The Passuk in this week’s Parsha tells us that when Hashem was about to destroy Sedom and Amorah, Hashem said, “Shall I hide what I am about to do from Avraham?” (Bereishis 18:17) The problem with this question is that, in general, Hashem does not reveal His plans to mankind – no matter who it is. Hashem says that, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are My ways your ways.” (Isaiah 55:8) Accordingly, Hashem is not want to run his plans by a human being. That being the case, why does Hashem feel the need to consult with Avraham?
The Sforno in his commentary on this week’s Parsha explains that Hashem consulted with Avraham because, "Avraham's way was to pursue righteousness and justice." However, this pursuit was not merely about Avraham's actions, but rather was about his essential nature - his "Derech" or pathway in life. True integrity, the Sforno teaches us, isn't just about isolated moments of honesty but about establishing a consistent pattern of righteous behavior that becomes part of our very identity. When one accomplishes this, he fulfills the Mitzvah of, “And you shall walk in His (Hashem’s) way” – which Avraham fulfilled completely. Therefore, it is fair to assume that at this moment, when Hashem was about to mete out justice to Sodom and Amorah, he wanted to confer with Avraham who uniquely adopted His way of righteousness and justice.
The Netziv, in “Ha'amek Davar”, picks up on this theme in his analysis of the Possuk, “For I know him (Avraham), that he will instruct his children and his house to keep the way of Hashem.” (Bereishis 18:19). The Netziv asks, what exactly did Hashem, “know” about Avraham? He explains that Hashem knew that Avraham had developed such a deep commitment to justice and righteousness that it became his natural state of being. As we have stated above, true integrity is not just about a series of events where we act in the appropriate fashion, it is about developing our character to the point where ethical behavior becomes our natural, reflective behavior and state.
