This week's portion (Va-yera) parallels last week's (Lekh Lekha) with one significant exception. Lekh Lekha is nationalistic, while this week's portion is universalistic.

Both portions deal with Avraham (Abraham) as savior of Sodom. In Lekh Lekha, the focus is on family, as Avraham saves his nephew Lot who had moved to Sodom. (Genesis, Chapter 14) In Va-yera, Avraham tries to save the entire city filled with non-Jews. (Chapters 18,19)

Both portions deal with Sarah's declaring that she is Avraham's sister. In Lekh Lekha that declaration is followed by their eviction from Egypt. (Ch. 12) In Va-yera the declaration is followed by Avraham understanding that he is part of a larger world. He thus enters into a covenantal agreement with Avimelekh, King of Philistia. (Chapter 20, 21)

Both portions deal with the expulsion of Hagar, Avraham's second wife. In Lekh Lekha Avraham does not object. (Ch. 16) In Va-yera he is reluctant to have Hagar cast out. In the end, Avraham is thereby protective of the forerunners of Islam, Hagar and their son Yishmael.

Both portions deal with God's promises to Avraham. In Lekh Lekha, God makes a covenant exclusively with Avraham - promising him land and children. (Chs. 12, 15, 17) In Va-yera, God eternally connects with Avraham through the binding of Isaac. Still, whereas Avraham is described as walking together (yahdav) with Yitzchak (Isaac) to Moriah (Ch. 22:6), Avraham returns home together (yahdav) with his lads -- Yishmael and Eliezer, non-Jews. (Ch. 22:19)

It can be suggested that Avraham in Va-yera had become so universal that he forgot his national roots. The corrective to Avraham's universal leaning is next week's portion of Hayeei Sarah. Note that in Hayeei Sarah, Avraham acquires part of the land of Israel and finds a wife for his son--both minding the home front and echoing the nationalistic themes of Lech Lecha. (Chs. 23, 24)

One of the beauties of our tradition is that Judaism has nationalistic as well as universalistic dimensions. The way that we care for our own informs us how to treat the larger world. Indeed, the test of the way we love the world is how we show love toward our own brother or sister, our fellow Jew.

The flow of the Avraham / Sarah narrative indicates that one should realize that both elements are critical, yet one should make sure that when embracing the importance of universalism, that it not be at the expense of one's inner circle, family or nation.


Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Avi Weiss