This week’s Parasha opens with Avraham Avinu recovering from his brit milah. Despite his pain, three men (angels) pass by his tent, and Avraham runs to greet them without hesitation. He could not stand to forgo the opportunity to do this mitzvah of welcoming in guests that he did not feel the pain, his desire to do the mitzvah was even greater. Avraham had truly pure, honest, kind intentions all he wanted to do was chessed. 

Avraham’s actions came from a place of pure, honest kindness. His only intention was to do what was right and to give to others. Because of this he was always blessed. As we see in the story with the angels, one of them blesses Sarah (through Avraham) that she will have a child this time next year— a blessing that would change the course of our people.

Avraham was a person who ran after the truth and surrounded himself with opportunities of kindness. He was a person who always tried to do the right, true thing. 

In contrast to Lot, Avraham’s nephew. Lot, too, hosts two angels in Sodom. At first glance, it may seem that he also valued Hachnasat Orchim. But Rashi asks: were Lot’s intentions truly pure? Rashi explains that Lot did welcome guests — but not for the right reasons. He sought honor, not holiness. He welcomed guests for what it could bring him, not for what he could give.

From here we learn something powerful: the action may be the same, but the intention makes all the difference.

It’s easy to relate this to our own lives. How often do we treat someone differently because of how they look, what they can offer us, or how others will perceive us? Maybe at a dinner party we’re kind and attentive to “Jack” because he’s well-dressed and well-liked — but would we give him the same attention in a less glamorous setting?

In those moments, we can think of Avraham and remind ourselves: true chesed comes from sincerity. When our actions are guided by truth and goodness, not by ego or gain, they bring blessings into the world.

Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis beautifully explains that when we act kindly and genuinely, we create angels around us — angels of blessing, protection, and light. Every good word, every sincere act, draws Hashem closer to us, just as He was always close to Avraham Avinu.

But when we act in ways that are inappropriate, dishonest, or improper, we aren’t creating angels around us — we’re doing the opposite. Even more so, when we curse at someone, we are quite literally “cursing” them — taking away their angels, their blessings. Why would we ever want to do that? Especially toward someone we love.

Our words are powerful. They can build or destroy, bless or curse. In a moment of anger, we might say something harsh, but those words linger, they affect us. Let’s take a lesson from Avraham Avinu — to speak with kindness, to act with sincerity, and to bring brachot into our own lives and into the lives of those around us, B’ezrat Hashem.

To close, here’s a beautiful story about Rabbi Sholom Dov Ber of Lubavitch.

When he was a young boy, he went to visit his grandfather, the holy Rabbi Menachem Mendel. The child was crying with great emotion, having just learned the pasuk “And G-d revealed himself to Avraham” (Bereishit 18:1). Through his tears he said, “Why doesn’t Hashem reveal Himself to me as He did to Avraham Avinu?”

His grandfather gently replied:

“When a Jew, a tzaadik, realizes at age 99 that he must circumcise himself, that he must continue to perfect himself, he is worthy that G-d should reveal himself to him”

Wow! How much we can learn from Avraham Avinu. It is never too late! Whether you’re in college, married, have young kids, have grandchildren… you don’t need to stop growing. There is always an option to grow closer to Hashem, to become more honest and righteous. May this give us the strength to never feel stuck and may we all merit to have the same internal will Avraham did.

Shabbat Shalom.