A Posuk with Rashi

When Lot decides to split from Avram, the Torah relates the following, in Chapter 13 verse 13: "Lot chose the plain of the Jordan, and he journeyed from the East, (Hebrew 'mikedem') and they parted, each from his brother."

Rashi explains that the notion of "East" is not regular. "He journeyed from near Avram (from his East) and went towards Avram's West. Consequently, he was traveling from East to West." This explanation is problematic. Why does the verse have to tell us about the "east" of his journey? After all, the end of the verse is "and they parted…."

This may be the reason that Rashi offers a second explanation, which he introduces with the words: "an aggadic medrash interprets as follows."

As I have pointed out on a number of occasions, Rashi is only concerned with pshat, the "real" meaning of the verse. In order to get to the "real" meaning, information from the medrash can be used. In this case, the medrash adds the following:

"He made himself go away from the originator of the world (Gd the Creator) This is another possibility for understanding the word 'kedem.' It might mean 'East,' but can also mean 'first' or 'earliest.' He said: I want neither Avram nor his Gd."

The word 'kedem' contains this duality. It describes direction, and that Lot wanted physical separation from Avram and what he stood for, but the separation runs deeper. The word 'kedem' is used because it implies separation from Avram's great discovery: the existence of one Gd.

Lot is a person of some significance. He is able to cut himself off from the Avram who cared for him and brought him to Canaan and good fortune, and is also able to deny the theology of Avram, which his uncle was committed to bequeath to the world. Lot is not simply a bad person in himself, but he went to Yeshiva (so to speak), and gave it all up for the pleasures of this world.

This point is emphasized by Rashi in Verse 13: "Now the people of Sodom were wicked and sinful to Hashem, exceedingly so". According to Rashi: "Despite this, Lot did not refrain from living among them." Lot chose to exercise his free will by joining with the people of Sodom, whose character was well known.

His wickedness has a sinister side to it. In Verse 9, Avram says: "Please separate from me; if to the left then I will go to the right; and if to the right then I will go to the left." Rashi says that Avram was telling Lot an important principle. "Wherever you may dwell, I will not distance myself from you, but I will stand as a protector and helper. At the end, Lot needed Avram's protection, as it says: "And Avram heard his brother was taken captive," (14:14).

In spite of the difficulty, Avram offers Lot his protection and eventually had to use his might to save Lot. Avram is suggesting disengagement, but does not think that they should separate with finality. Avram will remain nearby, ready to help and protect. Right and left does not mean an end to the relationship, just a means to carry on.

This offer presented a problem for Lot, who apparently wanted to separate himself completely from Avram and chose to do it by moving to the vicinity of Sodom. Lot knew that Avram would never agree to live in the vicinity of the Sodomites; by moving there Lot thought that he had ended the relationship for all time. Right and left don't have any meaning if you move to the Sodom territory. Lot rejected Avram's offer in a way that would guarantee the end of the relationship.

But in spite of the position Lot adopted, Avram was able, at a later date, to come to Lot's help and treat him as a brother.

Gut Shabbos.