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Bereishit 25:22
וַיִּתְרֹצְצוּ הַבָּנִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ
Vayitrotzatzu habanim bekirbah
the children quarreled inside her.

This particular pregnancy was totally different from all the pregnancies experienced by women up until that time. It was quite unknown for women who gave birth to twins to experience turbulence within  their wombs during their pregnancies. The fact that these fetuses had begun to behave in such a manner already while inside the womb made Rivkah very distraught. She had her worst fears confirmed when G-d told her through His prophet Shem (Bereishit Rabbah 63:7) that she was going to give birth to founders of two nations whose outlook on life would be totally different from one another. He assured Rivkah that she personally, had not cause to worry about the physical phenomenon of that tumult within her.

The Midrashic opinion (Avodah Zarah 11) draws attention to the unusual spelling of the word גיים (goyim - nations) (25:23). The correct spelling should have been גוים. This prompted Rabbi Yehudah to see a hint that there would be two individuals belonging to these two nations, i.e. Emperor Antoninus and Rabbi Yehudah Hanassi, whose wealth would be such that all manner of vegetables which were not in season would nonetheless be served on their tables all year. At first glance such a statement is difficult to reconcile with the statement made by the same Rabbi Yehudah Hanassi on his deathbed (Ketuvot 104), that he had never permitted himself to use his wealth to indulge himself or to otherwise enjoy the pleasures of life on earth, but had made do with absolute necessities only. It is understood that the Midrash in Bereishit Rabbah as describing what Rabbi Yehudah served his guest, not what he himself partook of.

Antoninus was a descendant of Esav. He had studied Torah secretly with Rabbi Yehudah Hanassi so that his servants and other members of his Empire would not become aware of this. According to tradition (also in Avodah Zarah 10), Antoninus, while governor in Yisrael, had a subterranean room which was linked by a passage to the home of Rabbi Yehudah Hanassi. He would take two slaves with him every day. He would kill the first one at the entrance to the house of Rabbi Yehudah, and the second one at the entrance to his own palace so that there would not be any surviving witnesses to his visits at the home of Rabbi Yehudah Hanassi. He requested of Rabbi Yehudah Hanassi that at the prearranged times when he would visit, Rabbi Yehudah should not have anyone else present at the house. It happened that on one occasion Rabbi Chanina bar Chama happened to be at the house of Rabbi Yehudah when Antoninus arrived. He became very agitated and complained, "Did I not tell you not to have anyone present when I come?" Rabbi Yehudah replied that the apparition in the guise of Rabbi Chanina was not a human being. Thereupon Antoninus said to Rabbi Yehudah, "Tell this man to get me the slave who stands on guard at the entrance." Rabbi Chanina, aware that this slave was going to be killed, deliberated what to do. When he came to the place from where he was suppose to gt the slave he found that the slave was already dead. He meditated on what to do, saying to himself that if he told Antoninus that the slave was already dead, he would accuse him of having murdered him. At the same time there is a rule that one need not return to the sender in order to bring bad news. On the other hand, he reasoned, if he were simply to leave the dead man and not go back to the house of Rabbi Yehudah at all, this would be a disgrace, and an insult to the Roman Empire. So he decided to pray. As a result of his prayer the dead guard came to life again and he sent him to his master. Thereupon Antoninus said to Rabbi Yehudah, "I am aware that even relatively insignificant Jews possess the power to bring the dead back to life. Nonetheless, I wish that when I come here no other living soul shall be present." Antoninus used to provide Rabbi Yehudah with a variety of personal services as well as feed him if necessary on a daily basis. He even expressed a wish to be able to serve Rabbi Yehudah in the hereafter as his mattress. One day he asked Rabbi Yehudah if he could expect to be granted life in the hereafter. Rabbi Yehudah answered in the affirmative. Antoninus questioned this, quoting Ovadiya 18 "There will not be anyone remaining of the house of Esav." Rabbi Yehudah replied that this verse speaks only of people who live in accordance with the principles of Esav. Thereupon Antoninus quoted another verse, this time from Yechezkel 32:29 "There are Edom, her kings and her princes" (The entire passage deals with the descent to Gehinom of all these Gentile people). Rabbi Yehudah replied that the verse referred to "her kings," but not to "all her kings." He added that Yechezkel had specifically excluded Antoninus as well as a certain Ketiah bar Shalom from his perdiction.


25:24
וְהִנֵּה תוֹמִם בְּבִטְנָהּ
vehineh tomim bevitnah
and here there were twins in her womb.

The word תוֹמִם (tomim) "twins," is spelled defectively, with the letters י (yud) and א (alef) missing. The reason for the defective spelling is that one of Rivkah's children was going to be a wicked person. The next time the birth of twins is mentioned in the Torah, i.e. the sons of Tamar and Yehudah, Peretz and Zerach, the word is spelled properly, i.e. תאומים, seeing that both the sons Peretz and Zerach were going to be righteous.


25:25
וַיֵּצֵא הָרִאשׁוֹן אַדְמוֹנִי
Vayetze harishon admoni
the first one emerged all reddish looking.

According to Bereishit Rabbah 63:8 the performance of the commandment to take the Lulav and Etrog on the first day of Sukkot (VaYikra 23:40) and to give thanks to G-d for His bounty is the reason taht G-d appeared to the Jewish people first, demands payment (for their sins) "from the first one," "builds for them first," "brings them (to the Holy Land) first". The fact that G-d appeared to the Jewish people first is derived from Yeshayahu 44:6; the fact that G-d enacts payment from the first one, i.e. Esav first, is derived from Bereishit 25:25. "He builds for them first," is a reference to the Holy Temple as we know from Yirmeyahu 17:12 "O Throne of Glory exalted from the first." The fact that G-d brings the redeemer to the Jewish people first, is attested to by Yeshayahu 41:27 "the things predicted to Tziyon originally, behold they are here! And again I send a herald to Yerushalayim."  This Midrash demonstrates that the word rishon "first," does not necessarily imply an advantage, such as when G-d demands an accounting for his sins from Esav first because he emerged first from Rivkah's womb.

כֻּלּוֹ כְּאַדֶּרֶת שֵׂעָר
kulo ke'aderet se'ar
all of him looking like a fur coat.

The meaning is as if the Torah had written, "his entire body covered with hair, just like a mantle." Seeing he was born with this much hair, people called him אִישׁ שָׂעִר (ish sa'ir) "a hairy man" (27:11). The word שעיר is an all encompassing expression which includes the demonic qualities which are attributed to the deities called שעירים, which the Torah enjoins us from offering sacrifices to (VaYikra 17:7).  According to Midrash, the strength of that demonic power is concentrated in the hair which covers its heart. At the time of the Redemption, arrival of Mashiach, G-d will make the demonic power collapse when he blows the Shofar heralding the Redemption, "and HASHEM Elokim will sound the ram's horn, and advance in a stormy tempest" (Zecharya 9:14)


25:27
וַיִּגְדְּלוּ הַנְּעָרִים
Vayigdelu hane'arim
the lads grew up

According to Bereishit Rabbah 63:10 after Esav attained the age of 13 he frequented houses of idolatry while Yaakov frequented Torah academies. Chazal in the same Midrash also said that Rivkah had experienced similar experiences during her pregnancy. Whenever she passed either one of the aforementioned institutions one of the fetuses within her seemed anxious to emerge. There is a verse in Yirmeyahu 1:5 "even before I formed you in the womb I already appointed you (as a prophet)." From this verse we see that distinct pre-natal tendencies are not mere figments of Chazal's imagination. Tehillim 58:4 "the wicked are defiant even while in the womb," confirms this piece of psychological insight.


וַיְהִי עֵשָׂו אִישׁ יֹדֵעַ צַיִד אִישׁ שָׂדֶה וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם יֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים
vayehi Esav ish yode'a tza'id ish sadeh veYa'akov ish tam yoshev ohalim
Esav became a hunter, a man of the field, whereas Yaakov was a straightforward man, a dweller in tents.

This verse conveys the fact that though the brothers were twins they had totally different interests in life. Esav pursued the material pleasures available in life whereas Yaakov was of a philosophical bent. This is why the Torah characterizes the difference in the two phrases that Esav was a man of the field, i.e. a man dedicated to the earth, the physical. This is why later on he is called אדום (Edom), a word closely reminiscent of אדמה (adamah)  "earth." It is a well know fact that if man dedicates himself to the pursuit of the pleasures which life has to offer, this estranges him to G-d and makes it difficult for him to serve Hashem at the same time as he is busy pursuing his major concerns. Making earthiness a priority must result in making godliness a secondary concern. This is reflected when Esav sold the birthright and the Torah (25:34) describes this in a few words, "he ate, he drank, he arose and went of his way; thus Esav demonstrated his disdain for the birthright." Anyone who is characterized by this negative virtue will eventually find himself deceived. In the case of Esav we find him describing himself as deceived twice when he said to his father (27:36) "and he [Yaakov] has tricked me twice, he took my birthright and now he has taken my blessing." Whatever pleasures and satisfactions such people do experience are only temporary and the time will come when they rue their former lifestyle and they cry out bitterly when they realize that "life" has deceived them. This is what Shlomo had in mind when he said in Mishlei 5:3-4 "for the lips of an immoral woman drip honey; her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword." This is precisely the lifestyle of Esav and all those who support him. The philosophy and lifestyle of Yaakov are diametrically opposed to this, for someone characterized as אִישׁ תָּם (ish tam) "simple man" and as יֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים (yoshev ohalim) "dweller in tents" is the antithesis of someone described as יֹדֵעַ צַיִד אִישׁ שָׂדֶה (yode'a tza'id ish sadeh) "a hunger, a man of the field." Not only this, whatever Esav was willing to give up, i.e. to sell, Yaakov was anxious to buy. When the Torah speaks about the dish of lentils, something round, always returning to is beginning, this merely illustrates the concept of the pursuit of the pleasures of this world. This physical unverse and all the phenomena in it are constantly being recycled, as Shlomo said already at the beginning of Kohelet "there is nothing new under the sun." What is perceived as progress, eventually is seen to be merely a retread of something old. Yaakov who had perceived this was therefore anxious to sell such "merchandise," in return for something which promised enduring progress. The instrument of securing the spiritual progress is the birthright, as it represents the privilege of performing service for Hashem in sacred precincts.

Seeing the Torah had described both Esav and Yaakov already as איש (ish), i.e. adult, mature in years, it is clear that they must have been at least 13 years of age at the time Yaakov bought the birthright from his twin brother. If, as the Midrash says, Avraham died five years early in order not to experience how Esav disdain for spiritual values, this means that the brothers were 15 years old at the time the sale of the birthright took place. Avraham was 160 years old at the time Yaakov and Esav were born. He died at the age of 175, i.e. at a time when his grandchildren were 15 years of age. There is also an allusion in the verse that people such as Esav are slated for Gehinom whereas people such as Yaakov are destined for Gan Eden.

In Bereishit Rabbah (65:22) we read that when Ya'akov entered Yitzchak's room in order to receive the blessing, Gan Eden entered with him. On the other hand, when Esav entered the same room a little later, Gehinom entered with him. Midrash Tanchuma Parshat Tzav 2 expresses a similar sentiment when the author writes that the words היא העולה (hi ha'olah) "it is the burnt-offering" (VaYikra 6:2), are a reference to a nation which is totally wrapped up in earthly concerns, and which eleveates itself as is written in Ovadya 4 "even if you rise as high as the eagle I will bring you down, על מוקדה, on the site of the altar where the fire is burning." The word is a reference to the fires of Gehinom in the hereafter. The words of Daniel 7:11 apply to such people, "and consigned to the fires burning."


וְיַעֲקֹב אִישׁ תָּם
veYa'akov ish tam
and Ya'akov was a straightforward man.

Actually, the Torah should have written "and Ya'akov was a man of truth." His principal characteristic was אמת (emet) "truth." This is what Michah was at pains to point out when he said "Grant truth to Yaakov, kindness to Avraham..." (7:20). Instead the Torah added the word תָּם (tam) to describing Yaakov as "a dweller in tents," a student of Torah, in order to already hint at that quality אמת (emet) by attributing to him two of the three letters in that word.

Continued asap...

-Chazal

Parashat Toledot

Bereishit 18:1
וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו הי בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב פֶּתַח-הָאֹהֶל כְּחֹם הַיּוֹם
Vayera elav HASHEM be'Elonei Mamre vehu yoshev petach-ha'ohel kechom hayom
HASHEM appeared to him in terebinths of Mamre and he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot.

This portion is a continuation of the previous portion; this is why the Torah writes: "He appeared to him," without identifying to whom G-d appeared. In Chapter 12:7 where it would not have been clear to whom G-d appeared, the Torah added the word "to Avram," although there too the last previously mentioned subject had been Avram. In our situation nothing material had occurred since the circumcision and G-d's manifestation to Avraham. by not spelling out what, if anything, G-d communicated to Avraham at this time it is clear that G-d's manifestation was in the nature of someone visiting a sick friend. He had qualified for this "visit" as a result of circumcising himself (Tanchuma 1, Parashat Vayera).

"at the terebinths of Mamre" (בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא) The Torah informs us of the site where the circumcision took place. This was also the place where he received an immediate sign that G-d appreciated Avraham's deed.

The manifestations of G-d's Presence to the prophets occur by means of either of the four basic raw material the terrestrial earth is made of:

1) fire
2) wind
3) water
4) earth

G-d appeared to Moshe in a burning bush (Shemot 3:2). He also appeared to the entire Jewish nation in an environment of fire (Devarim 4:36: "He let you see His great fire, and you heard His words out of the fire"). In Shemot 24:17 G-d's manifestation is described as "a consuming fire on top of the mountain."

In connection with the ascent to heaven by the prophet Eliyahu we read in 2Melachim 2:1 "when HASHEM was about to take Eliyahu up to heaven in a whirlwind, etc." In 1Melachim 19:11 "there was a great and mighty wind; splitting mountains and shattering rocks by the power of HASHEM." We also encounter a manifestation of G-d through a mighty wind in Iyov 38:1 "Then HASHEM replied to Iyov out of the tempest and said..."

An instance of G-d manifesting Himself by means of water is found in Yechezkel 1:1 "It was in the thirtieth year... when I was in the community of exiles by the river Kevar..." Another example of G-d manifesting Himself by means of water in Yechezkel 1:24 "I could hear the sound of their wings like the sound of mighty waters, like the sound of Shakkai."

G-d manifested Himself in connection with earth in Yechezkel 43:2 "the whole earth is filled with His glory." We also find a revelation described as "and the earth was lit up by His Presence." In this instance, G-d manifested Himself to Avraham by means of a tree. The Midrash uses the words אלוני ממרא (Elonei Mamre) to emphasize the fact that these were trees (אילנות).  Actually, Mamre was the name of one of Avraham's close associate as we know from 14:13 "Mmre the Emori, the brother of Aner and Eshkol who were allies of Avram." Had the Torah only wated to tell us that Avaham circumcised himself near the place where Mamre lived, it would have been appropriate to describe the area as ערבות אלוני "the fields of Mamre." The emphasis on the word אלוני (elonei) shows that the Torah wanted to draw our attention to the fact that we are talking about a tree of trees. When Avraham told the men who came to visit to rest "under one of the trees," this shows that there was more than one tree.

Why did G-d choose a tree to be the site at which He manifested Himself to Avraham on this occasion? It was because the angel was going to tell him that within a year he and Sarah would have a son. He would experience something similar to that which was experienced by an aged tree which still produced fruit. It is written in Iyov 14:7-9, "There is hope for a tree; if it is cut down it will renew itself; its shoots will not cease. If its shoots are old in the earth and its stumps dies i the ground, at the scent of water it will bud and procude branches like a sapling. There is also a verse comparing the righeous to trees in Tehillim 1:3, "He (the righteous) is like a tree planted beside streams of water which yields its fruit in season." (Rabbeinu Chananel)


וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב פֶּתַח-הָאֹהֶל כְּחֹם הַיּוֹם
vehu yoshev petach-ha'ohel kechom hayom
and he was seated at the entrance to the tent as the day grew hot.

The plain meaning of these words is that seeing Avraham was weakened by the circumcision he took advantage of the heat of the sun to act as therapy for his wounds. This is why he was outside at a time when normal healthy people stay inside to take advantage of the shade. The basis for the sun providing therapy is derived from Melachi 3:20, "for the sun brings healing on its wings."

A Midrashic approach views this detail as a reference to the fourth hour in the morning which is the time most people sit down to a meal. Avraham was waiting for visitors to share his meal with him.

A Kabbalistic approach: the words "he was sitting at the entrance of the tent" is an allusion to the spiritual counterpart of the Jewish People in the celestial regions soothing Avraham's mind when he became aware of its existence in those regions at this time.  This is deduced by the wording וירא ה׳ אליו. We have a tradition that the patriarchs were never addressed directly by the four-lettered Name of G-d YKVK (compare Shemot 6:3). If nonetheless, we encounter this Name of G-d here in connection with a vision Avraham was granted, we must conclude that this Name was revealed to him only indirectly. The words "at the entrance of the tent," are a hint he had not yet been able to enter THAT "tent."


וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא
Vayisa einav vayar
He raised his eyes and saw.

At this point he had only a dim vision of someone approaching.


שְׁלֹשָׁה אֲנָשִׁים נִצָּבִים עָלָיו
shloshah anashim nitzavim alav
three men already on top of him.

At this point the Torah repeats the word וַיַּרְא (vayar), as only now did Avraham see these people close up. At this point he also realized that they were angels. This is why the Torah writes that Avraham ran towards them and prostrated himself before them on the ground. The angels were Micha'el, Rafa'el, and Gavri'el. Micha'el had been assigned the task of announcing that Sarah would have a child and to save Lot. Both of these assignments were expressions of G-d's love or mercy respectively, and could therefore be described as being of the same category. Rafa'el had the task of healing Avrahma. Gavri'el's task was to turn Sedom upside down. This is why the Torah writes in 19:1, "the two angels arrived at Sedom in the evening." This is a reference to Micha'el and Gavri'el. Since it was Micha'el's task to save Lot we find that when describing the destruction of Sedom the Torah uses the singular when it writes in 19:25, "HE turned these cities upside down," instead of writing "THEY turned these cities upside down." We learn from this that whereas one angel may not carry out two tasks of different categories, such as one that emanates from G-d's Attribute of Justice and another emanating from the Attribute of Mercy, he may carry out two assignments when both originate from the same attribute, in this instance the Attribute of Mercy. This is why we find Michel performing what appear to be two separate tasks. He gave Sarah, who had previously been unable to conceive, a message of love and hope, and he saved Lot who did not have a valid claim to be saved. Why was a special angel needed to heal Avraham? It not healing another aspect of G-d's Attribute of Mercy? Could not Micha'el have performed this task also? The fact is that healing, especially people who deserve to be healed, is not part of the heading of performing an act of loving kindness. If Miacha'el had accepted that assignment he would have trespassed on Rafa'el's territory. This is why G-d assigned to each of these angels only tasks which were within their respective spheres of competence.

It is not permissible in the celestial regions to have overlapping areas of competence; this is what is meant by Iyov 25:2 "He imposes peace in His celestial regions." Looking at this paragraph with an analytical eye we discover that G-d granted Avraham an insight into the workings of the celestial hierarchies. These three angels were the respective heads of three of G-d's "armies." They were part of the four encampments (armies) surrounding the שכינה (Shechinah) the "Divine Presence."

In Shemot Rabbah 2:8 we are told that whenever you encounter the archangel Micha'el you encounter the glory of the Shechinah. When Avraham beheld these three angels and he ran after them he was actually running after the Shechinah, trying to welcome it. As to the fourth "army," G-d employs His forces in accordance with the requirements of the occasion. The fourth "army" had already been revealed to Avraham in Chapter 15 during the episode of the covenant between the pieces.


18:3
וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אדני אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ
Vayomar אדני im-na matzati chen be'eineicha
He said, "My Master, if I have found favor in your eyes..."

According to the plain meaning of the words, according to Rashi, Avraham included all three men in his address and invitation saying to the senior one among them, "if I have found favor in your eyes" (singular). The assumption then is that the word אדני is secular and does not refer to someone representing the Divine.

The problem with this kind of approach is the vowel kametz in the word אדני.  Whenever we find this word vocalized in this manner it always means "my Master," i.e. someone is addressing G-d and that is the reason the plural is used. The reason for the plural is that celestial beings always appear in the plural such as elohim, malachim, etc. It is possible to argue that Avraham addressed on the archangel Micha'el when he said "adonai." Micha'el, in his capacity as the angel representing the Attribute of love and kindness (Mercy), was the direct superior of Avraham whose outstanding characteristic was this very virtue or attribute חסד (chesed). It was no more than right that he should address him as "my master." This would also account for the fact that Avraham first mentioning wine as part of the meal at all.  Wine is considered as part of the domain and emanation Gevurah, the opposite of the emanation Chesed. "Water," on the other hand, is the epitome of the emanation Chesed, compare Chapter 23 in Pardes Rimonim)

According to the discipline of vocalizations there are seven gradations in the vowels (not including semi-vowels which are not audible but which nonetheless are not part of the consonants). The vowel kametz ranks as highest of these seen levels. It is followed in descending order by petach, tzeire, segol, cholam, shuruk, chirik. The entire Torah is structured around these seven vowels which affect pronunciation of the words. They are also known as "seven syllables, or seven sounds," concerning which David said in Tehillim 29 (which is known as the psalm in honor of the Giving of the Torah), קול ה׳ (Kol HASHEM) "the Voice or the Sound of G-d," occurs seven times. This is also the meaning of Shemot Rabbah 28:4 that the Torah was given with seven קולות (kolot) "sounds." Concerning these seven sounds, Shlomo said in Mishlei 9:1, "she has hewn her seven pillars." These seven sounds are the foundation upon which the whole structure rests.

The difference between the vowel kametz and the vowel patach (otherwise found in the word "adonai") is merely a single "dot," and usually such a dot is perceived as an allusion to the original "dot" of matter which was the beginning of the creative process of this universe. (The "dot" is equated in Kabbalistic terms with the letter י (yud), itself an allusion to the Ten Emanations.) This is the mystical reason why such a dot (in the way we write the vowels) serves seven different purposes. When such a dot is placed on top of a consonant it produces the vowel cholam. When placed in the middle of the consonate ו (vav) the result is the vowel shuruk. If you add the dot to the vowel patach, the result will be the vowel kametz. If the dot is added to the vowel chirik, we get the vowel tzeire. If we add a dot to the vowel tzeire the result is the vowel segol. If we add a dot to the semi-vowel sheva the result is the vowel kubutz. So there is seven different vowels merely by changing a single "dot."

Now to the letters themselves. If you insert a dot inside the letter ה (heh) it turns it into a ח (chet). If you add a dot to the left side top of the letter ו (vav) it becomes a ז (zayin). If you add a dot to make the base of the letter כ (chaf) protrude, it turns into the ב (vet). If the dot is added on the right top of the letter ר (resh) it turns into the letter ד (dalet). We can understand therefore what the Sages mean when they say that an extra dot or a missing dot is liable to destroy the universe. (Sotah 20).

Although, at first glance, it appears that there is only a minute difference between spelling the word adonai or adonoi (and in the Sefardic pronunciation this difference is not even audible), there are profound differences in the meaning of the word as a result of misspelling it and consequently misunderstanding its meaning.

Here are a few examples of where such minor misspellings have a profound effect. Yehoshua 3:6 speaks of the אֲרוֹן בְּרִית (aron haberit) "ark of the covenant." When spelled correctly with the vowel patach (אֲרוֹן), the word ארון (aron) "ark" is a possessive of the word הברית (haberit), "G-d's covenant." If spelled incorrectly with the vowel kametz (אֳרוֹן), this would convert the ark into being the covenant. In Shemot 23:20 is the verse  הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ מַלְאָךְ "here I am going to send an angel." The word מלאך (malach) is vocalized with the vowel kametz as it is not in the possessive clause. Whenever the word is in the possessive clause it must be vocalized with the vowel patach. At the end of a verse or at the cantillation etnachta, the vowel patach is always changed to kametz to indicate that the word is in its own right and is not a possessive clause which would be presumed otherwise. The patach always points to the word which follows it, making the word with that vowel at the end secondary to what follows. (Rabbi Cahvell quoting Mateh Moshe on laws of prayers who quotes our author, and adds that when the word אדני is spelled with the vowel chirik at the end, it means "my 'personal' master," as opposed to acknowledging that "He is the ruler of the whole universe."

The reason that in our verse you do not find the word adonai vocalized with a patach is best understood by remembering that if Avraham had indeed addressed only Micha'el he would have had to say adoni, "my [personal] master." Neither the vowel patach nor the vowel kametz would have been appropriate. It would be incongruous to vocalize the word אדני when used as a reference to G-d with the vowel petach, as this would imply that G-d is in some kind of subordinate relationship to anyone as suggested by the possessive clause represented by that vowel. In short, if someone exchanges the kametz under this word for a patach he cannot escape being guilty of one or two things:

1) He is a heretic
2) or he completely distorts the meaning of the verse in which this word appears.

A Kabbalistic approach sees in the vowel kametz in the word א-דני a combination of two of the Holy Names of G-d both comprising four letters. The one Name symbolizes both G-d's preceding any phenomenon in the universe as well as His Oneness and uniqueness in the world. The second Name of G-d in that expression teaches the nobility of G-d, that He transcends even the highest of the teemanations. This is why the word א-דני commences with the letter א (alef) and concludeswith the letter י (yud). The letters דנ (dalet-nun) in the middle represent the Attribute of Justice. The three Names of G-d which are comprised of four letters each are all alluded to in a single verse in Shemot 35:17 אֵת קַלְעֵי הֶחָצֵר אֶת-עַמֻּדָיו וְאֶת-אֲדָנֶיהָ "the curtains of the Courtyard represent the all encompassing Name of G-d, the Name א-היה which testifies to His being Eternal and unchanging."  The word את עמודיו  represent the Ineffable Name YKVK; finally, the words ואת אדנה are comprised of the letters in the word א-דני and symbolize His relationship as Master of the universe, i.e. the influence of what is above on what is below. Another verse reflecting a similar message is found in Iyov 38:6  עַל-מָה אֲדָנֶיהָ הָטְבָּעוּ אוֹ מִי-יָרָה אֶבֶן פִּנָּתָהּ "Onto what were its bases sunk? Who sets its cornerstone?" The subject of the verse is the Holy Temple (Holy Mishkan) and G-d compares it construction to the creation of the universe which He personally had undertaken. The fourth four-lettered Name of G-d is alluded to in connection with Rivkah's reply (Bereishit 24:19) that she as a three-year old would draw water for the ten (or more) camels of Eliezer, contains an allusion to divine assistance based on another less well known Name of G-d comprising the letters א-ג-ל-א.

May HASHEM continue to enlighten us with the Light of His Torah.