(1) ה' appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot. (2) And he looked up, and he saw three figures standing near him; he saw, he ran to greet them from the entrance of the tent and he bowed to the ground. (3) He said, “My lords! If it please you, do not pass by your servant. (4) Let a little water be brought; bathe your feet and recline under the tree. (5) And let me fetch a morsel of bread that you may refresh yourselves; then go on—seeing that you have come your servant’s way.” They replied, “Do as you have said.” (6) Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quick, three seahs of choice flour! Knead and make cakes!” (7) Then Abraham ran to the herd, took a calf, tender and choice, and gave it to a servant-boy, who hastened to prepare it. (8) He took curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared and set these before them; and he waited on them under the tree as they ate. (9) They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he replied, “There, in the tent.” (10) Then one said, “I will return to you next year, and your wife Sarah shall have a son!” Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.
~ Why is Avraham sitting by the entrance of his tent?
~ What sense do you get about the actions of Avraham?
~ Why do you think the text makes it known that all this happened near the terebinths of Mamre?
'ויאמר אדושם אם נא וגו AND HE SAID, MY LORD, IF NOW etc. — He addressed himself to the chief of them; calling them all “lords”, (אדני may mean “my lords” or "sirs"), while to their chief he said “Please do not pass by”, for he knew that if he would not pass by, his companions would certainly remain with him. Another explanation is that the word is “holy” (referring to God): he asked God to wait for him whilst he ran and invited the travelers. For although this is written after the words “and he ran to meet them”, yet the conversation took place beforehand. It, indeed, is the way of the Scriptures to speak in this manner as I have explained in my comment on “My spirit shall not strive” (Genesis 6:3) which is written after the passage. “And Noah begot” (Genesis 5:32) whereas it is impossible to say otherwise than that the decree of a respite of 120 years made in reference to this verse “My spirit shall not strive etc.” was twenty years before the birth of Noah’s sons.) Both these explanations of אדושם are to be found in Genesis Rabbah 48:10 (see also Shevuot 35b).
~ Rashi presents at least two possibilities for the word א דני . What are they?
~ Imagine the scene as in a movie. How do you picture each of those possibilities?
~ Kohelet Rabbah and Midrash Tanchuma are contemporaries. Kohelet Rabbah is a midrash on Ecclesiastes with verse-by-verse interpretations, compiled between 500 and 700 CE in Babylonia and Israel. Midrash Tanchuma is a midrash on the five books of the Torah; it is also referred to as “Tanchuma-Yelammedenu” because of the prevalence of the words “yelamedenu rabeinu” (teach us, our Rabbi). Babylon/Italy/Israel, c.500 - c.800 CE
It is written: “The Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). We have found that the Holy Blessed One performs acts of kindness: Adorning brides, blessing grooms, visiting the sick, burying the dead, and comforting the mourners. Adorning brides, as it is written: “The Lord God built [the rib that God took from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man]” (Genesis 2:22). Rabbi Yoḥanan says: God built her, adorned her, and showed her to him [Adam]. Rabbi Abbahu said: Perhaps you will say that God showed her to him from behind a carob tree or from behind a sycamore tree; but no, God adorned her with twenty-four types of jewelry and then showed her to him, as it is stated: “And God brought her to the man” (Genesis 2:22). Blessing grooms, as it is stated: “God blessed them” (Genesis 1:28). Visiting the sick, as it is stated: “The Lord appeared to him in the terebinths of Mamre” (Genesis 18:1). God buries the dead, as it is written: “God buried him in the valley” (Deuteronomy 34:6). Comforting mourners, as it is written: “He called its name Alon Bakhut” (Genesis 35:8). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: What is Alon Bakhut? While he was observing the mourning for Deborah, the nursemaid, tidings reached him that his mother Rebecca had died, and he wept two weepings [bekhiyot]; that is why it is stated [that Jacob called that place] Alon Bakhut. And [the verse] states regarding Jacob: “[And God appeared to Jacob again…] and blessed [him]” (Genesis 35:9) – God blessed him with the blessing of the mourners.
~ What is the general assumption of this midrash?
~ Why is this important?
~ According to this midrash, why was Avraham sitting at the entrance of the tent?
~ To what part of the text does this midrash respond (ie, what is the 'irritating grain of sand around which the midrash create a pearl' according to James Kugel)?
~ What does this midrash attempt to do with the image of Avram?
~ What are the arguments the friends of Avram give against circumcision?
~ What is the general message of this midrash? What other midrashim it expects you to know?
~ What is the tension between the verses that Rabbi Hama wants to harmonize?
~ What is his answer?
~ Would it be possible to find other answers for this tension?
~ How does the Talmud understand receiving guests? How does it prove it?
~ How are the characteristics of God different from a human being's?
אחת מהמצוות החשובות והבולטות שבתוך מערכת המצוות שבין אדם לחבירו, היא מצוות הכנסת אורחים. וכל כך גדולה חשיבותה, עד שייחדה לה התורה פסוקים רבים כדי ללמדנו באופן מפורט כיצד קיים אברהם אבינו עליו השלום מצוות הכנסת אורחים (בראשית יח א-ח).
One of the most important and prominent mitzvot in the system of mitzvot between a person and another is the mitzvah of welcoming guests. And its importance is so great that the Torah dedicated many verses to teach us in a specified manner how Avraham our father, peace be upon him, observed the mitzvah of receiving guests.
~ How does our text teach us about the mitzvah of welcoming guests?
~ Sefer HaYirah (“The Book of Fear”) is a short 13th-century essay attributed to Rabbeinu Yonah Gerondi describing how one should act from the time that they wake up in the morning and throughout the day. Rabbeinu Yona (1200 - c.1264 CE) was a Spanish rabbi, Talmudist and ethicist. His best-known work is Sha'arei Teshuva, a comprehensive work on repentance. We met his other work, Sha'arei Teshuvah.
(קמח) ואם יבאו אורחים לביתו יכניסם לביתו בסבר פנים יפות.
(קמט) ומיד בבואם ישים [לפניהם] לחם לאכול. כי פעמים בא העני ולא אכל והוא בוש לשאול.
(קנ) ויתן להם לחמו ומימיו את אשר יאכל בפנים מאירות. ואף אם יהיה לבבו עצב ודאגה ישחנה מלבו בפניהם.
(קנא) וינחמם בדבריו (ויתן) [ויהי] להם למשיב נפש.
(קנב) ואפילו אם יהיו לו אלף עבדים יטרח הוא בעצמו. ויעמוד עליהם. מי לנו גדול כאברהם ששמש למלאכים והיו לו כמה עבדים ושפחות שנאמר (ובני ביתו) [אולי צ"ל ואת כל ילידי ביתו וגו' (בראשית יז)] אף על פי שנראו כערביים כדברי רבותינו ז"ל. ובכל מה שעשה על ידי עצמו שלם לו הקב"ה לישראל בכבודו ובעצמו.
(קנג) ואל יספר לפניהם כך וכך אירע לי קצה תלאותיו. כי דברים אלו שוברים את רוחם. כמדומה להם כי בשבילם אמר כן. וכמעט אין לו שכר בעמלו.
(קנד) ויכבדם כאדונים לו וכן מצינו באברהם (שם יח ג) שקראם אדונים. וגדול הכנסתם יותר מקבלת פני שכינה.
(קנה) ובשעת האוכל יראה את עצמו כמצטער שאינו יכול להיטיב להם יותר. וכן הוא אומר (ישעיה נח) ותפק לרעב נפשך. תצא נפשי שאין לי מה ליתן לך.
(קנו) ואם ילינו אצלו ישכיבם במיטב מטותיו. כי גדולה מנוחת העיף בהיותו שוכב בטוב. ויותר עושה לו נחת רוח המשכיבו היטב יותר מן המאכילו ומשקהו וגלגל הוא החוזר בעולם.
(קנז) ובצאתם ילוום ויתן להם פת צידה לדרך.
(קנח) כי על פת לחם יפשע גבר. כי על אשר לא נתן יהונתן לדוד פת לחם בהפרדו מאתו נתגלגל הדבר ונהרגו כהני נוב שמונים וחמשה נושאי איפוד בד. והעניק תעניק להם מסת נדבת ידך.
(148) Now, if guests should come to his house, he should welcome them with a cheerful countenance.
(149) And as soon as they come he should set bread before them to eat for sometimes a poor person may come who has not eaten but is ashamed to ask.
(150) Now let him give them his bread and his water and what he might eat to brighten their faces. But even if there should be sorrow and worry in his heart let him warm his heart in front of them,
(151) and put them at rest with his words, and be for them a restorer of the soul.
(152) And even if he may have a thousand servants, he should serve them himself. Who do we have as great as Abraham who served the messengers [of the Lord] but had many manservants and maidservants, as it is said, "and all his homeborn slaves, and all those he had bought" (Gen. 17:23). And despite that they appeared like Arabs according to our Rabbis of blessed memory: and with everything that Abraham did by himself, the Holy One Blessed Be He repaid on his behalf to Israel in His dignity and Himself.
(153) He should not recount before them, "such and such happened to me," from some of his troubles, for these words shatter their spirits, appearing to them that for their sake he says so and that he hardly has any money in his purse.
(154) But let him honor them as his lords. And so we find with Abraham, who called them "my lords," (Gen. 18:3). And greater was welcoming them than receiving the face of the Shekhinah.
(155) And at meal-time, he should show himself as one who grieves that he is not able to prepare more for them: And so it says, "if you draw out your soul to the hungry," (Isa. 58:10). Therefore say to him "I am dying that I have no more to give you."
(156) So if they should stay with him, he should lay them down in the best of his beds, for it is greater to rest the weary than to be well-rested. And giving [his guest] rest makes more rest for him than to feed him or slake his thirst. And it comes back to him in the next world.
(157) And when they leave he should accompany them.
(158) He should give them a bit of provision for the road, for "a man will transgress for a piece of bread," (Prov. 28:21). For since Jonathan did not give David a piece of bread when he parted from him the thing caused the priests of Nov to be killed, eighty-five men who wore the linen Ephod. And you shall surely press [gifts] upon them according to the donation of your hand. (see I Samuel 21)
~ What guidelines does this text derive from the story of Avraham, and what guidelines from other texts?
~ Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl was a Chasidic rebbe born on 1730 in Volhynia and died on 1787, in Chernobyl, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He was a Ukrainian rabbi, and the founder of the Chernobyl Hasidic dynasty. A disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch, he published one of the first works of Hasidic thought the Me’or Einayim (The light of the eyes). This was edited by his student Eliyahu, and is arranged according to the weekly Torah portion and holidays.
(ב) וזהו וירא אליו ה׳ כתב סתם ולא כתב אל אברהם כי קאי על כל אחד מישראל שמתראה אליו השם יתברך דהיינו אפילו רשע גדול ח״ו מתראה אליו השם יתברך דהיינו הרהורי תשובה שבאים לו כנ״ל והוא יושב פתח האוהל פירוש שזה פותחים לו פתח כחום היום כשבא לו התלהבות הרהורי תשובה. וישא עיניו פירוש כשמגביה השכל שלו וירא והנה שלשה אנשים אברהם יצחק ויעקב רצה לומר שהוא מדריגת האבות שהיו מרכבה לשמו הגדול. וירא וירץ לקראתם שאומר מתי יגיע מעשי למעשי אבותי ורוצה להגיע גם כן למדריגה זו להיות מרכבה אליו יתברך שילך רק למקום שהוא יתברך רוצה. מפתח האוהל מאותו פתח שפתחו לו כנ״ל ואז וישתחו לאפיו השתחואה הוא המשכה שממשיך המשכה לבחינת ארציות והבן:
(2) And that is [the meaning of] And the LORD appeared to him written plain instead of being written “to Abraham,” for it applies to each Jew that Blessed God will appear to him. By the oaks of Mamre: oaks connote strength; Mamre connotes rebellion [hamra’ah], meaning even in the strength of rebellion, when a person rebels [mamre] against Blessed God’s word. That is, even a very wicked person, God forbid – Blessed God appears to him, which are the notions of teshuvah that come to him as we have explained above. As he sat at the door of his tent, meaning that this opens a door for him in the heat of the day, when the passion of notions of teshuvah come to him. He lifted up his eyes, meaning that when he elevates his mind and looked, and behold, three men [were standing in front of him] – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which is to say that it is the level of the Ancestors, who were a chariot for [God’s] Great Name. When he saw them, he ran to meet them, that he said, “When will my actions arrive at the actions of my Ancestors?” And he also wants to arrive at this level, to be a chariot for Blessed [God], to go only to the place where Blessed [God] wants [him to go]. From the tent door, from that door which they opened for him as we have explained above. Then he bowed on his face: this bowing is a channeling [of divine energy], meaning he channels [divine energy] into the aspect of Earthliness – and understand this.
~ How does the Me'or Einayim re-read our text?
~ Who are the three people? How do you understand this?
~ What is it to be a chariot for the Divine presence? Who can do this? How can one do this?
(ז) והנה להבין לשון הפסוק אל נא תעבור וגו׳ כי הלא בשכינתו יתברך אי אפשר לומר כך שהרי מלא כל הארץ כבודו ולית אתר פנוי מיניה והיאך יאמר אל נא תעבור וגו׳ דמשמע ששם כביכול אינו מקום כבודו וזה אינו וגם להבין לפי זה דרשת ר״י א״ר דאמר גדולה הכנסת אורחים וכולי איך מוכח מזה שהכנסת אורחים גדולה מקבלת פני השכינה דלמא משום שבקיימו מצות הכנסת אורחים יהיה שם גם כן קבלת פני השכינה כנודע שלכך נקרא המצוות מצוה על שם הדביקות שמדבק האדם חלק האלקי השוכן בקרבו אל הכלל אין סוף ב״ה מלשון צוותא ואם כן אפשר שהמצוה בעצמה אינה גדולה מקבלת פני השכינה רק שגם שם יש קבלת פני השכינה ומקיים שתיהם וגם על דרשת ר״א שאומר שלא כמדת הקב״ה וכו׳ אין קטן אומר לגדול המתן ואילו באברהם כו׳ קשה כנ״ל הלא גם שם היה קבלת פני השכינה ובפרט שהצדיקים נקראים אנפי שכינתא על שם ששכינתו יתברך שוכן בתוכם כנודע מספר הזוהר ובקבלו האורחים דהיינו המלאכים שנדמה לו כאנשים ודאי הוא קבלת פני השכינה:
(7) Now we must understand the language of the verse, do not pass by etc. For it is impossible to say this about the Blessed Shekhinah since all the earth is full of God’s glory (Isaiah 6:3) and no place is void of Him; and how could he say, do not pass by etc., which implies that place (as if it were possible) is not a place of God’s glory, which is impossible. And, according to this, we must also understand the interpretation of Rav Yehudah, quoting Rav, who said, “Welcoming guests is more important [than receiving the Shechinah]” etc. – how can he prove from this verse that welcoming guests is more important? Perhaps [Abraham acted this way] because in fulfilling the mitzvah of welcoming guests he will also receive the Face of the Shekhinah.
As is known, that is why they are called mitzvot – mitzvah on account of the Attachment with which the person attaches the Godly part that dwells within him to the collective Blessed Endless, from the terminology of Fellowship [tzavvta]. And if so, then it is possible that the mitzvah itself is not more important than receiving the Face of the Shekhinah, but only in [Abraham’s] case there was also receiving the Face of the Shekhinah and he could fulfill both of them. And regarding the interpretation of Rabbi Elazar as well, who said, “the character of the Holy Blessed One is not like … the lesser can not say to the greater, ‘Wait…’ but regarding Abraham” etc., it is difficult as we have explained – in [Abraham’s] case, was there not also receiving the Face of the Shekhinah [as well as welcoming guests]? And specifically, since tzaddikim are called Faces of the Shekhinah because the Blessed Shekhinah dwells within them as is known from the Book of the Zohar, when he received the guests, i.e., angels who appeared like people, he was certainly receiving the Face of the Shekhinah.
~ Before continuing with the explanation of "do not pass by"...
~ How does the Me'or Einayim understand the word "mitzvah"? Is it just "commandment"?
~ What possibility does the Me'or Einayim raise?
~ What is the answer to that possibility? Does the mitzvah of receiving guests being greater than the Shechinah apply only to Avraham?
~ What is the difference between the body and the soul of a mitzvah? How can doing a mitzvah become "empty"?
~ Why would the angels appear as simple passersby?
וַתֵּשֶׁב בְּפֶתַח עֵינַיִם, מַאן פֶּתַח עֵינַיִם כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר, (בראשית י״ח:א׳) וְהוּא יוֹשֵׁב פֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל. וּכְתִיב, (שמות י״ב:כ״ג) וּפָסַח ה'' עַל הַפֶּתַח. וּכְתִיב (תהילים קי״ח:י״ט) פִּתְחוּ לִי שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק וְגוֹ'. עֵינַיִם: דְּכָל עַיְינִין דְּעָלְמָא לְהַאי פִּתְחָא מְצַפָּאן.
And she [Tamar] sat on Petach Eynayim [the entrance to the eyes] (Gen. 38:14) - Just as you say "and he [Avraham] sits at the entrance [petach] of the tent" (Gen. 18:1), and it is written "And Ad-nai passed over the entrance [petach]" (Ex. 12:23), and it is written "open [pitchu] for me the gates of righteousness etc" (Ps. 118:19) [meaning] that all eyes of the world turn to that opening. [...]
~ How does the Zohar rereads the "opening of the tent"?
~ What do you think Avraham was asking for?
Rabbi Eleazar said: this parsha maintains us with a great secret, in many ways. When we fully look, secrets about the ways of the Holy Blessed One can be heard from it, and His judgments are in all places. And she [Tamar] knew [them] and she anticipated herself in this thing, to complete the ways of the Holy Blessed One, in this way governing kings would come from her, who in the future would govern over all [Israel]. And Rut also served in this way.
Rabbi Aba said: This parsha is bound with the secret of the wisdom of the Torah, and it is all in hidden and revealed [esoteric and simple meanings], and all Torah is likewise. You have no word in Torah in which the Holy High Name is not engraved, hidden and revealed.
בְּגִינֵי כַּךְ, סְתִימֵי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, קַדִּישֵׁי עֶלְיוֹנִין יָרְתִין לָהּ, וְאִתְגַּלְיָא בִּשְׁאָר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא. כְּגַוְונָא דָּא כְּתִיב, (תהילים ק״ב:כ״ב) לְסַפֵּר בְּצִיּוֹן שֵׁם יְיָ' וּתְהִלָּתוֹ בִּיְרוּשָׁלַ ם, דְּהָא בְּצִיּוֹן בְּמַקְדְּשָׁא, שָׁרֵי לְאַדְכְּרָא שְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא כַּדְקָא חֲזֵי. וּלְבַר בְּכִינּוּיוֹ. וְעַל דָּא כֹּלָּא סָתִים וְגַלְיָא. תָּאנָא, כָּל מַאן דְּגָרַע אָת חַד מֵאוֹרַיְיתָא. אוֹ יוֹסִיף אָת חַד בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּמַאן דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בִּשְׁמָא קַדִּישָׁא עִלָּאָה דְּמַלְכָּא.
In this way, the secrets of Torah - the Holy High Ones inherit them, and reveal them to the rest of the people of the world. In this way it is written " that the name of Ad-nai may be recounted in Zion, His praises in Jerusalem " (Ps. 102:22) - behold, "in Zion" [means] in the Temple, [where] they were permitted to say the Holy Name as revealed. And in other [places] in its accepted form. And in this, all is hidden and revealed. We are taught: whoever diminishes a letter from the Torah, or adds a letter to the Torah, is like one who lies with the King's Holy and High Name.