We see in the Torah portion Vayera (Gen18-22) major themes of salvation. The portion ends with the Akeda, the sacrifice of Isaac, on Mount Moriah or the Temple Mount and the site of todays Dome of the Rock. The story of Isaac begins with the LORD announcing to Abraham and Sarah the promise of the birth of the son of the covenant to parents beyond the age of conception. The analogy of the virgin birth is revealed. Gen18:14 "Is anything too hard for the LORD?". The portion then details Abraham's audacious stand for justice and his bargaining with God for Sodom and Gomorrah. Gen 18:23-25 "Will Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?... shall not the Judge of all the earth do justly?". Abraham's stand reveals the patriarch's absolute conviction that the infinite might of God must be controlled by the decrees of Justice and an unjust God would be a contradiction in terms. After the birth of Isaac, we see that Sarah tells Abraham to Gen 21:10 "Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac." This grieves Abraham and we discuss these issues. Finally, we see father Abraham and Isaac his heir at the age of a young man, not a child, both walk in obedience towards offering Isaac as a burnt offering unto the LORD. Isaac carries the wood for the burnt offering, and asks his father Gen22:7-8 "'My father.' And he said: Here am I,my son.' And he said: 'Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?' And Abraham said: 'God will provide Himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.'" Gen 22 16-18: "and the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said 'By Myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast hearkened to My voice.'"
