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Parashat Vayera / פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּרָאוַיֵּרָא

✷to be read on 16 November / 15 Cheshvan ✷

In Vayera (“He Appeared”), three guests arrive at Abraham and Sarah's tent. They prophesize the birth of a child to Sarah.God tells Abraham that Sodom and Gomorrah will be destroyed; Abraham urges to no avail that they be spared. Abraham & Sarah journey to the kingdom of Gerar where Abraham presents Sarah as his sister and urges the king Abimelech to take her as his wife. God comes to Abimelech in a dream and threatens him with destruction if he does not return Sarah. Abimelech returns Sarah and equips Abraham with animals, servants, money, and the right to settle his land. A child is born to Sarah and Abraham and given the name Isaac. Isaac grows to be friends with Ishmael, the child of the handmaid Hagar. At Sarah's bidding, Abraham sends Hagar away and, along with her, the child Ishmael. An angel sustains Hagar and Ishmael when they have no water in the dessert. God commands Abraham to make a sacrifice of Isaac. Abraham obliges, but an angel tells Abraham to offer a ram instead.

In her D'var, Rabbi Deena Cowans turns to Rashi's commentary. Rashi claims that, when Abraham dwelt with King Abimelech, he prayed for the well-being and fertility of the wives of Abimelech even as he and Sarah's prayers for a child were yet to be answered. According to Rashi, we learn through Abraham that there is real value in striving for compassion even when we ourselves are suffering. Despite the temptation to turn inward during times of fear and duress, we might instead continue to focus on the needs of others as such compassion can itself bring the blessings that we need.

In November of 2020, Rabbi Deena encouraged people to try to have compassion for others even when they themselves were suffering and to hope that such compassion could be the source of blessings. I, too, hope that this week and for the many weeks that lie ahead we may all have compassion for those in our communities who most need it and that we might, in orienting ourselves to their suffering, discover hope therein.