Parshat Lech Lecha
Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer

After Avrohom Avinu rescues Lot and the king and populace of S'dom from the four rebellious kings, the king of S'dom offers Avrohom gifts. Avrohom thereupon refuses, stating that he does not want the king to later claim that he was responsible for enriching Avrohom. This incident stands in stark contrast to Avrohom's encounters with Pharaoh and Avimelech, in which these leaders abducted Sarah, were punished by God for their actions, and later bestowed gifts upon Avrohom at his departure. Why did Avrohom accept gifts from Pharaoh and Avimelech and refuse gifts from the king of S'dom?

It is noteworthy that when the Torah records Lot's settlement in S'dom before the battle with the kings, it comments that the inhabitants of S'dom were exceedingly wicked. Although Hashem did not punish S'dom until some time later, the city was already notorious for its evil.

One can thus understand why Avrohom could not accept the gifts from the king of S'dom. As contrasted with the gifts from Pharaoh and Avimelech, which were part of a compensation for damages or teshuva process, the king of S'dom had no regrets for his city's actions and reputation at the time that he offered Avrohom gifts. For Avrohom to accept such gifts would have painted a picture of partnership and camaraderie with the king, which was untenable. Although Avrohom helped S'dom in the name of chesed, he had to be extremely careful not to give an impression of endorsement for what S'dom represented.

The above incident was typical of the chesed activities of Avrohom. Rather than lowering himself to the level of those he assisted, Avrohom viewed his actions as in the service of God, and any entanglement or association which created an impression of approval of sin had to be avoided. (This is in contrast to Lot's approach; see next week's d'var Torah.)

We often find ourselves in situations in which we interact with those whose views or lifestyles are downright wrong. We must follow Avrohom's example of interaction under the direction of Torah by accomplishing our goals and helping those in need, while at the same time not endorsing or approving that which is antithetical to Torah.

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