It might sound surprising, but the ancient Rabbis certainly thought so!

The Midrash, specifically Bereshit Rabbah 59, delves into a fascinating interpretation of Psalm 45:3, "You are fairer than the sons of man; grace flows from your lips..." The Rabbis saw this verse as a direct reference to Abraham. But what does it mean to be "fairer"?

The Midrash goes deeper, suggesting that the word "yafyafita" – fairer – with its doubled syllable, indicates two kinds of beauty. Abraham was beautiful amongst the heavenly beings, as the verse in Isaiah 33:7 says, "The angels cried outside." According to some interpretations, this refers to the angels weeping at the Akeidah, the binding of Isaac (as we see in Bereshit Rabbah 56:5), overwhelmed by Abraham's unwavering devotion. And he was also beautiful amongst earthly beings, a "prince of God in our midst," as Genesis 23:6 puts it.

But it doesn't stop there. The Midrash connects Abraham to Psalm 24, asking "Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who will stand in His holy place?" The answer, according to this reading, is Abraham. He ascended Mount Moriah, proving his fear of God, as it says in Genesis 22:12, "Now I know that you are God-fearing." He arose early in the morning to go to that place, echoing Genesis 19:27 where it says vayakom, Abraham arose.

And what qualities allowed him to stand in God's holy place? "Clean of hands and pure of heart." Abraham refused to take even a thread or a shoelace from the King of Sodom (Genesis 14:22-23), demonstrating his integrity. And he challenged God Himself, saying, "Far be it from You to do something like this, to put the righteous to death along with the wicked!" (Genesis 18:25), proving the purity of his heart.

The Midrash even tackles the tricky subject of Abraham and Nimrod. "Who has not taken a soul in vain" is interpreted as referring to Nimrod's soul. According to tradition, Abraham slew Nimrod, but the Rabbis justify this act, saying it wasn't without cause; Nimrod was pursuing Abraham with murderous intent.

So, Abraham receives the blessing of the Lord, becoming a source of blessing for all. As Genesis 12:3 states, "All the families of the earth shall be blessed in you." But who was the source of blessing for Abraham? The Holy One, blessed be He! As Genesis 24:1 tells us, "The Lord blessed Abraham with everything."

The Midrash then expands this idea, drawing parallels with other figures. Moses was the source of miracles for Israel, but the source of miracles for Moses was God Himself. David was Israel's shepherd, but God was David's shepherd. Jerusalem is the source of light for the world, but God is the source of light for Jerusalem.

What's the takeaway here? It’s that even the most extraordinary individuals, the greatest sources of blessing and inspiration, are themselves vessels. They are channels through which God's light and goodness flow. Abraham, in all his perceived beauty and righteousness, was ultimately a testament to the ultimate source of all blessing: the Holy One.

So, the next time you encounter a person of great influence, remember that their power stems from a source beyond themselves. And perhaps, like Abraham, we too can strive to be vessels of that divine light, bringing beauty and blessing to the world.