At the end of last week's Parsha Avraham Avinu did Bris Milah on himself at the age of ninety nine. This week's Parsha starts with Hashem appearing to visit Avraham Avinu on the third day after the Bris to do Bikur Cholim - visiting the sick.
The Passuk tells us that when Hashem appeared to Avraham, Avraham was in the place called Elonei Mamrei, he was sitting by the entrance of his tent and it was at the hottest time of an extra hot day.
Why was Avraham Avinu sitting by the entrance of his tent?
Avraham Avinu was the peak of Middas Hachessed - kindness, and he was looking out for guests.
Hashem knew that he was sick and needed to rest so Hashem made it extra hot so nobody would be walking outside, this way Avraham Avinu would rest up.
But Avraham Avinu was so desperate to do Hachnosas Orchim so he sat at the entrance of his tent searching for someone passing by to be able to invite and welcome into his home.
When Hashem saw how important it was to Avraham Avinu to have guests and no one was outside so Hashem sent three Malaachim disguised as Arabs.
As soon as Avraham Avinu saw them he excused himself from Hashem who was visiting him and told Hashem that although he has the amazing opportunity to have a visit from Hashem but the Mitzva of Hachnosas Orchim is even greater.
The Midrash (Midrash Rabba 48-8) tells us that Avraham Avinu opened a good opening for travelers passing by.
What is the Midrash trying to tell us?
Rabbi Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum the author of the Sefer Kedushas Yom Tov brings a beautiful message in the name of Rabbi Chaim of Sanz.
The Rambam in Hilchos Teshuva brings a Gemara how does a person know if they really did Teshuva?
The Gemara says that if a person finds themselves in the same situation as they were when they sinned previously, the same place, the same circumstances and manages to control themselves and hold back, that is real Teshuva. The Gemara uses an example of a person who had a relationship with a woman forbidden to him. If he meets the same woman, in the same place, i.e. in the same or similar circumstances and withstands sinning, that is Teshuva.
The Sanzer Rav derives a beautiful message from this Gemarah.
Many times we want to improve but the Yetzer Hara tells us that in the present situation it's not going to be so successful. Or the Yetzer Hara tells us now isn't a good time to start.
For example, we want to put aside time to join a Shiur to learn Gemara and the Yetzer Hara tells us that now they're in the middle of a Masechete, it's better to wait till they start a new Masechete. Or he makes us feel that the Maggid Shiur isn't up to our standards. Or we feel that if we had the perfect spouse that's willing to let us learn when we want then we would succeed.
That is what the Gemara is teaching us. How does a person improve themselves?
The Gemara answers that we shouldn't wait for the perfect time or the perfect place or the perfect setting. No, with the same woman, with the wife you have; this moment in time and this place. Do the best you can in the circumstances you are. That's what Hashem wants and that's how one succeeds.
Rabbi Moshe Soleveitchik from Zurich once came home very late at night and remembered that he hadn't finished his daily quota of a certain Gemara. He was so tired that he couldn't even concentrate properly and his eyes were closing on him. But he pushed himself to the limit. A roommate asked him why he doesn't wait till tomorrow?
He replied that tomorrow there will be a different excuse why I can't finish and in the end I won't learn what I have to.
If we wait for the perfect tomorrow we may end up waiting forever because the perfect time may possibly never happen.
With this theme the Toldos Aharon Rebbe in his Sefer explains the Midrash we started with.
Avraham was in a place where there were no Jews. The weather was boiling hot. He was sick after a major procedure, a ninety nine year old man doing a Bris Milah. But Avraham Avinu wasn't fazed. He sat at the door trying to do the best he could do.
In Lashon Hakodesh, the words Ovrim veshavim means passers by. But it can also be explained differently. Ovrim are the people who were 'over' an Aveira - transgressed and did something wrong. Shavim can also mean those returning and doing Teshuva.
Avraham Avinu opened a great door to help people succeed in doing Teshuva.
Don't wait for the perfect time. Do the best you can, whatever you can, whenever you can. And that's the secret to success in Avodas Hashem.
As the Chafetz Chaim says, a person should keep in mind that right now only this Mitzva exists. There is no other time, this is the only time it can be done, and nobody else can do it besides you.
