04 Nov VAYEIRA: AVRAHAM AND THE ESROG TREE

The Relationship
Between Avraham and
the Esrog Tree
At the beginning of
Parshas Vayeira,
Avraham looked up and
noticed three people
standing on the road.
Avraham ran to greet them. [Bereishis 18:2]. The
pasuk repeats the word ‘Va-yar’ (and he saw)
twice. First it says “He looked up and he saw…”;
and then it repeats “…and he saw and he ran
toward them”. What was this second “seeing”?
The Mikdash Mordechai, Rav Mordechai Ilan,
gives an interesting interpretation. He explains
that there are many occasions when a situation
arouses “enthusiasm of the moment”. Our initial
impulse is to rush in and do the mitzvah or good
deed. But, with the passage of time, rational
thought often overcomes emotion and the
enthusiasm dissipates.
This was not the case with our Patriarch
Avraham. The pasuk is telling us that Avraham
was not merely the type of person who rushed
into something on the spur of the moment. His
enthusiasm maintained itself beyond the stage of
the knee-jerk reaction. Even upon reevaluation
— giving the situation a second look, so to speak
— he remained determined to offer kindness and
hospitality. His attribute of kindness emerged
not only from emotion (the first sighting) but

from rational consideration, as well (the second
sighting).
The Sages speak of this consistency regarding
Avraham’s attribute of Chessed. It was his
hallmark. The Toras Kohanim comments that the
expression “fruit of a beautiful tree (Pri Etz
Hadar)” [Vayikra 23:40] refers to Avraham
Avinu.
What is the analogy between Avraham Avinu
and the Esrog (which the Torah refers to as a Pri
Etz Hadar)?
The Talmud [Succah 35a] says that the
comparison of Avraham to an Esrog is based on
an alternate translation of the phrase “Pri Etz
Hadar”. Literally, Pri Etz Hadar means, “fruit of
a beautiful tree”. However, the Talmud says that
by switching the vowels, “Hadar” (beautiful)
can be read “Hador” (that dwells). Therefore, the
pasuk can be translated, “fruit of a tree that
dwells”. This refers to the fact that the Esrog,
unlike other fruits, does not just grow, blossom,
and fall off the tree within three months. The
Esrog lives on its tree from year to year. It has a
consistency that is not found in any other fruit.
That was the attribute of Avraham. He did not
just have momentary enthusiasm that inspired
kindness. When guests came, Avraham was not
only excited on the first day. What about guests
that stayed three days? What about guests that
stayed for a week? Avraham did not tire of
offering hospitality. Avrohom was consistent,

just like the Esrog that is consistent on the tree
from year to year.
A verse regarding the Akeida says, “On the third
day Avraham lifted his eyes and saw the place
from a distance” [22:4]. The Medrash Tanchuma
asks why G-d waited until the third day, and did
not show the place to Avraham on the first or
second day. The Medrash answers: The purpose
of waiting three days was so that the nations
should not think that Avraham was seized by a
momentary frenzy, in which he was overcome
by emotion and did not have time to reflect on
what he was doing.
Avraham Avinu had plenty of time to think about
the Akeida. For three days he walked and
thought it over. But that was Avraham. He was
not a flighty man of emotion whose spirit
grabbed him for the moment. He was the
consistent one, like the Esrog – dwelling on the
tree from year to year.
The Maharal in the Nesivos Olam brings an
unbelievable Medrash:
Ben Zoma says that we find an all-encompassing
pasuk in the Torah — “Hear Oh Israel, the L-rd
Our G-d, the L-rd is One” [Devorim 6:4]. Ben
Nannos states that there is an even more
important pasuk in the Torah than that of Shma
Yisrael. What is that? “You shall love your
neighbor as yourself” [Vayikra 19:18]. Shimon
ben Pazzai comes and says there is a pasuk that
is even more significant and more meaningful

and more inclusive than
either of these two
pasukim. What could
that pasuk be? “And the
one lamb you shall make
in the morning…”
[Shemos 29:39].
The Maharal explains ben Pazzai’s seemingly
strange choice. This verse refers to the Korban
Tamid. The pasuk is referring to consistency, the
ability of man to serve G-d with total devotion.
The day-in/day-out service is significant. Tamid
— Consistency day-in/day-out, year-in/year-out
— This is the great principle of the Torah.
The Talmud records a number of occasions when
disciples asked different Amoraim the following
question: “By what merit did you live so long?”
One Amora answered, “I never took a shortcut
through the Beis HaMedrash.” One answered, “I
never called a person by a nickname”. Many
answers are given, but there does not appear to
be a common thread as to what provided the
merit for longevity.
I once heard that there is, in fact, a common
thread. Each Amora answered “I NEVER…”
(mei’olam lo…). The key is NEVER — day-in/
day-out, consistency. The key is the dwelling on
the tree from year to year. The choice of the
mitzva is not the central thread. The central
thread is Temidiyus — consistency. “The one
lamb shall be offered each morning…”