"Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain and pitched tents as far as Sodom. (Genesis 13:12)"
After going their separate ways, Lot traveled to Sodom while Avraham traveled to Chevron (Genesis 13:18). Commenting on their respective destinations, Chasam Sofer -- a classic Torah commentator -- notes that the Gematrias (the Hebrew numerical equivalents) of “Chevron” (266) and “Sodom” (110) together equal 376, which is the numerical equivalent of the word “Shalom,” which means 'peace!'
I believe these Gematrias teach us an important lesson. Although a Jew is duty-bound to exhaust every possible avenue to make peace with a quarreling party, there are times when this is simply impossible. The Torah recognizes this possibility, as we see from the fact that the Gematrias of “Chevron” and “Sodom” together equal “Shalom.” Although this determination is often best left to a qualified rabbinic authority, sometimes the cause of peace can best be advanced by each spouse, business partner, friend, etc. going in his own direction. Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Bregman is an internationally recognized Torah scholar, #1 best-selling author, matchmaker, entrepreneur, attorney, and media personality. His energetic and empowering messages currently reach over 350,000 people per week via social media, NYC radio, and newspaper columns worldwide. His website is www.RabbiBregman.com and his email is RabbiBregmanOfficial@gmail.com.