Our Parasha begins by recounting that Sara passes away at the age of 127. Abraham, determined to honor his wife with the highest dignity, identifies a plot of land in the city of Hebron for her burial. The land contained a cave located in the field of Makhpela, in what today is the city of Kiryat Arba and Hebron. The land belonged to Efron, a member of the Hittites, a people who formed one of the most influential civilizations of the Middle East, whose presence extended as far as Turkey.

Abraham requests to buy the cave and the adjacent field. Efron offers to let him bury Sara free of charge. Abraham insists on formally acquiring the parcel and pays about 400 shekel of silver for the land, a high sum. In doing so, Abraham establishes a legal bond with the Land promised by God, which becomes the first documented Jewish deed of ownership in history, located precisely in Hebron.

After burying Sara, Abraham entrusts his trusted servant, Eliezer, to find an appropriate wife for his son Isaac in the region of Haran, located in the southeast of modern-day Turkey, which is where Abraham originally came from. In addition, this would prevent Isaac from assimilating by marrying a local Canaanite woman. The insistence on preserving spiritual identity and avoiding assimilation becomes, from that very moment, a central theme of the legacy of Abraham and his descendants.

Eliezer arrives in Haran and prays to God for the success of his mission. He asks God for a clear sign to recognize the woman destined for Isaac: that the young woman to whom he asks for water not only offer him a drink, but also, on her own initiative, give water to his camels. This gesture would show not only the customary hospitality but also hesed, the generosity characteristic of Abraham and his family.

At the water well, a young woman appears who fulfills exactly this behavior. Her name is Ribka (Rebecca), daughter of Betuel and granddaughter of Nahor, Abraham’s brother.

Ribka runs home to tell the news. Her brother Laban goes out to receive the visitor and hosts him. During dinner, Eliezer explains in detail his mission, the prayer he recited, the sign he requested, and how Ribka fulfills all the requirements. The family recognizes that this encounter is not random but part of divine providence. They accept the marriage proposal and authorize Ribka to leave with Eliezer.

After an emotional farewell, the delegation begins the journey back. When Isaac sees Ribka, he takes her as his wife.

Abraham remarries Keturah and has several more sons. However, to avoid inheritance conflicts, Abraham gives some of his possessions to them during his lifetime and sends them toward “the land of the east.” To Isaac he leaves all his possessions, including his settlements in the land of Israel, consolidating the spiritual and territorial continuity of the Divine Promise.

Abraham dies at the age of 175. Isaac and Ishmael reunite to bury him together in the cave of Makhpela, next to Sara.

Moshe addresses the people of Israel —the new generation of Israelites who are about to enter the Land of Israel— in a long and powerful speech. His words begin by recalling the events that took place from the time of the Exodus from Egypt, forty years earlier, until the present moment.

Moshe also recounts the appointment of leaders and judges to assist him in guiding the people. This initiative would later serve as a foundational model for the judicial system of the nation of Israel, establishing the principle of shared responsibility and justice.

He then retells the story of the spies, and how —with the exception of Yehoshua and Caleb— they discouraged the nation, spreading fear and doubt, which led to a national crisis. As a consequence of this episode, that entire generation was denied entry into the Promised Land. This turning point caused the people of Israel to wander in the desert for forty years, awaiting the rise of a new generation.

God tells Moshe that the people had remained long enough in the mountainous region and that the time had come to move forward toward the Promised Land. He instructs them not to provoke or engage in conflict with the descendants of Esav, who lived in the land of Se’ir. Instead, they are commanded to purchase food and water from them —not to take anything by force— because God had not granted Israel any portion of the land of Se’ir.

Similarly, God commands Moshe not to harass the Moabites or the Ammonites, since their lands were given by God as an inheritance to the descendants of Lot. These nations were not to be disturbed, respecting the divine allotment of territories.

The Israelites then spent thirty-eight years journeying from Kadesh-Barnea to the crossing of the Zered River. During that time, the entire earlier generation —those who had rebelled— perished in the wilderness, just as God had decreed.

Moshe reminds the people that he had sent envoys to Sihon, the king of the Amorites, with a peaceful offer, requesting safe passage through his territory. However, Sihon refused and instead prepared for battle. The Israelites were then forced to engage in war with Sihon, king of Cheshbon, and they ultimately conquered his land.

The Torah then describes in detail the subsequent conquest of the territories of both Sihon and Og, king of Bashan, on the eastern side of the Jordan River. These newly acquired lands were allocated to the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and the half-tribe of Menasheh, establishing their inheritance on the eastern bank of the Jordan, even before crossing into the main body of the Promised Land.

This Shabbat we read two biblical sections: Mattot and Mas’e.

In Mattot, several important topics are addressed. Firstly, the value of promises and how to cancel them when it becomes impossible to fulfill them is highlighted. Then, the Tora recounts what happened with the Midianites, who tried to attack Israel, and the capture of prisoners and the spoils of war. All the tribes increased their wealth and the number of animals grew.

The tribes of Reuben and Gad owned a large amount of livestock and requested from Moshe to settle east of the Jordan instead of entering the land of Israel with the rest of the people. Initially, Moshe refused, as the Jewish community had to face the powerful Canaanite peoples who lived there, and they needed a strong and united army. The fear was that the desertion of these tribes could cause frustration and weaken the unity of the people. However, the tribes of Reuben and Gad assured Moshe that they would actively participate in the war of conquest and that they would return to the other side of the Jordan River once they had won the war. They even offered to lead the front line.

In Mas’e, the Tora details the different stages of the Jewish people’s journey through the desert during the 40 years following their departure from Egypt. The places where the Israelites camped and the paths they took are listed in detail.

God commands Moshe to inform the children of Israel about the borders of the future land of Israel and the portion of land that each tribe will receive. Each tribe must give a part of their possessions, lands, and animals to the Levites and the cohanim (priests), who are dedicated to divine service and the teaching of the Tora. They must also establish cities of refuge for those accused of murder, where they will wait until their innocence or guilt is determined. There will be six cities of refuge, three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan.

Moshe informs the people about God’s specific laws regarding murder. If someone commits intentional murder, they must be sentenced to death, but only if at least two witnesses can confirm their guilt. No one can be sentenced to death based on the testimony of a single witness. If a death occurs unintentionally or accidentally, the responsible person will be taken to a city of refuge.

God asks that they not turn the Promised Land into a place of sins, lies, and injustice. They must keep the land pure, as God is watching over the Children of Israel.

After the promulgation of these laws on murder, the inheritance of the daughters of Zelophehad is clarified. When there are no male heirs, God tells Moshe that the inheritance of the land will pass to the daughters.

First Aliya: Aharon received instructions to light the Menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum illuminating the interior of the Tabernacle. The Menorah was crafted as a single piece from pure gold. All the candles on the Menorah inclined towards the middle candle, which itself was directed towards the most sacred place or Qodesh haQodashim.

Second Aliya: Moshe was commanded to prepare the Leviyim (Levites) for religious service in the Tabernacle, a temple built in the desert. The Leviyim were then installed in their sacred service. They worked in the Tabernacle starting from age 25, and retired from this service at 50.

Third Aliya: The people of Israel celebrated their second Pesach since leaving Egypt. A second Pesach, one month after the first, was established for those unable to bring the Pesach sacrifice on time. Our sages say that those impure at that time were the ones who had carried Yosef’s remains. Yosef had made his brothers swear to bury him in the land of Israel. When those in charge of Yosef’s body came to Moshe, uncertain of what to do because they were impure and could not celebrate the first Pesach, Moshe didn’t know what to answer. Moshe then asked HaShem for instructions because everything Moshe did or said was through direct communication with God.

Fourth Aliya: This Aliya recounts the beginning of the long-awaited journey to the Promised Land. The Tabernacle or Mishkan was finished, and all the tasks related to it had been assigned to the Leviyim and the Cohanim. It was finally time to set out! The Israelites needed some sort of guidance (a GPS!) to know when to depart and where to go. HaShem indicated the creation of silver trumpets to signal when the camp should move. Also, a cloud that hovered over the Tabernacle would rise and move in the direction they needed to follow.

Fifth Aliya: On the 20th of Iyar, the Mishkan cloud lifted, initiating the journey which should have lasted a few months but ended up taking 40 years. This Aliya also discusses Yitro, who joined us before the giving of the Tora and now, a year and a half later, decided to return to his land in Midyan. The Tora illustrates that the Aron ha’Edut, the Ark of the Covenant, would always travel ahead of the people. This interesting point underscores a fundamental principle: the People of Israel must always follow the Aron, that is, the Tora.

Sixth Aliya: This Aliya begins with the famous verse “Vayhi Binso’a haAron” that we chant before taking the Tora out. Later, the Tora describes the complaints of the people about their living conditions in the desert. The Tora depicts the “manna”, a nutritious heavenly food the Israelites could gather in the desert, indicating they had ample food even in the desert. This clarifies that those complaining weren’t doing so out of genuine need. Moshe expresses his immense frustration at the people’s behavior. However, God promises to fulfill their desires and sends the “selav,” or quail, for the people to eat meat. Moshe is instructed to appoint a Sanhedrin to help him govern the people and teach them Tora. Moshe, the greatest prophet of all time, couldn’t lead an entire people alone. The Tora’s message is that a leader should always strive to lead alongside other capable individuals.

Seventh Aliya: Quails descended on the camp in large numbers, and the people ate more than enough meat. This obsessive behavior, given the availability of “manna,” wasn’t appropriate for God’s People. After overeating vast amounts of meat, many people died. Aharon and Miriam spoke negatively about Moshe (Lashon Hara), saying that Moshe was too occupied with his responsibilities to the people and never at home, even though he was married to Tzippora. Aharon and Miriam also thought it wasn’t right that only Moshe had direct communication with God (prophecy), as they were also prophets, and had regular lives with their families! HaShem responded that they couldn’t be compared to Moshe. Moshe was a “full-time” prophet who communicated with God 24/7, making a normal family life impossible. However, Moshe was the only exception in all of history exempted from having a normal family life. And yet, he was married and even had two children! Miriam was punished with a form of leprosy for speaking against Moshe, but Moshe interceded for her, and she was healed.

Rabbi Jacob Bitton

THE PRIESTS

In this Parasha, HaShem transmits to Moshe the laws that apply to his brother Aharon, his sons, and all his male descendants, the Cohanim, the priests of the Jewish People. They must keep themselves pure and holy and, in opposition to the pagan priests, who were primarily responsible for the cult of the dead, the Cohanim must not have contact with a dead body. The Cohanim also have additional restrictions regarding the woman they can marry. There are also rules regarding the daughters of the Cohanim and the standards of morality that they must observe.

THE HEAD PRIEST

The Head Priest, or Cohen Gadol, must comply with additional rules. He must not let his hair grow too long, he cannot observe regular mourning by tearing his clothes or having contact with a corpse. He must not leave the Sanctuary, he must only marry an unmarried woman. And if he contracts any impurity, he cannot perform the service of the Temple. Likewise, the priest with some physical blemish should remain outside the Divine Service in the Temple. The Temple Service must be immaculate. Priestly offerings could not be made in a state of impurity.  And animal sacrifices cannot be made with sick or blemished animals. The Divine Name cannot be profaned but consecrated and sanctified.

HOLIDAY NUMBER ONE

The Tora mentions the Jewish Holidays.  First, the Shabbat, the Seventh-day,  is the most important holiday in the Hebrew calendar. For six days, you will work, and on Shabbat, you shall declare your work finished and dedicate the day to HaShem, your God.

PESACH

In the first month of the year (Nisan), on the fourteenth day of the month, the festival of Pesach shall be celebrated, offering that day the Pesach sacrifice. The fifteenth day of Pesach is the Festival of Matzot, for seven days you will eat only unleavened bread. The first day you will declare it sacred and you will not do any work or work. The seventh day of Pesach shall also be sanctified as a Holy day.

OMER AND SHABUOT

When you enter the promised land that I give you and you harvest your grain, you shall bring an ‘omer, a portion of barley from your first harvest. The priest shall offer it to God. After seven full weeks, counting from the time of this offering, the fiftieth day (Shabuot), you shall bring a new offering to God: leavened bread, unleavened bread, and animal offerings without blemish, as an expression of obedience to God.  When you harvest your field, you will leave the ears belonging to the poor and the foreigner (for example, the corners of the fields, etc.).

ROSH HASHANA, YOM KIPPUR, AND SUCCOT

In the seventh month of the year (Tishri) on the first day of the month, the Shofar will be heard (on Rosh HaShana). And on the tenth day of the month, you will celebrate a Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). You will deprive yourself of eating and doing any worldly work or activity on that day. If a person does not deprive himself of these necessities on that day, he will be cut off (karet) from his community. This Day of Atonement will be established for posterity and in all your dwellings.

The Festival  of the Huts will be celebrated on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. For seven days you will be dedicated to God. No work is to be performed on the first day and the eighth day. You should take the fruit of a beautiful tree (citrus, or in Hebrew etrog), leaves of palm branches (lulab), myrtle branches (hadas), and willows (araba), and rejoice before God. You will live in these huts for seven days, so that future generations will know and remember that I, HaShem, made had them living in huts when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.

LAST LAWS

Returning to the Temple service, Aharon will set up a lamp that will burn constantly, day and night, in the Sanctuary. If someone does not respect the Name of God and offends it, he will be removed from the community and executed. If a man murders another man, he will be put to death. Whoever attempts against the life of an animal must pay compensation for that animal. If someone causes any damage to another person, he must pay compensation: for fractures or accidental mutilations. This compensation will be required in favor of the victim, maintaining the same rule for both the citizen and the foreigner (“ger”: legal resident or nationalized). I am HaShem, your Go

Finally, HaShem instructs Moshe to learn the laws that apply to his brother Aharon, his sons, and all his male descendants, the Cohanim, who are the priests of the Jewish People. They must keep themselves pure and holy, and in opposition to the pagan priests who were primarily responsible for the cult of the dead, the Cohanim must not have contact with a dead body. The Cohanim also have additional restrictions regarding the women they can marry. There are also rules regarding the daughters of the Cohanim and the standards of morality they must observe.

This Parasha describes God’s instructions to Moses to invite the people to contribute whatever they can or want to contribute to the construction of the Tabernacle. The necessary materials included precious metals, fabrics, skins, linen, wood, spices, precious stones, etc. God gave detailed instructions to Moses about the construction and dimensions of the Tabernacle and its artifacts. First, the text describes the Ark that would contain the tablets of the Law. The Ark was to be made of acacia wood and covered in gold, with rings at its corners where poles could be inserted for transportation. The Ark would be covered with a pure gold lid, and two gold cherubim would be made from this cover.

Next, instructions were given for constructing the Table for the Bread of the Presence, which was also made of acacia wood and covered in gold. Then, the construction of the Menorah, the seven-branched candlestick that was to be made from a single block of pure gold with decorative terminations, was described.

The Torah then describes the construction of the Tabernacle’s sanctuary. The cover of the Sanctuary would consist of several tapestries: the first would be a combination of colorful wool and linen, and the second layer would be made of goat’s hair. These two large covers would also cover the exterior walls of the Tabernacle. The top of the Tabernacle would then be covered with dyed ram skins and skins of “tachash” (an animal whose identification is subject to discussion). The walls of the Tabernacle were to be made with acacia wood beams covered in gold. The bottom of each beam had to be inserted into two silver bases. The east side of the Tabernacle would be open, and its north and south sides would have 20 beams, while the west wall would have eight. The beams were joined by several crossbars.

The Tabernacle’s sanctuary consisted of two sections: the innermost chamber was the most sacred space where the Ark would be placed. The outer chamber, Hejal or Qodesh, would house the Menorah, the Golden Table, and the Altar of Incense.

Moses was then given instructions for the construction of the Altar. This altar was to be made of acacia wood covered in bronze and was to have four vertical projections at its corners. The altar was also to be made with rings and transportation poles.

The Tabernacle’s courtyard was to be 100 cubits (approximately 50 meters) by 50 cubits and was enclosed by linen curtains. The entrance to the courtyard was to be on its east side, covered by a woven wool and linen curtain.

PHARAOH’S REGRET
After Pharaoh expels the Jewish slaves from his land, God does not lead them along a direct route to the Promised Land, because a confrontation with the enemy at this early stage would drive them back to Egypt. HaShem instead leads them along the desert road to the east, guiding them with a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. God then commands the Jews to camp along the Sea of Reeds. It seems to Pharaoh that the Jews are lost in the desert, and he decides to chase after them and corner them at the seashore. When the Jews see the Egyptians arriving with their army, they panic and yell at Moshe. “Are there not enough graves in Egypt (alluding perhaps to the pyramids that were already famous at that time)  that you have brought us to die in the desert?”. “Do not be afraid,” Moshe said to them. “You will see God’s salvation today… God will wage war for you.”.

THE SEA OPENS
HaShem instructs Moshe: “Speak to the children of Israel and tell them to advance…!” The Jews need to cross to the other side of the sea. “And so the Egyptians will know I am God when Pharaoh and his armies glorify me.” Meanwhile, the pillar of the cloud that led the Jews moved behind them, separating the Jews from their enemies and preventing the Egyptians from advancing toward the Jews. Moshe stretches out his staff, and the sea splits into two columns. The Jews crossed the sea, walking in dry Land, leaving Egyptian territory towards their definitive freedom.

SALVATION AND GRATITUDE
The Egyptians decide to pursue the Jews, and their army advances toward the open waters. Moshe extends his hand over the sea, and the waters collapse and close on the Egyptians, drowning them in the sea. Seeing this, and already on the other side of the sea, Moshe and the Hebrews begin to sing, praising God for the wonderful miracle they had witnessed. Moshe’s sister, Miriam, leads the women in singing and dancing, using musical instruments.

WATER and MANA
The Jews now begin their journey through the desert and spend three days walking without finding water. When they reach Mara, they find salted water. HaShem sweetens the water, and the people are now able to drink. After a while, the food that the Jews had brought from Egypt began to run out. They complain to Moshe, saying they miss the tasty Egyptian food they left behind. God assures them that a special food will descend from heaven. In the morning, food called “manna” falls from the sky, hidden in the morning dew. Moshe tells the Hebrews to collect a limited portion of manna (approximately 1.5 lbs) for each family member and warns them again to accumulate and store extra manna. Those who ignored this indication found that the manna was infested with worms the following day. On Friday, by Divine instruction, everyone collected two portions of “manna”: the second portion was to be set aside and reserved for Shabbat since no manna would descend on the Seventh Day. Once again, some Jews ignored Moshe’s directive and went out to collect manna on Shabbat.
God commands Moshe to take a jar of manna and place it in the Holy Ark as a testimony of this miracle for all future generations. The Israelites continue their journey in the desert, and when they reach Refidim, they run out of water again. They complain to Moshe. God commands the Jewish leader to strike a rock with his rod, and water begins flowing from the rock so the people can drink.

SURPRISE ATTACK
The Amaleqites –desert nomads– attack the Jews. Moshe orders his disciple Yehoshua to gather an army and fight Amaleq. Yehoshua follows Moshe’s command, and the Jews, with Divine assistance, emerge victorious from this battle. God instructs Moshe to write that HaShem will erase Amaleq from the earth and that we Jews can never forget that Amaleq will always be there, ready to cause harm.

As the falsely accused Binyamin stood before Yosef, condemned to a life of slavery, Yehuda stepped forward with a plea for mercy. He implored Yosef to release Binyamin, explaining that their father, Jacob, would be unable to bear the loss of his beloved son, having already suffered the loss of one in the form of Yosef himself. If Yosef refused, Yehuda offered himself as a replacement for Binyamin, a selfless act that moved Yosef to tears. At that moment, Yosef could no longer contain his emotions and revealed his true identity to his brothers, overwhelmed by the love and loyalty they still held for him despite the wrongs they had done in the past.
Upon seeing the shock and regret of his brothers, Yosef reassured them that everything that had happened was part of a divine plan to save their lives, as there were still five years of famine to come. He instructed them to return to Canaan and bring their father and their families to Egypt, where he would provide for all their needs until the famine had passed. The brothers embraced and wept joyfully at their reunion, and Yosef sent them on their way with his blessing.
Upon hearing of the arrival of Yosef’s family, Pharaoh extended an invitation for them to come to Egypt and settle in the best parts of the land. When Jacob and his family arrived in Israel, they were met with the news that Yosef was alive and ruling in Egypt. The news brought new life to Jacob, who had grieved for many years at the thought of losing his son. At the direction of God, Jacob and his family set out for Egypt, stopping at Beer-Sheba along the way. There, God reassured Jacob that he would become a great nation in Egypt and eventually be brought back to Israel. The Tora records that seventy members of Jacob’s family journeyed to Egypt.

Upon arriving in Egypt, Jacob and his family settled in Goshen, where Yosef went to greet them. He prepared them to meet with Pharaoh and instructed his brothers to present themselves as shepherds. Pharaoh warmly welcomed Yosef’s brothers and was amazed to see the advanced age of Jacob, who blessed him in return. Yosef made sure that his family wanted for nothing, providing for all their needs in the land of Goshen.
As the people of Egypt struggled to survive the famine, they were forced to sell their possessions and even themselves into slavery in exchange for food. Meanwhile, Jacob and his family flourished and multiplied in the land of Goshen, blessed with the provisions of Yosef.

God revealed himself to Abraham in a vision while sitting at his tent’s entrance. Abraham notices that three travelers pass near him, and as was his custom, he runs to invite them to his house. The men accept the invitation and Abraham prepares a sumptuous banquet for them. These men, sent by God, reveal to Abraham that Sara will give birth to a boy within a year. Sara, almost 90 years old, heard this and started laughing. God rebukes Sara reminding Abraham that nothing is impossible for Him.
The men/angels depart and head to Sodom to destroy the five cities of that region for their tremendous corruption. God informs Abraham of his intention to destroy Sodom. In another display of his boundless goodness, Abraham tries to dissuade God and asks him not to destroy the city if fifty righteous people live there. God considers Abraham’s request. But Abraham “negotiates” with God, and finally, God accepts to spare Sodom if only ten righteous people would be found in the city.
The men sent by God reached Sodom. Following what he learned from Abraham, Lot invites them to his house to rest and eat. But the news of foreigners in Lot’s house spreads throughout the city, and people react badly. Accustomed to abusing foreigners, the outraged residents of Sodom surrounded Lot’s house to assault his guests. Lot tries to protect them, but the Sodomites try to break down the door. The angels blind everyone around the house and rush Lot to flee Sodom with his wife and daughters.

God caused fire and brimstone to fall from heaven on Sodom, which destroyed the entire region. (By the way, modern archaeologists have found ample evidence of a meteorite falling in that geographic area, forming the Dead Sea and making it the lowest place on earth. See here). Lot’s wife looked back and was petrified, like a statue (perhaps because of the ashes produced by that mega explosion. Ash states were found in Pompei after the eruption of volcan Vesubio in the year 79 CE). Lot and his daughters took refuge in a cave and thought God had destroyed the whole world and that they were the last survivors. The daughters intoxicate his father with wine and seduce him to repopulate the earth. Both gave birth, and each had a child who eventually became the patriarchs of the Ammonites and Moabites nations.
Abraham moves to the Philistine city of Gerar because of the famine. Abimelekh, the king of the Philistines, takes Sara, who Abraham presented as his sister. But God punished Abimelekh and the members of his palace. God appears to Abimelekh in a dream, warning him about Sara being Abraham’s wife. Abimelekh obeys God, frees Sara, and showers Abraham with gifts as compensation for the damage caused.

Just as the angels who visited Abraham had anticipated, Sarah conceives and gives birth to a son at the age of ninety. The child is called Isaac, “he who will laugh” (or “the one who will make his parents laugh with happiness”). Abraham circumcised Isaac at eight days.
Isaac grows up, and Sara realizes that Ishmael, Isaac’s older half-brother, negatively influences her young son and demands that Abraham expel Ishmael from the house, along with her mother Hagar. God tells Abraham that he must listen to Sarah. Hagar and Ishmael run out of water in the desert and nearly die of thirst. But an angel “opens Hagar’s eyes” and helps her see the water well. Ishmael grew up in the desert and became a skilled hunter.

Seeing that Abraham is God’s chosen one, Abimelekh asks Abraham to make a pact with him: neither of them would try to conquer the other for three generations. Abraham agreed but pointed out to Abimelekh that his man had stolen a well of water that Abraham’s men had dug. Abraham took seven sheep and gave them to Abimelekh as a testimony that he, Abraham, had dug the well. Abraham settles in the city of Beer Sheba and proclaims the name of God to everyone he meets.

In the last Aliya, God tests Abraham’s loyalty. He commands Abraham to take his only son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice to Him. Abraham sets out for the mountain with Isaac and two of his servants. When he reaches the place, Abraham goes up the mountain with Isaac and builds an altar there. He binds Issac’s hand and foot and prepares to carry out the Divine order. At that moment, he hears an angel of God ordering him to stop. Abraham sees a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. He takes the ram and offers it as a sacrifice to God. God blesses Abraham and his descendants for his loyalty and obedience.
Abraham hears that his sister-in-law Milka has given birth. One of his sons, Bethuel, was the father of Rivka, the future wife of his son Isaac.

Noah was a righteous and upright man who “walked with God.” While humanity was sinking into anarchy, corruption, and violence, Noah remained faithful to God’s ways. God told Noah that He was going to destroy the earth due to the evil and theft that had become normalized: “I am going to bring a mabbul (flood) upon the earth to destroy all living creatures.” But God also promised Noah that He would establish a covenant (of protection) with him and his family, and He instructed him to build a teba (ark) of wood with compartments for animals and storage for food for all the living creatures aboard.

God instructed Noah to bring into the ark seven pairs of pure (kosher) animals and two pairs of impure animals, male and female. Noah did everything according to what God had commanded. Rain began to fall on the earth, and underground springs opened and overflowed so that water covered everything. Noah, his family, and all living creatures in pairs survived in the ark.

The flood lasted for 40 days, covering even the highest mountains and destroying all forms of life. For the next 150 days, the waters covered the earth. God sent powerful winds, and the waters began to recede, and the land started to dry. Noah sent a raven, which found no place without water to rest and returned. Then he sent a dove, which also returned. Seven days later, the dove returned with an olive leaf in its beak, indicating that the waters had receded and there were already trees—food!—on the earth. After another seven days, the dove did not return, and Noah knew that the land had dried.

God then told Noah, “Leave the ark with your family and all the living creatures with you. Be fruitful and multiply upon the earth.” Noah built an altar to God and offered sacrifices from each pure animal and bird. God was pleased with the sacrifices and promised not to destroy humanity again, recognizing that the inclination of man’s heart is evil from his youth.

God blessed Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, allowing them to eat animal meat but prohibiting them from eating the flesh of an animal that had not yet been slaughtered (eber min hachai, or consuming the flesh of a mutilated animal). He also explicitly prohibited murder. Additionally, He established that the rainbow would be the sign of this eternal covenant between God and the earth.

Noah became a farmer, planted a vineyard, drank wine, became intoxicated, and undressed in his tent. His son Ham saw his nakedness—or perhaps this is a euphemism for something more serious—and told his two brothers. Shem and Japheth respectfully entered the tent and covered their father’s nakedness.

After the flood, Noah lived 350 years, dying at the age of 950. Both he and his sons had many descendants who spread throughout the earth.

All humanity spoke one language and had a unified project: to build a city with a tower—step pyramids or ziggurats—that reached to the sky to make a name for themselves and avoid being scattered across the earth. (Or, to challenge God or survive another possible flood; interpretations of the Tower of Babel’s intention vary.) God said, “Now they have one language, and is this what they intend to do?” God confused their language, making them speak different languages, and scattered them across the earth. Each people, each nation, would from now on be differentiated from the others by their language.

The Torah concludes by listing the descendants of Shem, ending with Terah, the father of Abram, who was married to Sarai but had no children. Terah and his family had left Ur Kasdim, a city in Babylonia (200 km from Baghdad), and had reached Haran, in southern Turkey, on their way to the land of Canaan (Israel).