Parashat Vayera 5786

by Rabbi Margie Cella

This week’s parashah begins with three celestial messengers paying a visit to Abraham and Sarah. They come to tell Sarah that she will have a child within the year (God had previously shared this news with Abraham).

Leaving the household, Abraham accompanies the three visitors as they head towards Sodom. God shares with Abraham a plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because their sin has become severe. Not believing that the residents could all be so sinful, Abraham asks if God would destroy the city if there were 50 righteous people living there. When the answer is “no,” Abraham is emboldened to ask what would happen if 45 righteous people were to be found there. The answer is still no, the cities would not be destroyed. Again, Abraham lowers the number, to 40. God’s answer remains unchanged. How about 30? No. 20? Still no. Finally 10. God still says the city will not be destroyed. Here, Abraham parts ways with God and the other messengers, who continue on to check out the situation on the ground in the cities. In the end the cities were indeed destroyed.

What was their sin that was so grievous that it warranted destruction? The presumed answer is sexual immorality. The Talmud suggests it was something far worse. A Midrash states that a proclamation was issued stating that anyone found helping the poor or the needy by giving them food would die by being burned alive. This was true depravity.

The Torah demands that we provide for the needs of the most vulnerable among us, who don’t have the means to support themselves.

Oseh Shalom, Maker of Peace, may we have the courage to address injustice when we see it in our world and may we never lose compassion for those whom we are able to help.