Vayeira
Parashat Vayera is chock-full of ethical dilemmas, pushing us to think about the boundaries of morality at key moments of choice.
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Avraham, three days after becoming the first Jew ever to be circumcised, is in the middle of talking to God, when 3 visitor guests interrupt the conversation and approach the tent. Turns out, they’re angels disguised as men, and they promise that Sarah, Avraham’s wife, will give birth to a son. Sarah laughs. She's way past that time. But God's like - hey Avraham, why did Sarah laugh just now? Are you doubting I can do wonders? Sarah was like - I didn't laugh. Came the reply, “You did laugh.”
Avraham famously negotiates with God in an effort to spare S'dom and Amorah, but to no avail. Meanwhile, in S'dom, Avraham's nephew, Lot, struggles to keep two strangers safe from a murderous mob, and learns that the strangers are two of the three angels who had earlier visited Avraham. They inform Lot that S'dom is about to be destroyed, command him to leave with his family, and ultimately have to pull Lot and family out themselves. They leave them outside the burning cities with the instruction not to look back! Lot’s wife, looking back, turns to a pillar of salt. Oops. Other unfortunate things happen.
Avraham moves to Gerar and introduces Sarah as his sister (technically she is his half sister), fearing that he may be killed by someone coveting his beautiful wife. King Avimelech takes Sarah to his palace, but God appears to him in a dream and urges him to return her to Avraham, her husband. Sarah finally gives birth to a son, Yitzchak, and asks Avraham to banish her maid, Hagar, and Hagar’s son, Ishmael. God appears to mother and son in the desert, saving their lives.
Finally, God tests Avraham by commanding him to sacrifice Yitzchak on Har Moriah. We all know how that story ends.
Writer’s Path: Avraham argues with God to save S'dom and Amorah, Sarah banishes Hagar and Ishmael, Lot makes one bad choice after another, Lot's wife turns into salt, and Avraham nearly sacrifices his beloved son. Can it get any worse? Pick one character from Vayera who could use a little advice. Find or write them a poem on what they could have done differently. Bonus points for humor: balance the weightiness of Vayera with some levity.
Visual Path: Think of Lot’s wife turning around, or Avraham putting down the knife. Capture or create an image of something changing from one state to another: melting, breaking, growing, or changing direction.
Torah Tease: There is a non-kosher dish (this is before the laws of Kashrut were given and developed) that Avraham serves to his distinguished guests . What is it?