20 Cheshvan 5781
November 7, 2020

Parashat Vayera
“And He Appeared”

Here are the Torah, Haftarah and suggested Brit Chadasha (New Testament) and Tehillim (Psalms) readings for this week.

• Genesis 18:1-22:24
• 2 Kings 4:1-37 (A)
• 2 Kings 4:1-23 (S)
• Luke 1:26-38; 24:36-53
• Psalm 11

The seven aliyot readings from the Torah begin at these verses:

1. Genesis 18:1
2. Genesis 18:15
3. Genesis 19:1
4. Genesis 19:21
5. Genesis 21:5
6. Genesis 21:22
7. Genesis 22:1

Maftir: Genesis 22:20

Adonai examines the righteous. But the wicked and one loving violence His soul hates. On the wicked He will rain down fire, brimstone and scorching wind as the portion of their cup! For Adonai is righteous—He loves justice. The upright will see His face.
(Psalm 11:5-7 TLV)

In Vayera

The Key People include 3 angels, Avraham (Abraham), Sarah, Lot, Avimelech (Abimelech), Yitzchak (Isaac), Hagar, Yishma’el (Ishmael), and the descendants of Nachor (Nahor).

The Scenes include the trees of Mamre in Chevron (Hebron), S’dom (Sodom) and ‘Amorah (Gomorrah), Tso’ar (Zoar), the Negev, G’rar (Gerar), B’er Shava (Beersheba), Desert of paran, and Moriah.

The Main Events include the angel’s visit, promise of a son, Sarah’s laugh, S’dom destroyed, the sister deception part two, Yitzchak born, Hagar and son cast out, treaty, binding of Yitzchak, and God’s provision of the ram.

Then He said, “I will most surely return to you in about a year’s time, surprisingly, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind Him.
(Genesis 18:10 TLV)

The Haftarah

Then he said, “At this season next year, you will be embracing a son.” But she said, “No, my lord, do not lie to your handmaid, man of God.” Nevertheless, the woman conceived and bore a son during that season the following year, just as Elisha had told her.
(2 Kings 4:16-17 TLV)

The Brit Chadasha

Miriam said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am not intimate with a man?” And responding, the angel said to her, “The Ruach ha-Kodesh will come upon you, and the power of Elyon will overshadow you. Therefore, the Holy One being born will be called Ben-Elohim.
(Luke 1:34-35 TLV)

Torah Portion readings and the associated Haftarah readings generally follow the Stone Edition Chumash and/or the Complete Jewish Bible. Verse numbering generally follows the Hebrew tradition, and where modern Christian traditions differ those verse numbers are shown in parentheses (). Haftarah readings generally follow the Ashkenazi tradition. Where the Sephardic tradition differs, the Haftarah portions are designated as (A) and (S). Suggested New Testament readings are taken from various sources. Suggested Psalm readings are from the Messianic Siddur for Shabbat by Daniel Perek. The Key People, The Scenes, and The Main Events are taken from the Walk! series of Messianic Devotion Commentaries by Dr. Jeffrey Enoch Feinberg. Scripture taken from the Tree of Life Version (TLV) © 2015 by the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society. Used by permission of the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.