In Jewish tradition, we read a portion of the 5 Books of Moses each  
week in the synagogue on the Sabbath. Someone in the congregation,  
often, but not always the rabbi, offers some words of interpretation  
of one part of the portion of the week. This past week, we read the  
story of Abraham's visit from the three angels/messengers (Genesis  
18:1-8)

Below are the words of Rabbi Yaakov Weiss on this section. I thought  
you all in particular would find it inspiring.

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The Torah (5 Books of Moses) discusses the meticulous order of the  
meal that Abraham offered his guest, recorded in the opening verses  
of this week’s Torah portion. First, he gave them cheese and milk,  
and only afterward did he present them with calf’s meat.

  A point is raised among biblical commentators as to why Abraham  
chose to serve his guests these particular items – milk, cheese and  
meat – to begin with. The choice of meat is clear, as he wished to  
serve his visitors a satisfactory meal. But why, from among many  
possible appetizers, did Abraham decide to give them milk and cheese  
as a prelude to meat?

The rule of thumb in our world is that sharing something with  
somebody else constitutes a loss for the giver. If I have it, and  
give it to you, I lose it; if you have it, and give it to me, you  
lose it. If I write a check for charity, my checking account  
naturally shrinks.

  An exception to this rule is the milk the mother feeds her  
suckling. As long as a mother continues sharing her nourishing liquid  
with the child, her mammary glands will keep on refilling with more  
milk. In fact, the quantity of the milk is usually dependent on her  
sharing it. The more a mother nurses, the greater the flow of her  
milk her body produces. And when she ceases to breast-feed, her inner  
production of milk ceases.

  This is one of the Kabbalistic (Jewish mysitical) explanations  
behind the unique phenomenon of breast-feeding: Through this natural  
process of infant nourishment, a mother is given the extraordinary  
opportunity to ingrain within her child’s tender consciousness the  
truth about sharing. The more you give, the more you will receive,  
just like the milk that you are now swallowing. …

  Very often guests – particularly if they are strangers – feel  
uncomfortable staying in somebody’s else’s home and eating another  
person’s food. Abraham, hypersensitive to the feelings of his guests,  
addressed this awkwardness by offering them milk and milk products at  
that start of the meal.

… The greatest gift we can give ourselves is a life filled with love  
and caring toward other human beings.

So let us always remember the importance of giving.

  Rabbi Yaakov Weiss



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