Parashat Vayera

Bereishis Book 1: Genesis
Parashat VAYERA

Chapter 18
Verse 1: Ad-noy appeared to him in the groves of Mamrei and he was sitting at the door of the tent in the heat of the day.
Verse 2: He lifted his eyes and saw, and behold three men were standing near him. He saw [them], and ran from the door of the tent to greet them, and he bowed down to the earth.
Verse 3: He said, "My Master, if I have found favor in Your eyes, please do not bypass your servant."
Verse 4: "Let a bit of water be brought and wash your feet. Rest yourselves under the tree.
Verse 5: I will get bread and you will sustain your hearts. Afterwards you will continue on your way, because it is for this reason that you have passed by your servant." They said, "Fine, do as you have said."
Verse 6: Avraham hurried to Sarah's tent and said, "Hurry! [take] three measures of the finest flour; knead it and make cake-rolls."
Verse 7: Avraham ran to the cattle, and took a tender, choice calf. He gave it to the lad. and hurried to prepare it.
Verse 8: He took butter, milk, and the calf he had prepared, and set it before them. He stood over them under the tree, and they ate.
Verse 9: They said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife?" He said "Here, in the tent."
Verse 10: He said "I will return to you next year, and Sarah, your wife will have a son." Sarah was listening at the door of the tent, that was behind him.
Verse 11: Avraham and Sarah were old, well on in years. Sarah no longer had the way of women.
Verse 12: Sarah laughed to herself saying, "Now that I am worn out, shall I have the pleasure [of a son], my master being [also] an old man."
Verse 13: Ad-noy said to Avraham, "Why did Sarah laugh saying, 'Can I really give birth when I am old?'
Verse 14: Is anything too far removed from Ad-noy? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time of life, and Sarah will have a son."
Sheini (Second Aliyah)
Verse 15: Sarah denied it saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "Not so, for you did laugh."
Verse 16: The men stood up from where they were, and they gazed upon Sedom. Avraham went with them to send them [on their way].
Verse 17: Ad-noy said, "Shall I conceal from Avraham what I am about to do?
Verse 18: Avraham is indeed to become a great and mighty nation, and through him shall be blessed all the nations of the world.
Verse 19: For I have given him special attention because he commands his children, and his household after him, and they will preserve the way of Ad-noy, doing charity and justice, so that Ad-noy will bring upon Avraham all that which He has spoken of him."
Verse 20: [Thus] Ad-noy said, "The wailing concerning Sedom and Amorah is so great, and their sin is so very grave.
Verse 21: I will descend now and see, if their wailing which has come to Me is indicative of their conduct; destruction [shall come upon them]. If not I will know."
Verse 22: The men turned from where they were, and went toward Sedom. Avraham was still standing before Ad-noy.
Verse 23: Avraham came forward and said, "Will You [actually] destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Verse 24: Suppose there are fifty righteous people in the midst of the city, will You still destroy it, and not bear with the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people inside it?
Verse 25: It would be sacrilege [to attribute] to You such an act, to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. It would be sacrilege to attribute this to You: Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?"
Verse 26: Ad-noy said; "If, in Sedom, I find fifty righteous within the city, I will bear with the entire place for their sake."
Verse 27: Avraham responded and said, "Here I have begun to speak to my Master, and I am but dust and ashes.
Verse 28: But suppose they lack five of the fifty righteous? Will You destroy all the city because of five?" He said, "I will not destroy if I find forty-five there."
Verse 29: He [Avraham] continued to speak to Him and said, "Suppose there are forty found there?" He said, "I will not do it for the sake of the forty."
Verse 30: He said, "Let not my Master show anger and I will [continue] to speak. Suppose thirty are found there?" He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."
Verse 31: He said, "Here I have begun to speak to my Master. Suppose twenty are found there?" He said, "I will not destroy for the sake of the twenty."
Verse 32: He said, "Let not my Master show anger, and I will speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there?" He said, "I will not destroy for the sake of the ten."
Verse 33: Ad-noy departed when He finished speaking to Avraham, and Avraham returned to his place.
Sh'lishi (Third Aliyah)

Chapter 19
Verse 1: The two angels came to Sedom in the evening, while Lot was sitting at the gate of Sedom. Lot saw them, and he got up to greet them, and he bowed with his face to the ground.
Verse 2: He said, "Behold now my lords, please turn in to your servant's house. Stay over night, bathe your feet, and get up early and continue on your way." They said, "No, we will spend the night in the street."
Verse 3: He urged them greatly, and they turned in to him and came to his house. He made a feast for them, and baked matzos, and they ate.
Verse 4: They had not yet laid down when the men of the city, the men of Sedom, surrounded the house--- young and old alike--- all the people from one end [of the city] to the other end.
Verse 5: They called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them."
Verse 6: Lot went out to them in front of the entrance, shutting the door behind him.
Verse 7: He said, "My brothers, please do not act wickedly.
Verse 8: Behold! I have two daughters who have never known a man, I will bring them out to you, and do with them as you please; only do nothing to these men, since after all, they came under the shelter of my roof."
Verse 9: They said, "Step back out of the way!" They said, "This one came as an immigrant, and now he wants to be a judge. We will now deal worse with you than with them." They pushed hard against Lot, and came near to break the door.
Verse 10: The men put out their hands, and pulled Lot to them, into the house, and closed the door.
Verse 11: The men who were at the entrance of the house, they struck with blindness---young and old alike--- so that they wearied themselves trying to find the entrance.
Verse 12: The men said to Lot, "Who else do you have here--- a son-in-law, your sons, your daughters? Whoever you have in the city, bring them out of his place.
Verse 13: We are going to destroy this place, for the wailing concerning them has become great in the presence of Ad-noy; and Ad-noy has sent us to destroy it."
Verse 14: Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who had married his daughters. He said [to them], Get up! Get out of this place, for Ad-noy is going to destroy the city! He appeared as a comedian in the eyes of his sons-in-law.
Verse 15: At the break of dawn, the angels urged Lot on, saying, "Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the iniquity of the city.
Verse 16: He hesitated, and the men grabbed his hand and the hand of his wife and two daughters, for Ad-noy had pity on him. They brought him out and placed him outside the city.
Verse 17: When they were brought out [of the city], he [the angel] said, "Escape for your life! Do not look back! Do not remain anywhere in the valley. Escape to the mountain, lest you be swept away."
Verse 18: Lot said to them, "Please, not so my Master.
Verse 19: Behold your servant has found favor in Your eyes. Great is your kindness that you have done with me, to keep me alive. I cannot escape to the mountain, lest the evil attach itself to me and I die.
Verse 20: Behold, please, this city is near [enough] to flee there. It is insignificant. Let me escape there! It is insignificant, and my life will be saved."
Revi'i (Fourth Aliyah)Verse 21: He said to him, "See I have also given you consideration regarding this. I will not overturn the city that you mentioned.
Verse 22: Hurry, escape there, for I can do nothing until you get there." The city was therefore called Zoar.
Verse 23: The sun had risen upon the earth, when Lot came to Zoar.
Verse 24: Ad-noy caused to rain upon Sedom and Amorah--- sulfur and fire--- from Ad-noy, from heaven.
Verse 25: He overturned these cities, and the entire plain, and all those who lived in the cities and all that grew upon the ground.
Verse 26: His [Lot's] wife looked behind him; and she became a pillar of salt.
Verse 27: Avraham got up early in morning [to return] to the place where he had stood before the Presence of Ad-noy.
Verse 28: He [Avraham] stared at Sedom and Amorah, and the whole land of the plain, and he saw the heavy smoke rising from the earth like the smoke of a furnace.
Verse 29: When El-him destroyed the cities of the plain; El-him remembered Avraham, and He sent Lot out of the upheaval when He overturned the cities in which Lot had lived.
Verse 30: Lot went up from Zoar and lived in the mountain; and his two daughters went with him, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. He lived in a cave, he and his two daughters.
Verse 31: The older girl said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man [left] on earth who will come into us in the normal manner.
Verse 32: Come let us urge our father to drink wine, and sleep with him; that we may give life to seed [children] from our father."
Verse 33: They urged wine upon their father that night; and the older girl went in and slept with her father. He was not aware when she lay down or got up.
Verse 34: The next day, the older girl said to the younger, "Last night I slept with my father. Let us urge wine upon him tonight also, and you go in and sleep with him that we may give life to seed from our father."
Verse 35: That night also, they urged their father [to drink] wine. The younger went up and slept with him, and he was not aware when she lay down or got up.
Verse 36: Lot's two daughters became pregnant from their father.
Verse 37: The older girl gave birth to a son and she named him Moav. He is the ancestor of the Moabite nation even to this day.
Verse 38: The younger girl also gave birth to a son, and she named him Ben-Ami. He is the ancestor of the people of Ammon even to this day.

Chapter 20
Verse 1: Avraham journeyed from there to the land of the Negev, and he lived between Kadeish and Shur. He lived for a while in Gerar.
Verse 2: Avraham said regarding Sarah, his wife, "She is my sister." Avimelech, king of Gerar sent [messengers] and took Sarah.
Verse 3: El-him came to Avimelech in a dream at night, and said to him, "Behold, you shall die because of the woman you took, for she is a married woman."
Verse 4: Avimelech had not come near to her. He said, "My Master, will You also kill an innocent nation?
Verse 5: Did he not say to me, 'She is my sister?' And she also said, 'He is my brother.' With an innocent heart and clean hands I did this."
Verse 6: El-him said to him in a dream, "I also know that you did this with an innocent heart. I also prevented you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not give you the chance to touch her."
Verse 7: "Now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet. He will pray for you and you will live. If you do not return her, you should know that you will surely die--- you and all that is yours."
Verse 8: Avimelech got up early in the morning, and called all his servants. He spoke all these words in their ears, and the men were very frightened.
Verse 9: Avimelech called Avraham and said to him, "What have you done to us? What wrong did I do to you that you brought on me and upon my kingdom such a great sin? Deeds that ought not to be done, you have done to me."
Verse 10: Avimelech [then] said to Avraham, "What did you see that you did such a thing?"
Verse 11: Avraham said, "Because I said [thought] there is no fear of El-him in this place, and they will kill me [in order] to take my wife."
Verse 12: "In any case, she is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife."
Verse 13: "When El-him caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, 'this is the kindness you shall do for me. At every place we come to, say of me, 'He is my brother.' "
Verse 14: Avimelech took sheep, cattle, male and female slaves, and he gave them to Avraham. He [also] returned his wife Sarah to him.
Verse 15: Avimelech said, "Behold, my land is before you. Live wherever you see fit."
Verse 16: To Sarah, he said, "Behold I have given to your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It will be for you a [compensational] eye covering for all who are with you, that you may face every one."
Verse 17: Avraham prayed to El-him, and El-him healed Avimelech, his wife, and his female slaves, and they gave birth.
Verse 18: For Ad-noy had restrained every womb in the house of Avimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

Chapter 21
Verse 1: Ad-noy remembered Sarah as He had said, and Ad-noy did for Sarah as He had spoken.
Verse 2: She conceived and Sarah gave birth to Avraham's son in his old age, at the designated time that El-him had declared.
Verse 3: Avraham named his son that was born to him, to which Sarah had borne to him, Yitzchok.
Verse 4: Avraham circumcised his son, Yitzchok, when he was eight days old, as El-him had commanded him.
Chamishi (Fifth Aliyah)Verse 5: Avraham was one hundred years old when his son Yitzchok was born to him.
Verse 6: Sarah said, "El-him has given me laughter. All who hear will laugh with me."
Verse 7: She said, "Who would have said to Avraham, that Sarah would nurse children? For I have given birth to a son in his old age."
Verse 8: The child grew and was weaned. Avraham made a great feast on the day Yitzchok was weaned.
Verse 9: Sarah saw that the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, that she had born to Avraham, was mocking.
Verse 10: She said to Avraham, "Drive out this slave-woman and her son, for the son of this slave-woman will not inherit with my son, with Yitzchok." thing was very wrong in the eyes of Avraham, on account of his son.
Verse 12: El-him said to Avraham, "Do not consider this wrong in your eyes on account of the boy and your slave-woman. Regarding all that Sarah tells you, listen to her, for [only] through Yitzchok will seed be considered yours.
Verse 13: [But] also the son of the slave-woman I will make into a nation, for he is [of] your seed."
Verse 14: Avraham got up early in the morning. He took bread and a skin [pouch] of water, and gave it to Hagar. He placed it on her shoulder with the lad, and sent her away. She went and lost her way in the desert of Beer Sheva.
Verse 15: The water in the skin was used up, and she threw the lad under one of the bushes.
Verse 16: She went and sat facing him, about [the distance] of a bow-shot away. She said, "Let me not see the lad die." She sat facing him and wept in a loud voice.
Verse 17: El-him heard the voice of the lad. An angel of G-d called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not fear. El-him has heard the voice of the lad in the place where he is."
Verse 18: "Get up and lift up the lad. Keep your hand strong on him, for I will make him a great nation."
Verse 19: El-him opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad to drink.
Verse 20: El-him was with the lad and he grew up. He settled in the wilderness, [where] he became an expert archer.
Verse 21: He lived in the desert of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
Shishi (Sixth Aliyah)Verse 22: It was at this time, Avimelech and Pichol, his general spoke to Avraham, saying, "El-him is with you in all that you do."
Verse 23: "Now, swear to me here, by El-him, that you will not deal falsely with me, with my son, or my grandson. The kindness that I have done to you, do to me and to the land in which you lived for a while."
Verse 24: Avraham said, "I will swear."
Verse 25: Avraham then reprimanded Avimelech regarding the well of water that Avimelech's servants had taken by force.
Verse 26: Avimelech said, "I do not know who did this thing. You also never told me, and I also heard nothing of it until today."
Verse 27: Avraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Avimelech. The two of them made a covenant.
Verse 28: Avraham set seven ewes apart by themselves.
Verse 29: Avimelech said to Avraham. "What is the reason for these seven ewes that you have set apart?"
Verse 30: He [Avraham] said, "Take these seven ewes from my hand so that it will be proof for me, that I dug this well."
Verse 31: Therefore he called that place Beer Sheva, since the two had made an oath there.
Verse 32: They made a covenant in Beer Sheva. Avimelech, and Pichol, his general, then rose and returned to the land of the Philistines.
Verse 33: Avraham planted an eishel [tree] in Beer Sheva, and there he proclaimed the Name Ad-noy, Almighty of the universe.
Verse 34: Avraham lived in the land of the Philistines for many days.
Shevi'i (Seventh Aliyah)

Chapter 22
Verse 1: After these events, El-him tested Avraham and said to him, "Avraham!" and he [Avraham] said, "Here I am."
Verse 2: He said, "Please take your son, your only one, who you love---Yitzchok--- and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains which I will designate to you.
Verse 3: Avraham awoke early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took his two attendants with him, and also his son, Yitzchok. He split the wood of the burnt-offering, rose, and went to the place that El-him had designated to him.
Verse 4: On the third day, Avraham raised his eyes and saw the place from afar.
Verse 5: Avraham said to his attendants, "Remain here with the donkey and I and the lad will go to that place. We will prostrate ourselves [in worship] and return to you."
Verse 6: Avraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and placed it on his son Yitzchok. In his hand he took the fire and the knife, and they both went together.
Verse 7: Yitzchok spoke to Avraham, his father, and said, "Father," and he [Avraham] said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt-offering?"
Verse 8: Avraham said, "El-him will show the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son." And the two of them went together.
Verse 9: They came to the place that El-him had designated to him. Avraham built the altar there, and arranged the wood. He bound his son Yitzchok, and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood.
Verse 10: Avraham extended his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.
Verse 11: An angel of Ad-noy called to him from heaven and said, "Avraham, Avraham!" and he said, "Here I am."
Verse 12: He [G-d] said, "Do not touch the lad, nor do anything to [harm] him; for now I know that you are one who fears El-him and have not withheld your son, your only one, from Me."
Verse 13: Avraham looked up and beheld a ram after it had been caught in the thicket by its horns. Avraham went and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt-offering instead of his son.
Verse 14: Avraham called the name of that place, "Ad-noy will see"; as it is said [to] this day, "On Ad-noy's mountain, He will be seen."
Verse 15: An angel of Ad-noy called to Avraham, as second time, from heaven.
Verse 16: And said, " 'I have sworn by Myself,' declares Ad-noy, 'that because you performed this deed, and did not withhold your only son.
Verse 17: I will greatly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars of the sky and like the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will inherit the gate of their enemies.
Verse 18: Through your children, will be blessed all the nations of the world, because you heeded My voice.' "
Verse 19: Avraham returned to his attendants, and they rose and went together to Beer Sheva. Avraham dwelt in Beer Sheva.
MaftirVerse 20: After these events, it was told to Avraham, saying, "Behold, Milkah has also born children to Nachor, your brother."
Verse 21: Utz, his first born, Buz his brother, and Kemueil, the father of Aram.
Verse 22: [Also] Kesed, Chazo, Pildash, Yidlaf and Besueil.
Verse 23: Besueil fathered Rivkah. These eight, Milkah bore to Nachor, the brother of Avraham.
Verse 24: His concubine was named Re'umah. She also gave birth to Tevach, Gacham, Tachash and Ma'achoh.