Parshat Vayera
15 Cheshvan 5768
October 27, 2007
Daf Yomi: Kesovos 56
by:
Rabbi Pesach Lerner
Executive Vice President
National Council of Young Israel
“And
Hashem said, should I hide from Avraham that which I intend to
do?”
Rashi explains that the words “that which I intend to do” refer
to S’dom. “I have given to Avraham this land and these five
cities are his. I have called him Avraham - אב המון גויים – the
Father of Many Nations. Shall I destroy his children and not
tell their ‘father’?”
How could it be that Avraham did not know about the spiritual
pollution being generated from S’dom and the surrounding
communities? Avraham was the “Father of Many Nations”; not only
in the sense that his sons – Yitzchak and Yishmael – were the
founders of the Jewish and Arab worlds but, specifically,
because Avraham was the spiritual leader and teacher of the
world at that time. Avraham had “discovered” G-d, the Almighty
came to visit him, angels were forever guests in his home;
didn’t Avraham “see” the evil actions of S’dom?
Where do we find that the Almighty, so to speak, “contemplates”
hiding – or not hiding – from one of His Prophets what He is
going to do? If the Prophet was “worthy” of such knowledge he
would receive it; if not he would not receive it.
The Chasam Sofer, in his introduction to his responsa on
Shulchan Aruch Yorah Deah, Hakdamah suggests that if a Prophet
is worthy of the information that an event will take place or
justice will be meted out, the Almighty will not hide such
information from him. However, Avraham Avinu had not reached
that level of prophecy.
Avraham did not have the time to direct his thoughts in order to
advance the many levels of prophecy; he was too busy teaching
his students and the world at large, about G-d. Avraham was
active with the common man, informing and educating the masses
about the Almighty. Had his students been advanced in their
studies, Avraham, as well, would have progressed and grown in
his studies. However, his students were at the most basic level,
so Avraham did not have the time and the opportunity to
personally reach the spiritual heights needed to “sense” what
was going on around him.
Regardless, the Almighty, Who knows what is hidden deep in our
hearts, knew Avraham, His servant. Although Avraham had not yet
reached the heights he could – and perhaps should – have, it was
not his fault. His lack was only because Avraham spent his time
doing G-d’s will, teaching his generation about the One, Just
G-d.
Therefore, the Torah first says, “Can I hide from Avraham that
which I intend to do?” and then continues (pasuk 19 “Because I
know that he will command his children and his household [his
sphere of influence] after him, and they shall keep the path of
the Almighty, to do justice and judgment…”
Avraham was active on behalf of Hashem; Hashem revealed to
Avraham that which was necessary for him to know. And, as pasuk
23-32 informs us, Avraham, the spiritual father of the world,
immediately prayed to the Almighty, “Perhaps there are still
some righteous people in these cities for whom the communities
will merit being saved.”
It is most interesting to note how the Chasam Sofer relates the
events of Avraham to our daily activities. Why should we,
servants of G-d with an obligation to further our Torah studies
so that we can reach great heights and grow closer to the
Almighty, sacrifice our growth to assist and teach other Jews?
To this the Chasam Sofer asks if we think it is beyond the
Almighty’s capabilities to compensate that which we may have
lost while our time was spent for His glory. We must do what we
have been commanded to do, to teach Torah to all Jews, and then
Hashem will enable us, in the time we have left for ourselves,
to accomplish more than we thought possible.
On numerous occasions, I heard from my Rosh HaYeshiva Rav Yaakov
Ruderman, ZT”L, of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore, MD, that
in the Yeshiva in Slobodka (in Europe) there were numerous
individuals who would spend much of their day learning with
younger students and answering the questions of less experienced
boys. The nights they would spend learning for themselves. These
individuals included Rav Ruderman, zt”l, and Rav Yaakov
Kaminetsky, zt”l, both of whom became Torah leaders of their
generation.
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