Our Parshah opens with Abraham sitting at the door of his tent, recovering after his circumcision. He spies three travellers coming and rushes to greet them and invite them for a meal. The term he uses to greet them is the occasion for a dispute among the commentators. He calls them ‘my lords’, which in Hebrew is also the term that can be used for G-d and is in fact the normal way the four letter name of G-d is read. It is however also used for important people as in ‘the lords of Joseph’ referring to Potiphar. Some commentators understand it in this secular fashion and regard the term as merely a polite way of addressing the travellers that Abraham was speaking to. Others, however, regard the term as referring to G-d and therefore holy. They note that the Parshah begins by saying that G-d appeared to Abraham and immediately continues with the appearance of the three travellers. They are of course angels, but this is a fact that Abraham does not know, otherwise he would not have offered them food. Where, then, does this Divine designation fit in? The answer is startling. G-d was indeed speaking to Abraham but when he saw the travellers he asked G-d to wait while he went to speak to them. This explanation is quite remarkable. It may just be acceptable to interrupt a conversation with someone in order to greet an important dignitary but the opposite is certainly non-passé. Imagine speaking to the Queen or the President and telling them to wait while you greet a friend. How can we understand such behaviour? The answer lies in an important comment of the Rabbis, that wherever G-d’s greatness is mentioned His humility is also mentioned. The three verses the Rabbis quote to prove this all refer to G-d’s protection of the downtrodden members of society. In other words by honouring these people we are in fact acting in the Divine image and in effect honouring G-d. This is the lesson Abraham teaches us. In leaving off speaking to G-d in order to greet weary wayfarers Abraham is not being rude to G-d but rather fulfilling His will and imitating His attributes. For G-d there is no greater honour. This is an important lesson to learn. Too often religious people act, or appear to act, as if dishonouring others is a way to honour G-d. They are insistent on the strictest interpretation of every law and seemingly oblivious to the effects such behaviour have on other people. Our Parshah teaches us the opposite. It is by sometimes compromising on our own ’piety’ in order to accommodate others that we truly act as the children of Abraham.

ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS

 Sidra Statistics

Parshat Vayera:

• has 147 verses ;
• is the 4th in Genesis, 4th in the Torah
• 4th longest in Genesis, 6th longest in the Torah
• has no mitzvot.

Pregnant insolence.

One is allowed to eat meat after milk without waiting, but only at a different meal and after cleaning your teeth.