Avraham’s Revolution
Let’s picture the world in the days of Avraham Avinu (our forefather Abraham). Idols stood on every street corner, and false beliefs were deeply rooted in every home. Yet Avraham rose above it all and sparked a tremendous spiritual revolution. Not only did he refuse to follow the masses, but he inspired countless people to recognize Hashem, the one true G-d.
How did he accomplish this?
Our parshah (Torah portion) tells us that “he planted an eshel (a lodging place) in Be’er Sheva, and there he proclaimed the name of Hashem, God of the Universe” (Bereishit 21:33). The Sages (Sotah 10a) explain that Avraham established a resting place for travelers. Some say the eshel was an inn; others say it was an orchard. But all agree that it was a place where weary travelers could find food, drink, and comfort.
All Thanks To Him!
When these travelers finished their hearty meal and wanted to thank their generous host, Avraham would gently stop them and say: “Don’t thank me! Do you think I caused these trees to grow, from which you ate the fruit? Did I create the animals that provided the meat? There is a Creator — Hashem — Who sustains the entire world and gives life and sustenance to all living beings. All the goodness we enjoy comes from Him. Therefore, we must express our gratitude to Him.”
Through this experience, people left with a new awareness that every blessing comes from Hashem. Many abandoned idol worship and came to believe in Him. This is why the verse emphasizes “Hashem, God of the Universe”. Because Avraham’s hospitality helped everyone who passed by recognize that Hashem rules over the entire universe.
Rooted In Gratitude
The Alter of Slabodka (Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel) points out that Avraham’s remarkable kindness stemmed from his deep gratitude to Hashem. He understood that everything in the world is an expression of Hashem’s endless goodness, as the verse teaches “Olam chessed yibaneh“ – The world is built upon kindness (Psalms 89:3).
Avraham realized that since human beings were created “b’tzelem Elokim” — in the image of God, our purpose is to emulate Him. Just as Hashem built His world through kindness, so too Avraham dedicated his life to performing acts of kindness wherever possible. Providing hospitality was not only a way to help others but also an opportunity to teach them that everything ultimately comes from Hashem.
Do We See His Kindness?
This lesson is timeless. We live in a world overflowing with Hashem’s kindness. Every moment, He provides us with what we need, whether we recognize it or not. Our task is to train ourselves to appreciate it.
The Sages teach (Berachot 58a): “A good guest is one who says, ‘Look how much effort my host made for me, how much food and drink he prepared! All that work was just for my sake!’” The Maharsha, a classic commentator, explains that this refers to us. We are all “guests” in Hashem’s world and must strive to be good guests. We must strive to recognize and appreciate all the blessings He constantly bestows upon us.
Yet, it’s easy to take for granted the things we’re so used to. Air, food, water, and so on. We must remind ourselves that each of these is a priceless gift from Hashem, involving countless steps and systems so that we can benefit from them.
Say It With Meaning
One powerful way to strengthen this awareness is by saying berachot (blessings) with more mindfulness.
A Story To Illustrate:
There’s a famous story about Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, the founder of the Mussar movement. Once, while visiting Paris with his students, he ordered a simple glass of water in a café. To his surprise, it was extremely expensive. When he politely asked the waiter why, he was told: “You’re not just paying for the water but also for the elegant setting, the furniture, the paintings, the music, and the garden.”
Rabbi Yisrael then turned to his students and said that he had just learned a deeper lesson in gratitude to Hashem. When we say the blessing “Shehakol nihyeh bidvaro” — that all came into being through His word — over a cup of water, we are not only thanking Hashem for the water itself, but for all the countless factors that allow it to reach us: water vapor rising into the air, forming rain, collecting in reservoirs, being purified in treatment plants, and traveling through pipes, until, with a simple turn of the faucet we can enjoy clean, refreshing water wherever we are.
By Rabbi Daniel Shasha, author of “Living Appreciation”
