Family Parshah
Vayeira Q & A

“While he [Abram] was sitting at the entrance to the tent.” (18:1)

Question: Our sages explain that he was sitting at the entrance “to see if there is a passerby and bring him into his home.” Why do they call a guest a “passerby” rather than simply calling him a guest?

Answer: Some people feel very uncomfortable as guests at others’ tables. Even when they are on the way to the houses of their hosts, they sometimes become shy and turn away.

Abraham excelled in the mitzvah of hospitality and wanted everyone to feel comfortable in his home. Therefore, he would sit at the entrance of his tent in order to spot the person who is a passerby -- one that keeps passing back and forth -- and is ashamed to come in.

“And behold three men [angels] were standing over him.” (18:2)

Question: Abraham was sick and G-d came to visit him. One of the three "men" who came with G-d was the angel Raphael, who came to heal Abraham (Rashi). Why didn’t G-d, who is the healer of all flesh, dismiss Raphael and take over the healing?

Answer: Often, when people visit the sick, they have a tendency to discuss the ailment and offer uncalled-for advice. G-d is teaching us an important lesson in visiting the sick: When visiting a sick person, do not become his doctor. Let the attending physician use his expertise to heal the patient. Although G-d is the true healer and every doctor is His emissary, He permitted the assigned doctor, Raphael, to complete his mission and cure Abraham.

“And he saw, and he ran towards them.” (18:2)

Question: The famed commentator Rashi explains that Abraham had to run because when the angels saw that he was sick, they began to go away. Not wanting to lose the opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of having guests, he ran after them. If he was chasing them, why does it say "he ran towards them" instead of "he ran after them"?

Answer: When one leaves the presence of a prominent person, it is not proper to turn one’s back. Instead, even when leaving, one faces the person and walks backwards.

When the angels came to Abraham, they noticed that G-d was also there. Realizing that Abraham was very sick, they decided to go away and not bother him. However, since it is improper to turn their backs to G-d, they walked away backwards. Abraham, noticing this, ran towards them to bring them into his home.