Vayera 5764
In Parashat Vayera, there is a theme that runs throughout the Parasha in the beginning and in the end. In the beginning of the Parasha we read how Avraham Aveenu had just endured a great operation of Brit Milah. And on the third day when he was in the most pain, where the weather outside was terribly hot, Avraham Aveenu technically became exempt of the Mitzvah of Hospitality, of hosting guests.
Based on that condition he was considered Anoos. He was exempt. The rule says, ‘Anoos Rachaman Patre’, that if the circumstances don’t allow it as such, so you become exempt from the Mitzvah. But to be exempt, was not enough for Avraham Aveenu. He was of a higher level. You do not get the credit for doing the Mitzvah even though you are exempt from the Mitzvah. You just don’t get punished for not doing the Mitzvah. So therefore Avraham Aveenu made every effort in order to show that he was upset that he could not fulfill the Mitzvah. The reward for that feeling of being upset that you can’t do the Mitzvah, the reward for that is, you get the Mitzvah. So G-d gave him the Mitzvah of Hachnasat Orchim (hospitality), by bringing the guests. Because his pain was so much, and he didn’t want to be exempt, so G-d gave it to him, so he could fulfill it and get the reward.
That same concept happened at the end of the Parasha in Akedat Yitzhak. Avraham wanted to fulfill the Mitzvah of slaughtering his son as G-d told him originally. And when the Angel told him to stop it, technically Avraham became Anoos. He became exempt and didn’t have to do it. But in Avraham Aveenu’s life, again it is not enough that he is exempt. He wants to get credit for doing the Mitzvah. He doesn’t want to have a legal exemption. So therefore he prayed to Bore Olam, and Bore Olam provided for him a ram, and he brought the ram on the altar. Here again you see the reward for feeling bad that you couldn’t do the Mitzvah. G-d would then give you the Mitzvah in another fashion in order to fulfill it. So therefore, when we say that Avraham brought the ram, it is as if he brought Yitzhak, because he had the pain that he was exempt from the Mitzvah.
This is a very important attitude that we have to have regarding our Mitzvot. It’s not enough to ask; are we obligated on this Mitzvah, and if we are exempt we then feel happy. So, if for some reason the weather doesn’t allow us to come to synagogue, or if the Rabbi doesn’t show up, and therefore we consider ourselves exempt and that we tried, so the Chachamim are telling us over here that being exempt is not enough. You have to wish that you want to do the Mitzvah in all circumstances. And the reward will be that Bore Olam will provide that Mitzvah.
A similar concept we can say when it comes to people that work. People that work for a living obviously are exempt at that moment from learning Torah. Because they are earning a living. But if a person’s attitude when he is working is, I really wish could be sitting in the Yeshiva studying nd learning, so therefore he is considered Anoos. And since he wants to fulfill the Mitzvah, so Chafetz Chayim says that G-d will give him credit for learning for all the hours that he went to work. So long as the hours that he’s not working, he is learning. That shows that really he wants to be in the Yeshiva studying. However, if we have another person who puts in his hour a day and then goes to work and says; ‘that’s it, I paid the tax, I studied already and now I am exempt until tomorrow morning’, so then he can not get credit for those hours of work.
So you see the attitude at the time of exemption is key. Avraham had a very strong attitude. He was being upset and therefore he gets the guests, he gets the Akeda, and he gets to the level being called ‘Adam Gadol Banakee’, the great giant of the man that he was.
