Ideas on Vayeira

This week's parasha is called Va’yeirah, which means “and he appeared [to]”. Much of this week’s parsha is about seeing. Avraham saw the angels, though they appeared as men. Lot saw the angels coming. Are the angels G-d? If not, why does Avraham address them as Ado-nai? The Parsha begins And Hashem appeared to Avraham in Elonei mamrei (mamrei – the root is Ra’ah – see), and then immediately “He lifted up his eyes” and the whole fiasco with the angels, then the announce their purpose and leave, Avraham argues with Hashem to save the potential tsaddikim of sodom, and then Hashem leaves Avraham “Va’yelech Hashem Ka’asher Kilah Lidaber” so apparently the whole first Atwo sections Hashem is still appearing to Avraham during the visit of the angels….the angels look out over Sodom, but the word used is “Va’yashkifu” which Rashi said is always words of imminent destruction. The Malbim Z”L says our eyes can either make this negotiable world into Tohu (not tofu) or Tikkun depending on how we look at it. Again, whether the world is in Tohu or Tikkunh is dependent on how we look at it! Not “we can see it is this or that” but the actual spirito-molecular structure of the world is dependent on how we look at it. If we Mashkif, look with eyes of destruction, it will be destroyed. Hashem says “shall I cover “Hamichaseh ”from Avraham what I am planning to do with Sodom?” and Avimelech gives Sarah money for “Ch’sut Einayim” covering of the eyes.… In Sodom, when the people of Sodom surrounded Lot’s house and demanded to bring the guests out, they were afflicted with blindness… Lot’s wife is turned to a pillar of salt for turning around and looking at the destruction of Sodom…. Hagar (gematria Yitzhak – figure that one out!) saw a well of water – but only when Hashem opened her eyes. Avraham calls the mountain on which he was to bring up Yitzhak “Hashem Yei’ra’eh” which is said today “On the mountain Hashem is seen” …. Was Hashem seen as the angel, or in Avraham’s struggle itself? Both? When asked about the name of the Parsha, ex-student Nechemia said “when we go way beyond what we think is possible of ourselves, like Avraham, Hashem gives us to see.”…. We are seen through our begadim, our garments. Unfortunately or fortunately, this is the reality.