You know how when you’re thinking of buying a certain item,
suddenly, you notice that item everywhere. You never noticed it before, but now
that you’ve got your mind on it, it seems to be everywhere.
Well, lehavdil, that’s how it seems to be with our
patriarch Avraham.
Now that we’re in the midst of rehearsals for our new show,
COUNT THE STARS – The Journey of Avraham and Sara - everything I learn, every
daily prayer, every spiritual experience lately seems to deal with Avraham. So,
I guess it won’t be a surprise when I tell you that I was excited to learn
Pirkei Avot (Ethics of our Fathers) today and find our father Avraham used as
an example to explain Chapter 1 Mishnah 15.
“Shammai said: Make Torah study a regular habit, say little
and do much, and receive every person cheerfully.”
The commentators on this Mishna gave Avraham as their
example, they explain that when the travelers (angels) came to Avraham’s tent,
he told them, “And I will bring a piece of bread…” (Bereishit 18:5), and then
he proceeded to bring “butter and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and
placed it before them.” (18:8)
And about the phrase…“receive every person cheerfully…” Well,
no one had a kinder more welcoming demeanor than Avraham Avinu. One of the
strongest reasons for his success in “creating souls” (bringing people under
the wings of Hashem) was his cheerful countenance, the happy warm way he
greeted each person and the loving way in which he gave over his teachings.
Let us all take yet another lesson from our father Avraham,
and shavua tov to all.
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