Vayera

In the Torah portion Vayera we learn about the many acts of kindness of Abraham. We learn exactly what it is that Abraham discovered as a new path to G-d. After all, Abraham, himself, was not the first one who believed in G-d. We learned in the Torah portion Lech Lecha that Mai Kitzedek believed in Ellel Yon, the G-d of the most high. There was even a yeshiva which existed of Shain and Aiver. According to our tradition, we say that Jacob learned in that yeshiva. There were others who believed in the one G-d before Abraham, but the difference between Abraham and them was, how do you approach this G-d, how do you get close to this G-d? According to others, Mai Kitzedek included, you were able to get close to G-d, to feel G-d's presence, by engaging in the contemplative life, by isolating yourself from the rest of the world, by being involved in introspection and contemplation, etc. Abraham, though, found a new way to approach G-d. He said that finest way and the best way to approach G-d is through deeds of loving kindness. He is the one who said that you reach G-d the best through helping others through deeds of loving kindness.

This is illustrated even in the first sentences of this Torah portion where we learn how G-d appeared to him in the Oaks of Mamray. When he sees three strangers coming he says, "G-d, if I have found favor in Your eyes don't pass from upon Your servant." In other words, he told G-d, "Wait a minute. I have something important to do.  I have to go help three strangers." In other words, he could feel G-d's presence even better when he was helping others than even if G-d was standing right in front of him. The important thing, acceding to the way Abraham found, was to do deeds of loving kindness. This, of course, is a fundamental Jewish belief.  In the Kaballah we learn that originally everything in the universe was G-d. How did G-dcreate the universe? By contracting Himself in order to make room for the universe, but when He contracted Himself He left behind little pieces of Himself in everything, and we release these little pieces of G-d when we do deeds of loving kindness. That is the way we get close to G-d.  In the Kaballah the contraction of G-d is called "Simsoon" and reaching G-d and getting close to G-d is called "Hishpashtoot1'. Abraham was the one who showed us the way. That is why he was the first Jew. He was unique and special in his way to approach G-d.

This is illustrated even more clearly when he prays for the city of Sodom and Gomorrah, these evil cities. He bargains with G-d. He says, "G-d, perhaps there will be 50 righteous people inside the city." He then goes to 45, to 40, to 30, to 20, and to 10. If we look at this story carefully we can see there are slight differences in how G-d answers Abraham. When G-d answers Abraham's plea that if there were 50 righteous people He would not destroy the city, G-d said, "I will not destroy the city if there are 50 righteous people, and I will forgive all that place for them." Not only would He not destroy but would forgive that place. Later on when Abraham says what will happen if there are only 45, G-d does not say He will forgive but says, "I will not destroy because of the 45." Then Abraham says what if there are only 40, and G-d answers, "I will not do." It does not say what He will not do. Also for 30 He says, "I will not do if I find there." Abraham says what if there are only 20, and G-d again says, "I will not destroy," and if there are 10 He says, "I will not destroy". We believe with Abraham that we can argue with G-d, that G-d is bound by the same morality that we are, and although eventually we will understand G-d's ways, today many times it is very difficult to understand G-d's ways, and, therefore, we are able to argue with Him although we know that ultimately

G-d’s ways will be justified. We, too, cry out many times, "Will the judge of all the world not do justice?" Abraham here is trying to save the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Why did he start with 50? Because there were 5 cities, If there was a minyan in each city then G-d said not only would He not destroy the city but He would forgive the city. In other words, if you have a minyan, an organized group in a community that is working to overturn the evil of that city G-d said, "Go ahead and do it." This is the way we conceived as the main job of the Jewish people in the world is being G-d’s junior partners in creation to end evil, moral evil in the world.  It is our job to resist evil the best way we can not to submit to evil. This, of course, is different than other philosophies and religions. Perhaps this is the reason the Pope met with Waldheim because, according to his philosophy, it is not important to resist evil, especially organized society evil. We are only supposed to concentrate on the personal evil we do, and G-d will take care of the society evil. We do not believe that. We believe as Abraham that "if there are 50 righteous people in these 5 cities then we can overcome the evil. Forgive these people and these places." G-d said, "Yes, I will," because G-d said that our main purpose is to end evil in the world, not to submit to evil on a society level. In fact, Abraham, though, pleads and he says, "I will continue to speak to my Master and I am dust and ashes." Why does he say "dust and ashes"? Because he said, "It is very hard to overcome evil, G-d.  I know because Nimrod threw me in the fire and almost made me ashes, and here I had to pursue these kings to save Lot and almost became dust." And Abraham proceeds and say, "What if there are 45 people?" G-d says, "I will not destroy," but does not say He will forgive because here you have 9 people in each of the cities. You do not have an organized force, and it is very difficult for isolated individual people to effect change in a society. We see that, of course, in Russia, and that is

why Russia does not allow the Jews to organize. G-d said He would not destroy, but He will punish. He did not say He was going to forgive. When Abraham went and said 40 and 30, G-d said He would see. He does not promise that He will not destroy. He says, "I will not do." Now perhaps, Abraham is arguing, there is a minyan in a majority of the cities. Maybe there are 4 minyans, 40 people, and maybe these 4 cities can influence the other cities, or maybe there are 3 cities that have a minyan of people and these 3 cities can be redeemed and then they will redeem the other cities. G-d said He would wait and see.  "I will not do. I will accept your plea." Then when it comes to 20 and to 10, G-d says, "I will not destroy,“ again, because here it is clear that if there are 20 or 10 that they are not the majority of the cities anymore, and perhaps G-d will not wipe out all the cities, but He will certainly have to punish them. There is not the strength in one or two of the cities to overcome all the evil in all the cities, so although G-d may defer destruction, He will still have to punish them.

Here, of course, we learn a very important lesson: it is up to us to organize ourselves, to be part of an organized community because we strengthen and help each other. I always tell young married couples especially that they must join a synagogue not just for the synagogue’s benefit but for their own benefit, in order to strengthen their own ideals, in order to have the encouragement and the strength to pursue Jewish ideals. Unfortunately, when Jews break off as individuals here and individuals there they are quickly swept away and they no longer are able to withstand the blandishments of the society around them.  In order to withstand the temptations of the society around them and to make an impact on society, you have to organize. You have to have a group. You have to have a Chevra.

You have to have a group of families who are dedicated and support one another and allow each other to get the necessary moral courage to battle the alien ideas around them. When you do not have strong sense of community in Judaism, Judaism disappears and individual Jews assimilate right and left as we see today. When the sense of community disappears, then Judaism is lost. Individuals can make contributions here and there, but you need an organized structure in order to preserve the Jewish way of life-Unfortunately, there are many people today who are only interested in themselves and in making money, and they think they can withstand the blandishments themselves, but they cannot. The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was that they were always willing to take advantage of other people's weaknesses. If they would see somebody hurting they would wait to pounce on him, just as animals do in the wild where they always pounce on the wounded and hurt. They would be ready to foreclose, to hound, to hurt. They take advantage of the stranger, etc. We must always organize a community so we help each other. The basis of Judaism, of course, is "Gemilas Chasodim", and we organize to help one another to make sure we can withstand the blandishments and the temptations of the society around us and withstand all the terrible pressures that are put upon us. Unfortunately, there are many Jews who do not realize this, and some of them, too, like to take advantage of the weak and the helpless, and that is totally against the Jewish teachings. The basic Jewish teaching is kindness, and that is what Abraham stands for, and kindness can best be measured out to everyone when we organize in synagogue, when we organize into communities, when we are able to support each other morally and spiritually and financially. That is the only way we can exist and resist evil, which, of course, is what we are supposed to do. That is why G-d created us: to be His partner in creation, to resist the evil of the world and turn it into good.
I am reminded of the story of a man who was attending an elimination boxing match. At the first match Joe Blow got up and knocked his opponent to the ground, and the guy started yelling, "Knock out his teeth." An hour later in the second match Joe Blow had another opponent but this time his opponent, Sam Smith, was knocking him around and knocking him down. The man yelled, "Knock out his teeth. Knock out his teeth." A fellow standing next to him said, "What are you doing? I thought you were a fan of Joe Blow." The man said, "No, Ifm not a fan of Joe Blow. Ifm a dentist." Unfortunately, there are many people who like to take advantage of the problems of others. This is not the Jewish way. The Jewish way is to organize to help each other so that we can ameliorate problems, so we can treat each other with kindness and dignity and respect, and in this way we get close to G-d. May we all achieve this closeness to G-d.