The story of the binding and (almost) sacrifice of Isaac is complex and troubling one possible reading that the Torah seems to support is that God was testing Abraham’s faith, and when he passed by showing his willingness to sacrifice even his son for God, God gave him an alternative, the ram. In FocusĪnd Abraham raised his eyes and saw–behold, a ram!–afterwards, caught in the bushes by its thorns so Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up instead of his son. Finally, Abraham hears the call from God to take Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice at the last minute, Abraham’s hand is stopped by an angel, and a ram is offered instead. Sarah does have a son, Isaac, and she expels Hagar and Ishmael when she thinks they threaten Isaac, but God saves them and makes them a promise that Ishmael too will be a great nation. A crowd in Sodom tries to force Lot to turn over his guests he escapes the destruction with his two daughters, who sleep with their father when they think the whole world is destroyed.Ībraham and Sarah travel to Gerar and Sarah enters the house of the king there. Abraham argues with God for the sake of the righteous ones in those cities, but there aren’t enough good people to save them. God decides to warn Abraham that Sodom and Gommorah, two sinful cities, will be destroyed. Commentary on Parashat Vayera, Genesis 18:1 - 22:24Ĭontinuing the story of Abraham and Sarah, our Torah portion this week opens with Abraham sitting in his tent, recovering from his circumcision, and being visited by three mysterious men, apparently messengers from God, who visit and tell Abraham and Sarah that Sarah will indeed bear a son.
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