A Taste of Torah in honor of Shabbat
from Rabbi Avi Weiss

Parshat Va-yera
November 6-7, 1998/  18 Heshvan 5759


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

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

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

Both portions deal with the expulsion of Hagar, Avraham's second wife.  In Lekh Lekha Avraham does not object. (Genesis 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 promise to Avraham.  In Lekh Lekha, God makes a covenant exclusively with Avraham -- promising him land and children. (Genesis 12, 15,17)   In Va-yera, God eternally connects with Avraham throug  the binding of Isaac story.  Still, whereas Avraham is described as walking together (yahdav) with Yitzchak (Isaac) to Moriah (Genesis 22:6), Avraham returns home together (yahdav) with his lads--Yishmael and Eliezer, non-Jews.
(Genesis 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 nationalistic themes. (Genesis 23,24) Judaism has nationalistic as well as universalistic dimensions.  But the way 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 fellow Jew.

The flow of the Avraham/Sarah narrative indicates that one should not become universalistic at the expense of one's inner roots.

SHABBAT SHALOM

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Rabbi Avi Weiss, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale
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