Vayera
In the Torah portion Vayera we learn how Abraham pleads with G-d for
the cities of Sodom and Gemorrah. He bargains with G-d starting
with 50 righteous people to be found in these cities ending with 10.
There are not even 10 and the cities are to be destroyed. Many people
have criticized the Jewish people and Abraham for this. Many
anti-Semites have used this incident to defame the Jewish people. This
incident, which showed the humanity of Abraham and his descendants, has
been used to smear us. Some have said that Abraham had no right
questioning G-d. When G-d told him that He was going to destroy the
cities Abraham should have just accepted it in quiet resignation. By
protesting he challenged G-d, an
impious act. We Jews, though, have never been called upon by our
religion to forsake truth and integrity. There are many things in
life we do not understand and we are bidden to
challenge even G-d. Ultimately, we must accept what G-d has done, but
this does not mean we cannot question or challenge. Others have said
that Abraham, by bargaining, showed no character and was engaged in a
demeaning activity. We do not believe that bargaining is a demeaning
activity. In life many times the optimum cannot be reached, but
that does not mean that we should not persevere. Solutions do not have
to be perfect in order to be worked for. All we are called upon is to
try to do our best. If we look carefully at the text we will see that
there are certain problems with it. When Abraham starts out he said,
"Will You not forgive the place if there are found 50 righteous people
in its midst?“. G-d answered, "If I will find 50 righteous in the midst
of the city I will forgive". Abraham then approached again and he says,
"I am dust and ashes. Perhaps there will be lacking 5. Will You destroy
because of 5 all the city?" and G-d said, "I will not destroy if I will
find 45". Abraham persists and he said, "Perhaps there will be found
40" and G-d said, "I will not do on account of the 40". Abraham then
said, "Perhaps there will be 30" and G-d said again, "I will not do if
I find 30". Then Abraham said, "Perhaps there will only be 20" and G-d
said, "I will not destroy on account of the 20". Then Abraham says,
"What if there will be found 10?" and G-d said, "I will not destroy on
account of the 10". If we look carefully at the text we will see
that G-d says He will forgive for 50, but He will not destroy for 45,
20, and 10, and He says, "I will not do" for 30 and 40. Why this
difference in language, and why does Abraham say, "I am dust and
ashes."? According to the Torah there were 5 cities that were to be
destroyed. Abraham asked for 50 in the beginning because that meant
there would be a minyon in every city. The cities, themselves, produce
a counterculture which might eventually clear them. It says that
they are "B" Torah Ha'eer" "in the midst of the city". They are an
active group. G-d would forgive the cities because there are active
groups within it to purify it. When we come to the number 45 G-d said,
"I will not destroy", but He also did not say He would forgive. The
number 45 means that there are only 9 people in each city. There is not
a sub-generating group. They are isolated righteous people. Perhaps
they will be able to generate the city and perhaps they will not. G-d
will not destroy the city but He may punish it so that these righteous
could get together and bring others to them and form active groups to
purify the city. The number 40 and 30 means that in 4 of the cities or
3 of the cities there are active groups. In the majority of the
cities there are groups which could regenerate the cities. G-d said, "I
will not do". I will wait and see. Will these forces spread to the
other cities? Will they have the desired effect of regenerating the
cities? On the number 20 and 10 G-d said He will not destroy. They are
a minority. They are only 2 or 1 minyon for the 5 cities. They will not
be able to regenerate the city but G-d will not destroy the, cities. He
may, though, punish them so that others will join them and the cities
can be regenerated. When Abraham first asks G-d he does not mention he
is dust and ashes because he is talking about righteous in the midst of
the city, people who take an active interest in each city. When he
drops down to the number 45 he is talking about isolated individuals.
He then says, "I am dust and ashes. Remember, G-d, I am not asking this
because I believe people should not be activie in the city* I was
always active. I was almost made dust when I fought against the kings
and I was almost made ashes when I was thrown in Nimrodfs furnace." But
isolated individuals can eventually form a community. We know that
religion plays 3 major roles in a person's life. Religion gives us
goals and values. It also gives us the strength to overcome our
problems for it allows us to create institutions which fight for
morality and compassion in society. Abraham was the epitome of all
three aspects of religion. He, himself, at the beginning of this Torah
portion was concerned about guests and other people. He had the correct
values. He also had the strength to overcome life's problems which is
symbolized by the circumcision which he had just undergone. He was also
interested in society, bettering other people through his intervention
in Sodom and Gemorrah. All too often we find that many religious people
are only interested in abstract values or the personal comfort religion
can give, but not in seeing that society is just and regenerates
itself. We Jews have been an internal people because we have always had
groups and individuals within ourselves who have forced us to come back
to correct morals and ideals. Being Jews is not just reading the Torah
or davening nice. It also entails honesty and integrity. Lot's wife was
turned into a pillar of salt because she was only interested in
secondary things. Salt is secondary to the bread. She was only
interested in form but not in integrity and honesty and really helping
people. In fact, sometimes when she helped people she hurt them. She
would give the poor salt but not bread. I once had a student who said,
"What's all this about Lot's wife looking back and turning into a
pillar of salt? My uncle was driving a truck and looked back and turned
into a telephone' pole." Unless there is honesty, integrity, and
sincerity our religion turns us all into pursuers of secondary things
and it will not save us from destruction. If, however, we are in the
midst of the city we will be assured G-d's help and we will continue
forever. Amen.In the Torah portion Vayera we learn how Abraham pleads
with G-d for the cities of Sodom and Gemorrah. He bargains with
G-d starting with 50 righteous people to be found in these cities
ending with 10. There are not even 10 and the cities are to be
destroyed. Many people have criticized the Jewish people and Abraham
for this. Many anti-Semites have used this incident to defame the
Jewish people. This incident, which showed the humanity of Abraham and
his descendants, has been used to smear us. Some have said that Abraham
had no right questioning G-d. When G-d told him that He was going to
destroy the cities Abraham should have just accepted it in quiet
resignation. By protesting he challenged G-d, an
impious act. We Jews, though, have never been called upon by our
religion to forsake truth and integrity. There are many things in
life we do not understand and we are bidden to
challenge even G-d. Ultimately, we must accept what G-d has done, but
this does not mean we cannot question or challenge. Others have said
that Abraham, by bargaining, showed no character and was engaged in a
demeaning activity. We do not believe that bargaining is a demeaning
activity. In life many times the optimum cannot be reached, but
that does not mean that we should not persevere. Solutions do not have
to be perfect in order to be worked for. All we are called upon is to
try to do our best. If we look carefully at the text we will see that
there are certain problems with it. When Abraham starts out he said,
"Will You not forgive the place if there are found 50 righteous people
in its midst?“. G-d answered, "If I will find 50 righteous in the midst
of the city I will forgive". Abraham then approached again and he says,
"I am dust and ashes. Perhaps there will be lacking 5. Will You destroy
because of 5 all the city?" and G-d said, "I will not destroy if I will
find 45". Abraham persists and he said, "Perhaps there will be found
40" and G-d said, "I will not do on account of the 40". Abraham then
said, "Perhaps there will be 30" and G-d said again, "I will not do if
I find 30". Then Abraham said, "Perhaps there will only be 20" and G-d
said, "I will not destroy on account of the 20". Then Abraham says,
"What if there will be found 10?" and G-d said, "I will not destroy on
account of the 10". If we look carefully at the text we will see
that G-d says He will forgive for 50, but He will not destroy for 45,
20, and 10, and He says, "I will not do" for 30 and 40. Why this
difference in language, and why does Abraham say, "I am dust and
ashes."? According to the Torah there were 5 cities that were to be
destroyed. Abraham asked for 50 in the beginning because that meant
there would be a minyon in every city. The cities, themselves, produce
a counterculture which might eventually clear them. It says that
they are "B" Torah Ha'eer" "in the midst of the city". They are an
active group. G-d would forgive the cities because there are active
groups within it to purify it. When we come to the number 45 G-d said,
"I will not destroy", but He also did not say He would forgive. The
number 45 means that there are only 9 people in each city. There is not
a sub-generating group. They are isolated righteous people. Perhaps
they will be able to generate the city and perhaps they will not. G-d
will not destroy the city but He may punish it so that these righteous
could get together and bring others to them and form active groups to
purify the city. The number 40 and 30 means that in 4 of the cities or
3 of the cities there are active groups. In the majority of the
cities there are groups which could regenerate the cities. G-d said, "I
will not do". I will wait and see. Will these forces spread to the
other cities? Will they have the desired effect of regenerating the
cities? On the number 20 and 10 G-d said He will not destroy. They are
a minority. They are only 2 or 1 minyon for the 5 cities. They will not
be able to regenerate the city but G-d will not destroy the, cities. He
may, though, punish them so that others will join them and the cities
can be regenerated. When Abraham first asks G-d he does not mention he
is dust and ashes because he is talking about righteous in the midst of
the city, people who take an active interest in each city. When he
drops down to the number 45 he is talking about isolated individuals.
He then says, "I am dust and ashes. Remember, G-d, I am not asking this
because I believe people should not be activie in the city* I was
always active. I was almost made dust when I fought against the kings
and I was almost made ashes when I was thrown in Nimrodfs furnace." But
isolated individuals can eventually form a community. We know that
religion plays 3 major roles in a person's life. Religion gives us
goals and values. It also gives us the strength to overcome our
problems for it allows us to create institutions which fight for
morality and compassion in society. Abraham was the epitome of all
three aspects of religion. He, himself, at the beginning of this Torah
portion was concerned about guests and other people. He had the correct
values. He also had the strength to overcome life's problems which is
symbolized by the circumcision which he had just undergone. He was also
interested in society, bettering other people through his intervention
in Sodom and Gemorrah. All too often we find that many religious people
are only interested in abstract values or the personal comfort religion
can give, but not in seeing that society is just and regenerates
itself. We Jews have been an internal people because we have always had
groups and individuals within ourselves who have forced us to come back
to correct morals and ideals. Being Jews is not just reading the Torah
or davening nice. It also entails honesty and integrity. Lot's wife was
turned into a pillar of salt because she was only interested in
secondary things. Salt is secondary to the bread. She was only
interested in form but not in integrity and honesty and really helping
people. In fact, sometimes when she helped people she hurt them. She
would give the poor salt but not bread. I once had a student who said,
"What's all this about Lot's wife looking back and turning into a
pillar of salt? My uncle was driving a truck and looked back and turned
into a telephone' pole." Unless there is honesty, integrity, and
sincerity our religion turns us all into pursuers of secondary things
and it will not save us from destruction. If, however, we are in the
midst of the city we will be assured G-d's help and we will continue
forever. Amen.