Vayeira 5773: Visions and Reality - The Power of Ten

For more than 50 years the Giants winning the World Series was merely a vision – and now twice in the last three years – that vision has become a reality.  

This week’s parshah, Vayeira, is about visions and reality. It begins with a vision appearing to Abraham and Sarah – the vision of having a child although they are very very old.  And it ends with a vision of Yitzhak rescued by a ram in the thicket.  And in between there is lots of real life drama – conflict between wife and husband, between half-brothers, conflict between parent and child, even between God and Avraham.

I want to focus for a moment on the conflict between God and Avraham found in the Torah narrative about Avraham debating with God about the destruction of S’dom and Amorah (Sodom and Gemorrah). 

Avraham both humbles himself – comparing himself to dust and ashes – and stands tall when he confronts God over the plan to destroy S’dom and Amorah because it is so full of evil. The way that Avraham states his case is familiar: "Shouldn’t the judge of justice do justice!?!" (Bereisheet 18:25.)

Avraham continues, "What if there are 50 righteous people there, will you still destroy?  No.  What if 45 righteous are found there?  No.  What if 40?  What if 30? What if 20?  What if 10? 

In this way, Avraham distinguishes himself from Noach. You might recall that Noach is also told about the destruction of the world on account of evil.  But Noach is silent; he does not argue with God.  (Beresheit 6:9–7:5).

Avraham lives up to God’s recognition that he knows and pursues what is right and just.  Avraham is not arguing for himself, rather he is arguing on behalf of all the inhabitants in those towns.  Avraham is not asking God to spare only the righteous ones, but to spare -- grant forgiveness to -- everyone on account of them.  

Unfortunately there are only eight (not ten) people who are righteous – Lot and his family – they are spared but the rest of the community is destroyed. 

What can we learn from this – that goodness and justice needs to be found among enough people that they can effectively combat evil in their community.  And 10 is enough!  (Eight is too few).

Think of the power that just ten people have!  Think of the power that just ten teammates can have – playing in an American League stadium – ten is the full complement of nine players on the field plus the Designated Hitter. 

Ten is a powerful number – And you heard the Giants last night after their win all talk about the power of the team – how nothing depended on a single individual, rather everything depended on the power of each team member to contribute, to struggle, to stay determined, to never give up.

As Sergio Romo said after the game, “this a blessing beyond blessing.”  A blessing beyond blessing is the blessing of working in community to accomplish something good.  

The World Series affirms what we learn from the parshah that to pursue that which matters most to us – whether it is justice or victory – depends on working together and being selfless.  That is what we need to turn a vision into a reality.