Teaching By Example - Vayeira

I have been taking my one year old to shul for the last few weeks for minyanim on Shabbos. My main motivation for this is because there are times when it feels easier to inspire others than ourselves. While I am not inspiring him, because he's one, he will remember this and his core memory will be of going to shul and having a positive experience. When my tefillah feels dry, and I struggle to find that same spark, seeing his excitement gives me a lot of strength.

This reminded me of Avraham Avinu in Parshas Vayeira. While recovering from his bris, he was sitting at the entrance of his tent searching for guests. Hashem visited him to teach the mitzvah of bikur cholim, and Avraham responded by channeling that kindness outward. The message I got was that when we’re not feeling it, we can still choose to act with compassion towards others.

Avraham’s example also showed me that values are not passed down through words alone but through living them. Instead of preaching kindness, he called Yishmael to help serve the guests, teaching by action. I thought about this when someone told me recently that I’m a bad liar. It made me smile because my father, may he live and be well, modeled that same honesty, along with kindness and respect for parents. He didn’t have to instruct me; he lived it. Now I see how those same lessons are forming the foundation for my own child. The way we carry ourselves become lessons for the next generation.

So even when I don’t feel inspired, I remind myself that showing up matters. My son may not understand what davening is yet, but he’s watching. Every small act, every tefillah, every moment of consistency plants something deep within him. And maybe, in the process, it strengthens me too.

Good Shabbos

All the best

Avroham Yehudah Ross