Vayera Answers

VaYera 5721

בראשית פרק יח

(א) וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו יְקֹוָק בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב פֶּתַח־הָאֹהֶל כְּחֹם הַיּוֹם:

(ב) וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה שְׁלֹשָׁה אֲנָשִׁים נִצָּבִים עָלָיו וַיַּרְא וַיָּרָץ לִקְרָאתָם מִפֶּתַח הָאֹהֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אָרְצָה:

(ג) וַיֹּאמַר אֲדֹ-נָי אִם־נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ אַל־נָא תַעֲבֹר מֵעַל עַבְדֶּךָ:

(ד) יֻקַּח־נָא מְעַט־מַיִם וְרַחֲצוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם וְהִשָּׁעֲנוּ תַּחַת הָעֵץ:

(ה) וְאֶקְחָה פַת־לֶחֶם וְסַעֲדוּ לִבְּכֶם אַחַר תַּעֲבֹרוּ כִּי־עַל־כֵּן עֲבַרְתֶּם עַל־עַבְדְּכֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ:

(ו) וַיְמַהֵר אַבְרָהָם הָאֹהֱלָה אֶל־שָׂרָה וַיֹּאמֶר מַהֲרִי שְׁלֹשׁ סְאִים קֶמַח סֹלֶת לוּשִׁי וַעֲשִׂי עֻגוֹת:

(ז) וְאֶל־הַבָּקָר רָץ אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח בֶּן־בָּקָר רַךְ וָטוֹב וַיִּתֵּן אֶל־הַנַּעַר וַיְמַהֵר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֹתוֹ:

(ח) וַיִּקַּח חֶמְאָה וְחָלָב וּבֶן־הַבָּקָר אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיִּתֵּן לִפְנֵיהֶם וְהוּא־עֹמֵד עֲלֵיהֶם תַּחַת הָעֵץ וַיֹּאכֵלוּ:

And the LORD Appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood over against him; and when he saw them, he ranto meet them from the tent door, and bowed down to the earth, and said: 'My l(L)ord,¹ if now I have found favor in thy/Thy s(S)ight, pass not away, I pray t(T)hee, from thy servant. Let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and recline yourselves under the tree. And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and stay ye your heart; after that ye shall pass on; forasmuch as ye are come to your servant.' And they said: 'So do, as thou hast said.' And Avraham hastened into the tent unto Sara, and said: 'Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.' And Avraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto the servant; and he hastened to dress it. And he took curd, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. 

Alef.

The linguistic emphasis that symbolizes Avraham’s hospitality are expressions of speed—see the underlined above.

Beit.

1א. Ordinarily, meteorological conditions are not noted in the biblical text. Therefore it is concluded that the heat of the day must play some role in the story.

  ב. The Midrash appears to wish to emphasize how Avraham placed concern for guests ahead of concern for his own physical welfare, in this case recovery from a surgical procedure.

  ג.  Sitting in the doorway of his tent is probably not the most comfortable place to sit for a recovering patient. By sitting there, he was positioning himself so that he would be able to extend hospitality if the need arose.

  ד.  The information could have been conveyed via a dream, a prophetic vision (RaMBaM suggests that this entire experience was just such a vision), or a disembodied voice from Heaven—a Bat Kol. The assumption that the angels, which could take different forms—see RaMBaM, Mishneh Tora, Hilchot Yesodei HaTora  2:7,² specifically initially appeared as human travelers in need of hospitality was in order to satisfy Avraham’s particular interest in hosting guests.

2א. Gur Aryeh wishes to disavow the reader from the view that Malachim are somehow independent entitities. In fact, the term reflects the tasks that HaShem Wishes to be Carried out, with each specific task being referred to as the action of a specific Angel.

  ב.  The fact that individual names are assigned to Angels, e.g., Refael, Gavriel, etc., might suggest that they are independent entities. Consequently the commentator emphasizes how these names are mere functions of the tasks that are to be carried out.

  ג. 

בראשית פרק יט

(יז) וַיְהִי כְהוֹצִיאָם אֹתָם הַחוּצָה וַיֹּאמֶר הִמָּלֵט עַל־נַפְשֶׁךָ אַל־תַּבִּיט אַחֲרֶיךָ וְאַל־תַּעֲמֹד בְּכָל־הַכִּכָּר הָהָרָה הִמָּלֵט פֶּן־תִּסָּפֶה:

The plural of “KeHotziom” would include the act of the Angel charged with destroying Sodom, since he could not proceed until those who were not to be included in the destruction were removed. On the other hand, the instructions of what Lot and his family should do in order to avoid the destruction was the singular responsibility of the Angel assigned to saving them and therefore “VaYomar” is in the singular.

3א. While Angels are fully capable to carry out the implications of “Alav” literally, why not interpret it in the manner in which it would be interpreted were we speaking of human beings, since that is the form that these Angels are taking.

  ב.  Perhaps the point in Nimukei RaShI is that since they are Angels, then a literal position should be taken regarding “Alav” as is implied in Onkelos, in order to distinguish them from human beings as reflected in BaMidbar 2.

4א. RaShI is bothered by the fact that although the text states that three individuals approached, Avraham appears to address only one of them. Consequently RaShI suggests that A. addressed the leader of the group, and whatever he would decide the other two would follow.

  ב.  The weakness of the first answer is that Avraham should have addressed all three simultaneously. The weakness of the second answer (see fn. 1) is that the verses appear out of order, i.e., if HaShem was being addressed, then before running to greet the visitors, Avraham should have asked HaShem to Remain while he takes care of them.

  ג.  Just as Beraishit 24:22-3 can be understood as being the “pluperfect” past tense, i.e., he had already asked Rivka to which family she belonged, so too in the case of Beraishit 18:3, we can assume according to the second interpretation that Avraham had already asked HaShem to Remain while he saw to the needs of the travelers.

בראשית פרק כד

(כב) וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר כִּלּוּ הַגְּמַלִּים לִשְׁתּוֹת וַיִּקַּח הָאִישׁ נֶזֶם זָהָב בֶּקַע מִשְׁקָלוֹ וּשְׁנֵי צְמִידִים עַל־יָדֶיהָ עֲשָׂרָה זָהָב מִשְׁקָלָם:

(כג) וַיֹּאמֶר בַּת־מִי אַתְּ הַגִּידִי נָא לִי הֲיֵשׁ בֵּית־אָבִיךְ מָקוֹם לָנוּ לָלִין:

ד. 

בראשית פרק ו

(א) וַיְהִי כִּי־הֵחֵל הָאָדָם לָרֹב עַל־פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה וּבָנוֹת יֻלְּדוּ לָהֶם:

(ב) וַיִּרְאוּ בְנֵי־הָאֱלֹקים אֶת־בְּנוֹת הָאָדָם כִּי טֹבֹת הֵנָּה וַיִּקְחוּ לָהֶם נָשִׁים מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר בָּחָרוּ:

(ג) וַיֹּאמֶר יְקֹוָק לֹא־יָדוֹן רוּחִי בָאָדָם לְעֹלָם בְּשַׁגַּם הוּא בָשָׂר וְהָיוּ יָמָיו מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה:

(ד) הַנְּפִלִים הָיוּ בָאָרֶץ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וְגַם אַחֲרֵי־כֵן אֲשֶׁר יָבֹאוּ בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹקים אֶל־בְּנוֹת הָאָדָם וְיָלְדוּ לָהֶם הֵמָּה הַגִּבֹּרִים אֲשֶׁר מֵעוֹלָם אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם: פ

Before describing HaShem’s Reactions to the goings on in the world, the text should have concluded with what the Bnai Elokim were doing.

5א. The adverbial (Achar) phrase requires an object (after what?) Consequently RaShI adds the word Chen (lit. this; after you have refreshed yourselves, you can be on your way). Furthermore, Ta’avoru (you will pass) is ambiguous. What is connoted by this verb? It should be transitive describing what is being passed. RaShI therefore redefines the verb as Teileichu, the intransive “you will go”.

  ב.  In v. 3, Ta’avor makes sense, i.e., do not pass me and my encampment by. However, once they start going again, they in fact haven’t passed by the encampment, but have stopped off there for a while.Therefore it would appear that a literal rendition of this verb would not make sense.

6א. Different grades of Kemach were required for cakes (v. 6), on the one hand, and cooking the meat (v. 7) on the other.  Why was there a need of specification of a particular grade of flour, instead of simply saying “Make cakes”?

 (ו) וַיְמַהֵר אַבְרָהָם הָאֹהֱלָה אֶל־שָׂרָה וַיֹּאמֶר מַהֲרִי שְׁלֹשׁ סְאִים קֶמַח סֹלֶת לוּשִׁי וַעֲשִׂי עֻגוֹת:

(ז) וְאֶל־הַבָּקָר רָץ אַבְרָהָם וַיִּקַּח בֶּן־בָּקָר רַךְ וָטוֹב וַיִּתֵּן אֶל־הַנַּעַר וַיְמַהֵר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֹתוֹ:

  ב. If Solet would relate to Kemach via Semichut, there was no purpose in stating Lushi. Lushi breaks Solet away from Kemach and causes it to connect to Lushi instead.

7.    If the idea was to have the Na’ar prepare the animal, the verse which has Avraham as the subject, suggests that when it says “VaYemaher La’asot Oto” it is talking about Avraham rather than the Na’ar Yishmael.

8.    The presence of Sara in her tent was not coincidental but rather indicative of her modesty because since Avraham had already informed Sara of the need to make cakes for guests,

 (ו) וַיְמַהֵר אַבְרָהָם הָאֹהֱלָה אֶל־שָׂרָה וַיֹּאמֶר מַהֲרִי שְׁלֹשׁ סְאִים קֶמַח סֹלֶת לוּשִׁי וַעֲשִׂי עֻגוֹת:

one would have imagined that she would have brought them out once they were completed so that she too could serve the guests. If instead, she remained within the tent, this was a sign of personal modesty.

Gimel.

Both commentators wonder what the word “Kein” is alluding to re what Avraham had told his “guests”. 

Ibn Ezra understands the intent as relating to exactly what Avraham offered to serve the guests,

 (ה) וְאֶקְחָה פַת־לֶחֶם וְסַעֲדוּ לִבְּכֶם אַחַר תַּעֲבֹרוּ כִּי־עַל־כֵּן עֲבַרְתֶּם עַל־עַבְדְּכֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ:

They were telling him not to do any more than what he offered, but of course he served them far more than just a piece of bread, leading to RaShI’s comment how the righteous say little and do a great deal. QUANTITY.

Bechor Shor in the name of R. Ovadia understands the Angel’s comment having to do with Avraham’s overall approach, i.e., of being hospitable towards guests, and hopes that going forward, with respect to other guests, Avraham will continue to do the same. QUALITY.

Daled.

1+2.  Bechor Shor learns a combination of the two interpretations cited by RaShI, i.e., the term “Adon-ai” is Kodesh, so that this is a plea/prayer to HaShem, but the subject of the prayer is not what HaShem should Do, but rather that He Influence this group of people to agree to Avraham’s offer of hospitality.

(ג) וַיֹּאמַר אֲדֹ-נָי אִם־נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ אַל־נָא תַעֲבֹר מֵעַל עַבְדֶּךָ:

Heh.

1א. Hachanasat Orchim is one of the quintessential Mitzvot between man and man, while Kabalat Pnai HaShechina is at the top of the hierarchy of Mitzvot between man and God.

  ב.  By Avraham asking HaShem to “Wait” until he took care of the guests, then obviously the latter trumps the former. It seems to me that RaShI is presenting R. Yehuda Amar Rav faithfully.

2.    An example might be from what Avimelech tells Yitzchak, after Yitzchak’s having been made uncomfortable in Gerar until he moved far outside the city precincts:

בראשית פרק כו

(כט) אִם־תַּעֲשֵׂה עִמָּנוּ רָעָה כַּאֲשֶׁר לֹא נְגַעֲנוּךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂינוּ עִמְּךָ רַק־טוֹב וַנְּשַׁלֵּחֲךָ בְּשָׁלוֹם אַתָּה עַתָּה בְּרוּךְ יְקֹוָק:

3א. The assumption of the Midrash is that had Avraham not specified “Solet”, Sara would have been liable to use a poorer grade of flour since she was not as predisposed to treating guests well as was her husband.

   ב.

וַיֹּאמֶר: מַהֲרִי שְׁלֹשׁ סְאִים קֶמַח’  סֹלֶת לוּשִׁי!  וַעֲשִׂי עֻגוֹת:

4א. אל ישנה אדם מן המנהג—Avraham usually sat at the doorway of his tent on the lookout for guests. Although he certainly had an excuse not to do so so soon after his surgery, and given that it was particular hot, nevertheless he did so because this was his normal behavior.

  ב.  מסרבין לקטן ואין מסרבין לגדול—When Lot invites the Angels, they give him a hard time,

בראשית פרק יט

(ב) וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֶּה נָּא־אֲדֹנַי סוּרוּ נָא אֶל־בֵּית עַבְדְּכֶם וְלִינוּ וְרַחֲצוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּם וַהֲלַכְתֶּם לְדַרְכְּכֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹּא כִּי בָרְחוֹב נָלִין:

(ג) וַיִּפְצַר־בָּם מְאֹד וַיָּסֻרוּ אֵלָיו וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם מִשְׁתֶּה וּמַצּוֹת אָפָה וַיֹּאכֵלוּ:

while with respect to Avraham, they immediately agreed.

(ג) וַיֹּאמַר אֲדֹ-נָי אִם־נָא מָצָאתִי חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ אַל־נָא תַעֲבֹר מֵעַל עַבְדֶּךָ:

(ד) יֻקַּח־נָא מְעַט־מַיִם וְרַחֲצוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם וְהִשָּׁעֲנוּ תַּחַת הָעֵץ:

(ה) וְאֶקְחָה פַת־לֶחֶם וְסַעֲדוּ לִבְּכֶם אַחַר תַּעֲבֹרוּ כִּי־עַל־כֵּן עֲבַרְתֶּם עַל־עַבְדְּכֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ:

ג.  שאין הנשים מודות בזקנה—When Sara is accused of not believing that she would have a child because both she and Avraham were too old, she vehemently denies that she was skeptical.

בראשית פרק יח

(יב) וַתִּצְחַק שָׂרָה בְּקִרְבָּהּ לֵאמֹר אַחֲרֵי בְלֹתִי הָיְתָה־לִּי עֶדְנָה וַאדֹנִי זָקֵן:

(יג) וַיֹּאמֶר יְקֹוָק אֶל־אַבְרָהָם לָמָּה זֶּה צָחֲקָה שָׂרָה לֵאמֹר הַאַף אֻמְנָם אֵלֵד וַאֲנִי זָקַנְתִּי:

(יד) הֲיִפָּלֵא מֵיְקֹוָק דָּבָר לַמּוֹעֵד אָשׁוּב אֵלֶיךָ כָּעֵת חַיָּה וּלְשָׂרָה בֵן:

(טו) וַתְּכַחֵשׁ שָׂרָה לֵאמֹר לֹא צָחַקְתִּי כִּי יָרֵאָה וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא כִּי צָחָקְתְּ:

¹ Shabbat 127a

Rav Yehuda said in Rav's name: Hospitality to wayfarers is greater than welcoming the presence of the Shechina, for it is written, “And he said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in Thy Sight, Pass not away, etc.” R. Eleazar said: Come and observe how the Conduct of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is not like that of mortals. The conduct of mortals [is such that] an inferior person cannot say to a great[er] man, ”Wait for me until I come to you”; whereas in the case of the Holy One, Blessed be He, it is written, “And he said, My Lord, if now I have found, etc.”

² The different names with which the angels are called reflect their [spiritual] levels. Thus, they are called:

1) The holy chayyot, who are above all the others; 2) the ofanim; 3) the er'elim; 4) the chashmalim; 5) the serafim; 6) the mal'achim; 7) the elohim; 8) the sons of the elohim; 9) the keruvim; 10) the ishim.

These ten names which are used to refer to the angels reflect their ten [different spiritual] levels. The level above which there is no higher level except that of God, Blessed be He, is that of the form called chayyot. Therefore, the prophets state that they are below God's Throne of Glory.

The tenth [and lowest] level is that of the form called ishim. They are the angels who communicate with the prophets and are perceived by them in prophetic visions. Therefore, they are called ishim, (“men”), because their level is close to the level of human knowledge.