During the High Holidays, we are like trees.

    During these Yamim Noraim we would like to learn from the Tamar of the judge Deborah, from the Eshel of Abraham Avinu, from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, from the tree of Gopher wood with which Noah built his ark, from the Kikaion of Jonah, from the bush of Moses which burned and did not turn to ashes, and from the Tree of Life.

    This morning I want to talk to you about Eshel, the tamarisk that Abraham Avinu planted. The portion of the Torah we read today tells us, among other things, about the peace agreement that Abraham signed with Abimelej, king of Guerar, in Beer Sheva.  Immediately after this story, the Torah says:  “And Abraham planted a tamarisk in Beer Sheva, and invoked there the name of Adonai, eternal G-d” (Genesis 21:33).  Apparently, this verse does not have a direct relationship with the peace agreement, and if it did, it is not clear the reason why Abraham plants the tree and why the Torah should be telling us about this detail.

    Is it so important the fact that Abraham planted a tree? Our scholars tell us that in fact it is, and that the Eshel that Abraham planted is in fact a symbol.

    In the Talmud, there is a discussion among the rabbis Rav and Shmuel about what is the symbol of the Eshel planted by Abraham. One of them believes that Abraham actually planted an orchard to work on and to feed the needy. The other, in turn, believes that Abraham built some kind of refuge to shelter the travelers, always in need of food and a roof under which to rest and seek shelter.

    Rashi explains, citing the midrash, that the word Eshel must be interpreted not only through its literal meaning, as the name of a tree, but also as an acrostic:  Achila, Shtia, ve-Levaia, that is, food, drink, and company. These three things were offered by Abraham to his visitors.

    Others explain that we should not read Eshel but Sheal:  “sheal kol ma she atah mebakesh va-ani noten lecha”, “ask whatever you want and I will give it to you”, and this was the phrase that Abraham used to say when someone approached him.

    As you can see, our scholars understood that the verse that narrates how Abraham planted a tamarisk is very important, because its real meaning has to do with the group of mitzvot  named “Guemilut Chasadim”, making good actions of social justice by helping those in need in our society.  Guemilut Chasadim includes donating money, feeding the hungry, providing water to the thirsty, dress the naked, visit the sick, and comfort those in pain.

    In Rosh Hashanah, when we face divine justice, we are especially sensitive to the precepts of  Guemilut Chasadim. The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are appropriate to increase or good deeds, our actions of social justice.

    In our congregation we always try to worry about the needy. One of the main three committees has the name of Guemilut Chasadim, with which we hope to work hard this year. But we can not delegate our social responsibility to the community:  the precepts of Guemilut Chasadim rest on each person, and each one of us is responsible for the society in which we live.

    Abraham was a fair man because he was concerned about providing food, drink and company to those who needed it, in the arid desert of Beer Sheva. In this Yom ha-Din, in this Day of Judgment, we remember him and are inspired by his figure.  We imagine our patriarch planting a tree with the only purpose of obtaining fruits and shelter for the needy:  that image gives us strength and courage to be more active in building a better world, a more just society.  Lending a hand to another man in need dignifies us as Jews and as humans.  Makes us feel closer to G-d.

    Shanah Tovah.