Sunday, October 28, 2012

RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL:GREAT IS PEACE: DEREK ERETZ:VAYEIRA

 RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL: GREAT IS PEACE: DEREK ERETZ: VAYEIRA
 
 
Sections about Parasha Vayeira From: "Great is Peace: A Modern Commentary on Talmud Tractate Derek Eretz Zuta "
and " A Spiritual and Ethical Compendium to the Torah and Talmud"
For weddings, B'Nai Mitzvah, etc, please email RabbiASegal@aol.com
''Although Abraham did not know this at the time, these three visitors, according to the traditional view, are angels. The Talmud says that an angel does a "function that God wishes to have performed." An angel can only do one function at a time, according to the Midrash. The sages explain it was angel Michael who told Sarah she would give birth, angel Gabriel who would overturn Sodom, and angel Raphael who healed Abraham
and saved Lot. Raphael means "healer of God." It is from the root word "refu," and we use this word when we wish someone to get well (r'fua).

Note that Abraham leaves his first guest, God Almighty, to take care of these three travelers. Our sages teach in Talmud Shabbat 127A, that "hospitality to wayfarers is greater than receiving the Divine Presence."

The Jewish notion of hospitality so important that it is one of the 613 commandments. It is called "hachnotot orchim." Talmud Tractate Bava Metziah 86B says that whatever good deeds Abraham did that day, God reciprocated later. Abraham got a calf; God gave us quail (Num. 11:31). Abraham gave milk and cream; God gave us manna (Ex. 16:04). Abraham stood and attended to his guests; God stood before us by the "rock of water" in Horeb (Ex. 7:06). Abraham escorted his guests; God lead the Israelites with a pillar of clouds (Ex. 13:21). Abraham gave his guests water; God gave us water from the rock (Ex. 17:6).

Taking care of our fellow humans, we have seen, is more important than taking care of God or ritual. And God rewarded Abraham's children for making this proper judgment. Tractate
Kiddushin 7A says that when we give to others, and when they accept the gift, we have received something important back from them.

The Talmud in Tractate Shabbat 88B goes a step further. The rabbis say that if not for of Abraham's hospitality, Moses would not have received the Torah. The sages say the angels saw God about to give the Torah to Moses and they protested. The angels said that man was not worthy to have the Torah. God gave Moses Abraham's face and said to the angels, "Is this not the very person who you visited and ate with in his home? Now you
are claiming that humans should not get the Torah?" A little bit of kindness can go a long way. ''

Rabbi Arthur Segal www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org
Jewish Renewal www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com
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Rabbi Arthur Segal www.jewishspiritualrenewal.org
Jewish Renewal www.jewishrenewal.info
Jewish Spiritual Renewal http://rabbiarthursegal.blogspot.com
Jewish Spirituality
Eco Judaism
facebook.com/RabbiArthurSegalJewishSpiritualRenewal
Hilton Head Island, SC, Bluffton, SC, Savannah, GA
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Posted by Rabbi Arthur Segal at 12:51 PM