By Charles A. Kroloff, Reprinted from ReformJudaism.org
A Visit from the Eternal
Have you ever had an unexpected visitor whose surprise visit made a big difference in your life?It might have been an old friend who showed up one day to express appreciation for a long forgotten kindness that you had done for her. Perhaps someone appeared unexpectedly to apologize for slighting you a while ago. Or maybe you have been a hospital patient and a visitor arrived with words of such profound support that they actually helped you heal.
Many years ago, when I was a rabbinic student, my father died at the young age of fifty-one while I was out of the country. The shiva took place in Washington, D.C. where my parents had been living. To my surprise, Rabbi Balfour Brickner, z"l, showed up to offer his condolence and support. I had met him only a few times and my parents did not belong to Rabbi Brickner's synagogue, but rather to another one in Washington, D.C. I have no recollection of his words to me, but his presence gave me strength at just the moment that I needed it the most. It felt like a gift from heaven.
I thought of that visit when I pondered the opening verses of Vayeira: "The Eternal appeared to him (Abraham) by the oaks of Mamre . . . at the hottest time of the day. Looking up he (Abraham) saw: lo-three men standing opposite him!" (Genesis 18:1-2).
Who were these visitors?
What was their relationship to the Eternal?
Why were they visiting Abraham?
Continue reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment