Vayeira (וַיֵּרָא – He appeared)
Genesis 18:1–22:24 • II Kings 4:1–37
Abraham, sitting at the entrance of his tent, sees three visitors. He runs to greet them and offers them hospitality. In the continuation of the narrative, Abraham pleads to save Sodom, Sarah laughs at the announcement of Isaac’s birth, Hagar and Ishmael are protected in the desert, and finally the Akedah—the binding of Isaac—marks Abraham’s ultimate test. The haftarah recounts the miracles of the prophet Elisha, who saves a widow from destitution and restores life to the son of the Shunammite woman[1].
Genesis 18:5
וְאֶקְחָה פַת-לֶחֶם וְסַעֲדוּ לִבְּכֶם, אַחַר תַּעֲבֹרוּ–כִּי-עַל-כֵּן עֲבַרְתֶּם, עַל-עַבְדְּכֶם; וַיֹּאמְרוּ, כֵּן תַּעֲשֶׂה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ.
I will fetch a morsel of bread, and you shall comfort your hearts; afterward you shall pass on—for that is why you have come to your servant. And they said, Do as you have said.
The Chabad House[2] of Kathmandu, founded in the 1990s, has become an iconic Jewish center. Located in the Thamel district[3], it welcomes thousands of travelers each year, especially young Israelis after their military service. Known for its massive Passover seder—often described as the largest in the world with over 1,500 participants—it has become a global symbol of Jewish hospitality. All year round, it remains an open home: Shabbat meals, Torah classes, assistance to travelers in distress, and support during crises (the 2015 earthquake, trekking accidents, etc.).
[1] The term “Shunammite” refers to a woman from Shunem, a village in the territory of Issachar in Israel. Two Shunammite women are mentioned in the Bible: Abishag, servant of King David (I Kings 1–2), and a generous woman who hosted the prophet Elisha (II Kings 4 and 8).
[2] The Chabad-Lubavitch movement, founded in the 18th century in Belarus by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, combines intellectual study with community action. Now present in over 100 countries with thousands of centers, it sends emissaries (shluchim) to offer hospitality, meals, education, and support to any Jew, wherever they may be.
[3] Thamel, the tourist heart of Kathmandu, is a crossroads where the Chabad House plays a unique role: serving as a spiritual and communal anchor in a cosmopolitan environment.