Vayeira
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Vayeira, Vayera, or Va-yera (וירא – Hebrew for "and He appeared,” the first word in the parshah) is the fourth weekly parshah or portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes Genesis 18:1-22:24. Jews in the Diaspora read it the fourth Sabbath after Simchat Torah, generally in October or November.
Summary
Sodom and Gomorrah
God sent Abraham three angels, whom Abraham received hospitably. They announced to Abraham that he would have a son within a year, although he and his wife Sarah were already very old. Abraham also heard that God's messengers intended to execute judgment upon the wicked inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham interceded for the inhabitants, and endeavored to have their fate set aside. Two of the messengers went to Sodom, where Abraham's nephew Lot hospitably received them. The men of the city wished to lay shameless hands upon them. Having thus shown that they deserved their fate, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire-and-brimstone.Only Lot and his two daughters were saved. Lot's incestuous relationship with his daughters resulted in the births of Ammon and Moab.
Abraham journeyed to Gerar, the country of Abimelech. There, once again, he represented Sarah as his sister, and Abimelech planned to gain possession of her. On being warned by God, Abimelech desisted.
Note: the story of Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah also appears in the Qur'an (see Similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an).
The birth of Isaac
At last the long-expected son was born, and receives the name of "Isaac" (Itzhak: "will laugh" in Hebrew). At Sarah's insistence Ishmael together with his mother Hagar were driven out of the house. God also gave them a great future promise. Abraham, during the banquet that he gave in honor of Isaac's birth, entered into a covenant with Abimelech, who confirmed his right to the well Beer-sheba. The story of Isaac also appears in the Qur'an (see Similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an).The binding of Isaac
Now that Abraham seemed to have all his desires fulfilled, having even provided for the future of his son, God subjected him to the greatest trial of his faith by demanding Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham obeyed. But just as Abraham was about to lay the knife upon his son, God restrained him, promising him numberless descendants.
Note: the story of the binding also appears in the Qur'an (see Similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an).
Commandments
According to Maimonides and Sefer ha-Chinuch, there are no commandments in the parshah.Haftarah
The haftarah for the parshah is:- for Ashkenazi Jews: 2 Kings 4:1–37
- for Sephardi Jews: 2 Kings 4:1–23
- for Karaite Jews: Isaiah 33:17–35:10
External links
- [Parashat Vayera]
- [Masoretic text and 1917 JPS translation]
- [Commentaries] from the Jewish Theological Seminary
- [Torah Insights] from the Orthodox Union
- [Commentaries] from Chabad-Lubavitch
- [Commentaries] from the Union for Reform Judaism
- [Commentaries] from Reconstructionist Judaism
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