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Vayera / וירא
Vayera / וירא
The great
heritage of the
Jewish people and in
whose merit we
constantly ask
Hashem to help us is
the Akeida, the
binding of Yitzchok.
Although there are
many aspects to the
willingness of
Avrohom and Yitzchok
to sacrifice, we
find an interesting
insight of the
Chazal. Avrohom
prepared for the
journey and took a
knife with him. The
Torah uses a rare
word to describe it
- "macheles". The
root of this word is
"ochel", to eat or
consume. In his
second pshat, Rashi
says it is so called
because the Jewish
people are still
"eating" the rewards
of this great act of
Avrohom. Why did the
Torah choose to
emphasize this at
this point of the
episode? It would
seem that the fact
that Avrohom Avinu
prepared even the
sharp knife to take
on the journey was
the true test of his
total commitment to
the mitzvah of
Hashem. It was this
extra effort that
"feeds" the Jewish
soul for all
generations.
The mforshim speak
at length about the
tefilos of Yitzchok
for Rivka to have a
child. It discusses
the power of a
tzaddik, who is the
child of a tzaddik.
However, if we look
at the same problem
that plagued Avrohom
Avinu, how did Sara
merit a child? The
Gemora in Bava Kamma
92 explains the
sequence of the
story of Avimelech
to the birth of
Yitzchok. Hashem
told Avimelech that
if you ask for
forgiveness, Avrohom
will daven for you.
Afterwards when he
did and Avrohom
davened for another
person, he was
answered first. From
here we learn, say
Chazal, the best
formula for tefilla
in every case is to
daven for another
person. In this case
Avrohom was davening
for a person who
acted improperly and
so surely he
displayed
compassion. As a
result, his tefilla
was answered.
In parshas Lech
Lecha Avrohom was
already informed by
HaShem that he and
Sarah would bear a
child. If so, why
didn’t he
immediately inform
Sarah of the good
news? The Ramban
seems to imply that
the Bris Milah and
the arrival of the
angels happened so
quickly that he did
not have the time.
This is difficult to
believe. Perhaps
since it was said to
Avrohom in the form
of a prophecy, then
he did not have a
right to reveal it
without the command
of the Almighty. (Shai
L’Moreh)
Sarah had mentioned
the fact that
Avrohom was old.
HaShem changed the
wording to “I am
old” so as not to
insult Avrohom and
to keep the peace
between them. Why
would Avrohom become
angry? It was
certainly a fact
that he was almost a
hundred years old.
The Kedushas Levi
answers in this way:
The Gemora informs
us of the love
HaShem has for the
genuine, sincere
prayers of the
tzadikim. For this
reason they did not
have children until
late in their lives
because HaShem
waited for their
heart-filled
prayers. Although
Sarah, who was
humble, would not
view herself as a
tzadekes, she was of
a madrega that she
should have realized
that the only reason
Avrohom was old was
to encourage the
prayers of the
tzadkik. His age was
not an obstacle.
Therefore, HaShem
changed the wording
to protect her from
the embarrassment of
not realizing the
greatness of Avrohom.
Avrohom placed the
wood for the
offering on the
shoulders of
Yitzchok. However,
wasn’t Yitzchok
already a holy
offering and
therefore forbidden
to be used for
mundane work? The
answer is Avrohom
acted like Hillel in
the Gemora (Pesachim
61). He refrained
from actually
consecrating
Yitzchok as a
“korbon” until the
last minute so as
not to mistakenly
use him for mundane
work. This is also
the reason why when
Yitzchok asked his
father, “where is
the animal for the
offering?” Avrohom
did not respond,
“you are the
offering” for then
Yitzchok would
actually become
sanctified as a
korbon and this
Avrohom wished
delay. (M'Shulchan
Gevoah).
Previous Parshos
Tazria
Metzora
Achrei Mos
Kedoshim
Emor
Behar
Bechukosai
Bamidbar
Shavuos
Naso
Behalosicha
Shilach
Korach
Chukas-Balak
Pinchos
Matos-Masei
Devorim
Voeschonon Ekev
Reah
Shoftim
Ki Seitzei
Ki Savo
Nitzovim
- Vayelech Rosh
HaShana Haazinu-Yom
Kippur Sukkos V'zos
HaBrocha
Breishis
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