5786 - "And Hashem appeared to him in the plains of Mamrei"; Rashi: What did Mamrei merit? That he gave Avraham advice about the circumcision. But did Avraham need his advice? Presented by Rabbi Shimon Zonnenfeld, at the end of…

00:00 Speaker 1 Please.

00:02 Speaker 2 The weekly parsha: “Hashem appeared to him in the plains of Mamre.” What did Mamre do to merit that Hakadosh Boruch Hu appeared to Avraham Avinu in his tent, at his home, in his courtyard? Rashi explains there that Mamre gave Avraham Avinu advice about the circumcision. Now, a question: Did Avraham Avinu need Mamre’s advice to have a bris? Hakadosh Boruch Hu had commanded him to have a bris. Why did he need advice from his friend Mamre? The explanation is that he wasn’t asking his friend whether or not to have a bris. He was asking whether to do it publicly or quietly, without making a stir. It could cause a stir throughout the world: Avraham Avinu is having a bris. That was his question, and Mamre advised him to do it publicly. As it says, “On that very day Avraham was circumcised.” Yes, he had a bris as publicly as possible, in broad daylight, without being intimidated by anyone. Actually, he consulted all three of his friends, right? They were Avraham’s allies: Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre. It’s said that the initials associated with each friend’s name contain the answer he gave Avraham. Aner, for example, right? Avraham came to ask him whether to have a bris, and he told him: Aner stands for “self-affliction is bad.” You’re hurting yourself. Going to have a bris is not a good thing. So that’s contained, as it were, in the initials of Aner. When he came to Eshkol and asked whether to have a bris, his answer was also in the initials of his name. What did he tell him? Eshkol stands for “my brother, enemies are rising and multiplying.” You have many enemies. If they hear you’re having a bris, it could

02:07 Speaker 2 harm you.

02:08 Speaker 1 That was Eshkol.

02:08 Speaker 2 He advised against it. When Avraham came to Mamre and asked him whether or not to have a bris, the answer Mamre gave him was also contained in the initials of his name. He told him: Mamre stands for “Circumcise quickly; G-d heals.” Those are the initials of Mamre. Do it quickly. Have the bris; don’t be intimidated by anyone. Hakadosh Boruch Hu will protect you. So that’s contained in the initials. People ask: After Avraham Avinu had his bris, “he looked, and behold, three men,” right? And he ran to greet them, going to welcome guests. But Hashem had appeared to him; Hakadosh Boruch Hu was there with him, visiting the sick, and he ran to welcome guests. From here we learn that welcoming guests is greater than receiving the Divine Presence. That’s what we learn. Avraham, so to speak, leaves Hakadosh Boruch Hu, who is there with him, and goes to welcome the guests. So we learn from Avraham’s actions that welcoming guests is greater than receiving the Divine Presence. But the question is: How did Avraham know that? We learn it from what Avraham did. But how did Avraham know this principle? Perhaps receiving the Divine Presence is actually more important. So how did Avraham learn it? From the event itself. It says, “in the heat of the day”: Hakadosh Boruch Hu took the sun out of its sheath. Why did He take the sun out of its sheath? So that guests wouldn’t trouble Avraham. Avraham Avinu reasoned: If receiving the Divine Presence were more important, why would Hakadosh Boruch Hu need to take the sun out of its sheath? If He is here, Avraham will receive the Divine Presence anyway and won’t go running to welcome guests. So Avraham Avinu learned from the event itself that if Hakadosh Boruch Hu had to do something special—take the sun out of its sheath—apparently welcoming guests is more important. And so, to keep him from going to welcome guests, He

04:11 Speaker 2 had to take the sun out of its sheath. Hakadosh Boruch Hu being there with him wasn’t enough, because welcoming guests is greater than receiving the Divine Presence. “The deeds of the fathers are a sign for their children.” What does “a sign for their children” mean? It’s not only that—it also gives the children the strength. Hakadosh Boruch Hu gives the children the strength to carry out everything Avraham Avinu… Have a good Shabbos, and may we hear good news.

04:32 Speaker 3 Amen. Good Shabbos.