Parashat Vayera (Genesis 18:1 - 22:24)

Summary

Vayera (Genesis 18:1 - 22:24), literally “And (God) appeared,” includes the appearance of God to Abraham in the form of three men to foretell of Sarah having Isaac, the story of Sodom & Gomorrah (including Lot’s wife turning into a pillar of salt), the fight between Sarah and Hagar and the binding of Isaac (the Akedah).

Commentary

I used to struggle with the characters of our Matriarchs and Patriarchs. None are perfect and on face value each one seems to fall short of being a role model for leading a moral and ethical life. However, both in ancient times and modern, I have grown to realise that the person that we could put on a pedastal is few, far between and usually living a monastic life - therefore is that living life? When I heard that Bono (someone who I had looked on as a modern day prophet) had been involved in a court dispute over ownership of a hat, I took solace that the value of our ancient ancestors and those whom we admire today as role models, is that they are worthy of note and consideration warts and all. In fact, it is the wart or the cowboy hat that actually makes them real.

Sarah is a case in point. She is subservient to Abraham except in one episode where she does not seem to act justly: her offering of Hagar to Abraham as her substitute and then disposal of her and Ishmael when a substitute is no longer necessary. However, if one considers the traumas of her life - being uprooted from her home twice, being offered to strangers twice, living most of her life with the inability of her and Abraham to conceive etc. - was it any wonder that she wanted her moment of glory? Even her gift of Isaac, her child in old age, was taken away from her by her husband (a midrashic understanding of Sarah's death being recounted immediately after the Akedah, the binding of Isaac).

However, I found this reading from Ellen Frankel's 'The Five Books of Miriam: A Woman's Commentary on the Torah,' that raised the gloom around my reading of Sarah's life:

"OUR DAUGHTERS ASK: Why doesn't God speak directly to Sarah? As it is written: [Sarah] WAS LISTENING AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE TENT, WHICH WAS BEHIND [Abraham] (Gen 18:10). Why does she only overhear the conversation between God and Abraham, laughing to herself when she hears one of the strangers announce that she will bear a child in her old age? And why does God ask Abraham, not Sarah: WHY DOES SARAH LAUGH (Gen 18:13)? Is Sarah being criticised for eavesdropping on men's conversation or laughing at what they say?

WILY REBECCA ANSWERS: The angels are aware all along that Sarah is listening in. Even before they begin speaking with Abraham, they make sure she is nearby in the tent. No, the angels' news is designed specifically for her - and so is the method of transmission."

May Sarah and we always receive the gift of special messages just for us, the gift of hearing and receiving them and the gift of special angels, just for us, our angels when we need them most.

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