Avraham's Journey From darkness to Light

Based upon his astute observation of one seemingly extra word in a pasuk of our parasha, the Bat Ayin teaches us about the unique ability of tzaddikim with perfect awe of Hashem, such as Avraham Avinu, to draw inspiration in order to enthusiastically serve Hashem from the enthusiasm with which others seek the pleasures of this world. The generation of such enthusiasm to serve Hashem is referred to as "transforming the darkness into light," which was one of Avraham's great accomplishments.

בַּפָּסוּק וַיִּסַּע מִשָּׁם אַבְרָהָם אַרְצָה הַנֶּגֶב וַיֵּשֶׁב בֵּין קָדֵשׁ וּבֵין שׁוּר וַיָּגָר בִּגְרָר וְגוֹ'. (בראשית כ:א)

In the pasuk "And he [Avram] traveled from there to the south of the land and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur." (Beraishit 20:1)

The significance of the word "from there"

וְלִכְאוֹרָה תֵּיבַת 'מִשָּׁם' מְיוּתָּר.

The word "from there" is seemingly superfluous since the pasuk could have simply said, "And he traveled to the south of the land" without mentioning that he traveled "from there." What lesson is this unnecessary word coming to teach us?

וְרַשִּׁ"י פֵּירֵשׁ מִשָּׁם מִלּוֹט, לְהִתְרַחֵק מֵעִמּוֹ שֶׁיָּצָא עָלָיו שֵׁם רַע שֶׁבָּא עַל וְכוּ',

Rashi explained that the word "from there" means to tell us that Avraham traveled away from Lot in order to distance himself from him since he [Lot] acquired a bad reputation.