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Why did the angels criticize Avrohom for asking them to wash their feet? The shiur develops that after Bris Milah, Avrohom's chesed (חסד) became internally driven like Hashem (ה׳)'s - not responding to need but from a desire to give up space. However, internally driven chesed carries the danger of overlooking what the recipient actually needs.
The shiur begins with a fundamental question about the story of Avrohom hosting the three angels: if Avrohom had been practicing chesed (חסד) for sixty years, why does the Torah (תורה) specifically highlight this particular act of hospitality? Rabbi Zweig cites Chazal's teaching that Hashem (ה׳) made the day extremely hot so there would be no travelers, yet Avrohom was upset by the lack of guests - leading Hashem to send the angels. The Gemara (גמרא) in Bava Metzia reveals that when Avrohom asked the visitors to wash their feet (being careful about dust from idol worship), the angels responded harshly: "Do you think we're Arabs? You have the problem - your descendant will worship idols." This seems like a vicious criticism during what appears to be Avrohom's finest moment of hospitality.
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Parshas Vayeira 18:1-8
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What is the primary purpose of the cities of refuge - protecting the accidental killer or something else? The shiur argues that creating respect for law takes precedence over providing sanctuary. True deterrence comes from recognizing the gravity of murder itself, not fear of punishment.
