At the end of Parshat Lech Lecha, God tells Avraham that Sarah will have a baby boy and that they should call him Yitzchak. The Parsha then ends and the next Parsha, Vayeira, starts with the three visitors to Avraham's tent. The visitors were sent by God to deliver a message to Sarah about the child she will give birth to in a year’s time. This is a very important message, one that Avraham and Sarah have been waiting to receive for a very long time. I would think that the new Parsha would open with a Pasuk telling this message to Avraham and Sarah. The Torah instead spends eight pasukim talking about the visitors and the provisions that were given to them. Avraham greets the visitors and welcomes them into his home. He washes their dirty feet. Sarah makes them food to eat and gives them water to drink. Why do we need to wait so many Pasukim to hear the line " Sarah your wife will have a son"?
Looking at the eight pasukim, I realized that there might be a very important message hidden in them. This message is a significant one for all generations to learn. I think that what God is telling us is that sometimes there are presents, gifts, or good messages that are waiting and ready for us. God is holding them for us in his pocket, so to speak. However, we need to do something in order to receive these gifts or messages. The eight pasukim about how Avraham and Sarah engaged in Hachnasot Orchim show us that we need to do the right thing, to perform Mitzvot, and to act properly. Then God will give us what we deserve.
Over the last 2 weeks, people both inside and outside of the Jewish community have very generously participated in the Mitzvah of Hachnasot Orchim. I hope that all our prayers are accepted and that God’s gifts are bestowed upon all of us.
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