Parshas Lech Lecha: The Illogical Nature of Chesed

AI summary (may contain mistakes)

What makes chesed more than being a good guy or having mercy? Chesed has an element of over-the-top illogic, as seen in Avraham slaughtering three cows so each guest has a tongue, and in Rivka feeding all the camels. Avraham charging guests who would not thank Hashem was not extortion, since giving was Avraham's pleasure, a small picture of Hashem creating the world in order to give. Chesed pours without measure, and once it is measured it is rachamim.

Key points

• Chesed needs an element of over-the-top extremism and illogic, beyond the mercy anyone has.
• Feeding every animal in the teiva taught a world that had forgotten that giving is a pleasure.
• Per Rabbi Noach Weinberg, charging guests who would not thank Hashem was pleasure in giving, not extortion.

Topics

• Chesed
• Lech Lecha
• Avraham Avinu