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Why did the Torah (תורה) write that Avrohom ran to greet guests before asking God's permission to leave? The shiur builds on Rashi (רש"י)'s reading to show that chesed (חסד)—helping others—is not merely a mitzvah (מצוה) but the very definition of human existence, mirroring God's own essence. Only one who lives to help others is qualified to judge, because such a person dispenses God's justice, not personal agenda.
The shiur opens with a fundamental question on Rashi (רש"י)'s commentary on Bereishis 18:1. Rashi notes that the word "yoshev" (sitting) is spelled incompletely, teaching that Avrohom wanted to stand, but God told him to sit while He would stand—a symbol for future generations that God stands in the assembly of judges while they sit. Rabbi Zweig asks: what does this judicial symbolism have to do with the narrative of Avrohom recuperating from his bris milah and receiving guests? There is no mention of judgment in this context, and the message seems entirely out of place. The shiur then examines the chronological difficulty in the verses. According to the simple reading, Avrohom saw the travelers, ran to greet them, and then said "Adonai, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by." Rashi offers an alternate interpretation: "Adonai" here refers to God, not the guests. Avrohom was asking God to wait while he attended to the visitors. But if so, why is this request written after he already ran out? It should have been written before he left the tent. Rashi answers that the Torah (תורה) sometimes records events out of chronological order, but does not explain why the Torah would write it this way.
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Bereishis 18:1-19
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