Parshas Lech Licha: Netziv - A Fight Between Brothers
The Torah tells us that there was a fight between the shepherds of Lot and the Shepherds of Avrohom (Lech Licha 12:7). Curiously at the end of that very same pasuk the Torah adds that the Kenani and Prizi were still living in the land. What was the fight about and why does the Torah conceal the details? Why is the fact that the Kenani were still in Eretz Yisroel an integral part of the story? Why after all these years did this fight cause Avrohom to part ways with his trusted aide and nephew?
Rashi explains that Lot's sheep were grazing on the land of the local inhabitants because as Avrohom's next of kin he considered himself the owner. Therefore the Torah tells us that it was not Avrohom's land yet and Lot was guilty of theft.
The Netziv has a different approach. He says that there was a fight, but what it was about was not relevant. The mere fact that there was machlokes was what troubled Avrohom. He could not live with that. Worse yet, Avrohom was preaching a religion of peace and he couldn't even get along with his own nephew, while the idol worshipping Kenani were living peacefully around him and were watching this troubling scene. Avrohom could not continue his life's work under these circumstances. Rather that making a Kiddush Hashem he was embroiled in a terrible Chilul Hashem.
Fighting amongst ourselves is a terrible things. When our hosts in the galus are privy to our fighting and all eyes are on us through the media, it is an unacceptable Chilul Hashem of the worst degree. The world has become a very small place and we need to realize that the Kenani are BaAretz and are watching very carefully.
printable version
