Parshat Vayera

Although Avraham lived for 175 years (see Bereishit 25,7) very few of his life episodes are recounted in the Torah. Therefore, those episodes which are mentioned, perhaps give us the ‘quintessential’ Avraham so to speak, as a role model to help us in our own daily decisions.

This appears very apparent in the story at the beginning of our Sidra (chapter 18). The Torah goes into some detail to describe Avraham’s reaction to the appearance first of G-d and then of the angels who appeared to Avraham in the guise of men. The Talmud and commentators learn many lessons from this with regard to how we should behave – a topic sometimes referred to as ‘derech eretz’ (proper behaviour). Read the story and consider what lessons you can learn from it.

Our two verses quoted above do not equate. In the first, Avraham said that he would provide bread for his visitors while in the second he ran to the cattle to prepare meat. He subsequently brought more goodies. Why is there a dichotomy?

The Talmudic sage Rabbi Elazar (Bava Metzia 87a) states that this dichotomy shows one of the hallmarks of a righteous person (tzadik), a state to which we should all aspire. Avraham said little but did much. The 19^th century scholar, Rabbi Baruch Halevi Epstein, compares this to Ephron from whom Avraham bought Me’arat Hamachpeila (the Cave of Machpela) at the beginning of next week’s Sidra, Chayei Sara (chapter 23). Ephron talked the talk but his behaviour towards Avraham did not match the honour which his words to implied.

Furthermore, Avraham and Sarah personally served their guests, despite their advanced years and Avraham needing to recover from his circumcision as explained by the commentator Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, 1194-1270).

There is one other question relating to the food that Avraham served which jumps out of the text. Have a think and please discuss it with me if you feel you do not have an answer to it.