TORAH PORTION
Deciding How To
Treat Strangers
Protecting You From the "What if"?
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Parshat Vayera: Genesis 18:1-22:24;
ll Kings 4:1 37.
-
I
This strange mixture of moral
n this week's Torah portion,
standards reflected in the behavior
Vayera, we are told of Abraham's
of Lot is further demonstrated by his
hospitality extended to the three
"strangers" (Genesis 18:1-8), in contrast descendants and the relationship with
them that the Torah man-
to the treatment of these
dates for the Jewish People.
"strangers" in the wicked
In Deuteronomy (2:9-22),
city of Sodom (19:4-11).
the Torah forbids the invad-
In fact, a major theme
ing Jewish People "to be
of the Book of Genesis is
enemies and war against"
the continual violation of
both Moav and Amon (the
strangers: Abraham and
nations of which Lot is the
Sarah in Egypt (12:11-20)
progenitor), because "to
and Gror (20:1-14); Isaac
the sons of Lot these lands
and Rebecca in Gror (26:6-
were given."
11); and the abduction
Rabbi Eliezer
While later it states
and rape of Dinah, Jacob's
Coh en
(Deuteronomy 23:4-7): "The
daughter (34:1-31).
Amorite or Moabite shall
These events emphasize
not marry into the congregation of the
the difference between the cultures
surrounding them and the behavior of Lord (the Jewish People) even to the
10th generation ... because they did
Abraham and his family. (Abraham's
not hurry to bring you food and water
slave makes "treating the stranger
on the way when you left Egypt ...
well" the sole "test" for finding a suit-
Do not seek their welfare nor good for
able wife for Isaac [24:14].)
them all your days forever."
In fact, according to the Talmud
Apparently Lot's descendants
(Baba Metzia 59b), the obligation to
were spurned specifically for their
care for strangers is stated in no less
lack of hospitality to the Jewish
than 36 (or 46, according to another
People. (Ironically, the next verse
opinion) places in the Torah. Indeed,
(Deuteronomy 22:8) states: "... do not
there is a specific commandment to
hate the Egyptian because you were
the Jewish People "to love the stranger
a stranger in his land.") The negative
as yourself" (Leviticus 19:34).
influences had eradicated even this
This brings us to Lot, Abraham's
trait from Lot's descendants.
nephew and companion until he leaves
Lot made the choice to accompany
Abraham and chooses to live near
Abraham to Canaan, then to Egypt
Sodom because "the valley was fertile"
and back to Canaan (Genesis 12:4,5;
(Genesis 13:10-12), even though "the
13:1,5). He lived in Abraham's com-
men of Sodom were evil and sinned
munity for a considerable time and
exceedingly against God" (13:13).
was influenced by him. Ultimately,
Lot also demonstrates hospitality
though, his desire to live in the fertile
to the "strangers:' even to the point of
valley and in Sodom proved to be
jeopardizing his own safety in Sodom
his undoing and certainly that of his
(19:1-11). But his and his family's
priorities and sense of morality are far descendants. The priorities we have
and the choices we then make cer-
from those of Abraham.
tainly have long-lasting consequences
Lot chose to live in Sodom and
for ourselves and our progeny. ❑
apparently has been influenced by his
neighbors and their "culture" as much
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Or Chadash of
as by Abraham. He offers his virgin
Oak Park/Huntington Woods.
daughters to the men of Sodom (19:8),
and after being rescued from Sodom,
Conversations
he does not rejoin Abraham (who he
What considerations determine
surely knows was not "punished").
our own decisions? How do they
Instead, he opts first to remain in a city
affect our families? Upon what
associated with Sodom (19:30) and
basis do we set our priorities?
then a cave, where his daughters and he
(it seems unwittingly) engage in incest.
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October 21 • 2010
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