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This week's Parsha opens with a remarkable scene. Avrohom is sitting outside on an extremely hot day waiting for guests. He is only three days after his circumcision at the advanced age of 100 years old when suddenly HaShem appears to him. The purpose of HaShem's visit is simply to visit him and comfort him as one would do for a sick person recovering from a procedure. Avrohom's immediate reaction is to stand up. Basic protocol teaches us that when an elder person, for whom you must show respect, enters the room you must stand up for them. Certainly this is the case when HaShem enters the room. HaShem then tells Avrohom to remain seated and of course he does as he is told. Just picture this scene with the Creator stands and Avrohom remains seated!
Let us compare this scene with a scene from last week's Parsha. HaShem appears to Avrohom to instruct him on the mitzvah of Bris milah (circumcision). The moment HaShem appears to him he falls on his face. Our Sages teach us that he was unable to remain in an upright position because he was flawed. There was incompleteness about Avrohom that did not allow him to stand in HaShem's presence. That incompleteness was the fact that his body was not yet circumcised.
Behold! The difference between being able to sit in the presence of HaShem while HaShem is standing and to lose total control of self in the presence of HaShem is the condition of the body! Clearly there is more to circumcision than the removal of some skin. Nevertheless, whatever changes took place was predicated on that physical removal of skin.
As the story of Avrohom develops and the seeds from which the Jewish people will sprout begin to germinate, the Torah is teaching us that our physical environment plays a critical role in our relationship with HaShem.
So often I hear from fellow Jews how our relationship with HaShem is primarily in the heart; what we do, what we see, what we hear and what we eat play no role on our level of spirituality. The story of Avrohom and the development of his relationship with HaShem highlight the error of such a position.
We need to ask why this is the case? Why should our physical condition impact the level of our spiritual condition? They are two separate elements.
The human condition is distinct from the rest of creation its creatures. While the rest of the physical world is a composite of purely physical components, Man has a spiritual component as well. Perhaps I should restate this notion. While all of creation is exclusively physical Man is primarily spiritual. His body is more of a vehicle for him to use in order for him to accomplish his mission in this world.
The mission Man is given to accomplish in this world is to connect the physical world which is devoid of spirituality, empty of meaning, to the world of meaning and purpose. The manner in which he accomplishes this mission is by living his physical life using the entire physical world for the expressed purpose of connecting himself to the world of meaning and purpose. Thereby the entire physical world is connecting to the spiritual world through Man and his activities.
Using this notion we can perhaps appreciate how all of our physical engagements must be highly regulated. It is through our interaction with the physical that we accomplish our mission.
Our spiritual self is not isolated from our physical self. To be connected spiritually is only through being connected physically. Only through our careful connection to the physical will the children of Avrohom achieve their mission.
Have a wonderful Shabbos.
Paysach Diskind
