Perashat Vayera 5776

Perashat Vayera 5776

We read in Perashat Vayera about the demise of Sedom and A’morah. These two cities have become throughout history the paradigm of inequity and injustice; a place where acts of loving-kindness were condemned and penalized. The end of Sedom and A’morah was punctuated with fire and brimstone, salt and sulfur. No one living in their vicinity and who knew about them cared much about Sedom and A’morah’s destruction. 

No one, that is, except Abraham. 

Prior to destroying Sedom and A’morah, G-d decided to inform Abraham about what was He going to do the the two cities. The reason given by G-d as to why he was informing Abraham was, “… for I know him, he will command his children and his household after him that they keep the way of Hashem, doing charity and justice…”

Just as G-d informed Abraham that He is about to destroy Sedom and A’morah, Abraham immediately tried to call upon G-d’s sense of Justice by asking G-d, “Will You wipe out the righteous along with the wicked?” Abraham’s prayer was twofold; He argued that the attribute of Justice must be tempered by Mercy, so that if there were at least 10 truly righteous people, that should be sufficient to spare the entire city.  Barring that, Abraham asked, that in the very least, the righteous people themselves should be saved. Abraham feared that present and future generations would lose faith in the fairness of G-d’s justice if they perceived that G-d had inflicted equal suffering on both the righteous and the wicked. Abraham, felt that if there was a nucleus of at least 10 good people in a city, there was hope that they could influence the others by their teaching and example. 

Knowing Abraham’s character of mercy and justice, and that he will teach his descendants to exercise Justice tempered with Mercy, G-d, informed him that He was about to destroy Sedom and A’morah. Abraham therefore, proceeded to defend the inhabitants and to try to find a way to spare the cities and their inhabitant from utter destruction.  

Indeed, we the Jewish People, the descendants of Abraham, are imbued with that sense of Justice tempered with Mercy. Throughout our history, when we were attacked and persecuted, we always responded with mercy against our attackers and tempered our reaction with fair and moral justice. As our enemies continue to attack and persecute us with impunity, we remain steadfast as the children of Abraham, acting with tempered Justice and Mercy. 

Throughout its 68 year old history, the State of Israel has responded to provocations, attacks, wars and terrorism with a tempered sense of justice and a lot of mercy. Yet, our enemies are as cruel as they come; killing and maiming innocent men, women and children. They cry foul and the nations of the world castigate Israel for defending itself. Those same nations, respond to attacks on their territory or people, even 60,000 miles away, with savage vengeance and utter might. No consideration of justice, let alone mercy!  And yet, they have the audacity to chastise Israel for its limited and tempered response – which spares some not-so-innocent lives - despite a greater danger to its own population and soldiers. 

Shame on all those nations and people who discriminate against the only nation that G-d Himself has testified that they, “keep the way of Hashem, doing charity and justice…”! They will certainly be called to justice for their double standard against Israel and the Jewish People. 

I can rarely find some nice words to say about Hollywood actors, but this week, over 200 of them finally found their sense of Justice and righteousness by signing a letter in support of Israel and its defense. I commend Jon Voight who spearheaded the campaign to drown the voices of injustice and support of terror organizations. Maybe, there is a glimpse of hope and a glimmer of light in a world full of darkness. 

That is what Abraham was; a beacon of light in a dark era, much as Israel and the Jewish people have been throughout history, and are today. 

May Hashem, continue keeping His covenant with us, as He promised our forefather Abraham, “And Abraham, is surely to become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the Earth shall be blessed by him”