Just Show Up

 Vayera

Gen. 18:1-22:24         

 

Précis: In this week’s reading, we have almost too much narrative to consider. God “appeared” (vayera) to Abraham. Abraham shows hospitality to three strangers. They promise the birth of Isaac, overheard by Sarah (who laughs). God reveals His plans for the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham argues for its salvation for the sake of any innocents who might dwell there. The scene shifts to Sodom where Lot lives, and he and his family are rescued first from an unruly mob and then from the destruction of the city itself. Lot’s wife glances back and turns into the pillar of salt. His daughters, fearing that they are the last females alive, make Lot drunk and engage in sexual relations with him, later giving birth to founders of the tribes of Moab and Ammon (traditional adversaries of the Israelites).

Back with Abraham, Sarah conceives and gives birth to Isaac. She becomes unhappy with the continued presence of Ishmael and prevails upon Abraham to expel Ishmael and Hagar from the household, which he does (after being promised by God that Ishmael, too, will be the father of a great nation). Thereafter, the story continues with the attempted sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham, called “the Akedah” (the Binding of Isaac).

 

Gen. 18:1-3 “Adonai appeared to him at the terebinths of Mamre. And Abraham raised his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing before him. He saw, and he ran toward them from the tent flap and bowed to the ground.”

 

JTS Chancellor Ismar Schorsch has pointed out (JTS Distance Learning Project, 11/15/03) that the rabbis noted that the verb “appeared” (vayera) is here used in a very unusual way. In almost all other examples in our Bible when the verb is used in connection with God’s appearance, it is followed immediately by a verbal statement of direct address. (e.g., “God appeared and said…”) Here, there is only silence. In fact, it seems that Abraham is interrupting God to treat the three strangers.

            The usual explanation for God’s appearance is that God was coming to comfort Abraham following the painful circumcision at the conclusion of last week’s reading (from which we base the mitzvah of bikur cholim (caring for the ill).

            I’d like to add another point. Sometimes, silence is all that is needed to comfort another (a basis for the custom of being silent until spoken to when visiting a mourner). Sometimes, we need to merely show up. We live in a time when showing up is of paramount importance.  

 

Leaders are human

 Lech Lecha

Gen. 12:1 -17:27

 

Précis: This parasha, “get you up” or “go yourself” (lech lecha) begins with “the call” of Abram to leave his home and depart for a new land. At God’s command, Abram and Sarai journey to Canaan. When famine strikes, they travel to Egypt, where Sarai is taken into Pharaoh’s harem after Abram calls her his “sister,” but she escapes without harm. They then leave Egypt, with Abram now a rich man. To avoid family squabbles, Abram separates himself from his nephew Lot (who moves to Sodom), but Abram is forced to rescue Lot and reaches a negotiated settlement with the locals. God promises him an heir. Because Sarai is barren, she offers Abram her servant (Hagar), and Hagar gives birth to a son, Ishmael. Abram is then promised a son through Sarai, to be his true heir. Abram’s name is changed to Abraham, and Sarai’s to Sarah, in recognition of the new Covenant with God, which is then symbolized by Abraham’s circumcision.

 

Gen. 12:10-20 There was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt...As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai…‘Please say that you are my sister, that it may go well with me...and that I may remain alive’…The Egyptians saw how beautiful she was...and praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house…And because of her, all went well with Abram, but Adonai afflicted Pharaoh…who sent for Abram and said… ‘take your wife and be gone.’”

            The story is interesting on several fronts. Was Abram’s deception due to fear? Was he really lying to Pharaoh (because she was his “niece” or that the word for “sister” could have had another meaning)? Other commentators are guided by the observation of Nachmanides: “It was a sin.”

            When we think of the greatest figures of authority in our texts, we often mention Moses as the greatest leader of the Jewish People. He was punished for his failures by being denied entry into the Promised Land. Abram was the Founder of the Jewish People, committed a sinful act here (and, some would argue, again at Moriah).

            We learn that our Jewish leaders are human beings, and that they share inevitable traits of all of us imperfect humans. This profound part of our tradition should cast its aura on how we perceive our current leaders. They are far from perfect.