Skip to main content

Thought for the Day: Mussar from the Avos

I know this seems out of the blue and out of place, but I was struck today by the Ramban's description of how Avraham Avinu took care of the malachim that came to him on the third day after his (self-administered!) mila.  I am certainly no expert on Ramban, but this Ramban had a different character than what I have learned before.  There way he described the whole scene conveyed a sense of awe and inspiration by the greatness of our ancestor.

Avraham Avinu ran to ask the three (as far as he new) men to stop and rest a bit while he got them something to refresh and rejuvenate them.  Avraham Avinu, notes the Ramban, recognized the three were busy and intent on fulfilling their mission.  Avraham Avinu, therefore, asked them only rest on the tree and wait for a small repast; something he knew would be appreciated and could be fit into their schedule.  Avraham then ran to personally select the calves for his guests.  The Ramban says that he went "l'vaker" (not "livchor") the animals.  The word "bikur" really means "to assess the situation and choose the best course of action".  My chavrusa told me that the word in modern hebrew also means "audit" (they had just had one in his office).  Avraham Avinu did all this himself: an elderly man, with many (at least 318) servants, and who was in pain from his recent surgery.  But he did it all himself because of his great desire to to chesed.

"ma'asei avoseinu siman l'banim" I have heard; "ma'asei avoseinu mussar l'banim" I had not heard.  Yet the Ramban uses that word (mussar) two or three times in his description of the entire event.  It was worth getting up this morning.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thought for the Day: Pizza, Uncrustables, and Stuff -- What Bracha?

Many years ago (in fact, more than two decades ago), I called R' Fuerst from my desk at work as I sat down to lunch.  I had a piece of (quite delicious) homemade pizza for lunch.  I nearly always eat at my desk as I am working (or writing TftD...), so my lunch at work cannot in any way be considered as sitting down to a formal meal; aka קביעת סעודה.  That being the case, I wasn't sure whether to wash, say ha'motzi, and bentch; or was the pizza downgraded to a m'zonos.  He told if it was a snack, then it's m'zonos; if a meal the ha'motzi.  Which what I have always done since then.  I recently found out how/why that works. The Shulchan Aruch, 168:17 discusses פשטיד''א, which is describes as a baked dough with meat or fish or cheese.  In other words: pizza.  Note: while the dough doesn't not need to be baked together with the meat/fish/cheese, it is  required that they dough was baked with the intention of making this concoction. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thought for the Day: Yetzer HaRa -- Spiritual Force of Tuma vs Physical Ta'avos

In any project planning, there are two basic approaches: top down and bottom up.  Top down starts with describing what you want done at the highest level that seems reasonable.  You then break that down into a list of things that are smaller in scope (they only accomplish part of the job) and are therefore easier to actually accomplish.  That process can is then repeated with each sub-project.  Each iteration produces a new set of smaller projects.  For any of the projects, the level above provides the "why" for the project of interest, and the projects below provide the "how" for the current project.  Bottom up starts, as it's name suggests, from the lowest level -- here is stuff I know I can do, and proceeds by asking "what can I do by putting this stuff together?" For example, I have a project to slake my thirst.  Top down would start by a requirement to get a cool drink into a container from which I can drink.  That breaks down into: (1) fin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thought for the Day: Why Halacha Has "b'di'avad"

There was this Jew who knew every "b'di'avad" (aka, "Biddy Eved", the old spinster librarian) in the book.  When ever he was called on something, his reply was invariably, "biddy eved, it's fine".  When he finally left this world and was welcomed to Olam Haba, he was shown to a little, damp closet with a bare 40W bulb hanging from the ceiling.  He couldn't believe his eyes and said in astonishment, "This is Olam Haba!?!"  "Yes, Reb Biddy Eved,  for you this is Olam Haba." b'di'avad gets used like that; f you don't feel like doing something the best way, do it the next (or less) best way.  But Chazal tell us that "kol ha'omer HaShem vatran, m'vater al chayav" -- anyone who thinks HaShem gives partial credit is fooling himself to death (free translation.  Ok, really, really free translation; but its still true).  HaShem created us and this entire reality for one and only one purpose: for use...
Post a Comment
Read more