Welcome to the short, practical Lelamed Weekly Dvar and Daily Aliyah. As
always, you can Order The Daily Aliyah
https://mosaicapress.com/product/the-daily-aliyah/ and receive your hard
copy of these daily practical and relevant Torah thoughts (all proceeds go
to Daily Giving), or join this Whatsapp group
https://chat.whatsapp.com/G35Ne4mpYsm3RLPDPnPSKC to receive one per day.
I hope you find this meaningful...
Avimelech approaches Avraham to propose a truce between them, to which
Avraham replies, “I will swear” (21:22–24). The pasuk then tells us that
Avraham “planted an eishel and called in the name of God of the world”
(21:33). The Gemara quotes various opinions to define an eishel accurately.
One opinion in the Gemara says it’s an orchard from which to offer fruits
to guests, and the second opinion explains that it’s an inn for lodging,
with fruits, to welcome guests. If the pasuk asserts that the eishel was
planted, how can it then refer to an inn? Further, why is it significant
for us to know what was used to establish the covenant?
The Gemara explains that Avraham used the inn to initiate a conversation
about God. After visitors had eaten, Avraham explained that what they had
just enjoyed belonged to God and that they should thank God for all they
had been given. From this explanation, we can adopt two mindsets: (1) a
tree produces fruit, which prompts questions about how our immediate needs
are met; and (2) an inn provides a lasting construct that inspires
introspection about who we are and our place in the world, from where and
whom we receive food and shelter, and how future generations and humanity
ultimately benefit from this establishment. While both outlooks are valid,
one focuses on the present, while the other focuses on the future. Perhaps
the term is intentionally vague to guide us in considering both aspects of
gratitude.
Shlomo Ressler
Quotation of the week:
"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they
were the big things."
Welcome to the short, practical Lelamed Weekly Dvar and Daily Aliyah. As
always, you can Order The Daily Aliyah
<https://mosaicapress.com/product/the-daily-aliyah/> and receive your hard
copy of these daily practical and relevant Torah thoughts (all proceeds go
to Daily Giving), or join this Whatsapp group
<https://chat.whatsapp.com/G35Ne4mpYsm3RLPDPnPSKC> to receive one per day.
I hope you find this meaningful...
_______________________________________________
Avimelech approaches Avraham to propose a truce between them, to which
Avraham replies, “I will swear” (21:22–24). The pasuk then tells us that
Avraham “planted an eishel and called in the name of God of the world”
(21:33). The Gemara quotes various opinions to define an eishel accurately.
One opinion in the Gemara says it’s an orchard from which to offer fruits
to guests, and the second opinion explains that it’s an inn for lodging,
with fruits, to welcome guests. If the pasuk asserts that the eishel was
planted, how can it then refer to an inn? Further, why is it significant
for us to know what was used to establish the covenant?
The Gemara explains that Avraham used the inn to initiate a conversation
about God. After visitors had eaten, Avraham explained that what they had
just enjoyed belonged to God and that they should thank God for all they
had been given. From this explanation, we can adopt two mindsets: (1) a
tree produces fruit, which prompts questions about how our immediate needs
are met; and (2) an inn provides a lasting construct that inspires
introspection about who we are and our place in the world, from where and
whom we receive food and shelter, and how future generations and humanity
ultimately benefit from this establishment. While both outlooks are valid,
one focuses on the present, while the other focuses on the future. Perhaps
the term is intentionally vague to guide us in considering both aspects of
gratitude.
Shlomo Ressler
_____________________________________________
Quotation of the week:
"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they
were the big things."
