Vayeira

The pesukim relate that Avraham saw three men and he ran to invite them in. It states, “A little water you shall have taken – through a messenger (Rashi), and you shall wash your feet, and rest under the tree. And I will take bread…. Avraham ran to the cattle… and he took butter and milk…”

The Griz asks: Why did Avraham give them water through a messenger whereas the rest of the kind acts he performed himself? He explains that the water was for washing off the dust of their feet, which is the avodah zara of Arabs. Since Avraham thought they were Arabs he didn’t want to bring avodah zara into his house. If so, it was just for himself that they should wash their feet. The rest of the chessed with serving the food was part of hachnasas orchim which he therefore did himself.

The Gemara writes that what Avraham performed himself, Hashem also did Himself for Yisrael, whereas what Avraham performed with a messenger, Hashem also did with a messenger for Yisrael. For Avraham serving cattle, butter and milk, standing over and escorting them, Yisrael merited for Hashem Himself to serve the slav and man, stand over them and go before them. For the water which was served by a messenger, Hashem sent water through a stone. The Griz is bothered: since the water was just for Avraham himself to not bring avodah zara into his house, why did Hashem have a claim that Avraham didn’t do it himself? The water seems to also be a kindness; to use for cleaning, to cool them off, and to refresh them, which Hashem repaid Avraham with water! If so, why didn’t Avraham do it himself?

The Peirush HaRif wonders: how could Avraham give so much honor to people who seemed to be Arabs? He explains that Avraham had a tree under which he would sit guests. To people who were fitting, the tree would spread out its branches and provide shade. However, to those who weren’t proper, it would close its branches and leaves. Avraham would feed those who were fitting as it states, “And you shall rest under the tree.” If so, we can explain that Avraham thought the guests were Arabs. Therefore, he gave them water through a messenger thinking they were undeserving of his chessed. However, afterwards he sat them under the tree and saw that it provided shade, he recognized that they were befitting of his chessed. At this point he served the guests by himself!

May Hashem help us fulfill chessed, and midah k’neged midah, receive Hashem’s direct shefa and bracha!