וירא

The Rescue of Lot and Yetziat Mitzrayim

Cometh the hour, cometh the man

On the eve of the destruction of Sedom two angels arrive in the city, but the purpose of their mission is not readily apparent. Rashi (18:32) notes that one came to destroy the city and the other came to save Lot.

The implication is that the rescue of Lot was part of the original plan. On the face of it, this is supported by one of the later verses:

וַיְהִי בְּשַׁחֵת אֱלֹקִים אֶת־עָרֵי הַכִּכָּר וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹקִים אֶת־אַבְרָהָם וַיְשַׁלַּח אֶת־לוֹט מִתּוֹךְ הַהֲפֵכָה בַּהֲפֹךְ אֶת־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר־יָשַׁב בָּהֵן לוֹט׃ (בראשית יט:כט)

The sense is that God remembered Avraham and therefore rescued Lot i.e. Lot escaped from the destruction of Sedom exclusively in the merit of Avraham.

On the other hand, a linear reading of the story without prior knowledge, suggests that Lot’s rescue was personally earned. It is, after all, Lot who seeks out the angels to invite them into his house and not the angels who seek out Lot. The angels initially refuse the offer and only relent after significant persuasion. One may perhaps point to minor differences in the quality of hospitality provided by Avraham, but the dedication that Lot shows to his guests is impressive by any measure.

This comes to a climax when the mob surrounds the house and demands he hand over his guests. In a bold act of defiance, he confronts the mob to hold them back:

 וַיֵּצֵא אֲלֵהֶם לוֹט הַפֶּתְחָה וְהַדֶּלֶת סָגַר אַחֲרָיו׃ וַיֹּאמַר אַל־נָא אַחַי תָּרֵעוּ׃ הִנֵּה־נָא לִי שְׁתֵּי בָנוֹת אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יָדְעוּ אִישׁ אוֹצִיאָה־נָּא אֶתְהֶן אֲלֵיכֶם וַעֲשׂוּ לָהֶן כַּטּוֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶם רַק לָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵל אַל־תַּעֲשׂוּ דָבָר כִּי־עַל־כֵּן בָּאוּ בְּצֵל קֹרָתִי׃ (בראשית יט:ו-ח)

Clearly this is a morally reprehensible suggestion. Nevertheless, this should not be a reason to tarnish all of Lot's words and actions. By noting that Lot closed the door behind him to protect the guests, the Torah is directing us to appreciate the self-sacrifice of Lot; he went out alone to protect those on the inside. There is also a neat symmetry between Lot’s attempt to save his guests and the 'guests' turning the tables to save Lot:

וַיֹּאמְרוּ גֶּשׁ־הָלְאָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ הָאֶחָד בָּא־לָגוּר וַיִּשְׁפֹּט שָׁפוֹט עַתָּה נָרַע לְךָ מֵהֶם וַיִּפְצְרוּ בָאִישׁ בְּלוֹט מְאֹד וַיִּגְּשׁוּ לִשְׁבֹּר הַדָּלֶת׃ וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים אֶת־יָדָם וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת־לוֹט אֲלֵיהֶם הַבָּיְתָה וְאֶת־הַדֶּלֶת סָגָרוּ׃ (בראשית יט:ט-י)

Lot closes the door to protect the guests, but it is the guests who rescue Lot from behind the door. Having brought Lot inside they close the door (again) thus saving Lot from the mob.[1] Note the reader here is momentarily deceived. The men which suddenly grab Lot appear for a second to be the same men that drew close to break down the door. As Grossman points out, the concept of שליחות יד usually has a hostile connotation.[2] It is only when reading on that we are relieved to discover that Lot has in fact been saved from the clutches of the mob.[3]

Not only does Lot’s hospitality resemble Avraham’s earlier hospitality, but the effect of their actions is similar. Avraham goes out of his way to invite the strangers into his home, in the merit of which he is promised a son (Yitzchak). Similarly, Lot goes out of his way to invite in the (same) strangers, in the merit of which he is saved from the impending destruction and has two sons (Amon and Moav).

The link actually runs deeper. The values of Sedom are antithetical to those of Avraham. Avraham opens his door to weary travellers whereas Sedom’s modus operandi is to deter any hospitality. Between these two diametrically opposed worldviews sits Lot. Attracted to the region by its natural resources and fertility but raised in his uncle’s home, the burning question arises as to how he will define himself. At the moment of truth, Lot chooses the values of Avraham over those Sedom.

Lot and Rachav

This seems to be the backdrop to the parallels between the rescue of Lot and the rescue of Rachav in Sefer Yehoshua. As shown in the table below, the parallels are extensive and cover the similarities in both content and language:

Lot (בראשית יט)	Rachav (יהושע ב')
Themes
Two angels (מלאכים) arrive in Sedom on the eve of its destruction	Two spies (מלאכים) arrive in Jericho just prior to its destruction
The two angels take refuge in the house of Lot, a local resident	The two spies take refuge in the house of Rachav, a local resident
The residents demand that Lot handover his guests	The king’s messengers demand that Rachav turn over her guests
Lot endangers himself to protect his guests	Rachav endangers herself to protect her guests
Lot and his family are saved (mostly)	Rachav and her family are saved
Language
וַיִּפְצַר־בָּם מְאֹד וַיָּסֻרוּ אֵלָיו וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־בֵּיתו	וַיָּבֹאוּ בֵּית־אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה וּשְׁמָהּ רָחָב וַיִּשְׁכְּבוּ־שָׁמָּה
אַיֵּה הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר בָּאוּ אֵלֶיךָ הַלָּיְלָה	הִנֵּה אֲנָשִׁים בָּאוּ הֵנָּה הַלַּיְלָה
הוֹצִיאֵם אֵלֵינוּ וְנֵדְעָה אֹתָם	הוֹצִיאִי הָאֲנָשִׁים הַבָּאִים אֵלַיִךְ
וְהַדֶּלֶת סָגַר אַחֲרָיו	וְהַשַּׁעַר סָגָרוּ
טֶרֶם יִשְׁכָּבוּ	וְהֵמָּה טֶרֶם יִשְׁכָּבוּן
הָהָרָה הִמָּלֵט פֶּן תִּסָּפֶה	הָהָרָה לֵּכוּ פֶּן יִפְגְּעוּ

It seems clear from these parallels that Sefer Yehoshua sees Lot as a precedent for Rachav. In both cases it is their willingness to endanger themselves to protect the strangers in their midst through which they merit to be saved. History is replete with such examples of people who lived unremarkable lives but stepped up to the plate at the critical moment. The ordinary people who risked everything to shelter Jews from the Nazis is certainly a good example. Recall that Rachav was a prostitute who ran a brothel and we may deduce that Lot's moral calibre was on similar footing. Yet they both put their lives on the line to shield the refugees in their home. It is an extraordinary lesson in the principle of יש קונה עולמו בשעה אחת.

In the final analysis, Lot was saved because of Avraham as it was from Avraham that Lot absorbed these values which secured his rescue. Nevertheless, it was down to Lot to activate those values at the critical moment.

The 'exodus' from Sedom

This brings us to another interesting and surprising comparison between the exodus of Lot from Sedom and the exodus from Egypt. Rashi (19:3) already hints at this parallel when he says the reason Lot baked Matzot was because it was Pesach.

The basis for this comment is presumably the large degree of correspondences between the two stories. What was obvious to Rashi, however, is not so obvious to most of us, so it is helpful to see these side by side to appreciate the extent of the linkage:[4]

Lot's exodus (בראשית יט)	Exodus from Egypt (שמות יב)
וַיֵּצֵא אֲלֵהֶם לוֹט הַפֶּתְחָה וְהַדֶּלֶת סָגַר אַחֲרָיו	וּלְקַחְתֶּם אֲגֻדַּת אֵזוֹב וּטְבַלְתֶּם בַּדָּם אֲשֶׁר־בַּסַּף וְהִגַּעְתֶּם אֶל־הַמַּשְׁקוֹף וְאֶל־שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזֹת מִן־הַדָּם אֲשֶׁר בַּסָּף וְאַתֶּם לֹא תֵצְאוּ אִישׁ מִפֶּתַח־בֵּיתוֹ עַד־בֹּקֶר
וְאֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־פֶּתַח הַבַּיִת הִכּוּ בַּסַּנְוֵרִים מִקָּטֹן וְעַד־גָּדוֹל וַיִּלְאוּ לִמְצֹא הַפָּתַח	וְעָבַרְתִּי בְאֶרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה וְהִכֵּיתִי כָל־בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מֵאָדָם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָה וּבְכָל־אֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם אֶעֱשֶׂה שְׁפָטִים אֲנִי ה'׃ וַיְהִי בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה וַה' הִכָּה כָל־בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם מִבְּכֹר פַּרְעֹה הַיֹּשֵׁב עַל־כִּסְאוֹ עַד בְּכוֹר הַשְּׁבִי אֲשֶׁר בְּבֵית הַבּוֹר וְכֹל בְּכוֹר בְּהֵמָה׃
כִּי־מַשְׁחִתִים אֲנַחְנוּ אֶת־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה כִּי־גָדְלָה צַעֲקָתָם אֶת־פְּנֵי ה' וַיְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ ה' לְשַׁחֲתָהּ	וְעָבַר ה' לִנְגֹּף אֶת־מִצְרַיִם וְרָאָה אֶת־הַדָּם עַל־הַמַּשְׁקוֹף וְעַל שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזֹת וּפָסַח ה' עַל־הַפֶּתַח וְלֹא יִתֵּן הַמַּשְׁחִית לָבֹא אֶל־בָּתֵּיכֶם לִנְגֹּף
וַיִּפְצַר־בָּם מְאֹד וַיָּסֻרוּ אֵלָיו וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם מִשְׁתֶּה וּמַצּוֹת אָפָה וַיֹּאכֵלוּ	וְאָכְלוּ אֶת־הַבָּשָׂר בַּלַּיְלָה הַזֶּה צְלִי־אֵשׁ וּמַצּוֹת עַל־מְרֹרִים יֹאכְלֻהוּ׃   וַיֹּאפוּ אֶת־הַבָּצֵק אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם עֻגֹת מַצּוֹת כִּי לֹא חָמֵץ כִּי־גֹרְשׁוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ וְגַם־צֵדָה לֹא־עָשׂוּ לָהֶם
וַיֵּצֵא לוֹט וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל־חֲתָנָיו לֹקְחֵי בְנֹתָיו וַיֹּאמֶר קוּמוּ צְּאוּ מִן־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה כִּי־מַשְׁחִית ה' אֶת־הָעִיר וַיְהִי כִמְצַחֵק בְּעֵינֵי חֲתָנָיו	וַיִּקְרָא לְמֹשֶׁה וּלְאַהֲרֹן לַיְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר קוּמוּ צְּאוּ מִתּוֹךְ עַמִּי גַּם־אַתֶּם גַּם־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְכוּ עִבְדוּ אֶת־ה' כְּדַבֶּרְכֶם
וַיִּתְמַהְמָהּ וַיַּחֲזִקוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים בְּיָדוֹ וּבְיַד־אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבְיַד שְׁתֵּי בְנֹתָיו בְּחֶמְלַת ה' עָלָיו וַיֹּצִאֻהוּ וַיַּנִּחֻהוּ מִחוּץ לָעִיר׃	וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ
וַה' הִמְטִיר עַל־סְדֹם וְעַל־עֲמֹרָה גָּפְרִית וָאֵשׁ מֵאֵת ה' מִן־הַשָּׁמָיִם	וַיֵּט מֹשֶׁה אֶת־מַטֵּהוּ עַל־הַשָּׁמַיִם וַיהוָה נָתַן קֹלֹת וּבָרָד וַתִּהֲלַךְ אֵשׁ אָרְצָה וַיַּמְטֵר ה' בָּרָד עַל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם (ט:כג)

To the above one may add the fact, that both stories end with the establishment of new nations: Amon and Moav in the case of the exodus from Sedom, and Israel in the case of the exodus from Egypt.

In order for God to take them out of Egypt, the Jews had to something on their side. This necessitated a symbolic break with the Egyptian culture and indication of a willingness to follow God out of Egypt. This was demonstrated through Korban Pesach: the sacrifice itself was an act of protest against the idolatrous symbols of Egypt, and the centrality of the home in the performance of this Mitzvah reflects the counter culture nurtured from inside the home. The Matzot for reasons beyond the scope of this article, also achieve the same goal. Furthermore the haste of the Matzah preparations reflect the anticipation of, and the (minimal) preparedness for, the imminent redemption.

The importance of the commitment of the Jews in the Exodus story is understated in the Haggadah which is focused on God's providence, but it is stressed in Sefer Yirmiyahu when it is told from God's angle:

 כֹּה אָמַר ה' זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלֹתָיִךְ לֶכְתֵּךְ אַחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא זְרוּעָה׃ (ירמיהו ב:ג)

This was not the position prior to the plagues where we are told they paid no heed to Moshe (see Exodus 6:9). Ultimately, however, when the gauntlet was thrown down the Jews were able to respond.  

Returning to Lot, we can discern a similar dynamic. He sides with the values of Avraham over the values of Sedom and, in doing so, deserves to be saved. Where the two stories differ, however, is in the final willingness to leave:

וַיִּתְמַהְמָהּ וַיַּחֲזִקוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים בְּיָדוֹ וּבְיַד־אִשְׁתּוֹ וּבְיַד שְׁתֵּי בְנֹתָיו בְּחֶמְלַת ה' עָלָיו וַיֹּצִאֻהוּ וַיַּנִּחֻהוּ מִחוּץ לָעִיר׃ (בראשית יט:טז)

שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תֹּאכַל־עָלָיו מַצּוֹת לֶחֶם עֹנִי כִּי בְחִפָּזוֹן יָצָאתָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם. (דברים טז:ג)[5]

If Lot himself is hesitant, for his sons-in-law it is all a joke. His wife eventually leaves with him but cannot stop herself from looking back to the life left behind. The function of salt as a preservative suitably represents her state of mind as it relates to Sedom. His daughters do not cover themselves in glory either when it comes to the incessant relationship with their father in the immediate aftermath. There is perhaps a bitter irony in his closing the door to protect the house when the values of Sedom have already pervaded the physical barriers. Once rescued from Sedom the angels encourage him to go to the mountains (perhaps to rejoin Avraham) but he wishes to stay close to Sedom and finally ends up in a cave, unable to move forwards or backwards. Rachav, in contrast, uses the experience as a stepping stone for greater things and eventually integrates into the Israelite camp:

וְאֶת־רָחָב הַזּוֹנָה וְאֶת־בֵּית אָבִיהָ וְאֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָהּ הֶחֱיָה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּקֶרֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה: (יהושע ו:כה)

As for the transformation of the Jewish people on the eve of Yetziat Mitzrayim, the rest is history.

---

[1] Perhaps there is a moral lesson here. Negotiating with evil is not only liable to fail but also corrupts one’s character through the compromises one must make. I have not gone down this route.

[2] See R. Yonatan Grossman, אברהם: סיפורו של מסע, p.196

[3] Interestingly, the same words used to describe Lot’s persistence in bringing in the angels to his home is used to describe the mob in pressing Lot to move aside:

וַיִּפְצַר־בָּם מְאֹד וַיָּסֻרוּ אֵלָיו וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ (בראשית יט:ג)

וַיִּפְצְרוּ בָאִישׁ בְּלוֹט מְאֹד (בראשית יט:י)

[4] The table is based (with some amendments) on R. Yoel Bin-Nun, Lot's 'Pesach' and Its Significance. See also R. Chanoch Waxman, The House of Bondage.

[5] In truth, even with the exodus from Egypt the Jews also needed to be pushed:

וַיֹּאפוּ אֶת־הַבָּצֵק אֲשֶׁר הוֹצִיאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם עֻגֹת מַצּוֹת כִּי לֹא חָמֵץ כִּי־גֹרְשׁוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהִתְמַהְמֵהַּ וְגַם־צֵדָה לֹא־עָשׂוּ לָהֶם׃ (שמות יב:לט)