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Vayera

Genesis 18:1-22:24

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  • In this Torah portion, three guests arrive at Abraham and Sarah's tent. They inform Abraham that God will give the elderly Sarah a child. The prophecy comes true, and they name their son Isaac. God informs Abraham that Sodom and Gomorrah will be destroyed, though Abraham attempts to convince God otherwise. God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Abraham obliges but is told that it was a test of faith and offers a ram to sacrifice instead.

    Click here for a summary of Vayera.
    Click here for a summary of the Haftarah for Vayera.

    Ram from the Akedah
    Ram from the Akedah

     

    Text Studies

    Social Action and Environmentalism

    Choosing Man
    Rabbi Menachem Evan-Israel, Hillel

    Challenging the Heavens
    Alana Alpert, AJWS

    Seeing The Ram
    Rabbi Neal J. Loevinger, KOLEL

    Blessings for All
    Evan Wolkenstein, AJWS

    And God Took Note?
    Rabbi William Dreski, Union for Reform Judaism

    Alone in the Wilderness
    Rachel Farbiarz, AJWS

     

    Service And Community--In The Desert
    Rabbi Jonathan Spira-Savett, socialaction.com

     

    The Sin of Sodom
    Rabbi Yuval Cherlow, Canfei Nesharim

    From the Denominations

    Pluralism and Outreach

    Honesty As A Form Of Idolatry
    Rabbi Bradley Artson, American Jewish Unversity

    A Lesson in Hospitality
    Rabbi Kerry Olitzky, Jewish Outreach Initiative

    The Needs of Home and Community
    Rabbi Joshua Heller, Jewish Theological Seminary

    Autonomy Vs. Heteronomy
    Irwin Kula, CLAL

    Laughing At Logic
    Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, Orthodox Union


    Multimedia

     

    Parashat Vayera Quiz
    Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies

     

    Parashat Bereshit Vayera
    Julie Seltzer

     

     

    Return to the index of weekly Torah portions.