Friday Torah, Vayeira

Genesis/Bereshits 18:1 thru 22:24

This weeks portion has two of the most famous incidents in the bible along with another incident that is well worth note.

We start with Abraham, 99 years old, the third day after he circumcised himself, being visited by three men. The scriptures say...

1. Now the Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre and he was sitting at the entrance of the tent when the day was hot.

It says that "The Lord" appeared to him. Yet it was three men who came to visit

2. And he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing beside him, and he saw and he ran toward them from the entrance of the tent, and he prostrated himself to the ground.3. And he said, "My lords, if only I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass on from beside your servant.

These three men had big news for Abraham. They told him that with in a year Sara would have a child.

Further on in the portion, we see Abraham arguing with G-d about His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah

20. And the Lord said, "Since the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah has become great, and since their sin has become very grave,21. I will descend now and see, whether according to her cry, which has come to Me, they have done; [I will wreak] destruction [upon them]; and if not, I will know."22. And the men turned from there and went to Sodom, and Abraham was still standing before the Lord.23. And Abraham approached and said, "Will You even destroy the righteous with the wicked?24. Perhaps there are fifty righteous men in the midst of the city; will You even destroy and not forgive the place for the sake of the fifty righteous men who are in its midst?25. Far be it from You to do a thing such as this, to put to death the righteous with the wicked so that the righteous should be like the wicked. Far be it from You! Will the Judge of the entire earth not perform justice?"26. And the Lord said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous men within the city, I will forgive the entire place for their sake."27. And Abraham answered and said, "Behold now I have commenced to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.28. Perhaps the fifty righteous men will be missing five. Will You destroy the entire city because of five?" And He said, "I will not destroy if I find there forty-five."29. And he continued further to speak to Him, and he said, "Perhaps forty will be found there." And He said, "I will not do it for the sake of the forty." 30. And he said, "Please, let the Lord's wrath not be kindled, and I will speak. Perhaps thirty will be found there." And He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."31. And he said, "Behold now I have desired to speak to the Lord, perhaps twenty will be found there." And He said, "I will not destroy for the sake of the twenty."32. And he said, "Please, let the Lord's wrath not be kindled, and I will speak yet this time, perhaps ten will be found there." And He said, "I will not destroy for the sake of the ten."33. And the Lord departed when He finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

My comment on Sodom and Gomorrah is that they were not destroyed because of Homosexuality, as is commonly believed. They were destroyed because they did not take care of the poor. (look it up!) All the other sin and abomination came from that.

The last and probably biggest indecent in this portion is the sacrifice of Isaac

1. And it came to pass after these things, that God tested Abraham, and He said to him, "Abraham," and he said, "Here I am."2. And He said, "Please take your son, your only one, whom you love, yea, Isaac, and go away to the land of Moriah and bring him up there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains, of which I will tell you."

We all know the story of how Abraham was about to plunge the knife into Isaac when G-d stopped him. Yet there was two deaths that day. The relationship between Isaac and Abraham died. They never spoke again until the death of Sara. And Abraham's relationship with Sara was over, too. We see that Abraham went to Beersheba, where we learn next week that he and his men spent years digging wells.

19. And Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer sheba; and Abraham remained in Beer sheba.
I find it interesting that Abraham's obedience to G-d cost him his son and his wife. Following G-d can often cost us those things most dear to us.

What did Abraham gain from his obedience to G-d?

16. And he said, "By Myself have I sworn, says the Lord, that because you have done this thing and you did not withhold your son, your only one,17. That I will surely bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand that is on the seashore, and your descendants will inherit the cities of their enemies. 18. And through your children shall be blessed all the nations of the world, because you hearkened to My voice."

Was it worth it?

(One of the strangest sermons I ever heared was the story of Abraham and Isaac from the point of view of the knife. That was a strange Rabbi!)

Good Shabbos!