VaYeira 5632 Second Ma'amar

God constructed the Creation hierarchically, from least spiritual to most spiritual. This physical world is the least spiritual. Connecting the physical world to the most spiritual are myriads of spiritual realms. We, through our souls, are connected to all the spiritual realms. [This is because only a small part of the Jewish soul resides in the body. Most of the soul stretches from the body through the spiritual realms up to the most holy spiritual place. In fact, the Zohar calls the body a shoe for this reason. Only the “heel” of the soul, as it were, is in the body.] It follows that our physical actions affect all the spiritual worlds. When our actions are good, we have a positive effect on the spiritual worlds and God reveals His Providence in this world. When our actions are not good, we have a negative effect and God hides His Providence.

Avraham Avinu, sitting at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day just in case travelers happened by, represents the epitome of love for God. When the Zohar explains the mitzvah of loving God, it uses Avraham Avinu as the quintessential example. Avraham Avinu, from the time he recognized God, disregarded himself completely in order to accomplish God’s will.

Avraham Avinu surely understood the results of his actions in the spiritual realms. He brought an awareness of God to all those with whom he came in contact. Although his actions affected high spiritual realms, he always remembered that he was only flesh and blood at the entrance of the tent. The entrance of the tent represents a level of initiation. Regardless of how much he accomplished, with regard to serving God, Avraham Avinu considered himself to be at the beginning, at the “entrance.”

We need to understand that our actions have powerful ramifications in the highest spiritual realms and, as a result, here in the physical world. We also need to consider that in relation to God and serving Him, we are always at the “entrance.”