Lot, family flee as Sodom burns image curtesy of holyuspiritspeaks.org
God tests Abraham twice. Why are
the outcomes so different?
Abraham faces two tests in this week's Torah portion (Vayera, Genesis 18:1-22:24). The first is when God clues him in on God's plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of their great wickedness. The second is when God asks him to bring his son Isaac for a sacrifice.
In the first case, Abraham repeatedly challenges God's ethics in wiping out entire cities even if there are a number of good people living there. And God agrees that if even 10 righteous people can be found, God will spare the cities. (They can't be found, so God goes ahedad and destroys them.)
In the second case, Abraham blindly follows God's instructions to take Isaac to a mountaintop, where Abraham thinks God wants him to sacrifice Isaac. How did the God-arguer become the obedient executioner (even if Isaac ultimately is spared)?
That's only one of many twists and turns in this week's reading. Please join us online at 7pm to examine them.
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UPCOMING AT NAFSHENU
-A message from Rabbi David-
Please join Nafshenu in
celebrating Shoshana Walters as she becomes a bat mitzvah
Shoshana Walters gets her first call to the Torah this Shabbat at a family event that blends her parents' Jewish and Hindu traditions. I am so excited for Shoshana, Greg, and Alamelu and their extended families.
Next Shabbat, our Nafshenu community is honoring the Walters family on Friday, November 14, with a celebratory kabbalat Shabbat service and meal. Please share the joy with them. We'll be in our regular space at Prince of Peace Church. The evening event starts at 6pm.