Parashat Vayera contains three distinct stories. The first begins with the visit of three men to Abraham. He welcomes them with generous hospitality, and they promise that Sarah will soon bear a son. When the men depart for the city of Sodom, God appears to Abraham and tells him that the cities of Sodom and Gemorah are about to be destroyed. Abraham protests, asking God not to destroy innocent people along with the guilty ones. Unfortunately, neither God nor Abraham can find those innocent people and God destroys the cities. When two angels warn Lot to leave, he and his family escape although Lot’s wife turns to a pillar of salt when she turns back to see the cities destroyed.
The second story takes place when Abraham travels from Sodom to the Negev, where Avimelech, king of Gerar, see Sarah and wants her for his wife. Fearing the king, Abraham claims that Sarah is his “sister.” The king takes her as a wife, but God appears to him and reveals Sarah identity. Avimelech returns Sarah to Abraham.
Finally, we come to the story we all know well. That of Abraham and his family, their strife with each other and with God. Isaac is born, Ishmael and Hagar are sent away, and then God sends Abraham and Isaac to Mount Moriah where we read the story known of God’s test, the Akedah.
Although the last story is the only one called a “test” I believe that all three of these stories are tests. In each one Abraham is placed in a situation that challenges his sense of ethics and morals. God is watching and wondering: How will Abraham respond to this situation when he is faced with this injustice? I find it interesting and troubling that Abraham exhibits exceptional strength of character when there is a public injustice against Sodom and Gemorah. However, the latter two stories tell of immorality within the private context of Abraham’s family. Abraham passes Sarah off as his sister so that he won’t be killed. Abraham expels Hagar, because Sarah is threatened by her and Ishmael. God suggests Abraham sacrifice his son as a statement of allegiance to God.
We too are regularly tested – both publicly and privately. We make decisions about our relationships, our investments, our work in the world and the nature of our community, society and country. We are in the season of such decisions as Election Day approaches. Our vote is private, but its impact is, of course, public. Like Abraham, I might imagine that ‘God is watching’ us, wondering how we will act and how our sense of Judaism’s value system will direct those actions. Will we behave as Abraham did at Sodom and Gemorah or as he did on Mount Moriah? Perhaps rereading these stories will provide advice for the way forward.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Amy Schwartzman
