In this week's Parsha, three days after Abraham's circumcision he is greeted by three angels disguised as guests. One of the three guests announces that in one year, Sarah will give birth to a son. Later, Abraham pleads with G-d to spare the wicked city of Sodom. Two of the three guests arrive in the city, where Abraham’s nephew Lot extends his hospitality to them and vows to protect them from the evil intentions of the Sodomites. The two angels then reveal that they have come to save Lot and his family. 

Firstly, it is important to address the transition in this week's Parsha: in the beginning, we are in Avraham’s home where we see his kindness; however, by the end, we are in Sodom, a city in which kindness and charity were unheard of - a city of wickedness. 

How does the Torah make the transition from a place of kindness and charity to a place of pure evil? As said, the Parsha tells us the story of three angels who visited Avraham. Each had a mission, Rashi tells us, “one to announce to Sarah the birth of a son, one to overthrow Sodom, and one to cure Abraham.” This leads to a question: why did the angel who was sent to destroy Sodom make a stop at Avraham’s home? Two angels could have gone to Avraham’s home, one to heal Avraham and the other to inform Sarah of the good news. The third could have gone directly to Sodom and waited there for the others. Why make a stop at Avraham’s tent? There are two answers to this question.

One: so Abraham can speak out for the Sodomites and pray for them. Maybe they have some merits or righteous people amongst them and for that they should not be destroyed. From that we can learn to always make an effort to look at the positives together with the negatives when we make a judgment.

Two: it is easy to criticise others; it is easy to talk about others' weak morals and unethical behaviour - just as it is easy to destroy Sodom. But Hashem made sure the angels first visited Avraham. He wanted them to see what kindness really means and then, and only then, could they bring real punishment in Sodom. Because without studying the good, we cannot understand the real flaws of the bad. We might have thought that the ways of Sodom are acceptable or at least can be tolerated. Without watching Abraham show true kindness, we should not watch the inhabitants of Sodom get their due. 

Because without studying the good, we cannot understand the real flaws of the bad.

In our own lives before criticizing others we must first understand the flaws within ourselves and work on bettering ourselves. Once we do this we can spread our own kindness: rather than assuming the worst and acting out of a place of evil, we could spread our kindness for the benefit of everyone.

Shabbat Shalom. 

Mia, Grade 12