This week’s Torah portion, vayera, begins with God appearing to Abraham as he sits at the entrance of his tent. However, in the very next verse, Abraham discovers three strangers standing across from him, suggesting that the Divine presence becomes manifest through our fellow humans. By rushing to greet these strangers with love and kindness (Abraham and his wife Sarah provide respite and a meal for the travelers before allowing them proceed) Abraham invites the Divine into his household.
The Jewish philosopher Emmanuel Levinas argues that God exists in the faces of our fellow human beings. When we look upon the face of another without expectation or desire, we peer into the infinite, discovering God within. Their pain, their pride, their joy, and their grief—all visible upon the face—connect us directly to the Divine.
By responding so quickly and so compassionately to the three travelers, Abraham reminds us that we, too, may find God appearing within our lives, provided we look lovingly and compassionately for the Divine in one another.
—Rabbi Josh Knobel