Review of Vayera

· Three days after performing a bris mila on himself, Avraham was sitting outside of his tent hoping for guests. He was visited by Hashem who came to visit him because he was sick and also to tell him about Sodom. While he was speaking with Hashem three malachim appeared in human form (One looked like a desert nomad, the other like a grain merchant and the third like a sailor). Avraham stopped talking to Hashem and rushed to be מכניס אורחים by bringing them into his tent. All this even though it was the third day is the most painful time after the operation.
· One of the Malachim said that Sara would have a child within the next year and Sara laughed. Hashem told Avraham that it was wrong of Sara to laugh - Hashem can do anything.
· Hashem revealed to Avraham that He was going to destroy Sodom and Avraham pleaded for Sodom to be spared. Even though Avraham was trying to teach the whole world about Hashem and the people of Sodom were his worst enemies, he still stuck up for them.
· Hashem "agreed" that if there are fifty Tzadikim in Sodom He will not destroy it, but not even ten could be found. Avraham tried to "bargain" with Hashem but he only succeeded in sparing Lot and his family.
· Avraham went to Lot with two Malachim and they were invited to Lot's house. This was illegal, and soon there was an angry mob at the door. Nobody stuck up for the guests and Lot. The Malachim struck everyone with blindness and confusion and escaped with Lot, his wife and two daughters just before sulfur and fire began to rain down on Sodom and the neighboring cities. Lot's son in laws could have come too, but they just laughed. The malachim warned everyone not to look back, but Lot's wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt. Even today the Sodom area is very salty, and the Yam Hamelach is the saltiest sea in the world. Some people say that they know where the pillar of salt is, and there is a special Bracha to say when you see it.
· Lot did not want to live with Avraham so he escaped to a tiny cave near Sodom. Lot's daughters were afraid that now that everything was destroyed they would not have anyone to marry. They decided to get their father drunk and marry him. The older daughter, had a son Moav, and the younger one had a son, Ammon.
· Avraham moved to Gerar where Avimelech kidnapped Sara, thinking that she was Avraham's sister. Everyone in his palace was afflicted with a strange illness. Hashem came to Avimelech in a dream, and told him that Sarah was married to Avraham. Avimelech released Sara and begged Avraham for forgiveness. Avraham forgave Avimelech and davened for him to be healed. Avimelech gave Avraham many gifts.
· As promised, a son, Yitzchak, was born to Sara and Avraham. On the eighth day after the birth, Avraham gave him a bris as Hashem had commanded him. Avraham made a big feast the day Yitzchak turned three.
· In the meantime Yishmael was doing all sorts of violent and despicable Aveiros. Whenever Sara complained he said, "It was just a game". Sara told Avraham to send away Hagar and her son Yishmael because she saw that he was a bad influence for Yitzchak. Avraham was upset about this, but Hashem told him to listen to whatever Sara tells him to do.
· In the desert, Yishmael nearly died of thirst and fever, but was rescued by a Malach. Hashem promised that he would be the father of a mighty nation.
· Avimelech entered into a partnership with Avraham when he saw that Hashem was always with him.
· In the tenth and final test Hashem instructed Avraham to take Yitzchak, who was 37, and to bring him as a Korban. Avraham did this, even though it meant that he would have no Jewish nation. At the last second, Hashem sent a malach to stop Avraham. Because of Avraham's unquestioning obedience, Hashem promised him that even if the Jewish People do Aveiros, they would never be completely destroyed by their enemies.