Vayera is quintessential Avraham - from start to finish!
As he sits in the sun, the text speaks of Avraham's
passion for chesed -using verbiage of rushing 5 times
in the opening section. From this classic vignette of
hachnosas orchim, Chofetz Chaim learns ten lessons try
to find them in the pesukim - [a big thanks to Rabbi
Berezon for this]:
a. actively seek out guests
b. make guests feel wanted and comfortable
d. give them a good shower
e. give them a place to relax
f. give more than you offer
g. treat them with class
h. meet their needs quickly
i.. escort guests
j. it is a privilege (not demeaning) to serve them
k. chinuch also applies to mitzvos bein adam
l'chaveiro
Avraham's selflessness under duress has a lasting
effect - Bava Metzia 86b teaches that it brings the
manna,the clouds of glory and the well. It is
awesome and we ought to integrate to the best of our
abilities some of the lessons.
We are fond of teaching our children that it is
harder to live with Kiddush Hashem than to die for
it. And yet, in our Parsha's final section, Akeidas
Yitzchak - Avraham reachs the peak - a place that
he had not yet arrived at from the beginning of the
parsha - One wonders why that momentary window of
sacrifice outshines a whole life of chesed?
A quick kernel that needs development may be the
beginning of an approach:
In Divine service, more can be found in transcending
than in simply leveraging. Precisely in overcoming
one's weakness is found the potential for greatness.
[cf. Bava Metzia 32 kayeif yitzeir adif]
Many people lead lives of avoidance - not wanting to
confront their challenges. Think of those will
always cross the street (or maybe even walk around
the block) to avoid the dog, the cat or the
uncomfortable situation with their neighbor. I know
many people who stopped learning because they just
can't read, stopped looking for their bashert
because it was so painful, stopped loving because it
hurt too much ....
Hashem creates weaknesses --- and it is our job to
overcome [borei nefashos rabos v'chesronan]. In that
struggle, in that yegia is found greatness.
Avraham was
great man of chesed. For Akeidas Yitzchak, that was
a major liability . Hashem challenges Avraham to
give his all to God. He asks us on our level to do
the same.
Good Shabbos
Asher Brander
[1] [Note:
What follows is a beautiful piece of Torah I
heard from my chaver Rabbi Avraham Willig of
Ramat Beit Shemesh Israel.]
[3] based on Yirmiyahu [31:15-16] - Thus
says Hashem, A voice is heard in Ramah,
Lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel is weeping
for her children; refusing to be comforted for
her children .. Thus says Hashem, Restrain your
voice from weeping and your eyes from tears; For
your work will be rewarded," declares Hashem,
And they will return from the land of the enemy.
[4] Pesichta Eicha Rabah 24
[6] Although
it is not completely in synch with this
startling comment.
[7] Especially according to the midrash that
indicates that Lavan would redirect all of
Yaakov's presents that he sent during the seven
years to Leah! The midrash praises Rachel's and
her son Binyamin's silence [the latter for not
revealing mechiras Yosef]
[8] Matnos Aniyim, 10:7-8
[9] Two questions still need to be
addressed: If Rachel knew that Leah would be
embarrassed, and she would have to transmit the
signs - why did she accept the signs from Yaakov
in the first place? Once Rachel agreed to
Yaakov's sign system - how could she violate
Yaakov's will?
[10] Additionally, Yaakov certainly saw the
hashgacha in the whole story.
