Rabbi's Corner

A colleague of mine was telling me that the first day of kindergarten was a bit overwhelming for his son.  Since the little boy was eager to get home when his first day of school was over, he ran into his father's arms as soon as he saw him and would not let go until they both were a "safe" distance from his school.  A mere two weeks later, things were very different.  When the little boy left school, he walked slowly back to his father who was waiting for him in the family car all the while turning back toward his new friends and teacher to look at them.  In that short time span, he had become so comfortable with school that he considered it to be his "second" home.  In my colleague's son's case, there was nothing wrong in looking back.  However, we see in this week's parashah that taking such action produces tragic results for the wife of Lot, Avraham's nephew.

We read in this week's parashah, Parashat Vayeira, the angels warn Lot and his family not to look back as Sedom was being destroyed.  Despite the warning, Lot's wife could not contain her curiosity: "And his wife looked from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt." (Bereshit 19:26)  Our Sages say that this was punishment for a sin she had committed while living in Sedom.  After her husband had invited the angels to be guests in his home, Lot's wife went to her neighbors presumably to borrow salt.  However, her real reason was to inform her neighbors that Lot had violated the Sedom city policy of not inviting guests into one's home.  But the question must be asked as to why she was punished for this act after she left Sedom and looked back?  Why was she not punished earlier?

Lot and his family were not like Avraham and his family in that they sinned just like the rest of the inhabitants of Sedom.  So why were they rescued by the angels?  Because they were related to Avraham, they were allowed to redeem themselves by leaving the city and putting their past behind them.  Because Lot's wife demonstrated that she was still connected to the people of Sedom, she was punished along with them.  We are like Lot and his family in that we make mistakes and go through difficult times.  The key to getting through such situations is to look forward and not get stuck in the past.  A person cannot grow by being mired in the past.  One can learn fro the past, but one cannot and must not live in the past in order to move forward.