One of the reasons that Eisav and Jacob do not get along is that Eisav is into instant gratification while Jacob is willing to wait. The story teaches us that when you wait the results are much better.

With the Fore-fathers and Fore-mothers, we see a balance. One is extremely kind and the other puts a brake on the kindness. This is to teach us that while loving kindness is a great trait it needs to be harnessed otherwise it will descend into disaster.

The Haftorah this week has to do with David handing the power over to Solomon. The connection to the portion is clear since Abraham is handing leadership over to Isaac. Broth want to make sure that the power will not be abused. Thus their choices.

Lot's daughters took drastic measures because they thought the world was destroyed. Later they found out that they were wrong in their actions. Instead of acknowledging that they were wrong they choose to blame others.

Lot's daughters despaired that they were the only ones left in the world. They got their father drunk to have him sire children with them. After they learned that this was wrong, they blamed Abraham for their misfortune. Not themselves.

When the two angels inform Lot that Sodom will be destroyed and he has to leave, he refuses to go even though he knows that Sodom is an evil place. He is so much into his wealth he does not see the obvious.

Abraham tries to save Sodom & Gomorrah but to no avail. Their society was too evil. The lesson is that when we see an evil society we have to take appropriate action after we tried to reason with them.

The Torah does not discuss what Abraham looks like. It describes his character. This is in keeping with the idea, that for the Torah all that really matters is how we behave and how we treat each other.

Abraham goes to war to save Lot, who was kidnapped. After the war he is offered some of the booty of the war. He declines since the reason he fought was to save his nephew. This is why we fight. We do not fight for land or money but because it is the last option.