Vayeira 21:33 · unit 1

Parashas Vayeira · Passuk 21:33

The Complete Passuk

וַיִּטַּ֥ע אֶ֖שֶׁל בִּבְאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיִּ֨קְרָא־שָׁ֔ם בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵ֥ל עוֹלָֽם׃

And he planted an eshel in Beersheba, and he called there on the name of Hashem, God of the world.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sotah 10a.

TT lemma: ויטע אשל.

Sefaria — Sotah 10a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וַיִּטַּע אֵשֶׁל. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, חַד אָמַר אֵשֶׁל זֶה פַּרְדֵּס וְחַד אָמַר אֵשֶׁל זֶה פּוּנְדָּק; בִּשְׁלָמָא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר פַּרְדֵּס הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב וַיִּטַּע, אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר פּוּנְדָּק מַאי וַיִּטַּע? כִּדְכְּתִיב וַיִּטַּע אָהֳלֵי אַפַּדְנוֹ.

English: “And he planted an eshel.” Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Nechemiah: One said an eshel is an orchard; the other said an eshel is an inn. Granted for the one who says orchard—that is why it says “he planted.” But for the one who says inn, what is the meaning of “he planted”? As it is written, “And he shall plant the tents of his palace.”

On the daf / in context: The word “eshel” is debated: either a literal planting of trees or the establishment of a hospitality center for travelers.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. Two tannaitic readings of a single noun are offered and reconciled with the verb.

What Is Learned

Avraham’s “eshel” was either an orchard of fruit trees or an inn for travelers; both readings reflect his practice of hospitality.