Parashat Vayera: Midrash
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ByHadar Institute

Midrash מִדְרָשׁ

What are signs of righteousness?

Avraham tells his guests that he’s going to give them a piece of bread to eat (18:5)... and ends up feeding them much more than that: cakes, butter, milk, and meat (18:6-8)!
בבא מציעא פ״ז א
אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר מִכָּאן שֶׁצַּדִּיקִים אוֹמְרִים מְעַט וְעוֹשִׂים הַרְבֵּה.
Bava Metzia 87a
R. Elazer said: This shows that tzaddikim (righteous people) say a little and do a lot.
  • Why is it a good idea to promise very little but do much more than that? Why would this be really fitting for tzaddikim?
  • When can you follow Avraham’s example?