Parashat Vayeira (And He Appeared)
Beresheet (Genesis) 18:1 – 22:24
Haftarah: II Kings 4:1-37

As I was reading Genesis 18, I was struck by the very special relationship between God and Abraham. Genesis 18:1-3 opens with the Lord Himself coming to Abraham—not only visiting him but even entering Abraham’s tent to share a meal:

Now the Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. When he raised his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed down to the ground, and said, “My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by.”
Genesis 18:1-3

God chose Abraham for a unique role, setting him apart as the one through whom all nations of the earth would be blessed. This special choice, and the covenant God established with Abraham, was meant not only for Abraham but for a specific people through him.

In Genesis 18:10-11, we see God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah—a promise that defied human logic because of their advanced age:

He said, ‘I will certainly return to you at this time next year; and behold, your wife Sarah will have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing.
Genesis 18:10-11

The story continues in Genesis 18:16-19, where Abraham walks with his honored guests to see them off. Here, the Lord asks an intriguing question: “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” This question reflects the depth of their relationship. Because God had chosen Abraham, He considered whether to share His plans for Sodom with him:

Then the men rose up from there and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off. The Lord said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, since Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed? For I have known him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.’
Genesis 18:16-19

The Hebrew word in verse 19, often translated as “chosen,” is “יְדַעְתִּ֗יו” (“Yadativ”), which can be better understood as “I have known him and observed him.” This suggests a personal knowledge, indicating that God’s choice of Abraham was rooted in an intimate understanding of him.

Genesis 18:19 clarifies the purpose of this revelation and relationship: "so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice.” God chose Abraham not just to receive blessings and a covenant, but also to entrust to him and his descendants the mission of walking in God’s ways, practicing righteousness and justice.

In the Haftarah (II Kings 4:8-37), we read about the prophet Elisha, who also had a profound relationship with God. When Elisha went to Shunem, a woman who recognized him as a man of God offered him food and even built him a small room to rest. In gratitude, Elisha prophesied that she would bear a son, despite her barrenness, and she did. However, the child tragically died, and in her grief, the woman sought Elisha. When Gehazi, Elisha's servant, tried to stop her, Elisha replied:

Leave her alone, for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has concealed it from me and has not informed me.
II Kings 4:27

In this moment, we see that God did not reveal everything to Elisha. Instead, God chose to ultimately show His power through the miraculous resurrection of the woman’s son.

This contrast between Abraham and Elisha’s stories highlights a key theme: God reveals His plans selectively, sometimes sharing them with His chosen servants and sometimes withholding them to later display His power.

In choosing Abraham, God revealed His plans so Abraham could live and teach others in God’s ways, carrying out righteousness and justice. In the case of Elisha, God initially concealed His intentions, eventually revealing His power through the resurrection of the child. In both cases, God ultimately glorified Himself, which is precisely the point.

God calls us, too, to honor Him by doing His will on earth. If God reveals His plans to us, it is so that we may walk in His ways and make our lives about Him rather than ourselves. If He does not, it may be because He intends to reveal His power through our trust in Him. Either way, we are here for His glory and to make Him known to all the earth!

Shabbat Shalom,
Moran