72 Lessons
Vayera "PROACTIVE OR PLAY DUMB: AVRAHAM ACTS- AVIMELECH 'ALIBIS'
Many don't notice that our parsha explicitly pits Avraham Avinu as the ANTI-THESIS of Avimelech. After the Akeidah, Avraham is described: "now I know that you have YIRAT ELOKIM" (22, 12) as opposed to when he answers Avimelech's question, "what did I do wrong by 'accidentally' taking your wife?": Avraham precisely answers: "it's just that there is NO Yirat Elokim in this place". What exactly is that "Awe of G-d" that should typify our actions and get us to even initiate "Hineni", and conversely avoid the common search for excuses & alibis so prevalent in the western world?
Vayera Parashat Vayera: The Danger of Sinful Contemplation
There is a surprising midrash about the background of the test that Avraham underwent with the binding of Yitzchak, which the Torah introduces with the words “It was after these matters” (Bereishit 22:1). The obvious questions are: what were these “matters” and what was their significance? One midrash (Yelamdenu, Bereishit 104) says that Avraham had contemplated negative thoughts about Hashem’s attribute of judgment. Avraham was concerned that because he had been saved from death, he used up his reward and would not have any in the world to come. Consequently, he had to give an oleh sacrifice, which is appropriate for sins of the heart (with the sacrifice being his son).
Vayera Avraham’s Prophecy
Parshas Vayeira begins with Hashem appearing to Avraham. When a Navi, Avraham included, receives a prophecy, he is in a prophetic trance or a dreamlike state, as we will see later in the words of the Rambam regarding prophecy. Yet, the very next Posuk has Avraham seeing travelers, racing out to invite them into his tent, cooking and serving them a meal, and carrying on a conversation with them. How could he do this if he was in the middle of having a prophetic vision?
Vayera LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE
Our life, you might argue, is one long test. In Hebrew, a "Nisayon." The word is multi-dimensional, as it also contains the word, "nes – miracle." The implication is that when we rise to the occasion & pass our tests, miracles flow both to & through us.
Vayera There's No Such This as "I Used to Be Religious"
There is a certain difficulty that every teacher (and parent) faces: You work hard, try to educate and advance your child, and very often you feel that nothing is moving; you feel failure...
Vayera The Binding of Isaac
Why did God need to “test” Abraham, given that He knows the human heart better than we know it ourselves?
Vayera Our father Abraham
Our father Abraham experiences the revelation of the Lord when he is sitting alone at the opening of his tent. However, we readily can see that the Torah is describing for us the permanent and regular state of being of our Father figure.
Vayera We Walk Together
The centerpiece of Vayera is the Akeida, the last & arguably the most difficult of Avraham’s 10 tests. But Avraham is not the only hero of this story. Yitzchak - no mere “lad” at age 37 - also submits to Hashem’s will.
