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Why does Lot appear to do more chesed (חסד) than Avrohom—deeper bows, inviting guests inside, preparing a feast—yet his descendants are known for cruelty? The shiur develops a chakira in chesed: Avrohom's chesed is God-like, minimizing himself so the recipient feels no burden. Lot's chesed is self-fulfillment, forcing gratitude. Only chesed done with total selflessness, possible after bris milah, becomes eternal.
The shiur opens with a puzzling Midrash Tanchuma on Parshas Vayeira that introduces the parsha by asking how many berachos are in Shemoneh Esrei—18, corresponding to the 18 times the Avos are mentioned in the Torah (תורה). Two problems arise: first, why should the number of times the Avos appear in the Torah determine the structure of prayer? Second, why does this Midrash appear in Parshas Vayeira, when Avrohom's role as an Av was already established in Lech Lecha, and Yaakov isn't even born yet? Another Midrash Rabba presents a second difficulty. Avrohom complains to Hashem (ה׳) that before his circumcision, guests (ovrim v'shovim) used to come, but now no one arrives. Hashem responds that before bris milah, only uncircumcised people came, but now malachim will come. This is strange: why couldn't malachim visit Avrohom before bris milah? Hagar spoke to malachim in the previous parsha without being circumcised. Why does circumcision suddenly make Avrohom worthy of angelic guests?
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Vayeira 18:1-8, 19:1-3
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Why does the Torah give a detailed accounting of silver and copper but not gold in Parshas Pekudei? The three metals represent three types of givers: those who give selflessly (gold), those seeking a two-way benefit (silver), and those buying honor (copper). The Midrash's three groups suspecting or praising Moshe reveal more about themselves than about Moshe—we judge others by our own standards.
