Midreshet Amit

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It the midst of one of the greatest heat waves to hit the land of Canaan, on a day when everyone was seeking shelter from the blistering sun, one solitary and lone figure remained outside his tent- Avraham. It was not just the heat that should have kept Avraham in the relative comfort of his tent. After all it was just three days after his circumcision the day when the pain was most pronounced. And yet, Avraham was outside looking for travelers who may be in need of some respite from the burning rays of the sun. What prompted Avraham to act in such a manner? Why couldn't Avraham allow himself some time to recover and then return to his routine of generosity and hospitality?

The Midrash records the conversation that took place between Avraham and God on that day. Despite the joy of fulfilling the command of God, Avraham had some residual reservations "Until my circumcision the wayfarers would come to my tent Bereishit Rabbah 48:9. translation mine)." In the wake of his circumcision Avraham set himself apart from the rest of the world. Avraham feared that as a result of his circumcision his relationship to mankind outside of his limited sphere would disintegrate; he feared becoming isolated from his fellow men. This isolation could stem from within his own home or be imposed by the outside world. From the outside world he feared being regarded as arrogant or worse to be relegated to the realm of madman. Within his own home Avraham was apprehensive that his family would no longer want to associate with the world outside. Perhaps they would feel "We are chosen, we are unique, and it is beneath us to associate with those not committed to God's message." As such Avraham feared that he may not be able to continue to serve as the religious exemplar and a paradigm of pure humanity. It was that prospect of not being able to fulfill his role as a spiritual father and moral force that haunted him and pushed him to desperately search for guests.

When he sees the three "idolaters" he quickly leaves God's presence to fulfill his duty of acting with love and compassion towards one's fellow man. He makes sure to involve his entire household in hosting these guests. Doing this would insure that they too feel a sense of mission and purpose outside of their immediate circle and not heaven forbid develop a false sense of pride. He prepared fresh food rather than serve them leftovers and put out a lavish meal to make the world realize that he is still here to engage with all of humanity.

I would like to end here with a quote from Rav Samson Rafael Hirsch. "Not for naught did Avraham sit before his tent in the heat of that day; for this spirit of love of one's fellow men became a legacy that was bequeathed to his descendents. Throughout the generations, even the enemies of Israel have not denied that the disparaged Jews posses this spirit. Wherever open hearts and open hands are sought for universal humane purposes…even the disparagers of Judaism turn, first of all, to the Jews (The Hirsch Chumash, Genesis 18:1)." As a reminder of the immense truth of Rav Hirsch's poignant words I have included a clip recapturing Israel's tireless efforts on behalf of the people in Haiti. http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2010/01/18/dnt.cohen.haiti.patients.dying.cnn.html