Kevin Bemel ·
How to See G-d
Parsha Nugget Vayeira – Genesis 18:1-22:4
Despite knowing the non-corporeal, non-gender specific nature of G-d, when I pray an image of a bearded, wise man fills my mind. Other times I cannot help thinking how awesome it would be if the Almighty appeared to me as He so often does to people in the Torah. Parshas Vayeira explains how to make this happen:
“And G-d appeared to him in the Plains of Mamre.” (Genesis/Bereishis 18:1)
The parsha begins with Abraham receiving three guests who reiterate the promise that he will have a son. Then he learns about the fate of Sodom, where his nephew Lot is living, and Gomorrah. The Almighty destroys the cities but saves Lot and his daughters, who then give birth to Moab and Ammon. Next, Abimelech abducts Sarah, Isaac is born, Hagar and Ishmael are sent away, and Abraham makes an alliance with Abimelech. The parsha ends with the binding and near sacrifice of Isaac.
A more precise translation of the above verse would be, “and he appeared to him G-d in the Plains of Mamre.” So the one who sees, Abraham, precedes the one who is seen, G-d. Why such an unusual expression?
One of the greatest Jewish sages, Moses Maimonides, in his Guide to the Perplexed, noted that G-d cannot change, alter, or move in any way. G-d is omnipresent, so if He moved that would imply that there was some place from which G-d is absent and another to which He went. Such a concept clearly cannot apply to the Omnipresent One.
Therefore, any time the Torah says G-d approached or appeared to someone, in actuality that person is approaching or perceiving and drawing closer to G-d.
Going back to Abraham, despite his having been circumcised just three days before, he is lying in his tent with all four sides open watching for travelers. Thus during the most painful time in his recovery period, when Abraham sees strangers coming his way he jumps up to greet them, lead them to his tent, and feed them. Such a selfless act of chesed, kindness, brought him so close to G-d the encounter was called a revelation or appearance.
To the extent you do not see G-d in the world, perhaps it is because you are too involved pursuing your own agenda instead of the Almighty’s. If you can refrain from putting yourself at the center of the world and instead reach out to the Creator through compassionate, ungrudging acts of chesed, then surely G-d will appear to you too.
Question – How do distinguish between your agenda and what G-d wants from you?
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Every year beginning on Simchas Torah, the cycle of reading the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, ends and begins again. Each Sabbath a portion known as a sedra or parsha is read. Its name comes from the first significant word or two with which this weekly reading begins.
Do you have a question about the Old Testament? Ask it here and I will answer it in a future Parsha Nugget!
