Weekly Reading Insights: Vayeira 5783

Overview of the Torah Reading

To be read on Shabbat Vayeira, 18 Cheshvan 5783/Nov.12, 2022

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, begins with two amazing events:

1) G-d reveals Himself to Avraham, and
2) Sarah, well past childbearing age, is blessed with news that she will give birth to a son.

Avraham and Sarah were the very first patriarch and matriarch. They were tzadikim, completely righteous people. Nevertheless, why and how did they merit these wondrous miracles?

Rabbi Yossie Fachler of London shared with me something beautiful. As their connection with G-d grew, both Avraham and Sarah received from G-d an additional letter to their names. Initially Avraham was called Avram and Sarah was called Sarai. Each were given an additional Hebrew letter hei in their names. The Hebrew letter hei that comes as the last letter in G d's most holy name refers to the introducing and spreading of Divine energy into this world's physical plane. Empowered with their new names, Avraham and Sarah became much more effective vessels for G d's blessings and conduits to help them achieve their mission, which was to share those blessings forward.

As Jews, we believe that each person's Hebrew name was given to them by Divine providence and therefore not only has a special holiness, but also a special meaning and message to the bearer. For this reason, it is not common to change a name in Jewish tradition. One instance where a person would change their name is if they are dangerously ill. A name change, in a spiritual way, changes our identity.

Even if we do not change our names, each of us can also accomplish the same new potency in our lives, as did Avraham and Sarah. When we add something to our spiritual repertoire in a fixed way, something we will do consistently, it is like adding a hei to our name! With each new additional mitzvah (commandment), we also become like a new person and will be not just a vessel but also a conduit to share the new blessings in our lives with others.

From the above we understand the power of action.

Something that always bothered me was why, in the Binding of Isaac, the angel comes back a second time to bless Avraham (Bereishit/Genesis 22:15). Let the angel give the blessings the first time it communicates to Avraham. Rabbi Moshe Alshich answers that even after the Almighty told Avraham that he should not take his son's life, Avraham was still persistent about fulfilling G-d's original command. Avraham's persistence in fulfilling his mission after being denied offering his son was considered in Heaven as though he had literally offered Yitzchak. So sweet was this in Heaven, that the angel came again to inform him of his blessings and great merit.

Rabbi Shalom Dovber Schneersohn of Lubavitch told a Lubavitcher chasid (follower), "Just as a Jew must put on tefillin every day, so every Jew must devote fifteen minutes a day to thinking about how he can do good to a Jew, physically or spiritually."
Following this, the chasid decided to do a favor for a Jew every day, and to record daily in his notebook what kind of deed he did for a Jew that day.
Years passed, the old chasid became one of the greatest chasidim in Lubavitch, and he would say, "Since that yechidut (private audience) and the instruction I received from the Rebbe - I have become truly a chasid."
[The term "chasid" today is understood to mean "an ardent follower of a Rebbe". However, the term "chasid" is explained in the Talmud as follows. A chasid mitchased im kono - a person who "does kindness for his/her Master" - meaning a person of action!]
(Sichat HaShavuah #1559)

Shabbat Shalom, Shaul

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

FROM THE SAGES OF KABBALAH ON KabbalaOnline.org

Specifically, for an overview of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary Kabbalists, and more, click to Vayeira

one sample:

Chasidic Illumination

Empty Vessels

From the teachings of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi and the Lubavitcher Rebbe; adapted by Yosef Marcus

Before Abraham was visited by G-d, he was on the level of the 49th gate of understanding, the upmost level at which a human being can interact with the Infinite through his own efforts. When G-d visited Abraham, He granted him the fiftieth gate.

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