Part I: Revelations: Hashem Appears to Avraham

The opening verse of our parsha relates that Hashem appeared to Avraham.[1] The commentators, beginning with Rashi, discuss the purpose of this appearance, seeing as it does not seem to have been accompanied by any message from Hashem.

Both Sides Present at the Covenant

Based on the Seforno, the Ben Melech, prefaces by noting that the verse does not actually state that "Hashem appeared to Avraham," but rather that "Hashem appeared to him," even though the reference is obviously to Avraham. The use of the pronoun "to him" serves to connect Avraham at the beginning of our parsha with Avraham as discussed at the end of the previous parsha, when he was performing the milah – for that was what the appearance was about.

As stated explicitly in those verses, the milah of Avraham constituted a bris, a covenant, between him and Hashem, and as with any covenant, both parties need to be present when it is formed. This, says the Seforno, is why Hashem appeared to "him" i.e. Avraham who had performed the milah, in order to be present at the bris.

Eliyahu at a Bris

Taking this idea one step further, the Seforno suggests that this situation pertained not only to the milah of Avraham, but to all subsequent milah's, which represent each child entering into the covenant. As we know, a seat is set aside for Eliyahu Hanivi. Why? Eliyahu is known as "malach habris" – the angel of the covenant, and with his presence he represents Hashem's side of the covenant at every bris!

In this regard, there is a well-known midrash which explains that the reason Eliyahu is present at every bris is on account of the fact that he was zealous on Hashem's behalf and protested when the Jewish people in his time violated the covenant with Hashem; hence, he gets to witness their fulfilment of the bris at each milah.[2] However, as the Ben Melech explains, this does not conflict with the explanation of the Seforno, for there are two distinct ideas here:

1. The notion itself that an angel should be present at a bris is in order to represent Hashem at the covenant.
2. The choice of Eliyahu specifically to be that angel is a result of his zealousness in guarding the covenant in his time.

The Seudah at a Bris

Moving further still, the Ben Melech writes that this will give us a deeper appreciation of the seudah that takes place after we perform a bris. What is its role? It is true that we refer to it as a seudas mitzvah – which it, of course, is – but we will appreciate that not every mitzvah is accompanied by a seudah! What makes this mitzvah different?

However, we know that when two sides enact a covenant, they will seal it by having a seudah. Here, too, the covenant of the milah is sealed by the seudah. Indeed, the other mitzvos with which we are familiar that are also accompanied by "seudas mitzvah" are all mitzvos that involve entering a bris:

1. Milah – as we have discussed.
2. Bar Mitzvah – as the child enters the covenant of mitzvos
3. Wedding – as the couple enter the covenant of marriage with each other.

Indeed, in terms of the very first entry into the covenant of milah, the Ben Melech suggests that the angels who appeared to Avraham and for whom he subsequently prepared a feast, were likewise there representing Hashem at the seudah of the bris.

Part II: Reverberations: The Covenant of Avraham and the Destruction of Sodom

As the parsha progresses, we see that no sooner have the angels taken leave of Avraham that Hashem initiates the proceedings that will lead to the destruction of Sodom. Angels are dispatched toward the city, and Avraham is appraised of Hashem's plans regarding it.

What is behind this timing? The sinful state of Sodom had already existed for a number of years. Why was it destroyed specifically today, the day of Avraham's milah?

The answer, says, the Ben Melech, is that this too, was a result of the milah of Avraham which had just taken place. The connection between these two events can be explained in one of two ways:

One: Avraham's Milah and the Presence of the Shechinah

Although the wicked are deserving of punishment, the question how and when that punishment will be visited upon them depends on how close the Shechinah (Divine Presence) is to the world and hence, how swiftly and decisively hashgachah (Divine Providence) will be manifest.

The Midrash relates that the sins of mankind, beginning with that of Adam Harishon himself, served to distance the Shechinah from this world.[3] In that distant state, with Hashem's hashgachah being concealed, people's wrongdoings might not be met with immediate retribution and indeed, could potentially go unpunished for many years.

However, the Midrash proceeds to state that Avraham began the reversal of that distancing, and his righteousness began to draw the Shechinah close to the world once again. A decisive stage in Avraham's spiritual elevation was at the time of milah, when he entered into a covenant with Hashem, thereby drawing His presence closer still to the world. As a result of this, Hashem's hashgachah likewise became more revealed in the world, and this expressed itself on that very day in the destruction of Sodom for all their wrongdoings! Hence, Sodom was destroyed at the time of Avraham's bris, for its destruction was a result of that bris.

Two: Milah and the Land of Israel

The Ramban[4] famously writes that it is possible that there were cities in other countries whose citizens were as evil as those of Sodom. However, since Sodom is in the land of Israel, and it is the nature of the land to not tolerate sinful behavior, it was destroyed.

The sanctity of the land itself is dependent, to a certain degree, on the Jewish People. As we know, the sanctity that generates the special land-based mitzvos such as shemitah, terumah and maaser is activated by the entry and settling of the land by the people.

One of the main elements of the covenant of milah is the giving of the land to Avraham and his descendants, as stated explicitly in last week's parsha. Indeed, it is for this reason we mention milah in the second berachah of birkas hamazon, which is the blessing over the land of Israel. In this way, too, we can understand why Sodom was destroyed immediately following Avraham's bris. The connection with the land that Avraham formed through the bris elevated its sanctity to the degree that the wrongdoing of Sodom became completely intolerable, and hence they were destroyed at that time.

[1] Bereishis 18:1.

[2] Pirkei de'Rabbi Eliezer chap. 29.

[3] Bereishis Rabbah 19:7.

[4] Bereishis 19:5.