Vayera

Three men came to Avraham in his tent. One told Avraham than he and Sarah would have son. Sarah heard this, and laughed in disbelief that she could bear a child at her advanced age.

God wants to know whether or not the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are still so sinful that they will be destroyed. Abraham argues with God, pleading for mercy for the sake of even 10 innocent people that may live there.

Two "malachim" (angels? messengers?) came to Sodom, and Lot invited them to his house. All men of Sodom circled Lot's house and demanded that he turn them over to him so they might "know him" (in the Biblical sense). The malachim told Lot to take his wife and daughters and flee for their lives and don't look back. God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah with brimstone and fire. Lot's wife looks back and became a pillar of salt.

Thinking no men were left on earth, Lot's daughters, on two successive nights, got their father drunk, lay with him and conceived a son by him.

While traveling, Avraham once again has Sarah pose as his sister. When King Avimelech of Gerar has Sarah brought to him. God comes to Avimelech in a dream. God understands that Avimelech did not know that Sarah was married to Avraham, a prophet. But now Sarah must be returned to Avraham. Avimelech released Sarah back to Avraham, along with sheep, oxen, slaves, and 1,000 pieces of silver.

Sarah gives birth to Yitzchak. Sarah has concerns about Ishmael, Hagar's son, and tells Avraham to send both of them away. Left alone in the wilderness, a malach (angel? messenger?) of God tells her not to be afraid, that a great nation will come from Ishmael.

Avraham rebukes Avimelech over a well that his servants had seized. This was the first Avimelech had heard of this. Avraham and Avimelech make a oath to each other, agreeing that the well dug at that place--called Be'er Sheva--was Avraham's well.

God tells Avraham to take Yitzchak to Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice. Avraham takes Yitzchak up the mountain. Avraham builds the sacrificial site, bound Yitzchak and lays him on top of the wood. As Avraham takes the knife to slay his son, a malach of God calls to him, telling him not to harm Yitzchak--it is now known that Avraham is in awe of God. Avraham sees a ram caught by it's horns, and offers it up as a sacrifice instead. Through the malach, God once again states Avraham's blessing, that his descendants will be "numerous as the stars of heaven and the sands on the seashore."

The parsha ends with the lineage of Nahor, Avraham's brother through both is wife Milcah and his concubine, Re'umah. Rifkah is the granddaughter of Nahor and Milcah.