Dealing With People Who Don’t Serve Gd

Meshech Hochmah notices a progressive change in how verses refer to Lot's relationship to Avraham. At the beginning of the parsha, 12;4, when Avraham leaves Haran at Gd's command, the verse says va-yelech ito Lot, Lot went with him, and brings up Lot before it mentions Sarai, Avraham's wife. As of then, Lot was a friend, colleague, a companion, almost an equal. In Israel, Gd appeared to Avraham twice in close succession, bringing Avraham more into the world of sanctity, while Lot stayed stagnant. The growing gap between them showed itself when Avraham left Egypt, 13;1, where Lot is now an add-on -- Avraham returns from Egypt with his wife and all his possessions, and the verse says only Lot was with him. Lot still thinks their relationship is the same, still thinks they are such close friends, where Avraham is on a different plane.