Imagine the scene, Abraham is chatting with none other than G-d, who had come to visit him as he recovers from his circumcision at the ripe old age of 99, and suddenly he tells G-d "Hold on, I will be right back".
What on earth would make Abraham put G-d on hold?
Indeed this is how the portion of the week begins, as Abraham is enjoying his Divine guest, when he suddenly notices three "men" coming through the desert, and he runs to attend to them.
Abraham interrupted his visit with G-d, not to check his Whatsapp, or Facebook messages, but rather it was to welcome guests and travelers into his tent, so that he could look after them and attend to their needs.
The Talmud learns from this story, that looking after guests and people who need help is as great or in a certain sense even greater, than simply serving our own spiritual personal needs and welcoming G-d in our lives. The reason for this is since in a sense, kindness and looking after others is the greatest embodiment of welcoming G-d into our lives.
Welcoming G-d into one's life, is not simply a spiritual abstract emotion, instead it is ultimately about acting both personally and to others, in a manner that reflects that welcoming of G-d into one's life.
Abraham and Sarah then go all out to look after those guests, from preparing a gourmet meal, to providing them with water and lodgings and eventually escorting them as they prepare to leave.
Abraham and Sarah had many virtues and qualities, including kindness to others, looking after the wayfarers, advocating for others even when he didn't agree with their behavior, and so much more, yet ultimately these were all expressions of what a close relationship with the Divine should look like.
Shabbat Shalom & Good Shabbos
Yisroel