Parashah of the week: Lech Lecha

This is why it is important for us to make a conscious decision about who we spend time with — both physically and online. Who do we follow? Do our friends bring out the best in us? Do they look for the good or complain about the bad?

Are they growing in their spirituality, or do they hold us back with their cynical attitude? Sometimes, it can be subtle, and we may be unaware of how much another person influences our thought process.

In this week’s parashah, we meet Lot, Abraham’s nephew. He decides to move away from Abraham, to Sodom, as he is excited by the fertile land and farming opportunities there. So great is his desire for wealth that he ignores the potential dangers of living among a greedy and stingy community. Ultimately, the city is destroyed and Lot is forced to escape to the mountains in order to save his family.

While we need to ensure to be respectful towards everyone, we also need to think carefully about who we spend our time with. If we are unsure as to whether a friend (or WhatsApp group) is good for us, we can judge how we feel after chatting with them or reading their messages.

Are we inspired into positive action or brought down into despair? 

While we are thinking about finding good friends, perhaps we can also look inwards and check to see if we, ourselves, are good, compassionate friends, who instil hope and encouragement to all those around us. 

Even in these difficult times, every one of us can use our energy to lift another’s spirit and support each other with love.