Parsha Short Talks - Parsha Vayera

Historians will tell you that the first world war was fought between 1914 and 1917. The first world war occurred in biblical days with our father, Abram. Abram joined forces with the five kings to battle against several powerful kings. Abram’s nephew Lot was taken captive, and Abram had to do something about it. He gathered 318 men and joined the battle to win back his nephew. Miraculously, or perhaps we should say with God’s help, Abraham was successful, and he brought Lot home.

What is interesting about the story is that the story is found in chapter 14 of Genesis but in chapter 15 of Genesis, verse one, the Lord God assured Abram that he would always have a victory. The verse reads Abram, I am a shield for you. Your reward is very great. So why did the Lord God’s assurance come after Abram’s victory? Shouldn’t God have assured Abram before he went on this battle that he would be successful?

Rabbi Levin explained that Abram needed protection not only when he entered into battle but more so when he was in a victorious battle. It was unknown if the kings who lost the struggle might have decided to take revenge on Abram and attack him. One of the things we can learn from this story is that one must never become smug in thinking one doesn’t need God’s protection. You always need the Lord God’s assurance and assistance in wartime and victory time. During peace, do not forget that God is with you and assuring you that peace.

Three angels came to visit Abram when he was sitting at the door of his tent. They told him a couple of things, but the most important one was that Sarah was to become pregnant within one year. This surprised Abram, especially Sarah because Sarah was well beyond her childbearing years. So, Sarah laughed at the Angels. One year later, the angels did not return to see if Sarah had the baby. What’s important here is that the angel said that they would return. However, they did not.

Perhaps the Angels did not return because Sarah did not believe the message that they brought her. They did have a visit, but it was not from the angel. Their visitor was God himself. Often when people visit relatives in mourning, in a hospital, or in a nursing home they don’t return quickly. They tend to forget about the loved one or the friend that they were visiting and comforting.

We should all have authentic follow-up visits as this is a blessing we can give to people who are alone or in need. One’s motto should be “I will return.” Do not let too much time go by before you visit people who are in need. Seeing those who are mourning or sick or just need a friend to talk to is a blessing. In this way, you’re passing along God’s gift to you because God is always with you and will always visit you. Then you are turning around and visiting other people in the name of God. Now that does not mean that God is not visiting the people you’re visiting. However, it is good to know that someone cares enough about you to come to see you when you’re in need.

 The city of Sodom was an interesting place where a damsel committed the crime of feeding a pauper. She was smeared with honey and set out for the bees being punished for helping someone. We are also told that if you were a visitor and needed overnight lodging in Sodom, you were treated with unique hospitality. If the beds were too short, your limbs would be tortuously stretched to fit the bed. If your limbs were longer than the bed, they would chop them off to make them fit.

An angel of the Lord was sent to destroy Sodom, and he stopped at Abraham’s house first. That angel could’ve gone directly to Sodom and destroyed the city, so why did he stop at Abraham’s house. The sages tell us that God wanted the angels to see what genuine kindness was before true evil was destroyed. Abraham was a man of genuine kindness. He openly practiced hospitality. This angel was accompanied by two others as they appeared before Abraham as he sat at the door of his tent.

Abraham did not know who they were or where they came from, yet he offered them the kindness of his hospitality. What we can learn from this is that without studying goodness, we cannot understand the genuine flaws of being badness or evil. Without watching Abraham’s commitment to genuine kindness, we would not understand why the people of Sodom got their due reward.

Abraham was told wonderful news that a child was going to be born to him and Sarah. However, at the same time Abraham was told some bad news. Even though the bad news did not affect Abraham personally, he took it personally. The LORD informed Abraham that He was about to destroy the city of Sodom. He tried to negotiate to save Sodom. Abraham started pleading with the LORD not to destroy the city. Abraham started by asking if there were 50 righteous people in the city, then the LORD should not destroy the city. The negotiation continued until Abraham gets 10. The LORD said if there were 10 righteous people in the city that he would not destroy the city.

The Torah then says that Abraham returned to his place. That place must’ve been where his tribe had established their tents and was living. From there, Abraham watched the destruction of Sodom. Abraham did not show any anger about losing the discussion with the LORD about saving the city. Abraham never questioned the LORD about what he was about to do. However, Abraham showed his concern for other people who would not yet come to know the LORD as he did. It is this kind of humility that the LORD selected Abraham to become the father of his chosen people.

The LORD decided to visit Abraham after he had his circumcision. For Abraham, the pain from the circumcision was not troubling him as much as that he had no visitors to show hospitality. He wanted human guests to come to his tent. This was part of the culture of the Near East. Offering hospitality to strangers was one of the greatest things one could do. So, the Lord dispatched three angels to visit Abraham disguised as nomadic travelers.

One angel performed two distinct commissions. The angel Raphael is the one who healed Abraham from his circumcision. He continued to Sodom in order to save Lot and his family from the destruction that was going to happen to Sodom. The angel that destroyed Sodom came with Rafaela to visit Abraham. So, the question is why did the angel of destruction visit Abraham?

The angel who was said to destroy Sodom had visited Abraham so that he could experience true kindness. Until you understand what you are admonishing, and the moral reason you are attempting to eliminate, you cannot begin a discussion. Before you condemn someone for potential immoral behavior, try to understand their viewpoint of what you’re about to do. Talking to someone about the ways of the Lord will help them understand that what they’re about to do is wrong. It also allows you to take a step back and to evaluate where you’re coming from. Abraham’s love to help other people is shown in this story. That’s what made him a righteous man. What are you doing to become righteous in the eyes of God?

The Bible is not just a story, nor is not a novel. Details are not given to embellish plots, nor conversations recorded for gossip. There are lessons to be learned in every action and every word that was spoken. Two angels came to Sodom in the evening while Lot was sitting at the city gate. Lot saw them and he got up. Lot invited them to come to his home because he clearly wished to show them hospitality. However, the people of Sodom abhorred hospitality.

The fortitude of Lot’s commitment to hospitality is clearly commendable. It is also a lesson for us. The story continues: a mob came to Lot and demanded that they get their way with the two visitors. One of the two angels exacted a miraculous light which blinded the mob and sent them groping in utter confusion.

The Bible quotes the evil men of Sodom to teach us a lesson. How often do we hear people rightfully cry about injustice, but others are harsh to them, countering, “who are you to speak? You just moved into the community. You just came to this school. You aren’t even a full member for member of this synagogue or church!”

People take offense to newcomers expressing what made be correct opinions and important concerns. People often refuse to hear any review or protest against injustice unless they are comfortable and familiar with the source. Another way to look at this is that someone who is outside of the group will see things that have been taken for granted inside the group. When someone new enters a group, whether it be a group of friends or even a church or synagogue, there is probably value to hear what they have to say.