Parshat Vayeira [P> X:Y (Z)] and [S> X:Y (Z)] indicate start of a parsha p’tucha or s’tuma respectively. X:Y is Perek:Pasuk of the beginning of the parsha; (Z) is the number of p'sukim in the parsha.
Kohen - First Aliya - 14 p'sukim - 18:1-14 SDT: The use of the pronoun "him" rather than using the name Avraham is significant. EILAV (to him) refers us back to the previous parsha - Avraham's circumcision at the end of Lech L'cha, indicating that the purpose of G-d's visit with Avraham was Bikur Cholim, visiting the sick. Furthermore, the fact that the Torah does not indicate that G-d said anything to Avraham at this "appearance", tells us that He had another purpose, viz. Bikur Cholim. Commentaries teach us that G-d was visiting the sick, even though the Written Word does not say that at all. He is sitting at the entrance of his tent (watching for travelers to welcome) in the heat of the day. SDT: It was unnaturally hot; that was G-d's doing, to spare Avraham the bother of visitors, He removed the sun from its envelope... However, Avraham is distressed by the absence of visitors, so G-d sends three angels to him in the guise of wayfarers. We have a lesson-within-a- lesson to learn here. To be careful to do for others - especially the ill and elderly - what THEY want, not what WE want, and not what we THINK they want. Also, to realize that there are exceptions to rules. Some people like being fussed about; others don't. For some, taking things easy is therapeutic. For others, action is their medicine. Avraham sees the three "men" and runs to greet them, after asking G-d to wait for him (so to speak). (From here we are taught the greatness of the mitzva of Hachnasat Orchim.) This is one of the ways to interpret the pasuk - that ADO-NAI means G-d, and that Avraham was addressing Him. ADONAI can also mean "my sirs", in which case Avraham could have been speaking to the men/angels. Each possibility causes minor awkwardness in the flow of the p'sukim. The word is considered holy (meaning the first opinion prevails), and Sofrim write it with the Kavana for G-d's name, but some say that one should use a conditional "sanctification". This is a touchy subject for Sofrim, since G-d's names are written with a special declaration of sanctity, and words that are not His names are not supposed to be sanctified. In the few cases where there is a dispute, the T'NAI, conditional statement of kedusha come in handy. SDT: "Speak little, but do much." This maxim from Pirkei Avot is manifest in Avraham Avinu's behavior. He offers the angels a bit of water and some bread, but in fact prepares for them (with the help of Sara and Yishmael) a sumptuous meal. The Mishna states that Avraham's meal for the strangers was proportionally greater than even the feast of Shlomo HaMelech in celebration of the building of the Beit HaMikdash. Avraham and Sarah are the ultimate models for hospitality, one of the hallmarks of the Jewish People. One of the angels informs Avraham of the pending birth of Yitzchak. Sara's reaction is to laugh (a slight doubt in the ability of a 100 year old man to father a child and of a 90 year old woman to give birth). G-d asks Avraham why Sara would doubt His ability to permit an old woman to conceive. SDT: Rabbi Yehuda says in the name of Rav (in Bava M'tzi'a): What Avraham did for his guests by himself, G-d did for the People of Israel by Himself; what Avraham did via another, G-d did likewise. Avraham said: YUKACH NA M'AT MAYIM. Rashi explains the strange grammatical form by saying that Avraham did not provided the water to the strangers himself (it does not say K'CHU...) So too, when G-d was to provide water to Avraham's descendants, He commanded Moshe Rabeinu to throw the stick into the water, to strike the rock, to speak to the rock. But Avraham fed the angels himself - "and I will get the bread, etc." When G-d needed to feed the People, He provided us with Manna. Moshe did not bring it about. G-d gave it straight to the People. SDT: "From here we learn that Welcoming Guests is greater than greeting the Divine Presence." Perhaps these two great mitzvot are equal. Why do we say that Hachnasat Orchim is greater. One Chassidic master answers this way: In Kiddush L'vana, we quote R' Yishmael who indicates that it would be sufficient to greet the Sh'china once a month. Apparently, once is not necessarily enough for Hachnasat Orchim; one must do that mitzva more often. Hence the assertion that it is truly greater than Kabalat P'nei HaSh'china. This statement is meant to encourage us to be diligent and generous in our fulfillment of the mitzva of Hachnasat Orchim. It might even explain why one can give up some of his Torah learning time to be hospitable, rather than shun having company as Bitul Torah. When G-d dictated "LO T'VASHEIL G'DI BACHALEIV IMO" (don't cook a g'di in its mother's milk) and explained to him the laws of meat in milk, Moshe asked for permission to write Meat & Milk in the Torah (rather than to more obscure expression we have, which needs explanation from the Oral Law). G-d told him to write the specific words he was told to write. Commentaries on the Midrash teach that we received the Torah rather than the angels because they misinterpreted the command about Meat & Milk (when they were Avraham's guests). We must commit ourselves to the package deal of the Written Word and the Oral Law.
Levi - Second Aliya - 19 p'sukim - 18:15-33 The three angels each had a single task: One to heal Avraham, one to announce the birth of Yitzchak (both missions accomplished), the third to destroy S'dom. That angel is now accompanied by R'fael, whose new task is to save Lot and family. Avraham escorts the angels on their way to S'dom. SDT: Once again, we learn the proper behavior of a host from Avraham: part of hospitality is to escort your guests as they leave your home. It is even said that escorting out is greater than welcoming. HaShem next tells Avraham of his intention to destroy S'dom. Avraham pleads and bargains on their behalf, but there aren't enough righteous people to save the cities. The dialog between Avraham and HaShem is an astounding (and unique) example of the close relationship between them.
Shlishi - Third Aliya - 20 p'sukim - 19:1-20 SDT: The word "and he lingered" is read with the rare trup mark, the shalshelet, which musically emphasizes the reluctance of Lot to (believe what he was told by the angels and) leave. The same word is used in contrast to this behavior of Lot, in describing the haste with which the Children of Israel left Egypt at G-d's command, symbolized by the matza which they hastily baked rather than linger for the dough to rise and produce a "proper" bread demonstrating their faith and confidence in G-d. Interesting, is it not, that Lot is described as baking matzot for the visitors. Rashi's comment: It was Pesach. Which gives us a double association for the contrast between Lot and the people of Israel (Pesach/matza and the unusual word L'HIT'HAH'MEI'AH. Lot is led out of the city by the angels, his wife and two daughters with him. They are told to flee for their lives, without looking back at the destruction of the cities. Lot pleads for permission to seek refuge closer by.
R'vi'i - Fourth Aliya - 40 p'sukim - 19:21-21:4 From the episode of Lot’s wife, we can draw the following point. Lot and family were worthy of being spared the destruction of S’dom, but they were not worthy enough to be able to witness the destruction. "And Avraham gets up early in the morning to the place where he STOOD before G-d." SDT: Avraham returns to the same spot to speak to G-d. From here is derived the idea of having a MAKOM KAVUA, a fixed place for prayer. The Talmud says: "he who fixes himself a place for davening, the G-d of Avraham will help him". Of course, more fundamentally, it is this pasuk and another that combine to "support" the Gemara's statement that Avraham instituted T'filat Shacharit. That AMIDA, to stand before G-d, means to pray is learned from VAYA'AMOD PINCHAS VAIPALEIL. And Pinchas stood in prayer (we can say) - T'hilim 106:30. The pasuk here in Vayeira links AMIDA with Avraham Avinu and with early in the morning, hence Shacharit. The Torah reiterates the point that Lot was saved in the merit of his uncle Avraham Avinu (and Ruth, the "mother of royalty" who was to come from Lot - G-d can work merit either from the past or the future). Lot's two daughters, having witnessed the total destruction of S'dom, assume that they are the sole survivors of mankind. They plot to get Lot drunk and sleep with him in order to continue humanity. Moav and Amon are the results. Note that everything that has happened so far in Parshat Vayeira, make up a single long, 71-pasuk parsha. From the arrival of the angels through the completion of the final task of those angels - namely, the destruction of S'dom. Apparently, the different episodes all belong together more than one would initially think. The common thread, of course, is/are the angels. Their tasks are now complete. [S> 20:1 (18)] Avraham and Sara now travel to G'rar where they again present themselves as brother and sister. Sara is taken to Avimelech, but G-d appears to him and warns him not to touch her. Avimelech confronts Avraham who explains that his fears were based on the lack of "Fear of G-d" in the place. Avraham then prays on behalf of Avimelech and his people who were stricken with a disease which rendered them temporarily sterile. From this point (21:1) to the end of Vayeira, is the Torah reading of both days of Rosh HaShana. [S> 21:1 (21)] G-d fulfills His promise and Sara becomes pregnant. She bears a son to Avraham in his advanced age, and he is called Yitzchak. Avraham circumcises Yitzchak at eight days of age, as G-d has commanded. Avraham's having prayed on behalf of Avimelech for children is juxtaposed to Sara Imeinu conceiving. Our Sage teach us that selflessly praying for others can sometimes result in the same prayers being answered for yourself.
Chamishi - Fifth Aliya - 17 p'sukim - 21:5-21 Although the plain understanding of B'YOM HIGAMEIL ET YITZCHAK is "when Yitzchak was weaned" - Rashi says at 24 months of age, there is a REMEZ (hint/clue) in the word HIGAMEIL to a possible other explanation of the word. HEI+GIMMEL = 8 (days), MEM-LAMED, MAL, was circumcised. It can mean that the party in question was to celebrate Yitzchak's BRIT. As Yitzchak is growing up, Sara notices the potential negative influence of Yishmael and demands of Avraham that he send Yishmael and his mother Hagar, away. Blinded by his great "kind heart", Avraham has to be told by G-d to listen to Sara. Hagar and Yishmael once again are on the verge of death in the wilderness, but Yishmael's prayers are answered and they are saved. Hagar is assured by an angel that they will survive. And indeed they do, and Hagar subsequently marries Yishmael off to a woman from the land of Egypt. Both Hagar and Yishmael prayed to G-d when Yishmael was dying. G-d heard "the lad's voice". Rashi says, from here we learn that the strongest prayer offered on behalf of someone who is ill are those of the sick person himself (if he is able to pray on his own behalf). And, of course, others should pray on his behalf as well, regardless of whether the person himself is able to daven. In fact, there are opinions that Bikur Cholim MUST include a prayer for the recovery of the patient (the visitee) in addition to anything else one does, for the mitzva to be considered properly performed.
Shishi - Sixth Aliya - 13 p'sukim - 21:22-34 Avraham plants an "Eshel" in Be'er Sheva. In addition to being a type of tree, the word ESHEL is considered an acronym of the Hebrew words for Food, Drink, and Lodgings (or Food, Sleeping, Escort). ESHEL AVRAHAM is the symbol of hospitality for all times.
Sh'vi'i - Seventh Aliya - 24 p'sukim - 22:1-24 Although none of Avraham's descendants (we, the Jewish People) can ever be tested in so drastic a way (because we have the experiences of our predecessors to give us strength), we do derive tremendous inspiration from this portion of the Torah. It is part of our Heritage and, even more, part of our Essence. Tests of Faith are relative to the individual. Each of us is challenged in different ways throughout our lives. This is also so for us as a Nation. May we be always guided by deep commitment to Torah and Jewish values. MORE. Akeidat Yitzchak is our identity card. It defines who we are... even when our own behavior is contradictory to our Torah standards. We stand before G-d on Judgment Day - Rosh HaShana, and we blow the Shofar made from a ram's horn. We ask G-d to remember Akeidat Yitzchak and have mercy on His (sometimes undeserving) children. We read the Akeida in the Torah and we refer to it repeatedly in our Rosh HaShana davening and Slichot, to inspire us and to identify us. [P> 22:20 (5)] The parsha ends with mention of the birth of Rivka, to serve as a link to the next phase of the development of Judaism - viz., the means of its transmission and continuity. Maftir is the final five p'sukim. It is this last portion of 5 p'sukim that tell us about Rivka's birth. But we also hear that Nachor (Avraham's brother) had 8 sons from his wife Milka and four sons from his concubine R'uma. We are really interested in one son - B'tu'el, father of Rivka (and Lavan). Why tell us the rest? Rabbi Macy Gordon suggests that the Torah is telling us how the "other half" live. Contrast the tough family life of Avraham with his brother's larger family. Nachor had the proverbial house in the suburbs, two cars, membership in the local country club. Avraham had trouble at home, left to places unknown, underwent many trials and tribulations, was childless for a long time, had domestic difficulties, suffered a famine... Avraham had to wait two generations for his 12 tribes. Nachor's came much sooner. Ah, but look at the spiritual difference. Look at who Avraham was, and is to us. Now translate the whole comment and apply it to Jewish History vs. the story of many other nations.
Haftara - 37 p'sukim - Melachim Bet - 4:1-37 The haftara also tells of the Shunamite woman who prayed so fervently for a son. She had a son but he died. He is miraculously resuscitated by Elisha. This forms a counterpart to the birth of Yitzchak and the subsequent almost- losing him at the Akeida. [The Parshat Vayeira Homepage]
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