VAyerah: negotions

Vayerah: negotiations

One of the themes in Vayera is negotiations, both active negotiations and episodes of their notable absence ( the Akeidah).

Avraham convinces the angels to turn aside to his place.

Avraham negotiates with Gd about Sodom.

Lot convinces the angels to come to his place; Lot negotiates with the people of Sodom, including a very unsavory offer of his daughters ( do with them as you will)

Lot ( successfully [cf Avraham] ) negotiates the rescue of one of the 5 towns, Zoar.

Avimelech negotiates two contracts with Avraham: cover up for Sarah and ceding Be'er Sheva.

there is no negotiations about the expulsion of  Hagar and Ishmael. 

There is no negotiation about the binding of Yitzchok.  Has Avraham seen the futility of negotiating with Gd when Sodom was destroyed?  Is Avraham a Jewish liberal who will fight for to the death for strangers but does not attempt to save his own people from death? Never again!

 

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Pasacaglia elements

 

1. 
   
   expulsions:  paradigms: Eden; Avram from Ur
   
   
   
   
   1. 
      
      Lot from Sodom
      
      
      
      
      1. 
         
         out of a place that was like the  garden of Gd
         
         
      2. 
         
         complete with fiery furnace
      
      
   2. 
      
      Hagar and Ishmael
      
      
      
      
      1. 
         
         into the wilderness
         
         
         
         
         1. 
            
            that Israel ascends form
         
         
      2. 
         
         out of the "Eden" of Avraham's household
      
      
   3. 
      
        akeidah
      
      
      
      
      1. 
         
         lech lecha is used again
   
   
2. 
   
   Noach
   
   
   
   
   1. 
      
      Lot and his family as the sole survivors  of the destruction
      
      
   2. 
      
      subsequent drunkenness
      
      
      
      
      1. 
         
         with ill consequences for the offspring
      
      
   3. 
      
      the bow  of Ishmael ( the rainbow)

 

 

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The four "sons"

 

 In Lech Lecha and Vayera 4 potential heirs are identified and dispatched in different ways

 

1. Lot is granted whatever he wants.  He ends up becoming a Sodomite ( the Rasah?)


2. Eliezer is sent to war. ( Tom?)


3. Ishmael is left to his own devices in the wilderness ( tough love, Ayno Yodea Lishol?)


4. Yitzchok is sacrificed on the alter ... almost (Hacham?)