We find in Parashat Vayera the peculiar story of Lot’s daughters, who escaped with their father from the destruction of their city, Sedom (19:30-38).  After fleeing the city, Lot and his daughters found a cave where they lived, and the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is aged, and there is no man in the land to have relations with us…”  The daughters therefore had their father drink wine to the point of intoxication on two successive nights, and on each night one of them slept with him and conceived.  These incestuous unions produced Amon and Moav, who founded nat

הושע התייאש מיכולת העם לחזור בתשובה. מי שבחר בדרך מסויימת, יתקשה מאד לשנות אותה, ויצטרך לשאת בתוצאות של בחירתו. 

       Both in Parashat Vayera and in the story of the Shunamite woman, acts of kindness serve as the catalyst for the miraculous creation and sustenance – and even restoration – of life, demonstrating the very close parallel that exists between giving a livelihood and giving life.

   Parashat Vayera tells of the miraculous birth of Yitzchak, when his parents were, respectively, one hundred and ninety years of age.

          We read in Parashat Vayera of Avraham’s petition on behalf of the sinful city of Sedom.  He begins his prayer by acknowledging his lowly stature with respect to God, declaring, “Ve-anokhi afar va-eifer” – “I am but dirt and ash” (18:27).  The Gemara in Masekhet Chulin (88b) famously comments that Avraham was rewarded for this expression of humility in the form of two special mitzvot with which his descendants were commanded: the dirt used in preparing the sota waters, and the ashes used in preparing the para aduma waters.  Many different explana

  Parashat Vayera concludes with the famous story of akeidat Yitzchak, God’s command that Avraham sacrifice his son Yitzchak upon altar.  In describing the events that transpired before an angel of God ordered Avraham to withdraw his sword, the Torah writes, “Avraham cast his hand and took the sword, to slaughter his son” (22:10).  How might we explain the phrase, “Avraham cast his hand”?  Why didn’t the Torah simply state that Avraham “took the sword”?

 Ultimately, it is not the intrinsic quality of the site that renders a person worthy of having his prayers accepted, but rather his personal merits.

האם התרפים היו עבודה זרה? או אולי כלי להורוסקופ? מעשה כשפים? או שמא עניינם שימוש בכח הדמיון?

תהליך הגמילה מההתמכרות לרע הוא ארוך ומורכב, ודורש הרבה סבלנות ורחמים.