HaShem reveals to Avraham that He will destroy Sedom, and Avraham tries to plead for Sedom to be spared. HaShem agrees that if he finds fifty righteous men in Sedom, He will not destroy it. Avraham manages to `bargain` HaShem down to ten righteous men. However, not even ten can be found. Lot, his wife and two daughters are rescued just before sulphur and fire rain down on Sedom and Amorah. Lot`s wife looks back and is turned into a pillar of salt. Lot`s daughters fear that, as a result of the destruction, there will be no husbands for them. They decide to get their father drunk and through him perpetuate the human race. From the elder daughter, Moav is born, and from the younger, Amon.

Avraham moves to Gerar, where Avimelech abducts Sarah. After HaShem appears to Avimelech in a dream, he releases Sarah and appeases Avraham. As promised, a son, Yitschak, is born to Sarah and Avraham. At HaShem`s command, on the eighth day after the birth, Avraham circumcises him. Avraham makes a feast the day Yitschak is weaned. Sarah tells Avraham to banish Hagar and her son Yishmael because she sees in him sure signs of degeneracy. Avraham is distressed at the prospect of banishing his son, but HaShem tells him to listen to whatever Sarah tells him to do. After nearly dying of thirst in the desert, Yishmael is rescued by an angel, and HaShem promises that he will be the progenitor of a mighty nation.

Avimelech enters into an alliance with Avraham when he sees that HaShem is with him. In a tenth and final test, HaShem instructs Avraham to take Yitschak who is now 37, and offer him as a sacrifice. Avraham does this, in spite of ostensibly aborting Jewish nationhood, and contradicting his life-long preaching against human sacrifice. At the last moment, HaShem sends an angel to stop Avraham. Because of his unquestioning obedience, HaShem now promises Avraham that even if the Jewish People sin, they will never be completely dominated by their foes. The Parashah ends with genealogy and the birth of Rivkah.

To Fulfill Havdala Requirements

To fulfill the requirement for havdala, each person (not only the mevareich) should:

• Hear the blessing on wine;
• Smell the spices; and
• See the flame.

NOTE If you do not do so when hearing havdala, you should smell a spice and see a flame later and then say those blessings at that time.

Last week`s question:

Motion sensing lights

In an effort to conserve energy, my condo association installed motion sensing lights in the room that houses the garbage shoot. Now anytime the door to the room is opened the light immediately goes on. It`s there any way I can throw out my garbage on Shabbos?

Answer: Generally speaking a garbage bag is Muktza and therefore shouldn`t be moved by hand on Shabbos. If it is overflowing or causing a bad odor then it can be removed, however all efforts should be made to try and avoid this situation i.e. emptying the garbage before Shabbos.   

In regards to the light, it is always best to avoid triggering motion sensors or other sensors if possible. In pressing circumstances however there are scenarios in which one can be lenient. 

• If there is sufficient light to see even without the light that went on, i.e. by leaving the door to the room open
• The bulb that will go on is LED or florescent.
• There is a pressing need.

If all of the above criteria are met, then one may open the door [preferably in a backhanded way].  

The grounds for this leniency are a combination of factors.

• Being that the bulb contains no metal which gets red hot, according to majority of Poskim turning it on is a Rabbinical prohibition.
• Your intention is to open the door, triggering the sensor is a byproduct of your action. Although it is definitely going to happen and would usually be prohibited under the principle of Psik Raisha, in this case since there is sufficient light without it and you have no interest in it going on, it is considered a Psik Raisha D`loh Ichpis Leih.
• It is a pressing situation.
• Doing things in a backhanded way makes it a Rabbinical prohibition.

With all these combined one may be lenient.

This week`s question:

Chapped hands

With all the cold weather we`ve been having my hands have gotten very chapped. I was wondering if there is any I way I would be allowed to use moisturizer on Shabbos?