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"He was sitting at the door of the tent." (18:1)
The sign of a true righteous person is that he always considers himself
"at the door," on the outside, as if his deeds have not yet
accomplished anything.
(Toldot Yaakov Yosef)
"Abraham sat in the tent door in the heat of the day"
(Gen. 18:1)
Abraham was watching the road for passers-by to offer them hospitality.
The numerical value of the Hebrew word for heat is the same as for the
world chaim (life). We should aim that every day should be full of "life,"
full of Torah and good deeds, so as to make life worthwhile.
(R. Yehoshua of Vishnitz)From "Hasidim in Israel"
by Tzvi Rabinowicz (Aronson).
"He lifted up his eyes... and behold, three men were standing
by him..." (18:2)
To Abraham the visitors appeared as men, but to Lot they looked like angels.
Our ancestor Abraham was generous and kind, welcoming rich and poor into
his tent with equal enthusiasm. Lot, by contrast, would only allow important
people into his home. Thus there was no need for the strangers to appear
to Abraham as angels, as his hospitality extended to everyone.
(Nifla'ot Chadashot)
"…He saw them and ran to meet them." (18:2).
Although Abraham did indeed run to greet his guests, extending himself
greatly to provide them with food and hospitality, the mitzva of hachnasat
orchim [hospitality] was never actually performed, for the angels only
pretended to eat and partake of Abraham's largess. We learn from this
that a person must always anticipate the needs of his guests to make their
stay as pleasant as possible, even if later it proves to have been unnecessary.
(Sichat Hashavua)
"Abraham drew near." (18:3)
Rashi notes that Abraham approached G-d "to speak [with Him] in a
harsh manner," to plead that He change His mind and not destroy Sodom.
Abraham, the epitome of loving-kindness, nonetheless saw fit to go against
his natural inclination and "speak harshly" with G-d! We learn
from this that when it comes to saving lives, either literally or in the
spiritual sense, a Jew must pull out all the stops and do all in his power,
even if it goes against his very nature.
(Likrat Shabbat)
"Let a little water be fetched." (18:4)
At the wedding reception of his daughter, Rabbi Dov Ber, the second Chabad
Rebbe, delivered a very lengthy Chasidic discourse explaining many deep
issues of Chasidic philosophy. When he finished speaking, the father of
the groom said, "Does it not state in the Torah, 'Let a little
water, I pray you, be fetched.' " He emphasized "a little
water," meaning that one should not reveal at length so much Chasidut.
One guest present at the wedding, a renowned scholar and chasid, answered
him, saying: "Those words were said when the angels came to Abraham
in the guise of pagans. To them, one gives only a little water, but to
Jewish souls, one must give a lot of water!"
"They said, So do as you have said." (18:5)
The way of tzadikim is to say little, yet do much. The angels knew
that Abraham was a tzadik, and that he would go out of his way
- above and beyond what he had already offered - to make them feel at
ease. They therefore asked him to "do as he had said" with regard
to their comfort, and no more.
(Torat Moshe)
"For I know him, that he will command his children and his household
after him." (18:19)
Rashi comments that the phrase "for I know him" implies love
and affection for Abraham. G-d loved Abraham because He knew that Abraham
would teach his children to follow in his footsteps. As great and impressive
as Abraham's worship of G-d was, more worthy of merit was the fact that
he could be counted on to instruct others.
(Hayom Yom)
"Behold now I have taken upon myself to speak to the L-rd, although
I am but dust and ashes." (18:27)
All people are but dust and ashes, yet they speak to G-d daily when
they pray. Abraham was pointing out that, despite the wickedness and corruption
of the people of Sodom, Abraham felt enough compassion for them to pray
on their behalf. Abraham was saying that if he could feel compassion for
those people, then so should
G-d, Ruler of the universe, grant them mercy and allow them to live.
(Reb Bunim of P'shischa) (from L'Chaim #493)
"G-d rained upon Sodom and Gomora brimstone and fire."
(19:24)
At the present time Sodom remains in its ruined state. However,
when Moshiach comes and evil will be completely removed from the earth,
Sodom will return to its original state of blessing and beauty, as it
says, (Ezek. 16) "I will return the captivity of Sodom."
(Sefer HaParshiot -from L'Chaim #241)
"G-d will make for me laughter ["yitzchak"]; everyone
that hears will laugh for me." [21:5]
"Laughter" hints at the Divine Joy that will be revealed to
the righteous in the Time-To-Come. Therefore, the name "Yitzchak"
is cast in future tense.
(From Torah Ohr - translated from Sichat HaShavuah #462)
"G-d, Himself, will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my
son." (22:8)
Rashi explains that Isaac also knew that he was going to be sacrificed.
Nonetheless, "they went both of them together," with equal resolve
and with one heart. Isaac's willingness to be sacrificed did not detract
from Abraham's trial. On the contrary, it made it that much more difficult
for Abraham to consider sacrificing such a righteous son.
(Chidushei HaRim -from L'Chaim #241)
"Because you did this thing [Binding of Issac] ... surely I will
greatly bless you and surely I will greatly increase your offspring."
[22:16-17]
But all these rewards were already promised him before this episode! The
difference is that before it was promised to him as a present, unearned.
Now, as a result of the Akeida test, Avraham is told he will receive all
this in his own merit.
(from Sefas Emmes - translated from Sichat HaShavuah #407)
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"And G-d appeared to him in the grove of Mamrei, as he was sitting
at the door of the tent in the heat of the day." (Gen. 18:1)
When Moshiach comes the entire world will bask in the revelation of the
Divine Presence, which will cause an actual physical healing of the sick,
just as G-d's appearance to Abraham healed his wound after his circumcision.
"In the heat of the day" refers to the saying of our Sages that
in the World to Come, "G-d will remove the sun (symbolic of G-d)
from its sheath, and the righteous (every single Jew) will be healed [by
its warmth]."
[Reprinted with permission from L'Chaim Magazine (www.lchaim.org).]
"Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet and recline
under the tree. I will bring a piece of bread so that you can gather strength.…He
brought some cream and milk, as well as the calf that he had prepared,
and placed it all before them, and he stood over them under the tree as
they ate." (Gen.18:4-5, 8)
When the three angels came in human form to visit Avraham, he treated
them with great kindness. He offered them water, gave them the opportunity
to wash, offered them a shady place to sit, bread to eat, and a calf for
meat. He even stood over them while they ate. For each act that Avraham
did to honor his guests, G-d will reward us, his descendants, in the same
way in the days of Mashiach.
* For the water -- "On that day (when Mashiach comes), living waters
will come out of Jerusalem." (Zach. 14:8)
* For the washing -- "G-d will have washed away the sins of the daughters
of Zion." (Is. 4:4)
* For the shade -- "And the protective cloud will provide shade in
the day to protect you." (Is. 4:6)
* For the bread -- "Loaves of bread will grow from the land."
(Ps. 72:16)
* For the calf -- "On that day a man will keep alive one calf and
two sheep (and they will be blessed so that the person will be provided
for". (Is. 7:21)
* For standing by -- "The king (Mashiach) will pass before them and
G-d will stand at their head." (Micha 2:13)
[Beraishis Rabbah 48:10 -- from Discover Moshiach in the
Weekly Torah Portion, as posted on //Moshiach.org]
"Get up and take your wife and your two daughters who are found."
(Gen. 19:15)
When the sun came up on the day G-d was to destroy Sodom, the angels told
Lot, "Get up and take your wife and your two daughters who are found."
Why did the Torah write, "who are found"? The verse would be
easy to understand without this phrase.
Rabbi Yitzchak says that this phrase connects to the verse in Psalms (89:21),
"I have found David my servant," which refers to Mashiach. And
where did G-d find Mashiach? In Sodom!
How does Mashiach come from Sodom? Because from one of Lot's daughters
came Ruth, from whom came King David, from whom comes Mashiach. In fact,
the reason Lot's daughters were saved was for the sake of King David and
Mashiach.
( From Discover Moshiach in the Weekly Torah Portion, as posted on Moshiach.org)
"G-d has made laughter for me; whoever hears it will laugh ("yitzchak")
on my account." (Gen. 21:6)
In the Messianic age, it is specifically of Isaac that we will say "for
you are our father" (a verse from the book of Isaiah). The name Yitzchak
is an expression of laughter and delight. "Laughter" refers
to the supreme delight that will be revealed to the righteous in the World
to Come. The Hebrew name "Yitzchak" ("he will laugh")
is in the future tense, alluding to the time when this will take place.
When Moshiach comes, the supernal joy and delight of our present service
of G-d will be fully revealed.
(Torah Ohr) [Reprinted with permission from L'Chaim Magazine
(www.lchaim.org).]
G-d told Abraham, "Listen to whatever Sara your wife tells you."
(Gen 21:12)
This is because, to quote our Sages, "Abraham was subordinate to
Sarah in regard to prophecy." Similarly, in the Era of the Redemption,
"a women of valor will be the crown of her husband," i.e., the
feminine dimension will surpass the masculine. In Kabalistic terms, this
is interpreted to mean that the Sefira (a channel of Divine energy
or lifeforce) of Sovereignty will ascend higher than the other Sefirot.
Since G-d "gave the Patriarchs a foretaste of the World to Come,"
they were also given the potential to anticipate the supremacy of the
feminine dimension.
(Lubavitcher Rebbe - from L'Chaim)
"Avraham told his two young men: You shall stay here with the
donkey." (Gen. 22:5)
In the account of the Binding of Yitzchak, Avraham, Yitzchak and the two
young men who were with them approached Mount Moriah, upon which, many
centuries later, the Holy Temple would be built. Avraham told them, "You
shall stay here (shvu lachem po) with the donkey."
The words "shvu lachem po" can also be translated "You
shall return here." Avraham was a prophet and saw that the Holy Temple
would be built and then destroyed, and that the Jewish people would be
sent into exile. He also saw that Mashiach would return us to the Holy
Land and rebuild the Third Holy Temple.
Avraham told them, "You shall return," to rebuild the Third
Holy Temple. And "with the donkey" refers to Mashiach, who is
described as, "A humble person riding on a donkey" (Zechariah
9:9). He was therefore telling them that the Holy Temple would be built
in the
future by Mashiach.
(Beraishit Rabbah 56:2)(From Discover Moshiach in the Weekly Torah Portion,
as posted on Moshiach.org)
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