Written by Daniel Shasha
Avraham’s revolution. Let’s picture the world in Avraham’s time: idols on every street corner, false beliefs deeply rooted in every home. Yet Avraham Avinu rose above all this, causing a tremendous revolution. Not only did he refuse to follow the masses, but he also inspired multitudes to recognize Hashem. How did he accomplish this?
Our parashah tells us that “he planted an eshel in Be’er Sheva, and there he proclaimed the name of Hashem, G-D of the Universe” (Bereishis 21:33). Chazal (Sotah 10a) explain that Avraham established a resting place for travelers. Some say that an eshel is an inn; others say it is an orchard. But all agree that it was a place where weary travelers could find comfort and nourishment.
When these now-satiated travelers rested and enjoyed a hearty meal, they naturally wanted to thank their generous host. After all, Avraham had gone out of his way to provide them with everything they needed. However, Avraham would exclaim, “Don’t thank me! Do you think I caused these beautiful trees to grow from which you ate the fruit? Did I create the animals from which you partook of the meat, etc.? There is a Creator who constantly sustains the world and gives life and sustenance to all beings. All the benefit we have in this world results from Him — so we must express our gratitude to Him.”
In this way, they left with a heightened awareness that all blessings come from Hashem and would offer praise and thanks before departing. Consequently, many abandoned their idolatrous practices and came to believe in Hashem. This is why the verse specifies “Hashem, G-d of the Universe,” for Avraham’s hospitality helped all who passed by recognize that Hashem governs every aspect of the universe.
The Alter of Slabodka notes that Avraham’s tremendous hospitality was a reflection of his heartfelt gratitude to Hashem. He internalized that everything in the world is a manifestation of Hashem’s incredible kindness, as the verse states, “And the world was built with kindness” (Ohr HaTzafon 1:4). He realized that since human beings were created in the image of Hashem, it is their obligation and purpose to emulate Him. So, just as Hashem built His world with kindness, so too he sought to bestow kindness wherever possible. Therefore, he made it his life’s goal to always help others and provide hospitality to thousands of people. This was an opportunity for him to teach them that everything originated from Hashem.
This is a model for all of us. We live in a world overflowing with kindness, and Hashem is looking out for us each second, providing us with what we need. We need to try and appreciate this to the best of our ability. As Chazal (Berachos 58a) teach: “A good guest is one who says, ‘Look how much effort the host put in taking care of me — how much meat, wine, and bread he gave me! All that trouble he went to was only for me!’” The Maharsha explains that this refers to us. We are all guests in this world and must strive to be “good guests,” appreciating all the incredible kindness that Hashem constantly bestows upon us.
There is a natural tendency to take for granted the things we are so accustomed to—air, food, water, and so on. Yet we must train ourselves to appreciate that all these are gifts from Hashem, each requiring countless steps and processes for us to benefit from them.
One way to cultivate this awareness is by having more intent when reciting berachos, as illustrated by the following story.
Once, Rabbi Yisrael Salanter was in a café in Paris with some of his students. He ordered a cup of water, but to his surprise, it was an exorbitant sum. After politely asking the waiter why it was so expensive, he was told: “By drinking in this café, you’re not just paying for your beverage — you’re paying for the comfortable furniture, the beautiful paintings, the elegant cups, the charming music, and the exquisite garden.”
Rabbi Salanter then told his students that he had just gained a deeper understanding of how to express gratitude to Hashem. When we say Shehakol over a cup of water, we are not only thanking Hashem for the water itself, but for all the countless factors involved in bringing it to us. Water vapor rises into the air, condenses into rain, collects in reservoirs, and is then sent to treatment plants where it’s distilled and purified. It travels through pipes to various locations — and with the simple turn of the faucet, we can enjoy clean, refreshing water wherever we are!
