Vayeira 18:4 The Lesson of Water and Bread
Gan Hatorah | November 01, 2023
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Vayeira 18:4 The Lesson of Water and Bread

Gan Hatorah | December 31, 2025

“יקח נא מעט מים ורחצו רגליכם והשענו תחת העץ”
“Let a little water be brought; bathe your feet and recline under the tree.” It says in Shemos Rabbah 25:5 that “יוקח נא” means that it should be brought through a Shliach, a messenger. Being that Avrohom Avinu did this through a Shliach, Hakodosh Boruch Hu paid back his descendants through a Shliach – that the water Klal Yisroel received in the Midbar was through Moshe Rabbeinu. However, “ואקחת פת לחם” – the bread that Avrohom Avinu gave his guests, he did himself, for that Hakodosh Boruch Hu paid back through Himself – Hakodosh Boruch Hu directly provided for Klal Yisroel with Mon in the Midbar. Why indeed did Avrohom have the water brought through a Shliach and not do it himself? The following Divrei Torah will expound on this topic and support the P’shat offered in the closing paragraph.

“יקח נא מעט מים ורחצו רגליכם והשענו תחת העץ”
“Let a little water be brought; bathe your feet and recline under the tree.” It says in Shemos Rabbah 25:5 that “יוקח נא” means that it should be brought through a Shliach, a messenger. Being that Avrohom Avinu did this through a Shliach, Hakodosh Boruch Hu paid back his descendants through a Shliach – that the water Klal Yisroel received in the Midbar was through Moshe Rabbeinu. However, “ואקחת פת לחם” – the bread that Avrohom Avinu gave his guests, he did himself, for that Hakodosh Boruch Hu paid back through Himself – Hakodosh Boruch Hu directly provided for Klal Yisroel with Mon in the Midbar. Why indeed did Avrohom have the water brought through a Shliach and not do it himself? The following Divrei Torah will expound on this topic and support the P’shat offered in the closing paragraph.

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