OU TORAH YU TORAH and NAALEH.COM Vayeira: Earthly Existence By Mrs. Shira Smiles
Click here for audio.Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein
One of the most unforgettable events on Parshat Vayera is the destruction of Sodom. Equally important is Hashem’s decision to inform Avraham Avinu of this intention coupled with Avraham’s response to this information. Avraham immediately goes into his chesed mode, praying for the salvation of Sodom, and for Hashem to practice mercy toward the city and the inhabitants of the entire area. Avraham approaches Hashem with humility, describing himself as merely afar vaefer/dust and ashes. What is the significance of this phrase and how does it relate to its reward, for the Gemarrah in Chulin tells us that Hashem rewarded Avraham with two mitzvoth for his descendents, the mitzvah of parah adumah/the red heifer and the mitzvah of isha sotah/the wayward wife. The mitzvah of the parah adumah involves slaughtering and burning a completely red heifer, and using its ashes in the process to purify someone contaminated by coming in contact with death. The mitzvah of sotah is the ritual process through which a wife suspected of infidelity is proven innocent (hopefully), brought back to her husband’s home, and blessed with children. In this ritual, the woman drinks water mixed with the dust of the Beit Hamikdosh, and this holy dust interacts with her digestive system, positively or negatively, determining her status.Naaleh.com video from OU TORAH.
Click here for audio.Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein
One of the most unforgettable events on Parshat Vayera is the destruction of Sodom. Equally important is Hashem’s decision to inform Avraham Avinu of this intention coupled with Avraham’s response to this information. Avraham immediately goes into his chesed mode, praying for the salvation of Sodom, and for Hashem to practice mercy toward the city and the inhabitants of the entire area. Avraham approaches Hashem with humility, describing himself as merely afar vaefer/dust and ashes. What is the significance of this phrase and how does it relate to its reward, for the Gemarrah in Chulin tells us that Hashem rewarded Avraham with two mitzvoth for his descendents, the mitzvah of parah adumah/the red heifer and the mitzvah of isha sotah/the wayward wife. The mitzvah of the parah adumah involves slaughtering and burning a completely red heifer, and using its ashes in the process to purify someone contaminated by coming in contact with death. The mitzvah of sotah is the ritual process through which a wife suspected of infidelity is proven innocent (hopefully), brought back to her husband’s home, and blessed with children. In this ritual, the woman drinks water mixed with the dust of the Beit Hamikdosh, and this holy dust interacts with her digestive system, positively or negatively, determining her status.Naaleh.com video from OU TORAH.
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