Achim Anachnu

A Lech Lecha Thought
By Rabbi Neil Fleischmann

"If you go to the left I will go the right, and if you go to the right I will go to the left” (Breishit 13:9). These famous words needed to be said regarding a separation that had to be made. That’s the way it’s normally understood by most of the commentaries and the way most of us have it in our heads since early childhood. As the Sforno puts it, “If you choose to request a pasture on the left side, I will request one on the right side.” Unklus says Avraham declared, “If you go north I’ll go south,” and vice versa.

Several years ago Rabbi Motti Elon spoke at my school and cited an explanation of this pasuk, which sounded novel to me, though it appears explicitly in Rashi. According to Rashi, Avraham actually said, “If you go to the left, I will be nearby to support you on the right. And if you go to the right, I’ll be there for you on your left side.” The Siftei Chachomim explains that it would be odd for Avraham to be saying that he wanted to run in the opposite direction from Lot, because he just finished saying “achim anachnu” - we are brothers that shouldn't fight. Why would he now be saying in harsh terms, “I’ll go to the other end from wherever you go?”

Support for Rashi’s position can be found in the fact that in the end Avraham does not travel at all. According to the conventional understanding of his affirmation it would seem that Avraham did not keep his word, as only Lot travels. Later on we’re told “Avraham heard that his brother was taken captive” and he snaps into action immediately and fights to protect Lot (14:14). This fits perfectly with Rashi’s approach here, as Avraham is clearly keeping his word to be at Lot’s side ready to help him in his hour of need.

The Netziv says that it would have been enough for Avraham to tell Lot, “Separate from me, either by going right or left.” Avraham’s phrasing reveals that he offered to split the burden of separation with Lot, rather than putting it all on him. Lot chose to travel far enough away that Avraham did not have to budge from where he was. This explanation supports the traditional understanding of this line, while taking the edge off of it, as well as answering the question of why Avraham does not move as he said he would.

As Rashi sees it, Avraham was saying that while on the one hand he needed to distance himself from Lot, on the other hand he would never abandon him. This short line has a profound message for us. There are individual people as well as groups that we need to distance ourselves from, but it doesn’t mean that we don’t care about them. Although those we care for may mistakenly feel abandoned, we separate with an attitude of concern and support. Dear brothers and sisters may reside in their own spaces to our immediate right and to our immediate left. We need to view these positions as angles from which to offer support.

May we be blessed to feel love and compassion for others and to offer genuine assistance, for this is the way of G-d, whom we yearn to emulate.

Shabbat Shalom