Weekly Reading Insights: Vayeira 5781

Overview of the Torah Reading

To be read on Shabbat Vayeira, 20 Cheshvan 5781/Nov/7

Torah: Genesis 18:1-22:24; Haftorah: Kings II 4:1-37 (because of v.22, similar to the angels' promise to Avraham)

Vayeira is the 4th Reading out of 12 in Genesis and it contains 7862 letters, in 2085 words, in 147 verses

Avraham interrupted a conversation with G-d to run and offer three people walking by a rest stop and food. They were angels from G-d, who told him that Sarah would have a son next year, and that G-d was about to wipe out Sodom. Avraham prayed for the people there. The messengers continued to Sodom, and were invited home by Lot. They told Lot to flee with his family, and not to look back. They ran, but his wife looked back and became a pillar of salt. The five cities were destroyed. Lot and his two daughters moved into a cave. Thinking they were sole survivors in the world, the daughters got their father drunk and had his sons. Avraham visited Gerar, announcing that Sarah was his sister. The king Avimelech took her, but G-d told him in a dream that she was already married and that he must return her to her husband. Sarah gave birth to Yitzchak, whom Avraham circumcised when he was eight days old. Avraham sent Hagar and Yishmael away, as Sarah did not want Yitzchak to share his inheritance. G-d promised Hagar that Yishmael would also become a great nation. Avraham and Avimelech made an oath regarding the well which Avraham had dug, and a peace treaty. G-d tested Avraham and told him to bring his son Yitzchak as an offering. At the last moment a voice from heaven stopped him, telling him that he had proved his faith. Avraham offered a ram instead. G-d blessed him that he would have many descendants.

An Essay from
Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, Director of Ascent

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This week's Torah portion, Vayeira, describes the destruction of the people and the city of Sodom because of their sinful behavior. G-d sent angels to tell Avraham the good news that he and Sara would have a son, and afterward two of the angels went on to Sodom; the first to save Avraham's nephew, Lot and his family, and the second to destroy the city.

Hosting guests was forbidden in Sodom. Visitors were tortured and killed. When the townspeople became aware that Lot had guests, not knowing they were angels, the Sodomites amassed around Lot's home to take them. The angels blinded the attackers and ordered Lot to gather his family for their escape. The verse says that Lot went to inform his son in laws of the impending destruction (Bereishit/Genesis 19:14). The words the Torah uses are chotnov,lokchay benotav, "his son in laws, the takers of his daughters". Rashi [1] explains this apparent redundancy by teaching that Lot had four daughters. Two were married to his sons in law, while "takers of his daughters") refers to the other two who were not yet married, only betrothed. It was only those two daughters who would be rescued.

Rebbe Dovid of Tolna explained the verse in a different way and teaches a lesson to all parents and their married children. Avraham was the first Jew. Lot, his nephew, was not. By Lot and by non-Jews in general, a son in law is, in fact, the "taker" of your daughter. Once married, daughters often join the families of their husbands and are no longer a part of their birth family. Rebbe Dovid says, not so by Jews. By Jews not only do we not "give away" our children in marriage, we ensure that their spouses become our children also. We do not lose our birth child, we gain a new child to the family. Even if your son or daughter in law do not call you Mom or Dad, by treating them as part of the family in every way you will succeed in actually making them a part of the family. Not only will this make the family stronger, it will improve their marriage.

There is a known piece of advice, that at least during the first year of marriage, if the kids have a disagreement, each set of parents should, when possible, side with their child's spouse rather than with their own child. They will quickly learn that they have to figure out their problems together. May we all have nachas [2] from all of our children, now and always.

After doing a particularly daunting favour for a person close to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, a chassid figured that he now had the opportunity to ask the Rebbe for a special blessing. Facing an insurmountable business challenge, which threatened his entire enterprise, he requested a blessing that everything miraculously fall into place.

The Rebbe's penetrating response left a lasting impression on him. "If you have the chance to ask for anything in the world, how could you ask for anything other than Jewish pride from your children!

(Mendel Kalmenson. Seeds of Wisdom. Volume 2. Page 46)

Shabbat Shalom, Shaul

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For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this week's Reading, see the archive.

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Contemporary Kabbalists

Ultimate Desire

By Rabbi Avraham Brandwein

The main accomplishment and benefit gained in the performance of a mitzvah is the actual effort itself. Even after Abraham prepared the feast for his guests, they did not eat because they were angels. Similarly, in the test of the binding of Isaac, he ultimately did not slaughter his son. Rather, the many arrangements and traveling and personal preparations [mentally, emotionally and spiritually] are considered as if the mitzvah had actually come to fruition

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