Vayeira 18:1 · unit 2

Parashas Vayeira · Passuk 18:1

The Complete Passuk

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

Hashem appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Bava Metzia 86b.

TT lemma: וירא אליו ה'.

Sefaria — Bava Metzia 86b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו ה׳. אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי לְמִילָתוֹ הָיָה, וּבָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׁאֹל לִשְׁלוֹמוֹ.

English: “And Hashem appeared to him.” Rabbi Chama son of Rabbi Chanina said: That day was the third day after his circumcision, and the Holy One, blessed be He, came to inquire after his welfare.

On the daf / in context: Bava Metzia 86b places the divine visit on the third day after the milah, the day of greatest pain, explaining why Hashem appeared without delivering a new verbal command.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The timing of the appearance is fixed by the known chronology of recovery from circumcision.

What Is Learned

Hashem visited Avraham on the third day after circumcision—the day of greatest weakness—teaching the importance of timely care for the convalescent.