The one who came to sojourn is surely acting as a judge. [The commentator asks:] Behold, on that very day they had appointed him as a judge over them, as Rashi explained, so why did they complain about him? The correct interpretation is as the commentators explain regarding the doubled language of vayishpot shafot [judging he judges] — [they were saying] that you want to judge something that has already been judged [shafot], for a law and judgment had already been established that no wandering guest shall come to anyone’s house. So how do you want to change a law that has already been ruled? For we did not accept you [as a judge] with this understanding that you would make new laws. And the reason they emphasized the one who came to sojourn is because they said that you don’t have the rights of a permanent resident who would have authority to change laws according to the needs of the time. Rather, you are merely a stranger, and we only accepted you to settle among us with the understanding that you would agree to all of our laws.

And he was like a joker in the eyes of his sons-in-law. Since he [Lot] told them that the Lord is destroying the city, using the Name that represents Divine mercy, he therefore appeared as a joker in their eyes, for they said “How could the Name of mercy destroy and damage?” However, the truth is indeed so, for the wicked transform the attribute of mercy into the attribute of judgment.

“Do not look behind you.” Since Lot and his wife were distressed about not being able to save all their possessions, therefore it states his wife looked back from behind him and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). The text should have said she looked “behind her” [rather than “behind him”]. And if according to our Sages’ interpretation that she became a pillar of salt because she sinned regarding salt by not giving it to a poor person, this is difficult — why was she specifically punished at this time? Rather, it was because now she was distressed about losing her wealth and she looked at what would happen after her husband’s death — this is the meaning of from behind him — for she said that her husband would leave nothing behind him and she would have no way to collect her marriage contract from him. Therefore, this looking became a reminder of sin, as the attribute of justice criticized saying: “It is not enough that she didn’t use her wealth for charity, which is compared to salt as in the saying ‘salt for wealth is lacking.’ Her eye was also narrow regarding guests, for regarding the baking [for guests] it says he baked [implying] he and not she. And if so, his wife sinned greatly, for during that great upheaval she was distressed about her wealth, not in order to use it for charity, as this was not her nature. Therefore she was punished and became a pillar of salt, for with ‘salt for wealth is lacking’ she sinned, and with salt she was judged. But to Lot it was said as a moral lesson: It is enough that you saved your life, and do not be concerned about the loss of wealth that you will leave behind for inheritors. For why should you look behind you at what will be after you and worry about a world that is not yours, as ultimately you will leave your wealth to others. And in this way we will explain, God willing, also the verse you shall not go over the boughs behind you (Deuteronomy 24:20). And if you are still distressed about how you will live — from where will you eat, from the granary or from the winery — regarding this it says ”escape to Abraham who dwells on the mountain.“ For your end will be like your beginning — just as initially what caused Lot to have flocks, cattle, and tents was his dwelling with Abraham, so too now escape to him, and draw near to the one anointed with oil and become anointed [i.e., prosper through association with the righteous].