In the middle of this weeks parsha, Hashem sends two Melachim, one to save Lot and the other to destroy Sedom. The people of Sedom became so twisted and corrupt that Hashem had to destroy the entire city. I once heard a good vort that Sedom had the idea of Chesed, they just twisted it in the most perverse way.
If someone wouldn’t fit on a bed because he would be to tall, they would cut off his legs so he would fit. If someone made a woman miscarry, he would have to rape her to pay back for her lost child. Give Tzeddaka, give plenty of it, just don’t let the pauper use those coins to buy food. Sedom took the middah of chesed and warped it to what they saw as ethical, what they held kindness was.
Lot brings the travelers (Melachim) into his home, (which no one is allowed to do in Sedom) offers them food and lodging (which is punishable by death), when the people of Sedom want to sleep with the travelers Lot offers his two virgin daughters in their place, and then is willing to give up his own life to save his guests. The Melachim then strike the attackers with blindness and inform Lot that he must run away from Sedom, in order to save himself.
Rashi (19:29) says that Lot merited from being saved from Sedom because when Avraham put Sarah in a box before going into Egypt, Lot didn’t tell the Egyptians that Sarah was hidden inside. Lot could’ve told the Egyptians who would then steal Sarah, kill Avraham, and Lot would bequeath all of Avraham’s property, but instead he kept his mouth shut.
Here we see that Lot’s only true merit was from not telling on Sarah and he had nothing else.
Here’s a pretty simple question. Why in the world would Lot not get any merit for doing the most incredible hachnasas orchim that this world has ever seen? Lot was willing to give up his life for these travelers and his only merit comes from not trying to kill his uncle? Furthermore Sarah according to Rashi, Baal Haturim, and T.Y was Lot’s sister! So Lot gets an incredible merit for not trying to give over his own sister to Egypt and kill his uncle, but nothing for what he did for the Melachim?
A pretty good question no? Rashi (19:17) also says that the Melachim warned Lot not to look at Sedom being destroyed because Lot himself wasn’t fit to be saved through his own merit, but rather only through Avraham’s merit which is controversial to what I just said above. Please see Sifsei Chachamim on this Rashi for the answer)
Rav Dessler in Michtav Me-Eliyahu (Sefer Alef page 116) in Nikudas Habichira gives us an incredible answer. He says basically that if a person was taught as a child all the halachos of Shabbas and he lives in a Shomer Shabbas house, then he doesn’t get much merit for not turning on a light on Shabbas. This person doesn’t really have a choice in the matter. He knows not to (and why not to) turn on a light on Shabbas, and the disgrace that he would be in his friends and family’s eyes, stop him from even thinking about it. Thus his ikkur tafkid in this world isn’t will he turn on the lights on Shabbas, but rather will he learn for five hours on Shabbas, or will he be haughty when he explains pshat to his Chavrusa Avrumi etc.
The whole point is that every Yid is on their own level with their own tests, but something that you are so accustomed to do, and that you are taught to do your whole life, stops becoming a test for you eventually. The Yatzer Harah won’t even try to get you because he knows that you are accustomed to doing this certain mitzvah and you won’t change.
Lot was brought up in the house of a man who was the epitome of a baal chessed. After living with Avraham for so long, and following his example day by day, Lot became so accustomed to doing Hachnuchas Airchim to the point where he had no Bchira in the matter. Lot had to be kind to people, he has been living that way for so long. If this is the case, says Rav Dessler, then Lot doesn’t get any merit for doing the tremendous acts of Hachnuchas Airchim that we see in this weeks parsha. (There is still merit received even for mitzvos done with no bechira, but it wouldn’t have been enough to save Lot)
Lot, on the other hand, had extreme physical desire for money.
As we see pashut in the Chumash, Lot separates from Avraham due to Taavas Mommon (A desire for money). If Lot would’ve told on Sarah he would’ve been rich. He would inherit Avraham’s possessions and live a happy life. This was Lot’s true test, or in other words, Bechira (free will). Lot conquered his evil inclination for money, didn’t tell on Sarah and through this one act, which looks completely insignificant to the naked eye, merited to be saved from the destruction of Sedom.