What reward did Avraham receive for all these acts of kindness?
Bava Metzi?a, 86b: For ?the butter amd the milk? ? Yisrael merited to receive the Manna; for standing watch over his guests as they ate ? ?Hashem went before them by day?, and for the little bit of water - Moshe struck the rock and water came out. 1
Refer also to 18:4:1:1**.
Avraham asked for water to be fetched by a Shali'ach, and did not fetch it himself. What were the ramifications of this?
Rashi: HaSh-m too, instructed Moshe to draw water from the rock. 1
Had Avraham fetched the water himself, it seems, HaSh-m would personally have provided Yisrael with water, and history would have taken a different turn. Note also that the bread and the meat he served directly - and that is why HaSh-m gave his children the Manna and the quails directly. He stood over them whilst they ate ? Hashem said ?Hin?ni Omeid Lefanecha sham al ha?Tzur?; He accompanied the Mal?achim when they left ? Hashem went in front of them by day?. See Torah Temimah, citing Bava Metzi?a, 86b. Refer also to 18:4:0.1:1.
Why did he ask for only a little water to be taken?
R. Yisrael Salanter: In order not to trouble the Shali?ach to carry more water than was necessary.
The Gemara (Shabbos 86b) enumerates Avraham's deeds, and HaSh-m's repayment to Bnei Yisrael in the desert: "He took butter and milk" (18:8) [was repaid by], "I shall rain down for you bread from Heaven" (Shemos 16:4). "Avraham was walking with them to send them off" (18:16) -"HaSh-m went before them by day..." (Shemos 13:21). "Let a bit of water be taken" (18:4) - "You shall hit the rock, water will emerge from it and the people will drink" (Shemos 17:6). Why did we merit specifically these things?
Maharal (Chidushei Agados Vol. 3, p. 48, to Bava Metzia 86b): These three areas - food, drink and protection - were a constant and essential need throughout our sojourn in the desert. HaSh-m performed many miracles for us on a one-time basis; but constant needs such as these had to come through some merit on our part. We received them as repayment for the deeds of our forefather Avraham, who had acted as such towards the angels. 1
The Gemara (ibid.) also cites, "Avraham ran to the cattle" (18:7) - "A wind arose before HaSh-m [bringing the Selav]" (Bamidbar 11:31). "He stood [waiting] upon them under the tree" (18:8) - "I shall stand with you there at the rock" (Shemos 17:6).
How do we explain the fact that Avraham asked his guests to wash their feet before entering his tent, whereas Lot did not (19:2)?
Rashi, Hadar Zekenim: Avraham asked them to wash their feet because he thought thy were Arabs 1 who bow down to the dust of their feet. 2 Refer to 19:2:2:1-3
Michtav me'Eliyahu (Vol. 2, p. 241, from the Zohar): 'Washing their feet' refers to purifying themselves from their lowliness. Then, they can rest under the tree, i.e. the Etz ha'Chayim (the interior of the Torah), and come under the wings of the Shechinah.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'Let [water] be taken' (Yukach) - i.e. by someone else." How does Rashi derive this?
Gur Aryeh: If Avraham planned to bring the water himself, he would have said, 'I will take some water' (Ekach, Ek'cha).
Rashi writes: "HaSh-m paid reward to his descendants [for this deed, only] through a messenger." How do we know that it was due to this ?
Gur Aryeh: The Torah does not speak ill of a Tzadik unnecessarily, so why mention that Avraham didn't bring the water himself? Rather, it teaches us how exacting HaSh-m is with those who are closest to Him; and how His conduct with Bnei Yisrael in the desert was with Emes.
Rashi writes: "Let [water] be taken' - i.e. by someone else." Why in fact did Avraham delegate this Mitzvah to another, rather than bringing the water himself?
Gur Aryeh #1: It would have been impossible to attend to two tasks at once; Avraham delegated the water, and hurried to prepare bread. (Nonetheless, HaSh-m is exacting, and He paid Bnei Yisrael in kind.) Avraham chose to prepare the bread himself because it costs money, and he wanted to demonstrate to the guests that he was hosting them willingly and generously.
Gur Aryeh #2: Avraham chose to prepare the bread himself because it was an integral part of the meal, whereas the water was merely to wash the guests' feet. HaSh-m did likewise; He Himself gave Man and Selav, but sent water only through Moshe.
Rashi writes: "HaSh-m paid reward to his descendants...." Of all the Mitzvos that Avraham did, why specifically in this case did HaSh-m Himself pay back in kind?
Gur Aryeh: This is the nature of Gemilus Chasadim, which is among the Mitzvos for which a person eats the 'fruits' in this world (Mishnah Pe'ah 1:1). When a seed is planted, the fruit comes out similar; so too HaSh-m paid back Avraham's Chesed in the same manner as he had performed it.
Maharal (Chidushei Agados Vol. 3, p. 48, to Bava Metzia 86b): "One who favors the poor is [as if he] has loaned to HaSh-m; He shall repay his generosity" (Mishlei 19:17). When the angels descended to this world, they were 'poor' in the material sense, and only Avraham looked after them. 1 HaSh-m would later repay Avraham's descendants.
Maharal: Avraham constantly hosted people, but that was Chesed to individuals, and insufficient to stand for an entire nation of his descendants. But on this occasion he hosted angels, so there was no limit to the merit.
Rashi writes: "[Avraham] thought that they were Arabs, who worship the dust on their feet." How could they have made such a thing into a deity?
Gur Aryeh #1: The folly of idolatry was the notion that HaSh-m is so holy as to be unapproachable, impossible to worship directly. The idolaters chose mundane forces, assigned to lesser spheres of influence, as objects of worship, feeling that these would be closer to mortal man. 1 The Arabs worshipped the lowest level of the upper realms, i.e. the sphere in charge of dust, for it is just one rung above the highest level of the lower realms, i.e. man. 2
Gur Aryeh #2: Arabs are nomads and constantly wandering. They believe themselves under the influence of those forces in charge of travel, and worship the dust of the roads that accumulates on their feet.
Rashi writes: What Avraham did for the angels, HaSh-m later did for his descendants. But the angels did not really need what Avraham did for them!
Moshav Zekenim (to Vayikra 25:25): [Even so, he is rewarded for his intent, and] all the more so how much one is rewarded for bestowing Chesed to one who needs it!
