The Torah states, Avraham approached and said, "Will You also destroy the righteous along with the wicked?" (Bereshis 18:23) Avraham's love for all people is exemplified in its noblest form as he intercedes and prays on behalf of the people of Sodom. Even the wicked Sodomites were worthy of his sympathy and compassion. He prayed to G-d to spare them from impending doom and destruction. Avraham's most significant trait was his total devotion to G-d. However, Rav Soloveitchik explains that the apex and zenith of Avraham's endeavor, the attribute for which G-d rewarded him to become the Father of the Jewish People, was his compassion for all people. It was this tendency to view people through the prism of Tzedek, to judge them in the most positive light, is what made Avraham unique.

Avraham emulated G-d, as He is compassionate so was Avraham. Avraham like G-d loved to perform acts of Chesed (loving-kindness). Yet, Avraham prayed for the Sodomites who hated Chesed and in fact were cruel. The laws of Sodom were the antithesis of social justice and Chesed.

Thus, if Avraham's compassion extended even to the wicked Sodomites then why did he reject his own nephew, Lot? Avraham tells Lot, "Please separate from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left." (Bereshis 13:9) The Talmud infers from Avraham's words that he was totally severing his relationship with Lot. Where then is the consistency in Avraham's actions?

Does he care about all people or is he particular about whom he cares for? Why does he pray for Sodom but rejects his own nephew, Lot?

We can derive from this a compelling lesson regarding a Jew's relationship with the rest of the world. Avraham cares deeply about all people. He is devoted to helping humanity. He prays for all people, and he seeks justice for all mankind. However, he draws the boundary, concerning personally living with and interacting with immoral people. Lot's shepherds were engaged in acts of theft, and Lot did not rebuke them. The Jewish People must maintain its distance from the other nations so as not to permit assimilation to occur. The unique nation of Israel must not integrate with the other nations. Avraham cared and prayed for Lot. He even risked his life to free Lot from captivity, but Avraham would never become a single nation with Lot.