BETWEEN GOD AND GUESTS

The very first verses of Vayeira describe the elderly patriarch Abraham sitting at the entrance to his tent as the sun is blazing down, just days after having circumcised himself to demonstrate his covenant with God.

The portion begins by informing us that God appeared to Abraham, but before long Abraham is distracted by some passing visitors, and he runs to invite them to be his guests, so that he can feed them and take care of them.

As he explores these introductory verses of Vayeira, Rabbi Dunner focuses on the commentary of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Ferber (1879-1966), the twentieth-century Lithuanian-born London-based rabbi whose yahrtzeit is on 20 Marcheshvan, and whose commentary on the Torah contains both collated and self-generated gems of wisdom and explanation, all based on a breadth and depth of knowledge of Talmud, Midrash, and a vast range of classical commentaries.

For further information on Rav Ferber, check out Rabbi Dunner’s 2016 publication of the first two chapters of Rav Ferber’s memoirs using this link. To receive the paperback printed version of the pamphlet, please contact office@yinbh.org.