Vayera

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The Tana Devei Eliyahu states that a person should always ask himself, "When will my deeds reach (Yahgiu) to the deeds of my fathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. In other words, strive to emulate their greatness. The Kotzker Rebbe explains the word yahgiu from the root lingoah- to touch, differently than to reach or arrive at. Our forefathers were so great that we may never reach their level, however we must strive to touch, to get near, to follow closely enough that we can brush our outstretched fingertips on the hems of their spiritual cloaks. We must have some association with these people and their deeds and to this end we study and attempt to emulate them. The Alter of Slabodka notes (Ohr Hatzafun) that we are not bidden to emulate the thought processes of our forefathers, only their deeds and actions. The doing of the actions will not only be a mitzvah, but will bring us to wisdom and knowledge of Hashem. (This he bases on a verse in Yirmyahu).

Our conception of the great patriarchs and matriarchs is severely limited to our narrow minds which could never conceive of greatness such as theirs. The school-child image of Avraham Avinu as "the kindly old gentleman" must be gotten over. In Parshas Vayayra Avraham completes the ten trials of faith that Hashem tested him with and passes them all. He is like a beautifully formed vessel to which the potter gives the finishing blows of perfection. He is a spiritual giant. Yet we see that Avraham brings himself down to earth receiving guests, serving them food which he runs to prepare himself, offering water to wash, etc. These are the actions we can "touch", but there is so much more to these seemingly simple, ordinary actions and that is why the Torah details them.

Every action that the Patriarchs performed had so much holiness that its significance remained for later generations when the knowledge of Hashem was revealed in their merit. Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: "Everything that Avraham did for the angels by himself, Hashem did for Avraham's children by Himself. And everything that Avraham did by way of a messenger, Hashem did for his children by a messenger." Avraham ran to slaughter the calves, Hashem brought the Jews in the desert quails for meat. Avraham brought the angel-guests bread, Hashem rained down the Mahn for the Jews in the desert. A little water should be taken by a servant, and in the desert the water flowed from the rock that Moshe hit, not from Hashem directly like the Mahn.

Every action we do has tremendous potential and significance. A smile, a helping hand, preparing food is a mitzvah and can bring a revelation of holiness and knowledge of Hashem.

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