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Don't be like Lot - ask for help!

By Michael R.

Friday, 11 November 2016

“So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed from east. Thus they parted from each other."
When Lot departs to his own way, the Torah says that he traveled from Beth El to the plain of the Jordan, from the east to the west (westward). (That's the way most of the commentaries understand this passage.) That's very strange, knowing that the plain of the Jordan is geographically located in the east of Beth El, so Lot traveled eastward, not westward?! Divrei Dovid answers that Lot feared and felt shame that Abraham discovers he is going to a place known for its immorality, so he started travelling westward, and only when he was far away he turned back and traveled eastward using another route.
Lot knew that Sodom isn't a good place. Even though he knew that it was a place of corruption and immorality, he choose to live there. Apparently he had a consciousness crisis, an inner voice telling him that this was wrong and worthless. In such a time, he only was expected to do one thing: letting Abraham know about his struggle, about the tremendous inner battle he was going through, and maybe Abraham would be able to save him, to help him get rid of that. But what did he do? He chose hiding himself, living behind a big lie. And what were the consequences? He destroyed his life, killing his potential by living a life of appearance and mediocrity. Not only that, but he also destroyed his family. His married children didn't want to leave Sodom, his another daughters got him drunk and had children with their own father and his wife turned into a salt statue...
When we know we can't stand against our desires alone, we must seek help. Let us not think that it will be all good and that we are going to win this battle. That's what we said till now, and it's needless to say where we are now... Let's not be like Lot. Let's seek help before we reach the lower levels, G-d forbid...