Parsha Poem: Vayeira / וַיֵּרָא

בראשית / Bereishit / Bereishis / Genesis 18:1-22:24

Printable parsha poem here.

“Oh, no!” shrieked Yossi, “oh, no; oh, why,

Did you invite all those guests to come by?”

“Hey, yeah,” wailed Chana, from over by the shelf,

“I wanted to have my room to myself!”

“Those guests are so noisy,” complained Baila Sue,

And I really don’t like all the things that they do.

They don’t know how to sing and they eat all the food,

And I must be alone in my terrible mood!”

But Mommy just smiled and told every kid

About a great mitzvah that Avraham did.

In Parshas Vayeira, he was feeling so low

He’d just had his bris; he was taking things slow.

The day was so scorching, baked up and so hot.

Do you think he felt fine? Oh, dear…he did not.

But three strangers he spotted far off in the sand

So he quickly leapt up to give them a hand.

He ran to them, helped them and washed off their feet,

Ran back to the tent and called for some meat.

He cooked a fine meal; so did Sarah, his wife

For three guests he had waited for all of his life.

“I’ll bring bread and water,” Avraham said at first,

But he brought so much food that the men almost burst.

“Those guests weren’t just people,” the kids’ mother said,

“They were special malachim that he served his bread.”

In return for a fabulous feast – and a bun,

They gave him a brachah and promised a son.

Sarah laughed in the tent out loud when she heard,

“I’m a very old woman; it’s completely absurd!”

But Hashem did make their dreams all come true

A little son born to Sarah, and Avraham, too.

“Now what would have happened,” asked Mommy then,

“If he’d sent them away, not welcomed those men?”

“It’s true,” Chana said, “that he did the right things,

But our guests don’t usually come wearing wings!”

“You’re right,” said Mommy, “malachim aren’t here,

But Avraham taught us a lesson so clear:

Remember, he didn’t know what they were

When he leapt up to see what meal they’d prefer.

All Avraham saw from the distance so great

Was three men out walking in that day’s hot state.

His reward came for doing that mitzvah so fast,

Not leaving the chance to help them go past.”

Baila Sue sighed, “I suppose you are right;

I will try to get past this bad mood by tonight.”

And what about Yossi, the first who complained?

You’d think in the room he should have remained.

But no, you’d be wrong: little Yossi had gone

Through the door like a shot, out onto the front lawn.

But he came back so fast, before you could blink,

And he said, “I stopped and I started to think.

What would our guests like to see over supper?

So I picked some fresh flowers, a guest cheerer-upper!”

Little Yossi and Chana and small Baila Sue

May seem quite a lot or a little like you

We may not always feel like having a guest,

But inviting them home is usually best.

You could make a new friend, or learn a new song,

And invite them next time… ‘cause you want them along.

Having guests is a mitzvah and we do it ‘cause we should,

But if you do it often, you may end up feeling pretty good!

Special amazing super-duper thanks to Elisheva Chaya for the pictures once again this week!!!