Chayei Sarah
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
בס״ד NOVERMBER 23, 2019 This issue of Insights is dedicated in honor of the birthday of Rebbetzin Rona Holzer by her VOLUME 10, ISSUE 5 children. No words can describe our hakaras hatov for the guidance, support, love, and warmth she constantly and selflessly provides. May Hashem give her the strength and good health to continue her gemilus chasadim until the coming of Moshiach. 25 CHESHVAN Based on the Torah of our Rosh HaYeshiva HaRav Yochanan Zweig PARSHAS CHAYEI SARAH The servant took ten camels, of his master’s camels, and went with all the bounty of his master… (24:10). Rashi (ad loc) seems bothered by this feed offered hadn't been properly tithed. possuk as it should be obvious that Eliezer Ramban therefore makes a fortiori would have only taken the camels that wrong – that would run counter to argument; if Hashem prevented the belonged to his master; why should the purpose of allowing people to raise donkey of Pinchas Ben Yair from sinning, Torah identify them as belonging to themselves to righteousness. how is it possible that He would permit Avraham? Rashi goes on to explain that the camels of Avraham to steal by grazing Therefore, the only time Hashem Avraham’s camels were unique and easily in other people’s fields? Ramban thus prevents a tzaddik from inadvertently distinguished from other camels – concludes that the animals of Avraham committing a forbidden act is when he “because his camels were always muzzled didn’t need muzzles. takes every precaution to avoid such a to prevent them from stealing by grazing situation. In other words, Hashem helps in fields belonging to others.” In a similar vein, we find a Tosefta the righteous avoid the pain of doing (Shabbos 12b) that explains the reason Similarly, later in the narrative the Torah something wrong by protecting them one is forbidden to read by candlelight on says that upon reaching their final when they have already done everything Friday night is because you may come to destination “he (Eliezer) unfastened the in their power to prevent sinning. The adjust the light (which may lead to a camels,” and Rashi reiterates that this is great R’ Yishmael Ben Elisha felt that he forbidden act on Shabbos). R’ Yishmael referring to the muzzles that the camels would be able to resist the temptation of Ben Elisha said, “I will read by the were wearing (24:34). Ramban (ad loc) adjusting the candles – in such a situation candlelight and not adjust it.” R’ Nasan disagrees and says that the “unfastening” Hashem wouldn’t act to prevent him said that when R’ Yishmael tried it he mentioned in the possuk either refers to from violating Shabbos if R’ Yishmael ended up adjusting the light: He therefore releasing the camels’ saddles, or to failed to control himself. proclaimed, “I, Yishmael son of Elisha, untying the camels from each other, read by the light and adjusted it. When This would also answer Ramban’s which was the custom when traveling the Beis Hamikdosh will be rebuilt I will question on Rashi. Avraham had to with many animals. bring a sacrifice for atonement.” muzzle his animals because he has to do Ramban contends that it is impossible However, Tosfos (ad loc) questions: If everything in his power to make sure they that the camels of Avraham Avinu needed Hashem protects the animals of the wouldn’t steal. But if, for example, a strap muzzles to prevent them from stealing. righteous from inadvertent sinning, how broke and the muzzle fell off, in such a He goes on to prove this from the well- much more so must he protect the situation Hashem would step in to known Talmudic maxim that Hashem righteous themselves! In other words, prevent Avraham Avinu’s animals from prevents the animals of the righteous why didn't Hashem prevent R’ Yishmael stealing. This is because Avraham would from sinning: We find several stories from sinning? have done everything reasonably in his (Talmud Yerushalmi Dmai 1:3 and Talmud power to prevent such a situation from We learn here a fascinating concept, one Bavli Chulin 7a-7b) involving the donkey occurring. In this case, Hashem would that provides us with a deep of Pinchas Ben Yair whereby the animal then forestall the pain to Avraham caused philosophical insight. Obviously, being a refused to consume food that wasn’t by his animals grazing in another’s field. tzaddik requires one to act in a righteous halachically appropriate to eat. In one of Hashem doesn't keep people righteous; manner. However, Hashem doesn't act in those stories the donkey, which had been He prevents the righteous from getting order to keep people righteous by stolen from its master, actually refused to hurt. preventing them from doing something eat for three days straight because the They blessed Rifkah, “our sister may you come to be thousands of myriads…” (24:60) Upon departing her family to travel to something deeply insightful or particularly marriage is a transformative experience. meet her husband to be, Rifkah is given a moving. But his “blessing” seems You may have left as our sister but you are blessing by her mother and brother Lavan. pedestrian, at best, and yet this is the now “becoming” united with a righteous Remarkably, this blessing has become the blessing that a father gives his daughter man. You, Rifkah, are going to have a new standard Jewish custom for blessing ones’ on one of the most meaningful days of her identity, and this is a recreation of who daughter on her wedding day. For life. What special message is being you are. thousands of years, Jewish fathers have conveyed? This is the very message a father is used these exact words to bless their Targum Yonasan Ben Uziel translates this supposed to give his daughter. Marriage daughters on their wedding day during the blessing in an unusual manner: “Until now isn't merely moving from where you grew bedeken (veiling ceremony). you were our sister, now you are going to up into another home. Marriage creates a One has to wonder – what is so be taken (in marriage) to that righteous new entity, and that entity will “become” remarkable about this blessing that it has man. May it be Hashem's will that thousands of myriads because a proper become the standard blessing that Jewish thousands of myriads will come from marriage transcends the two individuals fathers have used, word for word, to you.” Why does the Targum Yonasan add and creates a greater “one.” confer a blessing to their daughters on the piece about being taken in marriage to This blessing is the very definition of what this most precious day? Not the least of the righteous Yitzchak, where does he see marriage is, and this is why almost every the difficulties is the source of this an indication of that in the possuk? single one of the Sheva Brachos relates to blessing; Lavan is considered a very The Targum is bothered by the word in either creation or Gan Eden. The message wicked and amoral individual who the verse meaning “may you come to be.” that we convey to the bride and groom on singlehandedly tried to wipe out the The blessing from Rifkah’s family should their wedding day is that they are being future of the Jewish people. have merely been “may you give birth to transformed into a new entity. If we are going to use Lavan’s words, one thousands of myriads.” The incredible would at least expect him to have said insight given to Rifkah by her family is that 3. Zimran and Yakshan were called waste because they would sing and beat on a drum for idol purposes (Gen. Rabbah 61:5). 4. When God wished to give the Torah, He offered it to the At the end of this week's parsha, after Sarah passes away, children of Keturah, but they refused to accept it since they Avraham marries another woman named Keturah. While there would not abandon the robbery and theft on which their lives is some debate, Keturah is commonly accepted to be Hagar, the were based (Midrash Tannaim on Deut. 33:2). maidservant of Sarah, mother of Yishmael, and originally the daughter of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. The rabbis give two reasons 5. The rabbis ask: What gifts did Abraham give the sons of why she is now called Keturah; one opinion says it means Keturah? He taught them the dark secrets of sorcery (Sanhedrin binding or sealing, since she remained faithful to Avraham. 91a). Another is that she was called this because of all the mitzvos 6. Where did Avraham send them? The Living Torah (Rabbi and good acts she did – like Ketores (Gen. Rabbah loc. cit.). Here Aryeh Kaplan) says that all of Keturah’s kids lived in the Arabian are some other interesting facts we found: Peninsula, and Josephus appears to corroborate this. 1. Rashi cites the Midrash that Yitzchak initiated the marriage. 7. Josephus adds there (Antiquities 1:15:1) that Afer, Avraham's When Yitzchak was going to meet Rivkah, he said to himself: I and Keturah’s grandson, fought Libya, won, and his have taken a wife, while my father is without a spouse! What grandchildren named it Africa after him. The etymology of Africa did he do? He went and brought him Keturah (Tanhuma, Hayyei supports this, as the name Africa came into Western use Sarah 8). through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra — "land of 2.