It all starts with a verse from Exodus, "You shall make for Me an altar of earth…[I will come to you and I will bless you]" (Exodus 20:21). Rabbi Yitzḥak takes this to heart. He imagines God saying, "If I reveal Myself and bless someone who simply builds an altar in My name, how much more so will I reveal Myself to Abraham, who circumcised himself in My name!" And then comes the payoff: "The Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre."
Isn't that amazing? The very act of building an altar, a physical act of devotion, creates a space for divine revelation.
Rabbi Levi picks up on this theme, drawing from Leviticus: "And a bull and a ram as peace offerings, to slaughter before the Lord…[for today the Lord appears to you]" (Leviticus 9:4). Again, we have the idea of sacrifice, of offering something in God's name. Rabbi Levi pictures God thinking, "If I reveal Myself and bless someone who sacrifices a bull and a ram to My name, how much more so will I reveal Myself to Abraham, who circumcised himself in my name!" And the result? "The Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre."
Notice the pattern? A deed performed in devotion opens the door for a divine encounter. But why Abraham? And why circumcision?
Think about it. Circumcision, the brit milah, is no small thing. It's a physical act, a permanent mark, a deep commitment to the covenant with God. It's not just building an altar or offering a sacrifice; it's offering a part of oneself. As Ginzberg beautifully retells it in Legends of the Jews, Abraham's unwavering faith, demonstrated through this very act, sets him apart.
The Rabbis in Bereshit Rabbah are highlighting a powerful concept: the reciprocity between humanity and the Divine. Our actions, our sacrifices, our commitments – they matter. They create a space, an opening, for God to meet us. It’s as if God is saying, "I see your devotion, I acknowledge your commitment, and I will respond." This echoes throughout Jewish thought; the idea that we are partners with God in perfecting the world, Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">tikkun olam.
And where does this meeting take place? In the plains of Mamre. Mamre itself is symbolic. It was the place where Abraham settled, a place of hospitality and kindness. Perhaps the location itself signifies that God reveals Himself in places of compassion, in places where we open our hearts to others.
So, what does this mean for us today? Maybe it's not about building physical altars or offering sacrifices. But perhaps it’s about recognizing that every act of devotion, every act of kindness, every act of commitment to our values, creates a space for something greater. It invites the Divine into our lives, just as Abraham's actions did so long ago. It's a reminder that the potential for divine encounter is always present, waiting for us to create the opening.