Parsha Talk Vayera 2026 5787

Rabbi Eliot Malomet, Rabbi Barry Chesler, Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky

Parashat Va-yera [Genesis 18-22] is a parashah we seem to know well because we read chapters 21 and 22 on the two days of Rosh Hashanah and chapter 18 contains the famous dialogue between God and Abraham over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. At the beginning of the parashah, Avraham seems to shine, but as we follow his progress through chapters 20 [where he has Sarai present himself as his sister], 21 [where he abandons his first-born son, Ishmael], and chapter 22 [where he is prepared to sacrifice his covenantal heir, Isaac], we might wonder what kind of stuff Abraham is made of. The parashah is endlessly fascinating. The more one studies it, the more perplexing it becomes. Give a listen to our cocnversation and let us know what you think! Shabbat Shalom!!