Rabbi Sacks on Parshat Chayei Sarah HERTZ 80 the Language of the Torah Another
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Parshat Chayei Sarah/Shabbat Mevarchim November 23, 2019 25 Cheshvan, 5780 TORAH ARTSCROLL 106 Rabbi Sacks on Parshat Chayei Sarah HERTZ 80 The language of the Torah another. Together they The third clue to the hidden is, in Erich Auerbach’s embarked on a long journey to story is revealed in the HAFTORAH famous phrase, “fraught an unknown destination. Torah’s description of ARTSCROLL 1136 with background.” Behind Together, they stood against Abraham’s death: And HERTZ 90 the events that are openly the idolatry of their time. Twice, Abraham expired, and died told are shadowy stories Sarah saved Abraham’s life by in a good old age, an old Aufruf left for us to decipher. pretending to be his sister. man, and full of years, and of Hidden beneath the They hoped and prayed for a was gathered to his people. Daniel Weiss surface of Parshat Chayei child and endured the long Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, Sarah, for example, is years of childlessness until buried him in the Cave of Shabbat Mevarchim another story, alluded to Isaac was born. Then Sarah’s Machpelah, in the field of Kislev only in a series of hints. life draws to a close. She dies. Ephron the son of Zohar the Rosh Chodesh: There are three clues in Abraham mourns and weeps for Hittite, which is before Thurs. & Fri. Nov. 28-29 the text. The first occurs her and buys a cave in which Mamre, the field which Molad: Wed. Nov. 27 when Abraham’s servant she is buried, and he is to be Abraham purchased of the at 7:18:7 am is returning with the buried beside her. We then children of Het. There was woman who is to become expect to read that Abraham Abraham buried, and Sarah Times Isaac’s wife. As Rebecca lived out the rest of his years his wife. (Gen. 25:8–10) sees Isaac in the distance, alone before being placed Ishmael’s presence at the Candle Lighting 4:13 pm we are told that he is beside “Sarah his wife” (Gen. funeral is surprising. After “coming from the way of 25:10) in the “Cave of Mincha 4:15 pm all, he had been sent away Be’er-laĥai-ro’i” Machhpelah” (Gen. 25:9). into the desert years before, Hashkama 8:00 am (24:62) to meditate in the Unexpectedly, however, once when Isaac was young. Until field. The placement is Youth Minyan 8:30 am Isaac is married, Abraham now, we have assumed that surprising. Thus far we marries a woman named the two half-brothers have Parsha Shiur 8:30 am have situated the Keturah and has six children by lived in total isolation from patriarchal family at Main 9:00 am her. We are told nothing else one another. Yet the Torah Be’ersheva, to which about this woman, and the places them together at the Beit Midrash 9:15 am Abraham returns after the significance of the episode is funeral without a word of Gemara Shiur 3:35 pm binding of Isaac, and unclear. The Torah does not explanation. The sages piece Hebron, where Sarah dies Mincha 4:05 pm include mere incidental details. together these three and is buried. What is this We have no idea, for example, puzzling details to form an Shabbat Ends 5:21 pm third location, Be’er-laĥai- what Abraham looked like. We enthralling story. First, they ro’i, and what is its R’ Reisman Video 7:30 pm do not even know the name of point out that Be’er-laĥai- significance? Shiur the servant he sent to find a ro’i, the place from which Sunday Nov. 24 7:30/8:30 am The second is the wife for Isaac. Tradition tells us Isaac was coming when Mon. 6:35/7:45 am extraordinary final stage that it was Eliezer, but the Rebecca saw him, is Tue., Wed. 6:45/7:45 am of Abraham’s life. In Torah itself does not. What then mentioned once before in Thurs. Ro. Ch. & 7:30/8:30 am chapter after chapter we is the significance of Abraham’s Genesis: It is the spot where Thanksgiving read of the love and second marriage and how is it Hagar, pregnant and fleeing Fri. Ro. Chodesh 6:30/7:45 am faithfulness Abraham and related to the rest of the from Sarah, encountered an Mincha 4:10 pm Sarah had for one narrative? angel who told her to return. Latest Times for Kiddush is sponsored by Shema/Shemoneh Esrei Sherri & Alan Sofer and Nurit & Mordechai Weiss Nov. 23 9:16/10:04 am in honor of the Aufruf and upcoming wedding Nov. 30 9:20/10:08 am of their children Marlene Sofer & Daniel Weiss Next Shabbat Toldot Bima Flowers are sponsored by Candle Lighting 4:10 pm Jonny & Michele Ambalo in honor of the engagement Mincha 4:10 pm of their daughter Jessica to Daniel Sultan 26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck, NY 11023 (516) 487-6100 Shabbat Announcements Chayei Sarah 5780 It is indeed she who gives the place its name, meaning “the but that was the beginning, not the end. Between Judaism well of the Living One who sees me” (Gen. 16:14). The and Islam there can be friendship and mutual respect. Midrash thus says that Isaac went to Be’er-laĥai-ro’i in Abraham loved both his sons and was laid to rest by both. search of Hagar. When Isaac heard that his father was There is hope for the future in this story of the past. seeking a wife for him, he said, “Shall I be married while my father lives alone? I will go and return Hagar to him.” Hence the sages’ answer to the second question: who was Keturah? She was, they said, none other than Hagar herself. It is not unusual for people in the Torah to have more than one name: Jethro, Moses’s father-in-law, had seven. Hagar was called Keturah because “her acts gave forth fragrance like incense (ketoret).” This indeed integrates Abraham’s second marriage as an essential component of the narrative. Hagar did not end her days as an outcast. She returned, at Isaac’s prompting and with Abraham’s consent, to become the wife of her former master. This also changes the painful story of the banishment of Ishmael. We know that Abraham did not want to send him away – Sarah’s demand was “very grievous in Abraham’s sight on account of his son” (Gen. 21:11). Nonetheless, God told Abraham to listen to his wife. There is, however, an extraordinary midrash, in Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer, which tells of how Abraham twice visited his son. On the first occasion, Ishmael was not at home. His wife, not knowing Abraham’s identity, refused the stranger bread and water. Ishmael, continues the Midrash, divorced her and married a woman named Fatimah. This time, when Abraham visited, again not disclosing his identity, the woman gave him food and drink. The Midrash then says “Abraham stood and prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, and Ishmael’s house became filled with all good things. When Ishmael returned, his wife told him about it, and Ishmael knew that his father still loved him.” Father and son were reconciled. The name of Ishmael’s second wife, Fatimah, is highly significant. In the Koran, Fatimah is the daughter of Mohammad. Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer is an eighth-century work, and it is here making an explicit, and positive, reference to Islam. The hidden story of Chayei Sarah has immense consequence for our time. Jews and Muslims both trace their descent from Abraham – Jews through Isaac, Muslims through Ishmael. The fact that both sons stood together at their father’s funeral tells us that they too were reunited. Beneath the surface of the narrative in Chayei Sarah, the sages read the clues and pieced together a moving story of reconciliation REGISTRATION DEADLINE between Abraham and Hagar on the one hand, Isaac and DECEMBER 15TH Ishmael on the other. Yes, there was conflict and separation; Great Neck Synagogue 26 Old Mill Road, Great Neck , NY 11023 516-487-6100 Rabbi Dale Polakoff, Rabbi Rabbi Ian Lichter, Assistant Rabbi Rabbi Aron White, Intern Rabbi Dr. Ephraim Wolf, z”l, Rabbi Emeritus Yitzy Spinner, Cantor Eleazer Schulman, z”l, Cantor Emeritus Rabbi Sholom Jensen, Youth Director Zehava & Dr. Michael Atlas, Youth Directors Mark Twersky, Executive Director Dr. James Frisch, Assistant Director Erran Kagan, President Harold Domnitch, Chairman of the Board CHAVERIM CENTER GNS ANNUAL BOWLING INVITIATIONAL MEN’S CLUB EVENT - MY ISRAEL HOME THANKSGIVING CHESSED This year for Thanksgiving You can really give thanks and be giving! 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