Parshas Vayera

17 Cheshvan 5755
Saturday, October 22, 1994

Sponsored by
the Henry, Bertha and Edward Rothman Foundation
Rochester, NY * Cleveland, Ohio
Circleville, Ohio

Sponsored by UMB Bank and Trust Company -- America's only Shomer Shabbat Bank

Guest Rabbi:
Rabbi Dr. Chaim Wakslak
Young Israel of Long Beach, New York

This weeks Dvar Torah is dedicated to the "Turn Friday Night into Shabbos" program sponsored by the National Jewish Outreach Program (NJOP) in synagogues across the country on this Shabbos.

Avraham Avinu dedicated his life to the task of teaching the world about the existence of one G-d, Master of the Universe. Understanding the importance of this mission to Avraham will provide us with a better understanding of several events that we encounter in the Sedra this week.

The Sedra begins by describing how Avraham Avinu is anxiously hoping to receive guests on the third day after his circumcision. Avraham, we know was famous for his hospitality. His tent had openings on all four sides, so that a stranger would always be welcome. Yet, now, during the period of most painful recuperation, he has not had guests and he is increasingly distressed. Why was Avraham so despondent at not receiving guests, just at this particular time? Surely he did not spend every moment of his time in hospitality; certainly there were other activities that occupied him. Couldn't he have rested or engaged in other worthwhile activities? Yet his disappointment was so intense that G-d sent three angels disguised as men to satisfy Avraham's need for guests.

To understand what took place, we need to realize that Avraham's concern for this particular mitzvah of hospitality was directly connected with his circumcision. Avraham realized that the significance of the physical act of circumcision, for himself and all his descendants, was radical; from that time onwards his race was a race set apart, with special duties, responsibilities and status. The Chiddushe HaRim explains that Avraham feared that the gulf now dividing him from the rest of humanity might prove unbridgeable. He worried that now, when he had so much to communicate, he would no longer be able to communicate- that his whole mission in life might be frustrated by his own new status. He feared the development of an isolation which would prevent him from sharing with all men the joy of serving G-d. It was at this critical time that Avraham needed guests to reassure him that, in spite of his new closeness with G-d, he had not lost his old closeness to humanity.

A similar fear, say some commentators, haunted Avraham as he prepared for the Akeida. Not only was Avraham asked to give up his only son but, in addition, he was asked to jeopardize his life's work- Who would continue to adhere to the philosophy of a man who killed his own son? Here he was, a man who preached chesed, kindness and mercy, performing such a barbaric act- who could doubt that the world would consider him the worst hypocrite.

Later in the Sedra, following the birth of Yitzchok and before the trial of the Akeida, there appears to be an interlude involving Avraham's alliance with Avimelech following a dispute regarding the seizure of a well of water by the servants of Avimelech. Why was this seemingly trivial episode placed between the birth of Yitzchok and the story of the Akeida?

Once again we find that the Torah wants to stress Avraham's mission to influence the world. The story is not about building wells at all! Rather, Avraham used the building of wells as a technique to spread the name of HaShem. Avraham was aware that all humanity is dependent upon water. Thus Avraham would dig wells but would give them names that included the name of G-d and the people of the world would have the name of G-d included in their vocabulary. It was this clever technique to which Avimelech and the Philistines objected. While Avraham was alive, their resentment of this technique was expressed only in verbal disputes, but after his death the Torah relates that the Philistines violated the covenant established between Avraham and Avimelech and stopped up the wells. Therefore the Torah reports (Bereishit 26:18) the victory of Yitzchok by relating, "And Isaac dug anew the wells of water which they had dug in the day of Avraham his father...and he called them by the same names that his father had called them.

We, the descendants of Avraham Avinu, have always striven to
emulate his model of Hachnosat Orchim, extending hospitality and welcoming guests into our home. However, if we are to truly emulate our forefather, we must also use our efforts and resources to influence and encourage peripheral Jews to join the ranks of the Torah observant.

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