3 Angels for 4 Tasks - Dvar Torah Parshat Vayera 5770 2009

QUESTION: 3 angels came down to the world: Raphael Michael, and Gavriel. But there were 4 missions to accomplish.

1.To Heal Avaraham

2.To Save Lot

3.Tell Sarah the news about her having a son

4.To Destroy Sdom.
Why didn't Hashem send 4 angels to do this?

ANSWER: I have to begin with a fascinating story told of Rav Shlomo Kluger - There was once a family who wanted to postpone the circumcision of their son in order to name the child after a relative who was deathly ill, and who was about to pass away at any given moment. Rav Kluger told the family to go ahead with the Bris, and not to wait any longer. The family followed the Rav's advice and they went ahead with the Bris. The deathly ill relative ended up not dieing. He actually went on to continue living a happy and healthy life.
The Rav explained how he learned this from Parshat Vayera and the Angel of Avraham and Lot.

Which will also answer our question:
Lot did not have enough merits (zechuyot) to bring an Angel down to this world to save him. But since Hashem was already sending down an Angel to heal Avraham after the Bris Mila, Lot was able to be saved once that Angel was already here.

It is known from our tradition that Eliyahu Hanavi comes down and attends the Bris of every Jewish boy. The deathly ill relative did not have enough merits to bring down an Angel to heal him. Although as soon as the family made a Bris Mila for their son - since Eliyahu Hanavi was already down in this world, the deathly ill relative was able to be healed by him.

Shabbat Shalom..