Now I know

Weekly Torah Lesson

Parasha: VaYera – and He appeared
Torah: BeReishit 18:1 – 22:24

“9 And Avinu said to Avraham, You shall keep my covenant therefore, you, and your seed after you in their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. 11 And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you. 12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of your seed. 13 He that is born in your house, and he that is bought with your money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant. 15 And Avinu said to Avraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. 16 And I will bless her, and give you a son also of her: yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. 17 Then Avraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born to him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18 And Avraham said to Avinu, O that Yishmael might live before you! 19 And Avinu said, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son indeed; and you shall call his name Yitzak: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 20 And as for Yishmael, I have heard you: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But my covenant will I establish with Yitzak, which Sarah shall bear to you at this set time in the next year. 22 And he left off talking with him, and Avinu went up from Avraham. 23 And Avraham took Yishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Avraham’s house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as Avinu had said to him. 24 And Avraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Yishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 In the selfsame day was Avraham circumcised, and Yishmael his son. 27 And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.” (Ge 17:9-27 )

** Notice that after Avinu told Avraham what he needed to do, He “22 And he left off talking with him, and Avinu went up from Avraham”. Now Avraham was left with a choice. His response, shown by his actions, was immediate.

23 And Avraham took Yishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Avraham’s house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as Avinu had said to him. 24 And Avraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Yishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 In the selfsame day was Avraham circumcised, and Yishmael his son. 27 And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him”.

** The next day Avinu and two angels appear to Avraham. This is when Avinu says,

19 “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of Avinu, to do justice and judgment (righteousness); that Avinu may bring on Avraham that which he has spoken of him.

** Thirty eight years later we read,

“1 And it came to pass after these things, that Avinu did tempt (test) Avraham, and said to him, Avraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2 And he said, Take now your son, your only son Yitzak, whom you love, and get you into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of. 3 And Avraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Yitzak his son, and split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which Avinu had told him. 4 Then on the third day Avraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 5 And Avraham said to his young men, Abide you here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6 And Avraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Yitzak his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. 7 And Yitzak spoke to Avraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Avraham said, My son, Avinu will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. 9 And they came to the place which Avinu had told him of; and Avraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Yitzak his son, and laid him on the altar on the wood. 10 And Avraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 11 And the angel of the AVINU called to him out of heaven, and said, Avraham, Avraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not your hand on the lad, neither do you any thing to him: for now I know that you fear Avinu, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son from me.” (Ge 22:1-12 )

** It’s not clear whether Avinu appeared to Avraham in a dream or the way that He appeared to him in chapter 17. Once again Avraham is faced with a choice. Once again his response is swift and decisive.

3 And Avraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Yitzak his son, and split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which Avinu had told him.

** Three days later Avraham puts Yitzak on the altar and tries to fulfill Avinu’s command. The response from Avinu is quick. “ 11 And the angel of AVINU called to him out of heaven, and said, Avraham, Avraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not your hand on the lad, neither do you any thing to him: for now I know that you fear Avinu, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son from me.”

** Avinu knows Avraham by what he did when commanded. We believe that Avinu knows us. I wonder what Avinu or how Avinu knows me. I would like to think that He finds me to be “faithful” to His will but that is His judgment.

Here is something to consider:

“21 Not every one that said to me, Master, Master, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Master, Master, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work lawlessness.” (Mt 7:21-23 )