"And the Lrd appeared to him…" Until Avraham did brit milah Gd spoke to him only on the lower levels without Avraham having any access to the higher levels of revelation. But then Avraham circumcised himself and "the blossoms appeared in the land," the lower grades which the earth put forth were established "and the time of pruning came." He removed the orlah to reveal the crown, so that "the voice of the turtle dove is heard in the land," the voice which issues from the innermost recesses of Creation was heard, perfecting the form of the words. As it says, "The Lrd appeared to him," the (Heavenly) voice now connected itself with the aspect of prophetic speech. (Zohar 97b).
VaYera
Reb Shlomo Minyan HarNof
(R. Raphael, email: [email protected])
The Unfolding
Avraham raised his eyes and saw three men standing in front of him" (Bereshit 18:2). The Kedushas Levi brings a Zohar (98b) that says that these three were Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov. Because Avraham, who is chesed (kindness), bound himself to gevurah (strictness) through the milah, opening the way for Yitzchak, who represents constriction of self out of the fear of Gd. And Avraham's lovingkindness, which is the aspect of water, always expanding to take in more, filling everything with the love of Hashem, is the opposite of gevurah, which is fire, subjecting one's self to a searching heat of refinement, leaving only the purest essence. With the cutting away of the excess of chessed through the milah Avraham saw that the next generation, Yitzchak, would be his opposite. And because Avraham understood that these opposites need something that will bring them together, he knew, even then, that there must be a third, Yaakov. Thus, after the milah which tempered Avraham's love with strictness, he saw three men standing before him - his own aspect of chesed; its opposite represented by Yitzchak and the blending of the two, Yaakov, who is tiferet or beauty - the one who makes the preparation for bringing the Torah of truth into the world.
These three parallel the original Lech Lecha command, "Go from your land, the place of your birth, your father's house, to the land I will show you." Avraham needs to go to the land that is holy. The first test is leaving Ur, cutting away the influence of Nimrod and Co. so as to begin the journey. Leaving the land of unholiness is the most general aspect of the command "to go." It will reach its highest realization in Avraham's descendents who will inherit the land of blessing. Avraham begins this process by leaving the unholiness of Ur. Through the tests he acquires the holy land and the higher levels of connection to Hashem that go with it.
Part of this process of refinement comes about when Avraham descends to Mitzrayim, as it says, "There was a famine in the land" - the holy land had not reached the point of blossoming in its fullness. Because the land was not yet fruitful, Avraham journeyed to Mitzrayim which was "lush like a garden" and the power of unholiness that ruled there made Avraham cleave even more closely to the side of holiness. Thus, it is in Mitzrayim that Avraham begins to call Sarah his "sister" (a term which the Zohar relates to Avraham's connection to a supernal state of Hashem's holiness, chochmah), a closeness that is greater than anything he had seen before. Up to this point of confrontation with Mitzrayim, Avraham conceived his relationship to Sarah as a bond of marriage which has the potential of being dissolved. But the closeness of "sister" that Avraham now invokes means cleaving with the greatest spiritual closeness, as it says in Shir HaShirim of Hashem's relationship to Klal Yisrael, "My sister, My love, My dove, My undefiled" (Shir HaShirim 5:2) or again in Mishlei, "Say to Chochmah (the exalted level where Hashem's 'wisdom' begins to be revealed from His unfathomable crown or will), you are my sister" (4:7).
Only through this purification is Avraham spared from the idolatry of Mitzrayim, but even more, when he now returns to the land he is able to acquire levels of holiness that were closed to him before. Thus, through his coming and going - first establishing a foothold in Cana'an, then leaving in order to rectify what was fallen on a lower level, he returns to Cana'an and is able to cleave to Hashem even on the higher levels.
In this way, Avraham gives birth to himself through the circumcision. This is what it means that he sat at the entrance of the tent. He was just emerging into the world. This fulfills the second aspect of the Lech Lecha command, "Go from…the place of your birth..." - the covenant of circumcision marks a new beginning. Whatever progress Avraham has made in penetrating the world of the holy, it has all been done through pushing against the resistance of the unholy in order to build level upon level of connectedness. But now through the milah there is an opening that comes from above with the Divine command of circumcision. This removes all the obstructions, all the dense covering of the past, and reveals a tremendous light. It is a letting go of the past, a teshuvah from the process as it was up to now. Avraham had reached this point through his own efforts, the father of the Jewish people needing amazing powers of intuition and perseverance to reach the threshold. But the level that begins with milah is an entirely new approach. Thus Avraham waited until Hashem commanded him to do the milah before performing it, even though we are told that Avraham kept the whole Torah even before this. Because milah is the cutting away of this aspect of doing from one's self which had brought him this far. Avraham needed to reach the level where he had crossed over completely to another way of existence. And this is the milah that gives the descendents of Avraham the potential to reach the highest holiness through the Torah.
That's why after the milah Avraham sits at the opening of the tent, the presence of the Shechinah pouring down on him. He has reached a level where there is no obstruction between himself and the holy. This is the accomplishment of the second level - leaving behind the constrictions of natural birth, cutting away the lesser emotional attachments so as to come into the freedom of cleaving to holiness.
The third aspect is leaving one's father's house which implies how we relate outwards towards the world. It is through our fathers that we learn how to make a livelihood and get along in the world. Leaving the house of his father, Avraham left Terach's vocation as a seller of idols. Rather than expressing his power in the world through enslaving people to false notions, Avraham is the one who opens his house so as to make Hashem known to the world. So now as he welcomes his three guests he is at the beginning of something completely new, spreading the recognition of Hashem in the world. The Me'or V'Shemesh shows how important this final step of bringing one's experience of the holy into the world:
After Avraham did milah he had such an ecstatic closeness to Hashem, such a great excitement, that it was impossible for him to bear the physicality of the world. He had so purified himself that he was almost out of existence - this is how strongly the love of Hasehm burned in him. Therefore he sat at the entrance of the tent and gazed on things so that he could become more physical through it; that he should come down a bit from his closeness to Hashem so he could remain in this world. And this is hinted to from what it says: "he sat at the entrance in the heat of the day." This heat is the flaming heat from the light that comes from cleaving to the highest and so he sat at the opening of the tent and waited for a passerby. But in such a high state Avraham could not rest his eyes on anything. He was like Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son when they came out of the cave and burnt up everything they saw because of the rarified state they had reached. Therefore Hashem sent angels to Avraham, angels who had the highest holiness. But Hashem sent them in the form of men that are in themselves holy and pure so that Avraham would be able to become physicalized through them. And this is the necessity of the third step of the process - finding a way of holiness in the world that allows the spiritual levels to rest in the physical.
The Other Side Of Town -A Tale Of Five Cities
It's known as the destruction of Sodom and Amorah but there were actually another three cities situated together with these two most infamous. Of the five all but Tzo'ar sat on the same plate of stone. When Lot left Sodom he escaped to Tzo'ar with his family. And it was then, the pasuk tells us, that Gd "overthrew those cities." Rashi says He took the stone on which the four cities were built and flipped it upside down in one blow. This is like what it says in Iyyov "He puts forth His hand to grasp the flinty rock and overturns the mountain by its roots" (Job 28:9 from Bereshit Rabbah 51). The Malbim explains on this portion of Job, that when one turns over a large stone, that's where he finds precious stones and jewels. Perhaps this is an allusion to David HaMelech who ultimately traces his ancestry through Ruth to Moav, who in turn comes from Lot and his daughters, sole survivors of the catastrophe of Sodom.
Avraham's Prayers For Sodom
Avraham acted out of pure chesed, keeping his house open to guests even if they were idolaters of the lowest kind, bowing to the dust of their feet. This was a kindness that came from deep within, which is of the highest kind. It is pure giving which is even higher than prophesy because it comes from the level of cleaving to and bring out Hashem's blessing without making a calculation or judging people for this or that reason.
Thus, when Hashem tells Avraham that he has judged Sodom and will wipe it out, Avraham protests. In his appeal to Hashem he uses three types of prayer: 1) the most general prayer, which is a request for Hashem to complete us where we are lacking; 2) supplication to forgive our sins so we can once again receive His bounty that we are cut off from and 3) a prayer of "harsh words." The prayer of "harsh words" in a pure form is only possible by the tzaddik. He is able to argue with Hashem at a particular moment that the judgment that is coming down is concealing the chesed of Hashem from his creatures and that this, in itself, is making a desecration of Hashem's name in the world. He therefore pleads that Hashem change His emphasis on judgment and turn towards kindness and mercy. Thus Avraham says in effect, "If You would wipe out the tzaddik with the rasha it is a desecration of You" and Avraham says this with full force even though he has complete faith in Hashem's righteousness. This type of "harsh" prayer which is completely for the sake of heaven is only possible for someone like Avraham whose entire will expresses itself through lovingkindness even to the point of standing before Hashem in protest. And this is connected to Avraham's prayers for the five cities of Sodom which came from this place of pure chesed.
Every Jew has this point of chesed without any other consideration. If he will focus on it it can save him from his jealousy, his hate, his pride and even his fallen desires. If he finds the place within himself where, as it says, "my soul should be like dust to everyone" then he won't hate others, even those that do evil. And the feeling that all the pleasures of the world belongs to him will be weakened when he feels compassion in his heart (See Michtav MiEliyahu 2:181-185).
Avraham And Yitzchak
The last of Avraham's tests comes near the end of the parshah, "And it came to pass after these things that G-d tested Avraham" (Bereshit. 22:1). Rashi explains the meaning of these introductory words following the midrash. Satan denounced Avraham, saying, "Of all the banquets that Avraham prepared in celebrate for his son, not a single bullock nor ram was offered to You." G-d replied, "Does he do anything at all except for his son's sake? Yet if I asked him 'Sacrifice him for Me,' he would not refuse."
Others say that "after these things" refers to the words of Ishmael, who boasted to Yitzchak, "You were circumcised at only eight days, yet I was thirteen years old and still I did not resist." Yitzchak replied, "Even if G-d would tell me, 'Sacrifice yourself to Me,' I would not refuse." At that moment G-d told Avraham, "Bring him up for a burnt offering…" (Rashi on 22:1, based on Midrash Rabbah on the pasuk)
The first explanation of Rashi shows how the Akeidah was a trial of Avraham. We can understand the suddenness of the command by looking at the mitzvah of bringing the first fruits to Jerusalem to be eaten. This is done by marking them when they appear on the tree placing a string on them and then allowing them to ripen before being brought up to Jerusalem. In doing the mitzvah one must be careful not to let the fruit overripen and spoil, as it is no longer a fitting expression of praise to Hashem when the fruit is in such a state. Thus, there is a fine line between "not enough" and "too much" in presenting ourselves to Hashem. Avraham's feast was a celebration of his joy at having a son and this has a side of truth - Hashem wants our ripeness, He wants us to celebrate our lives. On the other hand, the riper things get, the closer they come to spoiling - we are in danger of looking at them too much in terms of their benefit to us, forgetting to dedicate our lives to Hashem. When we then turn our self-satisfaction towards serving Hashem, this is our greatest overcoming, as we see: Avraham awoke early to carry out Hashem's command.
The second explanation of the midrash shows how the Akeidah was a test for Yitzchak. As the midrash says on Bereshit 22:9: "And he bound Yitzchak": "One cannot bind a man thirty-seven years old without his consent" (Bereshit Rabbah 55).
Bindings In Love
While Avraham is told to bind Yitzchak, Yitzchak for his part enters into the binding with love. Yitzchak inherits this fulfillment of Avraham's willingness by willing its completion, allowing himself to be bound. He is makabel yisurin ("trials," or in this case, "isurim" (bindings)) b'ahavah. He accepts the binding in love, and merits through his total self-negation to be the only one called by Hashem's name in his lifetime. A person who works to accept his suffering in love of G-d merits the greatest light. Because the sufferings of this world are a cover for a higher good that is hidden in the upper worlds. Thus, one who attaches himself to the hidden good merits to know what is behind the veil. As the midrash says, "In the future Hashem will remove the sun from its sheath." This intensity will be the reward of the righteous, and the punishment for the rashaim. The sun refers to the name Havayeh, while the sheath is the name Elokim (G-d's expression through nature). One who lives through faith in this world merits to see the higher source to which he has attached himself (Tanya 26).
He Will Laugh - The Future Redemption
When we see that something amazingly good is coming we are overcome with such happiness that we are filled with laughter. As it says in Tehillim about our future redemption, "Then our mouth will be full of laughter and our tongue will exult in joy." It is the laughter that comes from seeing something wondrously good" (Ramban on Bereshit 17:17).
We can understand the Akeidah as binding the relationship of parent and child to the aspect of "He (G-d) will laugh," i.e., subordinating the way we raise our children to our faith in the future redemption. We do not relate to them only in relation to the present moment but also with a view to the future when "Yihiyeh Hashem echad ushmoh echad (G-d, and His kingship in the world, will be one.)". "Take your son up" means raise him to that point of what will be even though it is not yet realized. This is like Hashem's name, Ekyeh Asher Ekyeh, which Moshe was given in the depths of the exile in Mitzrayim. It means bind your present to the future.
Avraham is the beginning. He is the father of the patriarchs. The middle is Yitzchak, "he will laugh," which ties together the beginning and the future. Yaakov is the heel, the bottommost part of the body, bringing the spiritual fully into the world. Avraham's chesed, his willingness, is related to the aspect of morning and zerizut (alacrity), the first light of geulah (salvation). "Avraham got up early in the morning to go to do the Akeidah." This is the source from where we learn that all the mitzvot are to be done with zerizut (zeal). The Maharal says that zerizut is above time, i.e., it has the potential to unite the present with the "last things," it is an overcoming of what is in between. Its fulfillment is in Yitzchak, the total giving over to that future, and in its joy there is laughter, breaking the limitations of the present seeing through to the future.
Ten Tests - Ten Types Of Pulse
Rebbe Nachman says there are ten types of pulse and ten types of song. The ten pulses arise from the depths of a person, whether it be the pulse of the heart or even a deeper pulse or one less deep. By guarding the brit, one is able to become aware of deeper and deeper aspects of the holiness of pulse. Ultimately these pulses originate from the deepest spiritual parts of us and work their way outwards. Song, on the other hand, is a fixing from the outside that works its way inward. Song is a way of picking the good from the bad in our experiences, making from the good a beautiful arrangement. Pulse is related to blessing, givenness. Song is related to our effort - building one's life in harmony with the will of Hashem.
At the root of a person is his highest potential or destiny. It is buried like a bright seed within him. It has the potential to become a tall tree (a great nation). In potential, it extends from the deepest point of origination of pulse and extends to the highest song. But it must work its way down into the dark soil of this world without losing sight of being blessed. At its highest level this is accomplished by accepting the trials and tribulations of life with love of G-d (mekabel yisurim b'ahavah).
This is like the earth revolving around the sun, pulsing from its core while it basks in the light. At the same time, it rotates on its axis. This represents the twists and turns of life as we struggle to express our own goodness in the world. That goodness also originates at the core and works itself out to the surface where life is lived. If we stay in touch with the sun then the twists and turns can be sorted out, preserving, giving strength to the lines that nourish. If we get caught up in pain, then we just feel contorted out of our true form.
When a person has shmirat habrit he moves inwards deeper and deeper through the ten types of pulse till he reaches the pulse which is uncreated and silent. Then he touches all the pulses through the silent pulse and this waters the garden with blessing. The Akeidah is the process of bringing the worldly expression of our destiny (the fruits of the Holy Land) to Hashem. It means finding the spark of holiness in our lives, putting aside worldly temptation, being mekabel isurim b'ahavah. Through this we gain control over our outer impulses till we come to the silent pulse, the source of blessing.
Mitzvot
There are no mitzvot in parashat VaYerah, according to Sefer HaChinuch.
Parshah At A Glance