1)

Since it was the shepherds who were arguing and not Avraham and Lot themselves, why did Avraham add that there should not be a dispute "between me and you"?

1.

Seforno: What Avraham meant to say was that, if now, it is our shepherds who are arguing, who knows whether some time in the future, it may be we who are quarrelling 1 over our grazing-grounds. 2

1

Chochmah u'Musar (Vol. 2, p. 269): It is a Mitzvah to judge favorably, but not everyone. If one is not angry at injustice, it will cling to him! Rather, one must accustom himself to hate unjust gain.

2

It is therefore better that we split up.

2)

Since when were Avraham and Lot brothers?

1.

Rashi #1: Avraham meant that they were blood-relatives.

2.

Rashi #2: He referred to themselves as "brothers" because they looked 1 alike. 2

1

Consequently, when Lot would go with his shepherds to graze in other people's fields, they would mistake Lot for Avraham.

2

Chochmah u'Musar (Vol. 2, p. 371): Why does the Midrash teach this? It teaches the greatness of Lot; also refer to 19:3:2:1**. We find that also Yitzchak and Avraham looked alike; as did Yosef and Yaakov, refer to 37:2:1:2. Likewise, the verse below (13:11) says that "one separated from his brother" (and not from "the other") to teach Lot's greatness.

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