Chaye Sarah
Genesis 23:1 – 25:18
I Kings 1:1-31
I Samuel 20:18, 42
Life brings to all of us episodes of traumatic grief and rhapsodic joy, such as the loss of a loved one and the marriage of a child to a worthy mate. This week’s parashah actually speaks of both of these emotional and moving occurrences, bridged by an interesting, but at first glance, unrelated verse.
The parashah begins by unfolding the story of the death and burial of Sarah. She was the beloved wife and life partner of Abraham in all of his spiritual tests, trials, spiritual pursuits and great accomplishments. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 22b) observes, “No one feels the death of a woman more than her husband.” This was particularly applicable in the case of Sarah, a saintly woman whose powers of prophecy exceeded even those of Abraham.
Following this heartbreaking time of loss and bereavement for Abraham (which itself came on the heels of the onerous trial of the near sacrifice of his beloved son Isaac), the parashah recounts in some detail the stirring events of Isaac’s betrothal and marriage to Rebecca. How great was Abraham’s joy at this union! Rebecca was a righteous woman in full harmony with the values and traditions instilled in Isaac by his mother. Rebecca and Isaac were worthy of each other and both were fitting for the task of continuing to transmit the spiritual teachings of Abraham and Sarah to future generations. What greater nachas for a parent than this!
These two emotional extremes depicting the depth of tragedy and the height of joy are connected by the aforementioned verse, which though interesting does not at first seem to belong to either of the two episodes it connects: “And Abraham became old and advanced in years…” (Genesis 24:1) On the word for old, zakein, which generally suggests wisdom and scholarly achievement, our sages comment that Abraham even in old age was always involved in Torah study. Difficult to understand, since this was hundreds of years before the revelation at Mount Sinai.
Maimonides explains that until Abraham perceived and comprehended monotheism, belief, faith and trust in G-d, people were constantly developing and spreading the teachings of idolatry. Abraham actually established a “yeshiva.” He actively and aggressively sought students to whom he could teach and propagate the true faith. The Talmud (Avodah Zorah 14b) in fact reveals that Abraham authored a 14-chapter tractate dealing with idol worship, which he fervently taught to all who would listen. He maintained a yeshiva in which students studied Torah values relating to faith and belief in one G-d. All this he taught to a world steeped in idolatry. (Abraham, himself, developed his spirit to an amazing height from which he could actually perceive and follow all of the Torah’s moral and ethical precepts as well as the mitzvot.)
The placement of the above-mentioned verse between the two extremely emotional incidents in Abraham’s life appears to depict Abraham’s involvement in the study of Torah throughout his life as a bridge connecting times of grief and joy. It relates to us symbolically the basic ingredient in the life of a Jew that enables him to withstand the pain and suffering of life’s tragedies and to achieve balance and control in the times of profound jubilation.
In the midst of both extremes, adversity and joy, Abraham was able to act rationally and keep his ideals and goals intact. I suggest that he could do this because of his powerful, resolute and tenacious faith and his adherence to the ethical and moral tenets of the Torah. These guided and stabilized his actions in extraordinary moments of his personal life at either extreme and anywhere in between.
“Ma’asei Avot siman lebanim” (Midrash Tanchunim Lech Lecha 9). The deeds and actions of our patriarchs and matriarchs are to be seen as our sacred duty to emulate by developing and nurturing the fundamental element in the life of a Jew — constant adherence to G-d and involvement in His Holy Torah — its viewpoint, study, support, practice and dissemination to future generations.
A life thus lived with this concept at its core will serve to enable us to withstand and endure the trials and tests of both adversity and success to which we are all vulnerable throughout our lives.
Shabbat Shalom.