Rabbi Daniel: Thoughts on Torah

Dear Friends,

In 5786 we are reading the first triennial each week, which means starting each parsha at the beginning.  The second verse of our first aliyah is: 

 וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים נִצָּבִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֤רׇץ לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִפֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָֽרְצָה׃
 
Looking up, he saw three figures standing near him. Perceiving this, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them and, bowing to the ground,

I really like angels and angel-ology so when Rash tells us that the three

figures were angels I am listening. Rashi states certain facts about angels as if everyone knows them.  He says that, "A single angle cannot perform two assignments."
He explains that task #1 was to bring the news to Sarah that she would bear a child, task #2 was to bring about the destruction of Sodom, and task #3 was to heal Abraham.  There is one problem with this explanation.  If these were the three tasks and each went to one angel, then who was left to complete the task of rescuing Lot? I think it is interesting that later commentators tell us that the angel who healed Abraham was the raphael

angel Raphael who also happens to be the one who rescues.  How fascinating that our sages felt rescuing and healing are essentially the same thing.  Do you agree?  

Psalm 107 does say:

וַיִּזְעֲק֣וּ אֶל־יְ֭הֹוָה בַּצַּ֣ר לָהֶ֑ם מִ֝מְּצֻ֥קוֹתֵיהֶ֗ם יוֹשִׁיעֵֽם׃ יִשְׁלַ֣ח דְּ֭בָרוֹ וְיִרְפָּאֵ֑ם וִ֝ימַלֵּ֗ט מִשְּׁחִֽיתוֹתָֽם׃

In their adversity they cried to the LORD and He saved them from their troubles. He gave an order and healed them; He delivered them from the pits.

In peace and honor,
Rabbi Daniel