Musar zu Bereschit 13:5

This is why the Torah in 16,1 did not write בהקריבם, "when they brought close (their offering)" but בקרבתם לפני ה', when they came close to G–d. This "coming close" was of a spiritual, conceptual nature. Their death was an example of what the Psalmist meant when he said: "The death of His pious ones is something very precious to the Lord" (Psalms 116,15). Rabbi Abraham Saba, author of the Tzror Hamor, in his commentary on Genesis 13,5 already wrote that the experience of Nadav and Avihu paralleled the four sages – of whom Rabbi Akiva was one – who נכנסו לפרדס, entered the orchard, [euphemism for study of the mystical aspects of Torah. Ed]. The four were Rabbi Akiva, Ben Azzai, Ben Zoma and Elisha ben Avuyah (who emerged as an heretic). These four sages had already been preceded by Adam, Noach, Abraham and now the two sons of Aaron in their desire to probe the mysteries of the מעשה מרכבה. The word פרדס used in this story related in Chagigah 14 means a place in which grapes and pomegranates grow. Adam sinned regarding both the נגלה, revealed aspect of Torah legislation, as well as against the נסתר, hidden aspect of G–d's commandments. The Talmud describes him as קצץ בנטיעות, having mutilated the young saplings in the garden of religion, and having turned into an heretic. The same thing happened to his counterpart Elisha ben Avuyah. Noach too drank from the wine, became drunk, and as a result temporarily of unsound mind. Ben Zoma reportedly beheld something he was not spiritually prepared to understand and as a result suffered insanity.

On 13,5: וגם ללוט ההולך את אברם היו צאן ובקר ואהלים "Also Lot who went with Abram possessed sheep, cattle, and tents." In Bereshit Rabbah 41,4 Rabbi Tuviah comments that the tents mentioned refer to Ruth the Moabite and Naomi the Ammonite. This is also why later on in Genesis 19, 15 the angels urge Lot to take "your wife and your two daughters הנמצאות, i.e. "who will have an enduring existence, i.e. they will be two tents." Rabbi Yossi says the word הנמצאות, is equivalent to מציאות, finds. The two finds are Ruth and Naomi. Rabbi Yitzchak portrays G–d as saying "I have found My servant David." Where did G–d find him? In Sodom.