Mamre’s Advice
Accepting advice from others is virtuous on two counts. It gives you objective analysis and it also uplifts the advisor and allows him or her to enter into your world.
Where Credit is Due
G-d appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre, we are told at the beginning of this week’s parsha. In fact, the entire parsha is so named: “vayeira-and he appeared,” on account of this special revelation of G-d to Abraham. What was this appearance for? And why does the torah go out of its way to tell us that it occurred in the plains of Mamre?
Rashi, citing earlier sources, explains that Mamre, Abraham’s friend, was the man who gave him advice concerning his circumcision. When Abraham finally did circumcise himself, he was visited by G-d. But G-d gives credit where credit is due. Because it was Mamre who got Abraham to circumcise himself, G- d’s revelation to Abraham occurred in his territory.
Why did Abraham Need Advice?
There is no need to explain how bizarre it was that Abraham, of all people, after being told by directly by G-d to fulfill this precious mitzvah, would consult with an “outsider” concerning its observance.
Commentators who have noted this anomaly have come up with various interpretations. Among them is the one given by Tosphos that Mamre’s advice was sought to resolve the question whether Abraham should do it privately or publicly. Mamre’s advice was to do it publicly. Concerning the actual performance of the mitzvah, however, there was never any question.
Rashi does not make this qualification. He states simply that it was Mamre who had given him the advice. There seems to be a more simple and straightforward way of understanding Abraham’s consultation with Mamre.
Consult!
Rashi comments on the plural form in the verse “let us make man,” and informs us that when G-d created man He consulted with the angels. Obviously, G-d did not need their permission or their advice, but, in His humility, He demonstrated that when a pivotal decision has to be made—such as the decision concerning the very creation of the world—the process should not be imposed on the world, but with its consent.
Abraham followed G-d’s initiative. Abraham was about to embark on the single most important venture of his life. He was about to enter into an eternal covenant with G-d. Abraham was about to inaugurate a new age, a new people. By entering into this covenant, Abraham was initiating the process, which led to the selection of the Jewish people at Sinai, and will culminate with the true and complete Redemption. Abraham was mindful of the fact that the ultimate goal of his act of circumcision was to radically change the world.
In changing the world there can be two approaches. One can impose the change, or one can give the world an opportunity to be part of the process of change itself.
In the spirit of the famous “light-bulb” joke: “how many psychologists does it take to change a light bulb? Only one, but it has to want to change…” Abraham wanted the singular event of the bris to represent the will of the world itself to be transformed.
Following G-d’s own precedent of consulting with the angels about the creation of man, Abraham consulted with Mamre, a non-Jew, concerning whether he, Abraham, should enter into a covenant which would forever alter the state of nature, by introducing a new dimension of humanity into the world - the Jewish nation. Mamre’s affirmative response to Abraham’s question demonstrated that the world was ready for the change and that the change would occur because of the world not in spite of it.
Coronation Day
When we commemorate the creation of the world in our Rosh Hashanah liturgy, we do not play a passive role. We emphasize how we are the ones who coronate G-d as our king.
G-d is not satisfied to simply assert his sovereignty over us. He wants us to accept him, which we do throughout the liturgy of Rosh Hashanah and especially through the shofar.
Before Sinai G-d Consulted with Us!
At Mount Sinai, the Jewish people—our sages inform us—were asked to respond to the commandments, yes or no.
G-d wanted them to accept the commandments, so that He did not have to impose it on them.
Even Bilam, the heathen prophet, upon hearing of the revelation of G-d at Sinai, commented: “G-d was giving His nation strength; He was blessing his people with peace.” Even Bilam the heathen, representing the nations of the world, was agreeable to the Torah—at least for others.
We are Asked to Embrace the Geulah!
We are living in the final stage time when G-d is committed to alter the state of existence, from golah-exile to Geulah-redemption, when the entire purpose of creation and Sinai will come to fruition.
This final stage can happen and will happen with or without our participation. Nevertheless, all of Jewish literature speaks of how G-d wants us and the entire world to be part of the process of bringing about this change.
Even the Mamre’s of the world—Mamre derives from the word that means rebel—must be made part of the process. While we cannot force anyone to change his or her lifestyle and attitude, we can help create a positive atmosphere by our actions, so that everyone will joyously usher in the age of Redemption
From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Vayeira by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
