Chanukah Day 3

Tonight we light Three.

There are many aspects to the number 3 and I am going to highlight its connection to chesed / lovingkindness. In the wake of the hateful atrocity that happened in Australia, it is healing to come together to restore the space of kindness in the world.

Three is the number of angels who visited Abraham in a famous incident:

And he [Abraham] lifted his eyes and gazed, and behold, three men were standing before him; he saw, then he ran toward them from the entrance of the tent and prostrated himself to the ground (Genesis 18:2).

Why three angels? Why not one, or four? Well, it seems that there were three missions to perform, and we are taught that an angel can perform only one mission. An angelic messenger of God cannot veer left or right and can only follow the single track of its purpose. And so three angels were sent to Abraham, each to serve its separate mission. Rashi writes: “One to bring the news [of Isaac’s birth] to Sarah, one to announce the destruction of Sodom, and one to heal Abraham (from his recent circumcision).”

Abraham was only able to receive these messages because he welcomed these strangers into his tent. This incident is held up as emblematic of Abraham’s exemplary middah of kindness [chesed].

Abraham was standing before God in prayer when he noticed the three strangers approaching. He said to God] “If I have found favour in Your eyes, please do not leave me” – i.e., “Please wait while I go and greet the guests.” The circumstances of Abraham’s kindness to the strangers leads the Talmud (Shabbat 127a) to rule that “Welcoming guests is greater than greeting the Divine Presence.”

Is there someone you know who might benefit from the light of your menorah, or a bite of your latke? Why not invite them into your tent?