Turning From the Presence of God

By RABBI DAVID ROSENN

Parashat Vayera (Genesis 18: 1-22:24)

God appeared to [Abraham] by the oak trees of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot. Looking up, he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them and, bowing to the ground, he said: "My lords, if it pleases you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought; bathe your feet and recline under the tree. And let me fetch a morsel of bread that you may refresh yourselves.

(Genesis 18:1-5)

Three teachings:

• Rabbi Judah said in the name of Rav: [We learn from these verses that] receiving guests is more important than standing in the Presence of God. —(Shabbat 127a)
• There is a story of a certain righteous person who welcomed guests used to show them the place where they would be sleeping before serving dinner so that they could eat without worrying about whether the host would offer lodging, too.
• Rabbi Akiva Eiger once sat at the table with a guest of his. When the guest accidentally knocked over his wine and stained the table cloth, Rabbi Eiger quickly tipped his own glass over and said, "It seems that the table is unsteady." Mishnah 5:1 in Tractate Berachot says that a person who is reciting the Amidah prayer should not interrupt it "even if a King greeted him, or even if a snake wound around his ankle." What point do you think the Mishnah is trying to make?

Having made that point, what do you think the Mishnah would say about the case where you are praying the Amidah, and a person walks up to ask you for change or a place to sleep?

Would you agree with the Mishnah's ruling? What issues does thinking about this case raise for the connections and conflicts inherent in our efforts to cultivate a spiritual life that is responsive to the needs of others?

© AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps