Parashat Vayera

The prophet Elisha performs two miracles.

If people don't feel comfortable in the community, they won't stay long enough to enjoy its richness.

Humanity's dominion over the earth must be for the sake of the Divine.

We no longer need there to be unchosen children.

Why did Abraham beg for mercy for the city of Sodom but not for his son Isaac?

Joy and laughter, often embodied in children, can help us begin to live again after extreme disappointment and tragedy.

Isaac's birth, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the exile of Hagar and the ultimate sacrifice.

The fates of Abraham and Sarah as compared to Sodom teach us that ethics, not power, determines the future.

Abraham's responses to the destruction of Sodom and Gemorrah and to the command to sacrifice Isaac provide two conflicting models.

We can attain godliness by acting with kindness towards others.