After Avrohom returned from Egypt as a wealthy man, he found that he and his nephew Lot were at loggerheads over Lot’s attitude to the property of others. Lot’s shepherds grazed his flocks in fields that did not belong to him. Eventually Avrohom decided to part ways with Lot.
But how does that make sense? We know that Avrohom was into Kiruv – he and Sarah brought people closer to Hashem. So why drive Lot away? It would be the opposite of Avrohom’s approach to life.
R’ Mordechai HaKohen explains.
Rashi (13;8) tells us that that Lot and Avrohom looked alike. Having those working for someone who looked like Avrohom stealing crops from others would undo the good work of Avrohom. It would make him look like a hypocrite. Avrohom had no choice but to remove Lot from the picture if he was to continue in his life’s work.
Despite our best intentions in life, sometimes we need to make decisions that are painful. We may need to discipline a child, or sack an employee who is a friend, or deal harshly with others even when it is against our nature, so as to achieve long term positive results.
If we don’t, then we risk being derailed.
Avrohom realised that Lot would undermine everything he wanted to achieve. He had no choice.
