Parashat Vayera
וַיֵּרָא · Genesis 18:1 to 22:24, portion 4 of 12 in the book of Genesis.
Next reading
Saturday 31 October 2026
20 Cheshvan 5787
In Israel and abroad
The year after
Saturday 20 November 2027
20 Cheshvan 5788
In Israel and abroad
What happens in Vayera
Abraham welcomes three visitors who tell him that Sarah will have a son. Abraham pleads with God for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which are destroyed, and Lot escapes with his daughters. Isaac is born, Hagar and Ishmael are sent away, and Abraham makes a pact with Abimelech. The portion ends with the binding of Isaac, when Abraham is told to offer his son and an angel stops him.
וַיֵּרָא אֵלָיו ה׳ בְּאֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵא וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב פֶּתַח־הָאֹהֶל כְּחֹם הַיּוֹם
“And the LORD appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;”
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Frequently asked questions
When is Parashat Vayera read in 2026?+
On Shabbat 31 October 2026 (20 Cheshvan 5787), in Israel and in the Diaspora alike. The year after, it is read on 20 November 2027.
What is Parashat Vayera about?+
Abraham welcomes three visitors who tell him that Sarah will have a son. Abraham pleads with God for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which are destroyed, and Lot escapes with his daughters. Isaac is born, Hagar and Ishmael are sent away, and Abraham makes a pact with Abimelech. The portion ends with the binding of Isaac, when Abraham is told to offer his son and an angel stops him.