VOLUME 123 NUMBER 4
Cheshvan 19, 5787
October 30, 2026
Parshas Vayeira
Candlelighting Time 5:42
The Patriarch Avrohom went out of his way to benefit guests. Even when he had just experienced his own Bris Milah at the advanced age of 100, still he pursued the mitzvah to the best of his ability. His tent was wide open on all sides to invite others and Hashem had to make the day after his bris a hot day so that there wouldn’t be anyone traveling around to disturb him due to his circumstance. However, Hashem ‘saw’ that he was troubled that he was unable to fulfill the mitzvah of inviting guests so angels descended in human form to afford him the mitzvah.
He served them royally even slaughtering three bulls to provide them with the delicacy of tongue. However, it is interesting to note that when he gave them water he told his son Yishmael to bring them just a little bit of water. The dichotomy is blatant. On the one hand he wined and dined his guests with a delicacy yet when it came time to offer them water it was done sparingly. Rav Moshe Sternbuch the head of the Jerusalem Rabbinical Court notices this unusual contrast and questions what was the intent of Avrohom?
He quotes the comment of Rav Yisroel Salant that the same way that Avrohom was careful to attend to the needs of the guests and fulfill the mitzvah of helping others, so too, when it came to the water. Avrohom didn’t get the water himself, rather he asked another person to bring the water for the guests. Was Avrohom allowed to bother that individual to attend to the guests in the same way Avrohom would have even though it would be taxing upon that person? The rhetorical question answers itself with a resounding ‘NO.’ The bottom line is that one can exert himself beyond the letter of the law but not place upon others his own stringencies because another is not obligated to abide by your strictness although it is based upon the halacha at some level but in the final analysis it is not required.
It is well known the story about Rev Yisrael Salant that once he was invited to join the Friday night meal of a wealthy individual. He consented with the added stipulation that they should first eat the entire meal and then afterwards they will sing the appropriate zemiros and have their Torah discussions. The person agreed and after the meal he asked Rav Yisrael why he was so adamant that they eat first and then involve themselves in singing and learning. He answered that he knew that a young widow worked for this person and she washed all the dishes that were used during the Shabbos meal and then she would go home and enjoy the Shabbos meal with her children. However, as a rule the meal would last very long and until she cleaned up and went home it was late and difficult to enjoy the meal at that late hour. So, in order to provide a bit of relaxation for this young unfortunate widow he requested to first eat the meal which would allow her to quickly attend to her duties and then go home at an earlier hour and enjoy the meal with her household. The delight of singing the Shabbos zemiros and discussing Torah should not be at the expense of others who don’t have that opportunity but find themselves in difficult straits.
Before the Friday night Shabbos meal we recite some zemiros as well. The saintly Chofetz Chaim would not recite them right away rather later when he had guests. He was concerned that they would be hungry and rather begin the meal and perhaps sing later. Again, what I want should be secondary to the essentials and wishes of others.
A BYTE FOR SHABBOS
When the angels disguised as Arabs came to Avrohom, he baked matzos for them because it was Pesach time. The Midrash says that he baked matzos to feed his guests because in that merit that Avrohom was very considerate and yearning to help others that is why we merited to leave the bondage of Egypt.
GOOD SHABBOS
