The Torah tells us that despite his pain (in the aftermath of his circumcision) and the heat of the day that the Torah describes, Avraham excitedly ran towards the strangers literally jumping at the opportunity to give them nourishment and a moments rest on their journey (8:2).
The details of the story tell us that Avraham did not act because he felt obliged to do so; nor did he feel resentful that the travelers were partaking in his food and would presumably never repay him the favor. Noticeably, the only description lacking detail is that of the three men. For Avraham these details were irrelevant - the fact that they were in need was enough to get Avraham running to greet and to treat them.
Sometimes the challenge of "doing a favor", or an act of chessed goes beyond the physical labor or time that is required – the real challenge is in the internal workings of our mind as we are doing it. Are we frustrated, annoyed and bitter? Or, instead are we excited and honored to be helping out a friend, or even a stranger, to make their lives a little easier and sweeter?
Chazal suggest that the reason Hashem specifically sent angels, who do not depend on food for nourishment, was to emphasize that the one who benefited the most was not the recipient of the deed. The paradox of the giver becoming the taker is fundamental to Jewish thought and practice; it is not just the ability to give that defines us as the descendents of Avraham Avinu, but the pleasure we feel when we seize the opportunity to do so. When we will feel the same elation as Avraham did to do a chessed, this internal reality will translate into a more complete, thoughtful, and rewarding act of kindness. Whether you do the favor with a smile or a frown on your face takes the same amount of time and effort on your end, but makes a world of a difference for the person on the other end, and the amount you give becomes exponentially greater.
In closing, I just want to point to another lesson to be gleaned from our parsha that relates to character development. We learn from this weeks parsha, among others, that the Torah's way of imprinting in us the proper way to conduct ourselves is through the model, the example, of Avraham Avinu. So too, whether we are teachers, parents, friends, or neighbors, the best way to influence others to strengthen their middot tovot (positive qualities) is by modeling for them in our own lives. Shabbat Shalom, Taly
