Overview of the Weekly
Reading: Vayera
To be read on 17 Cheshvan
5766 (Nov.19)
Torah: Gen. 18:1-22:24; Haftorah: Kings II
4:1-37 (because of v.22, similar to the angels' promise
to Avraham)
Vayera is the 4th Reading out of 12 in Genesis and
4th overall, and 5th out of 54 in overall length.
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.
FROM THE MASTERS OF
KABBALA (K:0466/Vayera)
From the holy
Zohar, teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
(Z:0466/Vayera)
[Why does the angel repeat Abraham's name?] Because every tzadik
in this world has two souls, one in This World and one in the World to
Come. So one finds with every tzadik [that at one point or another
in the Torah, his name is repeated]: "Moses, Moses" (Ex. 3:4);
"Jacob! Jacob!" (Gen. 46:2); "Samuel! Samuel!" (Samuel
I 3:4); "Shem! Shem!" (Gen. 11:10).
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on
our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From the holy Ari,
Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of Safed (A:0466/Vayera)
Eshkol personified yesod [of Zeir Anpin], which is associated
with the name Sha-dai, and causes the states of chesed within the
name Eh-yeh, which is associated with Imma, to descend.
This is indicated by the fact that the numerical value of the regression
of Eh-yeh is 44, as you know, and thus the combined numerical value
[of this regression] and the name Sha-dai is the same as that of
Eshkol [plus the kolel].
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on
our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From Rabbeinu
Bachya (S:0466/Vayera)
The apparently strange phenomenon in this paragraph, that G-d is
the one who subjects Abraham to the trial whereas the angel prevented
him from going through with it, needs to be understood as follows: The
"angel" mentioned in our paragraph is not of the category of
the "nifradim" ["disembodied spiritual creatures"],
but it belonged to what are known as the "netiyot" ["the
emanations of G-d", a divine voice much closer to G-d's Essence than
"mere" angels].
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on
our KabbalaOnline
site.
FROM THE CHASSIDIC
REBBES (V:0466/Vayera)
"He was sitting at the door of the tent." (18:1)
The sign of a true righteous person is that he always considers himself
"at the door," on the outside, as if his deeds have not yet
accomplished anything.
(Toldot Yaakov Yosef)
"They said, So do as you have said." (18:5)
The way of tzadikim is to say little, yet do much. The angels
knew that Abraham was a tzadik, and that he would go out of his
way - above and beyond what he had already offered - to make them feel
at ease. They therefore asked him to "do as he had said" with
regard to their comfort, and no more.
(Torat Moshe)
A
MYSTICAL CHASSIDIC DISCOURSE
from the Chabad
Master series, produced by Rabbi Yosef Marcus for
www.ascentofsafed.com and www.kabbalaonline.org
MOSHIACH THIS WEEK
(M:0466/Vayera)
"And G-d appeared to him in the grove of Mamrei, as he was sitting
at the door of the tent in the heat of the day." (Gen. 18:1)
When Moshiach comes the entire world will bask in the revelation of the
Divine Presence, which will cause an actual physical healing of the sick,
just as G-d's appearance to Abraham healed his wound after his circumcision.
"In the heat of the day" refers to the saying of our Sages that
in the World to Come, "G-d will remove the sun (symbolic of G-d)
from its sheath, and the righteous (every single Jew) will be healed [by
its warmth]."
[Reprinted with permission from L'Chaim Magazine (www.lchaim.org).]
An
essay from Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here) (W:0466/Vayera)
You can experience the coming redemption and transformation of
the world by living with the twelve Torah portions of Genesis! The first
portion begins with the words, "Bereishit", 'In the beginning
G-d created'. The purpose of the whole creation is to allow us to reach
the first word of the second portion, "Noach", which
means 'to rest'. Achieving complete rest is the ultimate purpose of the
world and is the fruition of all our work. This is the reason that the
third portion commands us to get moving-"Lech Lecha"-'you
should GO'. This verse is speaking to the soul of a Jew while it is still
in Heaven commanding it to descend and become enclothed in the physical
body. Only when it takes the plunge into this lowly and spiritually perilous
world can it merit the first words of this week's portion, "Vayera",
'and G-d revealed Himself [to Avraham]'. Why does G-d reveal Himself to
us? So that a person, who is the combination of a physical body and spiritual
soul, can meet the challenges of the world and fulfill his purpose. But
then, the next portion shakes us out of our complacency. We did not just
come into the world to do the spiritual tasks alone, studying Torah and
doing G-d's commandments. We must also go out of our own space and make
an impact on the people around us. This is hinted in the words of the
next portion, "Chayei Sara", meaning the 'life of Sara',
because Sara our foremother never rested from her efforts to bring the
women she came in contact with to G-dliness. Sara also means 'master'
and 'ruler' because she was always in control of her thoughts, speech
and actions. Only when we are in control of what we do can we guarantee
that we will have "Toldot", the first word of the following
portion, meaning 'offspring' or 'results', referring to the good effects
in all the areas that we invest ourselves.
Where are these results? They are hinted at in the next two portions,
"Vayetze Yaacov"-'Yaacov went out', a hint to the soul's
descent from heaven into this world where it is so easy to become entangled
in the schemes of the unscrupulous Lavan or other worldly obstacles. But
then we are inspired by Yaacov, who even in Charan, the depths of exile,
was careful to fulfill all 613 commandments. And just when you think you
are safe on your way back home, you are met by the likes of Esav, as the
next portion begins, "Vayishlach"-Yaacov sent messengers
to Esav-but even Esav will not detain us, and we will surely be victorious.
When the struggles come to an end, a person reaches the next portion,
"Vayeshev"-'And he sat'-now serving G-d by sitting in
peace and tranquility during the time of "Miketz"-'from
the end'-referring to the end of the days of exile.
And finally, there is "Vayigash"-'and he approached'-since
in that era it will be possible to finally come to a level of complete
unity with our Creator, to the point at which we can experience the first
word of the last portion, "Vayechi"-'and he lived'. This
is the final step in the journey of the world to its completion: techiat
hamaytim, the coming back to life of every single Jew as is foretold
in the prophets. This eternal life will herald us into the final and complete
redemption.
Shabbat Shalom - Shaul
P.S. Please also read my weekly Shabbat Law, below.)
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