A person who embarks on a successful idealistic mission will, almost by definition, meet with opposition, cynicism, resistance and derision. Rav Yehuda Leib Ginsburg notes that God guaranteed to visit retribution upon Avraham's adversaries, but not that he would be spared from opposition altogether.  Avraham and his descendants would have to persist on the journey through history with firm resolve and determination.

Despite the tensions that raged between the two, Avraham made a point of referring to Lot as his “brother,” his relative.  Even as he felt compelled to separate from his nephew due to the conflict that had arisen, he emphasized their kinship and the close ties that bound them to one another.

 While Shem kept his doors closed so he could concentrate on pursuing his spiritual ambitions, the doors to Avraham’s tent were always open, as he was devoted to assisting all people and to impact the world through his kindness, wisdom and influence.   

הנביא מדמה את עם ישראל ל"יונה פותה". ואכן, תופעה שכיחה היא בקרב יוני שובך שהנקבות מתפתות אחר זכרים המושכים אותן לשובכיהם.

People assigned important responsibilities are often ready to “bend the rules” and push the limits of propriety in the pursuit of their goal. God therefore commanded Avraham to be “tamim,” to remain innocent and morally impeccable.  His goal was to be pursued within the limits of integrity and dignified conduct - the rules of morals and ethics may not be broken even for the lofty sake of disseminating the belief in God.

            Parashat Lekh-Lekha tells of the prophecy of berit bein ha-betarim, which begins with God reiterating His promise to make a great nation from Avraham.  The Torah then proceeds to describe Avraham’s response to God’s promise: “He believed in the Lord, and He considered it tzedaka” (15:6).

            What does the Torah mean when it says that God looked upon Avraham’s belief as “tzedaka”?

 Just as Avraham disrupted his serenity and comfort for the sake of his nephew in captivity, so must we be prepared to forego on our own comforts when necessary to assist our brethren in need.

לפניכם קטע מתוך דף הלימוד של "מתן על הפרק" בו תמצאו שאלות מנחות והרחבות לעיון והעמקה בפרק:

By showing flexibility and minimizing demands, we stand a greater chance of establishing and maintaining stable and enjoyable relationships, and avoiding the strains of conflict and hard feelings.

Just as Avraham waived his rights to Sedom’s property in order to avoid the people’s resentment, similarly, it is occasionally preferable not to insist on receiving what one deserves, in the interest of social harmony.