The Dotted 'To Him' — Genesis 18:9
אֵלָיו
What to look for
When the three visitors ask Abraham 'Where is Sarah your wife?', dots stand over the letters alef, yod, and vav of eilav ('to him').
What it is
A dotted word in the Mamre visitation, with dots on three of its four letters.
Why it matters
The visitors ask where Sarah is — while knowing the answer. The dotted 'to him' hints the question could as easily have been turned 'to her': where is Abraham?
How it has been understood
The midrash learns courtesy from the dots: guests should ask after the household's absent members. Deeper readers note that the angels' question draws Sarah to the tent door to hear the promise of Isaac — the dots hover over the moment heaven arranges for her to overhear her own future.