There’s the separation of Abraham from Hagar and Ishmael. We then read of Abraham returning to Beersheva, never again to see his wife Sarah or his son Isaac. Finally, we read of Lot and his family fleeing from Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot’s parting from his wife is the least mentioned separation in this Torah portion, but it’s the one I’d like to focus on.
We are not told much about Lot’s wife. She has no name, no voice, no past and no future. And yet, she became a symbol recorded in Genesis 19:26, “But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”. A symbol to remind us of the deeds of Sodom and Gomorrah, the mercy shown to Lot and his family, and the terrible consequences of not heeding God’s instruction, “Escape for your life. Do not look back…” (Genesis 19:17)
I thought about this woman, without an identity, yet with a story with which every child is familiar. She is etched in our collective consciousness as “the one who...
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