Description
In this manuscripted illumination of Vayerah, Abraham greets the three angels.
Below the illumination a midrashic explication of this verse which found in the Talmud is given. The hand-written text reads as follows.
“And the LORD appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.” (Genesis 18:1) What is the “heat of the day”? Rabbi Hama ben Rabbi Haninah says: That day was the third day since Abraham’s circumcision, and the Holy One, blessed be He, came to inquire about Abraham’s well-being. The Holy One, blessed be He, took the sun out of its sheath so that the Tzaddik should not be disturbed by wayfaring guests. “And he lifted his eyes and looked, and here, three men stood over him, and when he saw them, he ran to meet them.” (Genesis 18:2) Initially they came and stood over him. When they perceived his pain they said: It is not proper for us to stand here like this. Who were these three “men”? Michael, Gabriel and Raphael’ Michael who came to inform Sarah that she would bear a son, Raphael who came to heal Abraham, and Gabriel who came to overthrow Sodom. Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Bava Metziah 86b