Abraham’s Terebinths and Tamarisk- Vayera 5785

One of the highlights for me during this time of year is to note how the seasons change. Each of the seasons hold special significance for me, but now having lived for a long time in New England, the fall has certainly grown on me. 

Every day, during my commute, I enjoy seeing how the trees in Weston, Wayland, and Framingham along Route 20 change during these months. It’s been lovely to see the green leaves turn to all shades of russet, red, yellow, and brown before falling to the ground. In addition to that, I’ve been able to catch glimpses of the trees outside our building from the windows in my office, seeing how they cover our parking lot and our Garden of Meditation. When you go outside later today, I encourage you to take a moment and notice the trees around our property- they’re pretty great!

I’ve even, believe it or not, started to find the positive in yard work. This past week, when I was raking leaves at our house, I actually had a moment of gratitude- I was outside, the sun was shining, it wasn’t too warm or too cold, and I was getting some exercise and fresh air. Plus, I raked the entire backyard in under two hours!

A terebinth tree in Israel

As we know, Jewish tradition is enamored with trees, and places great importance on them. We even celebrate a holiday- Tu B’Shvat– that commemorates the “birthday” of the trees in the midst of winter, when the cycle of life in nature starts anew. We refer to the Torah itself as a tree: “etz chayim hi l’ma’hazikim ba, v’tomchecha m’ushar”. “It is a tree of life to those who grasp it, and all who take hold of it are happy.”

Trees, noticeably, play a significant role at both the start and towards the end of our parsha. Parshat Vayera begins:

וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּאֵלֹנֵ֖י מַמְרֵ֑א וְה֛וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב פֶּֽתַח־הָאֹ֖הֶל כְּחֹ֥ם הַיּֽוֹם׃

“G-d appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot.” (Gen. 18:1). 

This, we learn, is the setting from where Abraham sees the three divine messengers, for whom he hurries to provide hospitality. There is a tradition handed down that Abraham and Sarah’s tent was open on all sides, symbolically welcome to all who happened by. The messengers that Abraham sees are also traveling at a time of day when desert travel was unusual, so they’re especially noticeable to Abraham when his eye catches them. 

Hachnasat orchim– welcoming guests- is listed in the Talmud as an action which is beneficial to us both in this world and in the world to come. Abraham embodies this mitzvah by not only taking the travelers into his tent, but by busying himself with their comfort. He asks Sarah to “knead and make cakes” in chapter 18 verse 6, and enlists a boy in his camp to go and prepare a choice calf for a meal. Furthermore, the text describes Abraham multiple times as running (“va-yarotz”) and hurrying about in order to make his guests comfortable. 

The terebinths of Mamre are sturdy, fruit-bearing trees which are inviting to both Abraham, who decides to encamp there, and his guests whom he invites in. It’s an oasis of comfort amidst the harsh landscape of the desert, and Abraham invites his guests to “recline under the tree” as they refresh themselves in chapter 18 verse 4. 

Then later, in chapter 21, sandwiched between the narrative of Hagar’s second expulsion and the Akedah (which are our Torah readings on Rosh Hashanah), Abraham again makes a display of goodwill. He makes a pact with Abimelech, the king of Gerar, and his chief general Phicol that he will not deal unjustly with them due to their permitting him to have sojourned in their land. Abraham swears to do so, and then asserts ownership of a well that he dug by giving seven ewes to Abimelech- his first true acquisition of land, where he transforms from a nomad to one whose land is his own. Abraham also, famously, names that place “Be’er Sheva”, a major city still today in the Negev region that means either “well of oath” or “well of seven”. 

Then, after Abimelech and Phicol depart, the Torah teaches in 21:33:

וַיִּטַּ֥ע אֶ֖שֶׁל בִּבְאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיִּ֨קְרָא־שָׁ֔ם בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵ֥ל עוֹלָֽם׃ וַיָּ֧גׇר אַבְרָהָ֛ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים יָמִ֥ים רַבִּֽים׃}

“He [Abraham] planted a tamarisk at Be’er Sheva, and invoked there the name of יהוה, the Everlasting God.”

An Israeli tamarisk

The Sages bring an insightful teaching about this tamarisk that Abraham plants in Be’er Sheva. While we are not told in the text explicitly why Abraham planted this tree, we do learn that this action has large ramifications. The Hebrew word for tamarisk is eshel (spelled alef-shin-lamed). As our Etz Hayim Chumash explains, this word has been taken to be an acronym standing for the Hebrew words eating achilah, shtiyah, and linah. In English, these three words mean, respectively, “eating”, “drinking”, and “lodging”. These actions, in an echo of events earlier in our parsha, are the same actions offered by Abraham to his three divine guests.

Rabbi Moshe Hayim Efraim of Sudlikow, an 18th-century hassidic rabbi also known as the Degel Mahane Efraim after his Torah commentary, along with others, interpret this tree as not only facilitating Abraham’s practice of hospitality, but also symbolizes a new start for the world. In planting this eshel, Abraham atones for the sin of Adam in the Garden of Eden of eating the forbidden fruit; the sin of Noah after the flood of drinking to the point of excess; and the sin of Lot in lodging with his daughters earlier in our parsha and having illicit relations.

There are other intriguing interpretations as well. Shalom Orzach notes that this word “eshel”, according to Rashi, can mean either a tree or, intriguingly, an inn. The proof text for this is found in the book of Daniel, where the word ויטה, the same verb used to describe Abraham’s action, is used for setting up one’s tent or home (Orzach 141).

To offer one more exciting interpretation: the Torah Temimah (Baruch Halevi Epstein) quotes the Midrash Rabbah that suggests that א.ש.ל. is actually a derivative of the Hebrew root ש.א.ל. This grammatical root, in Hebrew, means “to ask”. What did Abraham actually plant? Abraham planted a question! An idea, an experience, and an opportunity to ask (ibid). As Orzach notes, “he [Abraham] provided occasion to encounter and engage with people” (ibid).

Let us go with the pshat, the simple meaning, of the text and assume that Abraham planted a tamarisk tree. Botanically speaking, according to a comment in our chumash, the tamarisk is a tall, shady tree which develops deep roots, requires little water, and is suitable for the sandy soil of the Negev. Perhaps planting such a tree symbolizes that Abraham is ready, at long last, to settle down. We learn in the very next verse after Abraham plants his tamarisk:

וַיָּ֧גׇר אַבְרָהָ֛ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים יָמִ֥ים רַבִּֽים׃

“And Abraham resided in the land of the Philistines a long time.” (Gen. 21:34)

After years of wandering in the desert (which foreshadows the experience of his later descendants), perhaps Abraham has finally found the security and resources that he needs to feel a sense of satisfaction. The Mishna in Pirkei Avot teaches that Ben Zoma said:

אֵיזֶהוּ עָשִׁיר, הַשָּׂמֵחַ בְּחֶלְקוֹ

“Who is rich? The one who is happy with his lot.” (mAvot 4:1)

As we know, this is not the end of Abraham’s saga of questioning, worry, and travel. However, I venture to say that Abraham planting his eshel– a physical sign of permanence- perhaps lightens both his actual and proverbial load at least a little bit, to the point where he feels that he has amassed enough resources for himself and his family. 

I myself, despite my recent spate of raking leaves, am not quite ready to go out and plant trees. But from Abraham’s planting of the tamarisk, we can learn to pause for a moment (when it’s convenient) and appreciate the season and the moments that it offers us. Abraham’s generosity towards his guests and towards Abimelech teach us to be generous with those in our own lives. Finally, Abraham’s invoking of G-d’s name when he plants his tamarisk teaches us that what we gain materially is, in part, through divine grace. 

These are lessons from Abraham that we can incorporate into our own lives: to be generous with ourselves and others, undertake actions that buoy both land and people, and right historical wrongs for the sake of a shared, prosperous future. Planting a tree and showing generosity are both signs of hope, which is always needed. On this Shabbat, may Abraham’s actions give us both comfort and hope, as well as the encouragement to refresh ourselves as needed.