The name of this week’s portion, Vayera — “He appeared”, reminds us that seeing and being seen are sacred acts. Abraham looks up and sees three strangers, and in that moment of hospitality, God appears to him. Later, Hagar, alone and desperate in the wilderness, discovers that even in exile, God sees her. And at the end, on Mount Moriah, Abraham names the place “Adonai-yireh” — “God will see,” recognizing that divine vision accompanies him even in moments of terror and testing. To see another human being fully — their pain, their dignity, their image of God — is to bring holiness into the world. When we practice that kind of vision, when we allow ourselves to be both the seer and the seen, revelation continues. That is how God still appears. ​​​​​​​ Check out my new Blog "October 8th – Faith, Resilience, and the Day After" at https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/author/jay-m-stein/
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