Vayeira 21:33 · unit 3

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 10b.

TT lemma: ויקרא.

Sefaria — Sotah 10b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וַיִּקְרָא וגו'. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, אַל תִּקְרֵי וַיִּקְרָא אֶלָּא וַיַּקְרִיא; מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהִקְרִיא אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ לִשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּפִי כָּל עוֹבֵר וְשָׁב; כֵּיצַד? לְאַחַר שֶׁאָכְלוּ וְשָׁתוּ עָמְדוּ לְבָרְכוֹ, אָמַר לָהֶם, וְכִי מִשֶּׁלִּי אֲכַלְתֶּם? וַהֲלֹא מִשֶּׁל אֱלֹהֵי עוֹלָם אֲכַלְתֶּם; הוֹדוּ וְשַׁבְּחוּ וּבָרְכוּ לְמִי שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם.

English: “And he called…” Reish Lakish said: Do not read “vayikra” (and he called) but “vayakri” (and he caused to call). This teaches that Avraham our father caused the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, to be called in the mouth of every passer-by. How so? After they ate and drank they rose to bless him; he said to them, “Did you eat of what is mine? You ate of what belongs to the God of the world. Give thanks and praise and bless the One who spoke and the world came into being.”

On the daf / in context: The hospitality of the eshel is the vehicle for public recognition of the true God; guests are taught to bless the Creator rather than the host.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. A change of vocalization turns private calling into public proclamation.

What Is Learned

Avraham caused every guest to invoke the Name of Hashem; after eating at his table they were taught to thank the God of the world, not the human host.