Weekly Message

14 November 2024

This week’s parashah, Vayera, tells the story of the destruction of S’dom, where Avraham’s nephrew Lot lived. Lot’s neighbors had besieged his home to attack Lot’s guests (who were actually angels). The angels struck the attackers blind. Then they announced to Lot that, because S’dom was so evil, they would destroy the city, and that he and his family should flee.

Lot appealed to his extended family to flee with him and save themselves. But his sons-in-law refused to take Lot seriously.

The Shem Mi-Sh’muel points out that, like the attackers, Lot’s sons-in-law were also in their own way blind. Even after they had witnessed the miracle that had saved Lot’s home and guests, they could not draw the obvious conclusion. Their lack of vision held them back.

At a spiritual level, the same is often true of us. Especially during difficult times, we become blind to the miracles that are in front of us: the miracles of life and love and beauty. Our daily struggles deaden our sense of wonder and limit our vision.

That is one reason why Shabbat is so important, particularly when the world weighs heavily upon us. Setting aside time each week to recognize the wonders that are with us all the time, to see that the world is full of God’s glory, can help to liberate our vision, and ourselves.