read of the birth of Rebecca. This is to teach us that there is always the next generation and that our duty is to train them to take over leadership of our people.

We learn that Abraham’s major trait was compassion. This was a major reason that God chose him to be the father of the Jewish people. But sometimes compassion can be carried too far, as in the case of Abraham trying to save Sodom.

Lot’s daughters took drastic measures because they thought the world was destroyed. Later they found out that they were wrong in their actions. Instead of acknowledging that they were wrong they choose to blame others.

Lot’s daughters despaired that they were the only ones left in the world. They got their father drunk to have him sire children with them. After they learned that this was wrong, they blamed Abraham for their misfortune. Not themselves.

When the two angels inform Lot that Sodom will be destroyed and he has to leave, he refuses to go even though he knows that Sodom is an evil place. He is so much into his wealth he does not see the obvious.

Abraham tries to save Sodom & Gomorrah but to no avail. Their society was too evil. The lesson is that when we see an evil society we have to take appropriate action after we tried to reason with them.

Abraham is recovering from his Brit Milah at the beginning of this week’s portion. Gid sends him guests because He know that, for Abraham, it was more painful not to have guests.

The Torah does not discuss what Abraham looks like. It describes his character. This is in keeping with the idea, that for the Torah all that really matters is how we behave and how we treat each other.

Abraham goes to war to save Lot, who was kidnapped. After the war he is offered some of the booty of the war. He declines since the reason he fought was to save his nephew. This is why we fight. We do not fight for land or money but because it is the last option.

Abraham realizes that he and Lot have different agendas. Lot is into himself while Abraham wants to affect the world through his actions. Lot chooses Sodom while Abraham does not. This is to teach us that all our actions will affect society.