(33) [Abraham] planted a tamarisk at Beer-sheba, and invoked there the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.
Rabbi Kwass: What did Avraham do? The simplest, most straightforward understanding of this verse – that of a number of commentators – is that Avraham planted a tree. אשל is either the name of a particular tree, a generic word for trees, or a way of referring to an orchard. This explains the use of the verb "ויטע" – “he planted” that precedes it and is supported by a similar use of אשל in a few other places in Tanach. But, if this is the case, what is the connection between the first and second parts of the verse?
(א) לדוד מזמור נאם ה' לאדוני שב לימיני. זה שאמר הכתוב (ישעיה מא ב) מי העיר ממזרח צדק. ישנים היו אומות העכו"ם מלבא תחת כנפי השכינה ומי העירן לבוא לחסות תחת כנפי השכינה אברהם שנאמר מי העיר ממזרח. ואל תאמר לזה בלבד אלא אף הצדקה היתה ישינה והעירה אברהם. וכיצד עשה אברהם עשה לו פונדק ופתח לו פתחים לכל רוח והיה מקבל העוברים והשבים שנאמר (בראשית כא לג) ויטע אשל בבאר שבע. א"ר עזריה מהו אש"ל אכילה שתייה לוייה. הוי צדק יקראהו לרגלו.
(1) o “Of David. A psalm. The LORD said to my lord, “Sit at My right hand…” This is what the verse says “Who awakened one from the east whom righteousness met wherever he set his foot?” (Isaiah 41:2) The nations of the world are as if asleep, failing to take shelter beneath the wings of the Divine presence. Who awakened them to come and take shelter? Avraham, as it says: Who awakened one from the east. And not only the nations, but even righteousness itself was sleeping until Avraham awakened it. How did Avraham do this? He made an inn and opened doors in every direction in order to receive all those passing by, as it says “He planted a tamarisk (eshel) at Beer-sheba…” (Genesis 21:33) R’ Azaria said: what is this eshel (אשל)? It is an acronym for eating (אכילה), drinking (שתייה) and escorting one’s guests (לוייה). This is “righteousness met wherever he set his foot…”
Rav Kwass: Rabbi Azaryah (quoted in Midrash Tehillim, Chapter 110) says that אשל (alef, shin, lamed) is an acronym for escorting). Avraham, through his hospitality – through feeding( לוויה drinking), and( שתיה ,)eating( אכילה people the fruit of the tree he planted – brought people closer to G-d. He loved his guests, Hashem’s creatures, made in His image. Avraham took care of their needs and related to them with true concern, escorting them when they left. He also taught them about Hashem and encouraged them to bless and thank Him. Avraham planted an אשל and thereby called out in the name of G-d.
Rav Kwass: The Vilna Gaon (in Kol Eliahu on Vayeira) teaches us that Avraham’s hospitality had an additional motivation, correcting the sins of his predecessors. Adam sinned through eating, Noach sinned through drinking, and .אשל Sodom sinned through how they related to guests. Avraham served Hashem through all three, through
Avraham lived with historical consciousness. He lived a life connected to his ancestors, to the past. He knew that Adam Harishon lived on through him, as did Noach. As their descendant Avraham provided them with the opportunity to correct their tragic flaws. Avraham learned the lessons of history, not making the mistakes that Adam and Noach had made. And the destruction of Sodom and Amorah (perhaps) convinced him how much the world needs a positive example of hospitality and caring – to stand opposite the negative example of the overturned cities. Don’t act like Sodom; act like Avraham.
Avraham’s historical consciousness wasn’t limited to the past, but also spread to the future. The Torah tells us that Avraham built an altar between Beit El and Ai, and Rashi explains that he prayed there for his descendants in Yehoshua’s generation who would have difficulties in that location. This is in the spirit of the Ramban’s principle מעשה אבות סימן לבנים - that the actions of our forefathers were a model for and directed the activities of their descendants. Avraham lived with a consciousness that he was connected both to those that preceded him and those that will follow. His life in the present was so powerful because he lived as one continuing those who came before and aware that he would be his descendants’ forefather.