Vayera 2023 Plaut p. 132
Source Sheet by Yair Robinson
Genesis 21:1-7
(1) יהוה took note of Sarah as
promised, and יהוה did for Sarah what
had been announced. (2) Sarah
conceived and bore a son to Abraham
in his old age, at the set time of which
God had spoken. (3) Abraham gave his
newborn son, whom Sarah had borne
him, the name of Isaac. (4) And when
his son Isaac was eight days old,
Abraham circumcised him, as God had
commanded him. (5) Now Abraham
was a hundred years old when his son
Isaac was born to him. (6) Sarah said,
“God has brought me laughter;
everyone who hears will laugh with
me.” (7) And she added,
“Who would have said to Abraham
That Sarah would suckle children!
Yet I have borne a son in his old age.”
בראשית כ״א:א׳-ז׳
)א( וַַּֽיהֹוָָּ֛ה פָּקַַּ֥ ד אֶ ת־שָּ רָָּ֖ ה כַּאֲשֶֶׁ֣ר אָּ מָָּ֑ר
וַּיַַּּ֧עַּש יְהֹוָָּ֛ה לְשָּ רָָּ֖ ה כַּאֲשֶַ֥ר דִּ ב ַֽר׃ )ב(
וַּתַַּּ֩ הַּרַּ֩ וַּת ֵּ֨ לֶד שָּ רַָּּ֧ ה לְאַּ בְ רָּ הָָּ֛ם ב ָ֖ן לִּזְקֻנָָּ֑יו
לַּּמֹוע ֵ֕ ד אֲשֶ ר־דִּ בֶַ֥ר אֹתָ֖ ֹו אֱֹלהִַּֽ ים׃ )ג(
וַּיִּקְרֵָּּ֨ א אַּ בְ רָּ הָָּ֜ ם אֶַֽ ת־שֶ ם־בְ נַּ֧ ֹו הַּנַֽ ֹולַּד־לָ֛ ֹו
אֲשֶ ר־יָּלְדָּה־לַ֥ ֹו שָּ רָָּ֖ ה יִּצְ חַָּֽק׃ )ד( וַּיָָּּ֤מׇל
אַּ בְ רָּ הָּם֙ אֶ ת־יִּצְ חֶָּׁ֣ק בְ נ֔ ֹו בֶן־שְ מֹנַָּ֖ת יָּמִָּ֑ ים
כַּאֲשֶָ֛ר צִּ וַָּ֥ה אֹתָ֖ ֹו אֱֹלהִַּֽ ים׃ )ה( וְ אַּ בְ רָּ הָָּ֖ם
בֶן־מְ אַּ ֶׁ֣ת שָּ נָָּ֑ה בְ הִּ וֶָּׁ֣לֶד ל֔ ֹו א ָ֖ת יִּצְ חַָּ֥ק
בְ נַֽ ֹו׃ )ו( וַּתֶֹׁ֣ אמֶר שָּ רָּ֔ ה צְ חֵֹ֕ ק עַָּ֥שָּ ה לִָּ֖י
אֱֹלהִּ ָ֑ים כׇל־הַּשֹמ ָ֖עַּ יִַּֽצְ חַּק־לִַּֽ י׃ )ז(
וַּתֹֹּ֗ אמֶר מִָּּ֤ י מִּ ל ל֙ לְאַּ בְ רָּ הָּ֔ ם ה ינִַּ֥יקָּה
בָּנִָּ֖ים שָּ רָָּ֑ ה כִַּֽ י־יָּלַַּ֥דְ תִּ י ב ָ֖ן לִּזְקֻנַָּֽיו׃
God Remembers Sarah and blesses her and Abraham with a child in their old
age.
And Sarah makes a point of naming her son ‘laughter’ after the laughter she
expressed at the thought that she might have a child.
I was talking with an acquaintance who shared how it felt so inappropriate
to be doing well right now, a feeling that I think many of us share.
The idea that we could be doing well with our jobs, our families, our lives,
while we know what kind of suffering is happening in Israel, in Gaza.
It feels almost profane.
But our portion reminds us that it is sacred to laugh, it is a great mitzvah to
experience joy and express our joy
Even in difficult moments like this