ROSH HASHONAH כי אמרתי עולם חסד יבנה

The final parshah read on the first morning of Rosh Hashonah recounts how Avimelech the King of Gerar and his commander in chief came to Avrohom in Beer Sheva and stated that they could see that Hashem was with Avrohom in all that he did. Avimelech then said “I would like you to swear that you will not treat falsely or unfairly myself or my descendents up to four generations” כחסד אשר עשיתי עמך תעשה עמדי in the same way as I was kind to you, you should be kind to me and the land in which you are sojourning.

What was the חסד, the kindness which Avimelech was referring to, which he asked Avrohom to reciprocate? This was the fact that when Avrohom and Soroh came to Avimelech’s country, Soroh was taken into the royal household but Hashem came to Avimelech and said “Don’t touch her because she is married to Avrohom” and Avimelech, after protesting that he knew nothing about it, gave her back to Avrohom and in addition, allowed them to live wherever they liked in his land. (Unlike Pharoh, who told Avrohom here is your wife, get out of Egypt.) For that “kindness” Avimelech was asking Avrohom to promise that would deal nicely with not only Avimelech but with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Avrohom duly swore to this and the parshah continues telling the story of how there was a well which he stated had been stolen by the servants of Avimelech, Avrohom then took seven lambs, took them aside, gave them to Avimelech and the place was called Beer Sheva. We then have the penultimate posek before the end of the krias HaTorah for the day as follows.

ויטע אשל בבאר שבע ויקרא שם בשם יהו' קל עולם and he, Avrohom, planted an “Aishel” in Beer Sheva and called there in the name of Hashem the Master of the world.

That verse has apparently very little to do with the previous pesukim. Chazal tell us that the word אשל is an acronym for אכילה, eating שתיה drinking and לינה, lodging (alternatively לויה, seeing off a person). Namely that Avrohom opened a sort of guest house and that he provided food and drink as well as lodging etc. for any wayfarers who passed by. We are told that this tent had four entrances, one to each side, so that it should be even more inviting to allow people to come in.

Chazal also tell us that people came, ate and drank and asked to pay but Avrohom refused. They then attempted to just thank him, but he said thank the One above, Hashem in heaven who created the whole world and so ויקרא שם בשם יהו' קל עולם he spread the word among the populace who were idol worshiping, that idols were nothing, that there was one G-d in heaven who created the world and provides food, drink etc. for mankind.

I would suggest that after Avrohom has considered what Avimelech had said regarding חסד, he was appalled. I did you a favour, therefore, you do me a favour. In colloquial English, I scratch your back, you scratch my back. This, Avrohom knew was not true חסד; proper חסד is performing good deeds for the sake of it as Hashem wishes, without receiving reward or favours. Dovid Hamelech tells us about Hashem, in Tehillim, כי אמרתי עולם חסד יבנה because I said I will build a world of kindness. Hashem does not need the favours of any people, as we all understand.

It was because of that and to show the world what true חסד means that Avrohom created an אשל, a lodging house where he could show proper kindness in a true Jewish way.

There is another explanation given by Chazal of the words ויטע אשל, namely that he planted a tree so that the travellers could rest in the shade and this a further sign of חסד.

I believe that this verse is read right at the end of the krias HaTorah for the first day of Rosh Hashonah which is the anniversary of the creation of Odom Harishon and the start of the Jewish New Year to emphasise to all of us the importance of חסד, true kindness. We are blessed nowadays with beautiful examples of גמילת חסד, including loan societies and all types of help given in an organised as well as in an informal manner, in our wonderful communities. May it long continue and provide us with זכיות for the New Year and to help bring משיח , במהרה בימינו אמן

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