It is told about a certain Rosh Yeshiva who saw a student walking in the Beis Midrash with a cup of coffee in his hand. Some of the coffee spilled, but the student paid no attention and continued walking. The Rosh Yeshiva did not say anything to him. Instead, he left the Beis Midrash and asked someone outside, “Where can I find a rag?” The person was surprised and wondered why the Rosh Yeshiva needed a rag but showed him where it was kept. The Rosh Yeshiva took the rag, entered the Beis Midrash, bent down, and wiped up the spilled coffee. His students asked him, “Rabbi, please teach us—why was it so urgent for you to wipe up the coffee? After all, at the end of the learning session, the cleaner would come and clean the Beis Midrash. And if it was that urgent, why didn’t you just ask the cleaner to come and do it instead of cleaning the floor yourself?”
The Rosh Yeshiva answered them, “I could not leave the Beis Midrash dirty because it is not respectful to the Torah. But why did I not call for the cleaner? I will reveal this to you: I always seek opportunities to show my affection for the Torah. This was the first time I had the privilege of cleaning the floor of the Beis Midrash for the honor of the Torah, and this was a great merit that I could not pass up!”
Avraham Avinu always did what the Creator commanded him. But how do we know whether he acted out of fear or out of love for the Creator? The answer is found in our parasha (and in other places). When HaKadosh Baruch Hu commanded Avraham to offer his son as a karban, he hurried to get up early in the morning and saddled his donkey himself, even though he had many servants and could have ordered them to prepare the donkey, as he presumably did in his daily life. But this time, he did not act that way. Instead, 'וישכם אברהם בבקר ויחבש את חמורו' - ‘Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey himself,’ (22:3) as Rashi comments: ‘He himself, and he did not command one of his servants, for love disrupts the natural order.’
The Gemara tells us about the great Amoraim who performed menial tasks in honor of Shabbos to show their affection for it. We learn this from Avraham Avinu: it is not enough to fulfill the commandments; it is important to show that we cherish the Torah and the commandments given to us by the Creator. “The heart follows one’s actions.” When a person performs actions that demonstrate love for the Creator, that love becomes strengthened in their heart and in the hearts of their children and family, and they will learn from him and do the same!
- Tiv HaTorah - Vayeira
