A fascinating explanation as to why Avraham Avinu saved Lot from the Four Kings!
From the teachings of Maran Rebbeinu Ovadia Yosef ztvk”l(translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds United Kingdom)
Avraham Avinu a”h gave himself to sanctify Hashem. During the time in which Avraham was born, there was a great king called Nimrod, he was the ruler and he rebelled against HaKadosh Baruch Hu. He ordered everyone to serve the sun the moon, the stars and various idols. But he forbade the worship of HaKadosh Baruch Hu. As it states, “He was a mighty trapper before Hashem” (Bereishit 10:9).
Avraham’s father Terach was a minister in Nimrod’s government and had a son born to him called Avraham. When he was very tender in years, Avraham Avinu began to reflect, to investigate and explore how the world functions? Behold he sees the sun setting and the moon shining. Afterwards the moon sets and the sun rises. The whole world is functioning, how is such a thing possible? There must be someone who leads all this incredible order. Even when a person sees a spinning wheel, they understand that someone turns the wheel. All the more so this planet, the whole planet spins, for sure there must be someone who leads this! Until Avraham Avinu understood that HaKadosh Baruch Hu runs the world. Avraham Avinu was 3 years old when he recognised HaKadosh Baruch Hu and began to serve HaKadosh Baruch Hu with assistance and help from Hashem.
At that time, Avraham Avinu would observe his father, Terach, and consider his actions. For his livelihood Terach had an “Idol Shop” with a range of idol worship. On day, Terach had to travel out of town, so he called his son Avram. He said to him, “Avram, my son! Sit in my place in the shop and see that every idol has a price, one for $100, one for $20, each one has its price written on it, sit in the shop and you’ll sell!”
Avram sat in his father’s store and a woman entered. She said to him, “I have no money, I cannot afford to buy an idol, but I brought “a poor person’s offering”, a meal offering of flour, a bowl full of flour, and I request that you offer the meal offering to one of the idols.” Avram responded to her, “Put the dish down here,” and the woman left. What did Avram do? He took a hammer and went between the idols and hit and smashed them all, their hands and feet, until he reached the largest idol and he placed the dish in front of it. He also placed the hammer before it. He climbed up and placed a spoon in the idol’s hand, tying it that it won’t fall, and he left.
After some time, Terach arrived and behold his world darkened, all the idols in his store were smashed! This one’s nose was broken, this one’s mouth, this one’s feet. What is this? What have you done? He asked Avram. Avram replied, “Father, What have I done? I haven’t done anything! A woman came brining a bowl of flour and all of the idols began arguing amongst themselves who will eat the flour. The largest idol saw this, he became very angry. He took a hammer, which is currently by him, he smashed them all because he alone wanted to eat! What could I have done?”
Terach retorted, “Avram! Are you serious? You are telling me these stories? I know that all these idols are made from wood and stone! Are they able to do anything?” Avram replied to him, “If so father, why do you trick people to worship idols? To what end? You yourself have stated that they are mere wood and stone and are worthless! Terach said to him, “If so, You did this!” He grabbed Avram and personally delivered him to King Nimrod, that he deal with him.
Nimrod began arguing with Avram. Avram said to him, “I only worship HaKadosh Baruch Hu!” They continued to argue and Nimrod and his claims were rejected. He couldn’t respond to Avram! He ordered his servants to light a huge fire pit and that they take Avram and throw him into the fire!
But praised be the Name of HaKadosh Baruch Hu! He descended from the upper heavens, he came down and grabbed Avram’s hand and pulled him out of the fire pit! As it states, “I am Hashem who took you out of Ur Casdim to give you this land as a possession” (ibid. 15:1).
Avram had a brother called Haran, The people asked Haran, “Who are you with? With Nimrod or with Avram?” He replied to them, “At this moment I don’t quite know, if Avram will win, I am with Avram, and if Nimrod will win, I am with Nimrod.” After Avram won, Haran said, “I too am with Avram!” Immediately they grabbed him and threw him in the fire pit and no miracle occurred for him and he was burnt alive. This is because initially he was doubtful whether or not to side with Avram. However, his son Lot survived.
Avraham Avinu saw him and had pity on him, he had mercy on him, he was an orphan and he began to care for him and to bring him up, as it states, “Lot, who accompanied Avram, also had sheep, cattle, and tents” (ibid. 13:5). From where did he obtain all this wealth? Because when Paro sent Avram away, after he had wanted to take Sarah, Paro gave gifts to Avram and Avram said that Lot was his nephew, therefore he was also given gifts, and through that he became wealthy. Avram had sheep and cattle, and Lot had sheep and cattle, and they would travel together. However, Lot’s shepherds were wicked and they would send their sheep and cattle into other people’s fields to eat their produce, which entailed the prohibition of theft. In contrast, Avram’s shepherds were righteous. They would muzzle their sheep when they ventured into other people’s fields, so that they wouldn’t graze there and they would take them to places where they were permitted to eat. When Avram’s shepherds witnessed Lot’s shepherds’ behaviour they began to caution them that they were transgressing the prohibition of theft. Yet there weren’t bothered and so a fight broke out amongst them.
At the end Avraham Avinu came and said to Lot, “Let’s not have friction between me and you, and between my herdsmen and yours. After all we are brothers” (ibid. 13:8). Rashi explains “we are all brothers” that Avraham and Lot looked alike, like two drops of water, therefore they were considered like brothers. Avraham considered that people saw that Lot was feeding his animals stolen food and they erroneously thought that it was Avraham himself, as they were so similar. Therefore Avraham sought to separate himself from Lot so that people won’t think that Lot is Avraham. Indeed they separated, Avraham lived in the land of Canaan and Lot went nearby to the city of S’dom.
All the while that Lot was in Avraham’s company HaKadosh Baruch Hu didn’t want to speak with him, because Lot was in his atmosphere, “woe to the wicked woe to their neighbour” [see Sukkah 56b]. But when Lot separated from Avraham, “After Lot left him, Hashem said to Avraham” (ibid. 13:14), immediately Hashem returned to speak with him. From here we may deduce that Lot was wicked. Likewise it states, “He headed eastward” (ibid. 13:11), he travelled from the One who is east (i.e. preceded) the world. He said, “It is impossible neither with Avram or his G-d”! (Rashi ad loc.) He denied Hashem.
Then there was a war. A war which was considered a world war at that time. Four kings waged war against another five kings. One of the kings that fought was the king of S’dom. Next to S’dom is where Lot lived. These four kings came and at their head was the wicked Nimrod and behold they saw “Mister Lot”, they kidnapped him together with all his possessions as captives.
“When Avram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he armed his 318 fighting men who had been borne in his house” (ibid. 14:14). Avraham heard that they captured his nephew, Lot, immediately he took 318 people and went out with them to battle. Visualise for a moment, four kings, each one with thousands of soldiers, all seasoned fighters who came to fight. Why did Avraham go out against them with a mere 318 people? How did Avraham think that he had any chance of winning? How did Avraham justify endangering himself and his men in battle in order to save the wicked Lot?
“He divided [his forces] against them [and attacked] that night - he and his servants. He attacked…” (ibid. 14:15), Avraham made no calculations, he got up, fought and defeated the kings! “He divided [his forces] against them [and attacked] that night”, all of the first half of the night Avraham went out to fight, until midnight. But no more than that, after midnight he no longer continued to fight them. Why? Because this is what Hashem said to him, that the second half of the night he will reserve for HaKadosh Baruch Hu, that during the half of the night He is destined to smite every first-born in the land of Egypt, as it states, “It was midnight. Hashem killed every first-born in Egypt,” (Shemot 12:29), half of the night for Me and half of the night for you.
There was a great miracle. What was the miracle? “[Who] made [his enemies] like dust [before] his sword; like straw blown about [before] his bow” (Yeshayahu 41:2), as we shall read in the Haphtarah. All of the kings’ soldiers were armed, they had swords and arrows but Avraham Avinu how do weapons. What did he do? Hashem told him to take earth in his hands and through it at them. Avraham and his men would throw earth at them and the earth transformed into swords. They would take straw in their hands and throw it, and the straw turned into arrows, they entered their enemies and killed them.
So it was! What miracles and wonders Hashem did for Avraham Avinu a”h! However our question still remains, why did he endanger himself to this extent to save “Mister Lot”? We have a principle from chazal that it is forbidden to rely on a miracle [see Pesachim 8b], if so, why did Avraham rely on the miracle and go out to battle?
This may be understood as follows. “When Avram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive” (Bereishit 14:14), Rashi explains, why is he called his brother? Because they were totally alike in their facial appearance. Anyone who saw Lot thought it was Avraham. The wicked Nimrod observed this, as he wanted to kill Avraham. He remembered how he had thrown Avraham into the fire pit and that Avraham emerged alive. They all admitted to HaKadosh Baruch Hu and Nimrod’s status diminished to the extent that his reputation was worth nothing. Nimrod said, now I will take Lot and throw him into the fire. In those days there was no “television” in the world, I will publicise to everyone that I killed Avraham. Who will deny me? They will all say that this is Avraham! They will say that I burnt him and then my reputation will be restored to its former glory. They will say, indeed in the first bout round Nimrod lost but in the second bout Nimrod won!
Avraham Avinu knew this and said, if so, this is a desecration of Hashem! They will say that Nimrod defeated Avraham. Therefore immediately, “he armed his 318 fighting men”, taking his men to battle! Hashem Yitbarach knew Avraham’s thoughts, therefore He performed for him miracles and wonders, “[Who] made [his enemies] like dust [before] his sword”, and all the nations who understand the language of power, witnessed how Avraham headed out with the four kings and defeated them. This was an inconceivable thing, unnatural! And so there was a sanctification of Hashem’s Name in the world.
We learn from Avraham Avinu a”h that he put his life in his hand with devotion, even though he knew that the chance of victory was slim. So how did he go out? Alone with his mere 318 yeshivah students? He engaged with the nations’ armies. Yet despite this he went ahead and Hashem Yitbarach helped him!
Therefore on his return from the battle, Malki Tzedek the king of Shalem went out to greet him, “He blessed [Avram] and said, ‘Blessed be Avram to Hashem Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed is Hashem Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand” (ibid. 14:19).
Anyone who follows Avraham Avinu’s path is assured of HaKadosh Baruch Hu’s kindness! Therefore, we open our prayers in the first berachah of the Amidah by saying “Shield of Avraham”. We mention Avraham Avinu’s merit that he put his life in his hand with devotion! Therefore, may HaKadosh Baruch Hu send us a complete redemption, may we merit to witness our holy ancestors with the resurrection of the dead, may we celebrate and rejoice in His salvation!
Shabbat Shalom!
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