The Tidings of Yitzhak's Birth

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1. News of the Birth of Yitzchak

   Prof. Jonathan Grossman

   The news of Yitzchak’s birth appears twice in the Torah. What is the purpose of the repetition? This article demonstrates how Avraham and Sarah’s son fulfills both a personal need and national – historical role.

2. Avraham and the Angels

   Rabbi Amnon Bazak

   "And God appeared to him" - why? What is the relationship between God's revelation and the revelation of the angels? This lesson explores Rashbam's unique approach, and the connection between the two revelations: the promise of a son and the destruction of Sodom.

3. Rashbam's Interpretation of the Story of Avraham and the Angels

   Rabbi Elchanan Samet

   The story at the start of Parashat Vayera seems to be a continuation of the story in Lekh Lekha. Is the story indeed a continuation of the previous chapter? Were the people who visited Avraham people or angels? This lesson explores the Rashbam's commentary on Parashat Vayera.

4. The Way of God and the Way of Righteousness and Justice

   Rabbi Yaakov Medan

   What is the relationship between Emunah and Chessed in Avraham's spiritual world? This lesson discusses the Covenant of Circumcision, Avraham's hospitality toward the angels, Avraham's argument about Sodom, and Akeidat Yitzchak in an attempt to answer this question.

5. Elisha and the Shunammite Woman

   Rabbi Alex Israel

   Many similarities exist between the infertility, ultimate birth and near death experience of Yitzhak and the son of the Shunamite woman. Is the death of the son a criticism of the mother who failed to raise this miracle child in a worthy fashion or is it a criticism of Elisha who overstepped his limitations as a prophet? Geihazi's repeated failures in the story might attest to his flawed personality. However, perhaps his failure is meant to teach Elisha that his success as a prophet depends on a direct, non-bureaucratic contact with the common people.

6. Mother Without a Name: The Story of Samson's Birth

   Dr. Yael Ziegler

   תאריך פרסום: תשע"ד | |

   Why is Shimshon the last major shofet in the book of Shoftim before a state of apparent anarchy? His story, which spans several chapters, begins with a detailed and wondrous tale of the announcement of his impending birth by a malakh. A close reading of this first chapter in the “Shimshon saga”, with comparisons to similar “barren women” stories, sheds light onto why and how great potential was wasted.

7. Yitzhak's Name: Laughter or Law?

   Rabbi David Silverberg

8. The Shunnamite Woman: Who is to Blame for the Death of the Boy?

   Rabbi Alex Israel

   תאריך פרסום: תשע"ה | |

   We examine the riveting tale of a miraculous birth, unexpected death, and instance of resurrection at the hands of the prophet Elisha. This story  is the haftara for Parashat Vayera, and there is symmetry between these stories: Both contain the elements of hospitality, childbirth after infertility, and miraculous restoration of life from the brink of death. Our exploration leads us through different perspectives on what went wrong in the story – why the child died and where Elisha and Gehazi lost their way. The Shunamite woman emerges as the heroine of this story. Her spiritual aspirations serve as a shining example, and she ultimately brings Elisha back to himself – and back to God.

9. Vayera: Moral Dilemmas

   Rabbi Jonathan Snowbell | 20 minutes

   What pulls Parashat Vayera together is moral dilemmas. In this shiur we will identify them, look at how Avraham faced them, and see what we can learn from how Avraham faced them. We find four  apparent moral dilemmas: Avraham and the impending destruction of Sodom, Avraham pretending Sarah is his sister while in Gerar, the expulsion of Yishmael, and Akeidat Yitzhak. The dilemmas become more severe as the parasha continues - or do they?We look at a few approaches to  Avraham's criteria and decision-making as he faces each one. 

10. The David and Batsheva Episode

    Rabbi David Fohrman

    תאריך פרסום: 5777 | | 58 minutes

    We will examine the David and Batsheva episode - a very difficult episode in Tanakh, and our focus will be its aftermath. The child that is conceived dies – David prays for him to survive, but the child dies. Why, though, does Shlomo live? He, too, is born in the immediate aftermath. Not only does Shlomo live, but Gid seems ecstatic about his birth.  Is there another dimension to the Tanakh's emphasis on the urgency with which David prays for the first child to survive? To find answers, we look for clues through a close reading of related Tanakh texts.

     In the prophet Natan's  analogy of the "poor man's lamb," who is the lamb in the story, and does it hint at Uriah's childlessness? We compare the story of Yitzhak's birth to that of Shlomo. Both  are "miracle children" who survive after seemingly-impossible situations whose destiny is to carry on a dynasty of sorts. Finally, we look at Shlomo's dream and the story of the two women in the court case that Shlomo solves. The court case with the two women may be the final key to explaining why Shlomo ultimately survived, if we look at it as yet another parable.  Shlomo asks for wisdom, and God grants him wisdom - but perhaps not in the way Shlomo expects.

11. Parshat Vayera Part 1: Hospitality

    Rabbi Alex Israel | 26 minutes

    Avraham’s hospitality is the central theme of the beginning of Parshat Vayera. Through a close examination of the narrative describing the guests’ news of Yitzchak’s impending birth we can understand the nature of this revelation as told separately to Avraham and Sarah. We can also appreciate the various opinions among the classical commentators regarding the interactions between humans and angelic representatives of God. 

    Courtesy of www.tanachstudy.com