In parsha Vayera, וַיֵּרָא/And appeared, we read in its opening verse:

וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו יְהוָה בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב פֶּֽתַח־הָאֹהֶל כְּחֹם הַיּֽוֹם

“And the Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre; and he sat at the tent door in the heat of the day” (Gen. 18:1).

The sages connect Genesis 18:1 to the events of Genesis 17: the circumcision of Abraham and his household. Here, Abraham recovers as he sits at the door of his tent. Then in 18:2, three men appear before him, seemingly out of nowhere. How did he greet them? “He ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground.”

There is an interesting discussion among some rabbinic commentators regarding the action of Abraham. The Lord appears to him, yet Abraham makes the Lord wait while he tends to these travelers?

While there are many ways of unpacking this, I find this simple thought appealing. Abraham did not make the Lord wait, as one commentator suggests, while Abraham left the Lord’s presence by the door of the tent, he went to the Lord’s presence in the midst of the three. Simply: he went from and to.

What did Abraham do? He tended to their needs. He downplayed what he would supply (18:4-5), and then provided a feast (19:6-8). Even while in pain, Abraham showed kindness and hospitality, even as unto the Lord Who appeared to him (18:1).

Great hospitality is a cultural norm in Jewish and Arabic households. Providing the best of what you have, as if it is of no consequence, in order to set your guests at ease, and to tend to their comfort. Additionally, it should be a character trait among the spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham as well (Gal. 3:29).

Abraham was in pain. That could have been an excuse, but his pain was an opportunity and an occasion for kindness. Reaching out to serve others when we are at our most vulnerable, it is difficult, yet we should aspire to such character.

We can all relate to pain, physical or emotional, and how unappealing taking care of another would be in those moments. Here we love the neighbor and stranger as ourselves (Lev. 19:18, 34). How then should we live in light of the physical and emotional pain that seems so prevalent these days?

Show loving-kindness (חֶסֶד) in service to the Lord. There will be times when we need to leave the presence of the Lord as we recover from pain, in order to meet the presence of the Lord in the human other, just as Abraham did. Still, where is this exampled for us in the Apostolic Scriptures?

“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home” (Jn. 19:26-27).

While in excruciating pain on the Cross, nearing death, Yeshua/Jesus took note of His mother. To tend to her need, He calls down to her and John, ensuring her care from that day forward. Here, God Himself, in His suffering, demonstrates for us the way of loving-kindness (חֶסֶד). Here Yeshua/Jesus leaves His pain and ministers life.

How should we behave in pain? Just as the Messiah did; and when we fall short, there is still grace.

Be well. Shalom.