Abraham welcomes three wayfarers to his tent, unaware that they are angels. They tell him that Sarah will bear a son. Sarah overhears and laughs in disbelief.

 

God tells Abraham that He has decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham challenges God – “Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty?” Abraham then bargains with God, who promises not to destroy the cities if 50, 45, 40, 30, 20, even 10 righteous people can be found there.

 

Two angels arrive in Sodom and are greeted by Lot. The angels urge Lot and his family to flee. They leave, but Lot’s wife disobeys the instruction not to look back and is turned into a pillar of salt.

 

After the destruction, Lot’s daughters, believing that no one else is left alive, trick their father into incestuous unions and each bears a son, the founders of the nations of Ammon and Moab.

 

Abraham and Sarah travel to Gerar, where Abraham tells its king Abimelech that Sarah is his sister. God again protects Sarah and Abimelech sends them away from his kingdom.

 

God fulfills the promise, and Abraham and Sarah’s son Isaac is born.

 

At Sarah’s insistence, Abraham sends away Ishmael and his mother Hagar. God promises Hagar that Ishmael will become a great nation.

 

Abraham and Abimelech make a covenant of peace at Be’er-sheva.

 

The parashah concludes with the Akedah, the story of the binding and near-sacrifice of Isaac.

November 16-22

18-24 Heshvan 5780   

 

Parashat VaYeira

 

Shabbat Begins (Candles) – 4:26 p.m. Friday

Shabbat Ends (Havdalah) – 5:27 p.m. Saturday 

 

Torah

Genesis 18:1—22:24 (Etz Hayim p. 99)

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Triennial (1st Cycle)

Genesis 18:1—33 (Etz Hayim p. 99)

 

1) Genesis 18:1 — 5 (Etz Hayim p. 99)

2) Genesis 18:6 — 8 (Etz Hayim p. 100)

3) Genesis 18:9 — 14 (Etz Hayim p. 101)

4) Genesis 18:15 — 21 (Etz Hayim p. 101)

5) Genesis 18:22 — 26 (Etz Hayim p. 102)

6) Genesis 18:27 — 30 (Etz Hayim p. 103)

7) Genesis 18:31 — 33 (Etz Hayim p. 104)

 

Maftir

Genesis 18:31 — 33 (Etz Hayim p. 104)

 

Haftarah

2 Kings 4:1 — 37 (Etz Hayim p. 123)

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