THE EXAMPLE(S) OF ABRAHAM

Parashat Vayera
Cheshvan 20, 5784 / November 3-4, 2023
Torah: Genesis 18:1 – 22:24
Haftarah: Ashkenazim - 2 Kings 4:1-37; Sephardim - 2 Kings 4:1-23
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This d'var torah is offered in memory of all the victims of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah. Y’hi zikhronam liv’rakhah – May their memories be a blessing. And may the memory of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah and all their supporters be forever erased.
 
This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

This d'var torah is offered in memory of Adrienne Beckmann, who passed away in Connecticut. We offer our deep condolences to John and his family. Y'hi zikhronah liv'rakhah - May her memory be a blessing.

This d'var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Chanah Bella bat Kreina and Devorah bat Feigel.
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"R. Nachman said: 'May it be credited to me, that I fulfilled the obligation of three meals on the Sabbath."' 

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THE EXAMPLE(S) OF ABRAHAM
 
"And the Lord appeared to (Abraham) at the terebinths (trees used to make turpentine) of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day. He lifted his eyes and saw there were three men standing above him; he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them, and bowed toward the ground. And he said, 'My Lord, if I find favor in Your eyes, please do not pass away from Your servant.’” Genesis 18:1-3.

At first reading, one would think that God appeared to Abraham in the form of the three men. Therefore, he bowed and addressed them as "My Lord". However, a rabbinic tradition teaches that these are two separate events. God was visiting Abraham following Abraham's self-circumcision, and then the three men appeared. Abraham (in his pain!) literally ran from God to greet the men. He then asked God to wait while he attended to the needs of the men!

This might seem extraordinarily disrespectful to God. Not so, according to the Rabbis. "Rabbi Judah said in the name of Rav: 'Hospitality to guests is greater than greeting the Divine Presence.'" How can this be?

Abraham and the Three Angels (c. 1670-1674) by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo

For one thing, if God is the Omnipresent, one can never leave God's Presence. Second, if God is the Eternal, then "waiting" is not in God's vocabulary - it's simply not a problem. Perhaps most important, God does not have physical and emotional needs, but human beings do; and they must be attended to. In taking leave of God in order to extend hospitality to three strangers who appeared out of the desert, Abraham was actually honoring God - by truly caring for those who are created "in the image of God".
 
But there’s more that we can learn from Abraham in this parashah – some by following his example, some by not following his example.
 
"Will You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? ... Far be it from You to do so, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that the righteous should be equated with the wicked! Far be it from You! Shall the Chief Justice of all the earth not do justice?" (Gen. 18:23-25) Abraham's desperate bargaining with God to save Sodom and Gomorrah, and thereby the righteous few who might be dwelling there, is a truly powerful moment - a man standing up to God and telling Him to do the right thing. As noted last week, this is a shining example of speaking truth to power. And yet, it seems that nothing comes of it. God promises not to destroy the cities if ten righteous people can be found there, but ultimately the cities are destroyed – because there are not ten righteous persons. It is not because Abraham failed – and it is not because Abraham was wrong.
 
And yet … If Abraham is willing to argue to save people with whom he has absolutely nothing in common, why then, at the conclusion of our parashah, does he march his son Isaac up the mountain to be offered as a sacrifice to God, with nary a peep of protest? Some attribute to Abraham his desire to fulfill all of God's commandments. But perhaps the reason is quite different. (Note: he was earlier “troubled” by, but acquiesced to, the banishment of his son Ishmael)
 
Perhaps Abraham felt beaten down. Maybe he thought that his inability to convince God to relent from destroying the two cities meant that he should no longer argue with God, not ever, not even to save the life of his own son – who was completely innocent! He gave up!
 
This would truly be a failure on Abraham’s part. If so, then this behavior of Abraham is clearly NOT one we should follow. Consider this: how could it ever be wrong to seek justice for ourselves and for our fellow human beings? So what if we fail once? If we do not demand justice, why should God, or any person in authority, act justly? Are we not commanded to zealously pursue justice? (Deuteronomy 16:20) (see also my sermon from Rosh Hashanah Day 2 - https://rav-rich.blogspot.com/2023/09/this-is-my-sermon-for-second-day-of.html)
 
The proof is in the result. After the banishment of Ishmael and the near-sacrifice of Isaac, father and sons go their separate ways, and never see each other again – until the burial of Abraham. After Abraham’s failure to again demand justice, he and God go their separate ways, and never speak to each other again. We must not allow that to happen in our lives. The failure to seek justice for others may leave us all bereft of justice.
 
May the Merciful One bless us, all the inhabitants of the world, all of us, as one, with the blessing of peace.
 
Shabbat Shalom.

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Rabbi Emeritus - Temple B'nai Hayim

.איזהו חכם? הלומד מכל אדם

Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.

Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1

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