TORAH: Genesis 18:1-22:24
HAFTARAH: 2 Kings 4:1-37
GOSPEL: Luke 17:28-37
Portion Outline:
The fourth reading from the book of Genesis is named Vayera. It means “And he appeared” because the first story describes how the LORD appeared to Abraham one day as he sat outside his tent. Section Vayera continues with the series of tests of faith for Abraham, concluding in one great and final trial.
Torah
Genesis 18:1 | A Son Promised to Abraham and Sarah
Genesis 18:16 | Judgment Pronounced on Sodom
Genesis 19:1 | The Depravity of Sodom
Genesis 19:12 | Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed
Genesis 19:30 | The Shameful Origin of Moab and Ammon
Genesis 20:1 | Abraham and Sarah at Gerar
Genesis 21:1 | The Birth of Isaac
Genesis 21:8 | Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away
Genesis 21:22 | Abraham and Abimelech Make a Covenant
Genesis 22:1 | The Command to Sacrifice Isaac
Genesis 22:20 | The Children of Nahor
Prophets
2Ki 4:1 | Elisha and the Widow’s Oil
2Ki 4:8 | Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son
Portion Commentary:
Abraham’s Prayer
Sometimes, when you are praying about something for yourself, the best thing you can do is to forget about it and concentrate your prayers on the needs of others.
Abraham was one hundred years old. For all of his married life he had hoped for and prayed for the birth of a son, but Sarah, his wife, was barren. Her womb was closed.
Ironically, when Abraham’s enemy Abimelech abducted Abraham’s wife Sarah, God sealed the wombs of all Abimelech’s wives. Even those women who were about to give birth found that they could not bear their children. The Talmud says, “It was stated at the academy of Rabbi Yannai that even the hens belonging to Abimelech could not lay their eggs” (b.Bava Kama 92a quoting Genesis 20:18).
After Abimelech returned Sarah to Abraham, he asked Abraham to pray for him. Abraham prayed for the healing of Abimelech’s household. Rabbinic literature uses this episode from Abraham’s life as a model of forgiveness:
From where do we learn that an injured person who refuses to forgive his injurer (when he apologizes) is called a cruel person? From the words, “Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech…” (b.Bava Kama 92a)
Whoever is merciful to his fellow is certainly a son of our father Abraham, and whosoever is not merciful to his fellow is certainly not a son of our father Abraham. (b.Beitzah 32b)
Ironically, Abraham’s prayer availed children for Abimelech and his wives immediately. Furthermore, immediately after the Torah tells us that Abraham prayed for Abimelech’s wives—that their wombs would be opened—we read, “Then the LORD took note of Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age…” (Genesis 21:1).
Not until Abraham prayed for others was his prayer for himself and his wife answered. Rashi says that the Torah put the passage regarding Abimelech’s wives just before the conception of and birth of Isaac intentionally. It is to teach us that whoever seeks mercy for another by praying for his need when he himself is needful of the same will have his own need met. At the very least, we learn here the principal of praying for others before ourselves.
Read complete commentary at First Fruits of Zion.
Other Torah Portion Commentaries:
