In Parshat Vayera (Breisheet 18:1) we see that Avraham was living in Elonei Mamre (the Oaks of Mamre):
God appeared to him in Elonei Mamre and he was sitting at the door of
the tent in the heat of the day.
Where is Elonei Mamre?
We have already encountered Elonei Mamre earlier in Avraham’s journeys
in Parshat Lech Lecha (Breisheet 13:18):
Avram set up his tent, and he came and settled in Elonei Mamre, in
Hevron…
Radak explains that Elonei Mamre is within the borders of Hevron.
Where would Elonei Mamre be located today?
Elonei Mamre is associated with Ramat El Halil, around 3 kilometers from
Hevron, on the way to Jerusalem. The Jews call the spot Ohel Avraham, Avraham’s
Tent. In the Mishna (Maaser Sheni 5:2)
it was called Eilat Avraham, “Eilat to the
South” (not to be confused with the city of Eilat as we know it today in the
south of Israel).
In Breisheet 18:2, Avraham lifted up
his eyes and saw, and behold three men were standing near him. He saw them and
ran from the door of the tent to greet them and he bowed down to the earth.
Rashi explains that the men were actually
angels and why three were needed:
One angel’s task was to foretell to
Sara that she will give birth. One had the job to overturn Sdom. And one
(Refael) was there to heal Avraham after his Brit Mila (circumcision).
Avraham prepares food for them and
then they ask where Sarah is and inform Avraham that by next year Sarah will
give birth to a son.
In verse 16, the “men” continue on
their journey:
The men stood up from where they
were, and they gazed upon Sdom. Avraham went with them to send them on their
way.
Rashbam explains that two of the angels go
to Sdom (Breisheet 19:1) “The two angels
came to Sdom in the evening.” The third, most important angel remained with
Avraham and spoke to him.
Where was this lookout place where
they gazed upon Sdom?
Nebi Yakin is located next to the
settlement, Maale Haver. It is also called Mitzpe Shloshet HaMalachim, (the
lookout point of the three angels) since this is thought to be the spot where
Avraham stood with the three angels and gazed upon Sdom.
From that vantage point, one can
look to the south and see the settlement of Har Hevron. When looking east, one
can see the northern and southern parts of Midbar Yehuda (the Judean desert).
You don’t actually see Sdom from
that spot, but you see the direction of Sdom, the mountains of what eventually
became Amon and Moav.
This is the spot where Avraham was
told that Sdom would be destroyed and where Avraham tried to convince God not
to destroy the cities. Once that it was clear that there weren’t even ten
righteous people who merited the cities being saved, the conversation was over
(Breisheet 18:33):
God departed when He finished
speaking to Avraham, and Avraham returned to his place.
Sfrono explains that Avraham left
the place where he had escorted the angels and spoke to God and he went back
home (to Elonei Mamre) .
Last year, I had the honor of
visiting Mitzpe Shloshet HaMalachim. It was amazing to be in that spot, looking
over towards Sdom and understand where Avraham was standing when this story
unfolded.
The more that we travel around
Israel, the more we understand our deep roots in the Land and why it must never
be taken for granted.
May the three angels come back to
visit us during this difficult time in Israel- one to heal those who are sick
and injured, one to remind us that we must continue to bring life and joy into
the world and one to destroy evil and save the people who have been taken hostage.
