TORAH READING FOR SHABBAT 17 CHESHVAN 5782 SHMITAH October 22-23, 2021
ְPARSHA
From ReformJudaism.org https://reformjudaism.org/torah/portion/vayeira
Vayeira (וַיֵּרָא – I (God) Appeared [to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob]) – Genesis 18:1-22:24
The Eternal appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre as he was sitting at the entrance of the tent at about the hottest time of the day. – Genesis 18:1
SUMMARY:
- Abraham welcomes three visitors, who announce that Sarah will soon have a son. (18:1-15)
- Abraham argues with God about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. (18:16-33)
- Lot’s home is attacked by the people of Sodom. Lot and his two daughters escape as the cities are being destroyed. Lot’s wife is turned into a pillar of salt. (19:1-29)
- Lot impregnates his daughters, and they bear children who become the founders of the nation’s Moab and Ammon. (19:30-38)
- Abimelech, king of Gerar, takes Sarah as his wife after Abraham claims that she is his sister. (20:1-18)
- Isaac is born, circumcised, and weaned. Hagar and her son, Ishmael, are sent away; an angel saves their lives. (21:1-21)
- God tests Abraham, instructing him to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah. (22:1-19)
HAFTARAH
From Wikipedia.org https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vayeira
2 Kings 4:1-37 (Ashkenazim)/2 Kings 4:1-23 (Sefardim)
The parashah and haftarah in 2 Kings both tell of God’s gift of sons to childless women. In both the parashah and the haftarah: God’s representative visits the childless woman, whose household extends the visitor generous hospitality; the husband’s age raises doubt about the couple’s ability to have children; God’s representative announces that a child will come at a specified season in the next year; the woman conceives and bears a child as God’s representative had announced; death threatens the promised child; and God’s representative intervenes to save the promised child.
STRUGGLING WITH TORAH
From Wikipedia.org https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vayeira
Vayeira – Gen. 21:1-22:24 [triennial part]
(וַיֵּרָא — Hebrew for “and He appeared”)
The [complete] parashah tells the stories of Abraham’s three visitors, Abraham’s bargaining with God over Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot’s two visitors, Lot’s bargaining with the Sodomites, the flight of Lot, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, how Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father, how Abraham once again passed off his wife Sarah as his sister, [the triennial part of Parasha Vayëra – Gen. 21:1-22:24, covers] the birth of Isaac, the expulsion of Hagar, disputes over wells, and the binding of Isaac [(הָעֲקֵידָה, the Akedah), and the birth of Rebekah.]
[In the story of Hagar’s and Ishmael’s expulsion at Sarah’s insistence Ishmael appears to be a young child. In the previous Parsha Lech-Lecha Ishmael is 13 years old at his circumcision. Hardly a child. Is this story based on a varying tradition of Sarah sending Hagar away?
This also raises a question about Isaac’s age later when God tells Abraham to sacrifice him. By tradition, Isaac was 3 years old at his weaning. After Isaac’s weaning and the expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael we read of a dispute over a well. Then after the dispute is settled, we read in Genesis 21:34, “and Abraham resided in the land of the Philistines a long time.” Then Genesis 22:1 follows with, “Some time afterward, God put Abraham to the test (he is told to sacrifice Isaac).” In rabbinical tradition, Isaac is taken to be 37 years old at his binding.
Finally, there are scholars who question the historicity of Abraham. Parts of the story seem to have been composed to justify the Israelite’s settlement in Canaan. In the early 20th century archeologists found evidence coinciding with aspects of Abraham’s story. Now scholars think that there are ancient elements mixed in with those written long afterwards.]
REFLECTION
From “The Torah / A Women’s Commentary” edited by Dr. Tamara Cohn Eskenazi and Rabbi Andrea L. Weiss, Ph.D.
וירא Vayeira – Genesis 18:1-22:24
Between Laughter and Tears by Tammi J. Schneider
Parashat Vayeira (“[he] appeared”) describes several encounters between God and members of Abraham’s household. In one sense, this parashah recounts the birth and survival of the next generation, Isaac and Rebekah: it begins with the announcement of Sarah’s forthcoming pregnancy and Isaac’s forthcoming birth (Genesis 18), continues with the challenges that stand in the way of the future, and concludes with Rebekah, Isaac’s future wife (22:20-24).
Questions of identity and self-definition continue, as covenantal blessings demarcate the distinction between Sarah and Isaac on the one hand, and Hagar and Ishmael on the other. A subtext concerns Abraham’s role in fulfilling God’s plan. But the individual episodes do more than chart the hazards and successes that follow God’s promises of progeny and land (see the previous parashah {Lech-Lecha}). Rather, they vividly depict the challenges, anguish, and joy that human beings experience as they create families and discover the complexities of multiple commitments.
The most famous of these episodes is the “Binding of Isaac,” where Abraham is asked to sacrifice his beloved son (Genesis 22). This story has its counterpart in that of a mother with an imperiled child: the heart-wrenching story of Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness (Genesis 21), in which Hagar despairs of her son’s survival. Women are prominent throughout. At long last Sarah learns that she shall have a son (Genesis 18), and finally becomes a mother (Genesis 21). Tension between two mothers—Sarah and Hagar—each one seeking the welfare of her child, frames the story of Lot’s daughters, who act together (Genesis 19). These tales offer glimpses into women’s world and presumed concerns. The closing report about Rebekah’s birth far from the land of Canaan sets the stage for when she becomes Isaac’s wife (in the next parashah {Chayei Sarah}).
PRAYERS
From Mishkan T’filah / A Reform Siddur
FOR OUR COUNTRY p.516
THUS SAYS ADONAI, This is what I desire: to unlock the fetters of wickedness, and untie the cords of lawlessness; to let the oppressed go free, to break off every yoke. Share your bread with the hungry, and take the wretched poor into your home. When you see the naked, give clothing, and do not ignore your own kin.
O GUARDIAN of life and liberty, may our nation always merit Your protection. Teach us to give thanks for what we have by sharing it with those who are in need. Keep our eyes open to the wonders of creation, and alert to the care of the earth. May we never be lazy in the work of peace; may we honor those who have [served, suffered or] died in defense of our ideals. Grant our leaders wisdom and forbearance. May they govern with justice and compassion. Help us all to appreciate one another, and to respect the many ways that we may serve You. May our homes be safe from affliction and strife, and our country be sound in body and spirit. Amen.
FOR HEALING
We recite MI SHEBËRACH for the victims of abuse, brutality, conflicts, fear, natural disasters, pandemics, tragedies, violence of all kinds especially directed at individuals and specific communities including us, and war; for all those at home alone or lonely; for all those in need of physical, emotional, and mental healing. “R’fuah sh’lëmah” – a complete recovery!
YAHRZEITS/ANYOS
We say KADDISH YATOM for those of our friends and families who have died and been buried this last week; those in the period of Sh’loshim (30 days since burial); those who have died in the last year; and those whose Yahrzeits/Anyos occur at this time; as well as the victims of brutality, conflict, disease, natural disasters, pandemics, tragedies, violence of all kinds, and war.
This coming week, the 17th through the 23rd of Cheshvan, we lovingly remember:
Judson Kaplan
TKH Memorial Board, husband of Naomi Kaplan
Susan Mallitz
Mother of TKH member Cindy Mallitz
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
Scholar and Emeritus Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth
Roy Bart
Father of TKH member Aileen Contapay
Those victims of the Sho’ah (Holocaust) who died at this time of year.
“ZICHRONAM LIV’RACHAH” – MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE FOR BLESSING.
TORAH STUDY AND SHAZOOM
Al sh’loshah d’varim ha’olam omëd – The world is sustained by three things: Torah, worship and loving deeds. We will meet as usual at the regular times for Torah Study and Shazoom this Friday evening, October 22, 2021.
Zoom continues being updated for security and performance features. In some cases, there are extra steps to go through in order to join a meeting. Making sure you have the latest version of Zoom, please join us online this Friday evening:
Topic: Torah Study – Triennial reading Genesis 21:1-22:24
Time: Oct 22, 2021 06:00 PM Arizona
and/or
Shazoom – Erev Shabbat Service
Time: Oct 22, 2021 07:30 PM Arizona
To join the Torah Study and/or Shazoom Meeting click on the following link [you may need to copy it into your browser]:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/72510500854?pwd=Z3VQZWF4U1BBZytNYmh3aHFTWkFDZz09
Meeting ID: 725 1050 0854
Passcode: 4NrMk0
Hint: The last character of the password is the number zero.
Shabbat Shalom – Buen Shabbat,
-Ruben