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    Three good men – Vayyera

    Lot flees from Sodom, by the Providence Lithograph Company, 1908

    Abraham was more famous than Lot, but Lot was not without his good points (Gen. 19:1).

    When Abraham saw three men who turned out to be angelic beings (Gen. 18), he ran to greet them. Lot acted similarly. What then was the difference between Abraham and Lot?

    The Chassidic personality Rabbi Abraham Yehoshua Heschel of Apt asked this question, and this was his answer: “Lot thought they were angels: Abraham thought they were men.”

    Lot had immense respect for leaders, especially if he thought they were part of the Heavenly retinue: Abraham had immense respect for ordinary people and was certain that even though they looked ordinary and unprepossessing they were still capable of rising to angelic heights.

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