כהקדמה לספרו פותח הושע ב"הטלת פצצה" ומתאר דרך שמות בניו את הנתק ההולך ומחריף בין עמ"י לה'. נתק שמגיע עד לכדי ניכור מוחלט "כי אתם לא עמי ואנכי לא אהיה לכם".

   When God first spoke to Avraham to issue the command of Akeidat Yitzhak, Avraham replied, “Hineini” (“Here I am” – 22:1).

Commenting on this word, Rav Avraham ben Ha-Rambam notes the distinction between Avraham’s response and that of Adam, when God spoke to him in Gan Eden after he partook of the forbidden tree.  Avraham lived in a state of preparedness, ready to receive and obey God’s word; Adam, however, was caught off guard, and was frightened upon hearing God’s voice.

Parashat Vayera begins with the story of the three angels who visited Avraham and informed him that he and Sara would soon have a child, and the parasha then continues with the story of the destruction of Sedom.  The transition between these two events occurs in the following verse: “The men arose from there [Avraham’s home] and set their sights upon Sedom…” (18:16).

  On the surface, the akeida was an exercise in self-negation, in transforming oneself from an individual to an object, to a lifeless instrument, to a mechanical robot programmed to obey God’s command.  But this is not what God wanted.  He introduced His command by calling, “Avraham,” which Rav Amital zt”l explained to mean, “Return to yourself, to your natural emotions, to your feelings, to your family.

Avraham famously refuses the spoils offered by the King of Sodom, lest he say "I made Avraham wealthy." Why did it matter to him if the king took credit for his wealth?

Avraham had to put his reputation and hopes of disseminating ethical monotheism on the line for the sake of Lot: In order to save his nephew, Avraham had to save the city that represented the antithesis of everything he taught and stood for.  Avraham had to keep a formal distance from the king of Sedom even as he fought on his side. 

At first glance, the angel’s opening question to Hagar – “Where are you coming from, and where are you going” – is simply an introduction to begin the conversation for the purpose of ultimately instructing her to return to Sara.  Abarbanel, however, detects a deeper message within the angel’s question.  The story of Hagar perhaps teaches us not to be so quick to “escape” generally beneficial situations even if they entail a degree of difficulty.

Why does the Torah mention Avraham’s journey twice?

            Netziv, in his Ha’amek Davar, suggests that Avraham’s journey to Canaan occurred in two stages.  Avraham had to balance two conflicting interests: the value of  promptness, completing assigned tasks without delay; and the legitimate concern for one’s material possessions. 

The Ba’al Ha-turim finds fault in Sara for sending away her maidservant and her son, going so far as to attribute the Egyptian bondage to this offense. 

But how could we criticize Sara for her decision if God instructed Avraham to grant the request and send away Hagar and Yishmael?

The Ba’al Ha-turim, following the Ramban’s view, held Sara at least partially responsible for the resentment and anger that brewed within Hagar and her son, which resulted in the situation whereby they could not live in the same household as Yitzchak.

”  Lot’s words do not, on the surface, appear to be casting any judgment.  He merely pleaded with the people not to hurt his guests, going so far as to offer them his two young daughters in their place.  Why did the mob respond by accusing Lot of “judging”?

            Rabbi Menachem Leibtag suggests a novel explanation of this verse by reinterpreting Lot’s remarks to the people of Sedom.

Several scholars throughout the ages have addressed the question of why it was necessary for God to impose upon Avraham the test of akeidat Yitzchak.  A number of Midrashic sources pointed to a need to dispel doubts that arose concerning the extent of Avraham’s devotion to God, in the wake of either his failure to offer a thanksgiving sacrifice after Yitzchak’s birth (Sanhedrin 89b), or his treaty with Avimelekh (Seder Eliyahu Rabba, as we discussed yesterday).  Others, including the Rambam (Guide for the Perplexed 3:24), noted the philosophical principles establi