PORTION DATE HEB DATE TORAH NEVIIM KETUVIM Chayei Sarah 11 Nov 2017 22 Cheshvan 5778 Gen. 23:1-25:18 1 Kings 1:1-31 John 4:3-14 Genesis 23:1-25:18 Chapter 23 There are 54 parashot in the Torah that is read in a year. Of these, there are 5 parashot who are named after a man. They are Noach, Yitro, Korach, Balak, and Pinchas. Then, there is one for a woman, and that is Sarah. Each week, when we read our weekly parashat, we are building one parashat on top of the other. For example, in parashat B’resheet, is the creation to transform darkness into light. Then the next is Noach, that is to bring the world into purity. Then there is Lech Lecha about Abraham, that we should grow in faith for each step we take. Finally, Chayei Sarah, that is a blessing. Now we come to a step that is talking about the life of Sarah. It teaches us very important foundation that the woman is the source of blessing. Then why do we start our parashat with the death of Sarah? Is it possible that Sarah had some deficiency to cause her death? The Midrash tells us that when Abraham took Isaac for Akedah, he did not tell Sarah what he was doing. Because if she knew about it, she will not agree to it. Now, a man can digest such message but a woman can’t. Because a role of the mother is for the child to have life. Because her role is to ensure her child is fed, warm, fed, and secure. There was a rabbi who was very Tzadik long time ago who lived in Jerusalem. Now, it is customary for Jews to fast before visiting a Tzadik in the cemetery. But this rabbi would always eat before going to the tomb and pray. Finally, one of the rabbis asked, “why are you eating before going to cemetery?” And he said, “I am going to visit my mother. And she wants me to come full. She does not want me to come hungry. So, I have to eat. So, she is going to be satisfied and happy that I came with food in my stomach.” Such is the case of all mothers, whereas the fathers are somewhat rough around the edges. That is why Abraham was able to digest the news and ready to sacrifice Isaac to show his fidelity to Hashem. Does this mean Sarah lacked faith in Hashem? The Sages tell us while Sarah was alive, the bread she baked stayed fresh entire week and it never ran out. The bread represents livelihood. The candles would stay lit Shabbat to Shabbat which represents spirituality. And the cloud stayed hovering over her tent represents the Divine Presence. When Sarah died, the bread became stale. The candles died 3 or 4 hours later. And the Divine Presence left her tent. It all disappeared. When did it come back? When Rivkah (Rebecca) came to live as a wife to Isaac. The Scripture does not tell us how long it has been since the Akedah. The Midrash tells us Isaac was 37 years old and he was 40 years when he married Rivkah. So, 3 years were gone by. During those years, Abraham was there, Isaac was there, did they not have enough merit for candles to last from Shabbat to Shabbat? After all, it was Abraham who lighted the candles when Sarah was no longer with them. Weren’t they Zadik enough? All this shows that the bracha comes from women. Parashat Chayei Sarah, 11 Nov., 2017 Page 1 The Talmud tells us: “a person must always be careful about his wife’s honor, because blessing is found in a person’s house only on account of his wife. As it is stated: And he [Pharaoh] treated Avram well on her [Sarai’s] account. Rava (Abba ben Joseph bar Hama [280-352 CE]) said, “Honor your wives so that you will become rich”1 In Kitzur Shulcan Aruch (Kitzur Code of Laws) says: “One must be exceedingly wary of verbally hurting his wife, and take care not to cause her pain with words, because a woman has a soft nature and she is liable to cry even from a small amount of pain. This is of utmost severity, because Hashem, may He be blessed, is strict when one causes another to shed tears, and the heavenly gates of tears have not been locked.2 The Satan came to Sarah and asked her where was Abraham. She replied that she did not know. The Satan then showed her Isaac tied down on the altar and Abraham was holding a knife ready to sacrifice Isaac. When she saw this, she began to cry and started to search for them, then died due to her sadness. However, the Book of Jasher continues that the Satan came to her second time while Sarah was search for Isaac and Abraham. The Satan then said, “Good news! Isaac is still alive!” Sarah “heard the word her joy was so exceedingly violent on account of her son, that her being [soul] went out through joy; she died and was gathered to her people.”3 Thus, Israel purchased three lands. They are: 1. The Cave of Machpelah, the site of the Holy Temple, and the tomb of Joseph at Shechem. The cave of Machpelah, as it is written: “And Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver”; 2. The Temple: “So David gave to Oman for the place six hundred shekels of gold” (1Chron. 21:25). And Joseph’s tomb: 3. “And [Jacob] bought the parcel of land (at Shechem) for a hundred pieces of silver (Gen. 33:19) So, what is the size of Machpelah using today’s measurement? In Leviticus 27:16, a field is the size of a beit-kur, which is the equivalent of 75,000 square cubits at the value of 50 silver shekels. Thus, the size of the field which Abraham purchased for 400 silver shekels was eight kur, or 600,000 square cubits. A square cubit (approx. 20 inches by 20 inches), after gathering the bones, is the space occupied by a single person. This means that Abraham purchased a plot of land that provides an individual “space” for each of the 600,000 souls of Israel. Also our Sages tell us that the Torah contains 600,000 letters (counting the spaces between letters), for each Israel possesses something of the Torah. Genesis 24 Three years later, in 2088, Abraham decided it was time for Isaac to marry. Even though, he left Charan 65 years ago, he made Eliezer to a binding oath to bring a wife for Isaac. Why was such an oath necessary for Eliezer? He was, after all, his trusted servant, an outstanding disciple, and faithful. Because Abraham knew that people make choices based on their own perception and their own 1 BT, Bava Metzia 59a 2 Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, 145:10; 63 Se’if 3 The Book of Jasher, Chapter 23:86 Parashat Chayei Sarah, 11 Nov., 2017 Page 2 reality despite their best intention and promises. So, when a person takes an oath, it is an expression of their willingness to carry out the promise beyond their best ability. The Talmud tells us that we have taken such oath before we were born. Even though we do not consciously remember taking this oath.4 It impels us to seek holiness and goodness, and to recognize Divine providence. The power of administering this oath to us, Hashem is also granting us the power to do His will. Once we truly realize that everything belongs to Hashem, He then allows and even encourages5 us to enjoy the fruits of our labors. If the woman refuses to follow Eliezer back to Abraham, then his oath would be absolved. He is then to bring a woman from one of Abraham’s allies, Aneir, Eshkol, and Mamrei, for at least they are monotheist. That way, Isaac and his wife can remain under Abraham’s tutelage. However, Eliezer is not to take Isaac out of his home. Eliezer then suggested that Abraham should consider his daughter as a wife to Isaac rather than considering a woman from his allies. However, Abraham said: “My son is blessed, and you, being a descendant of Canaan, are cursed.”6 The accursed cannot unite in marriage with the blessed.7 Only then did Eliezer place his hand under Abraham’s thigh. In verse 10, it says, “for all the items were in his hand.” What does it mean? Abraham, being meticulous, had to show the worth of Isaac. Thus, he wrote a document transferring ownership of all his property to Isaac which made Isaac extremely wealthy, and it would cause eagerness on the bride’s side to marry Isaac. Rebecca came to the well where Eliezer was waiting and praying for the success of his mission. In is 24 which (כד) ”The numerical value of a “pitcher .(כַדָ ה) verse 16, “pitcher” in Hebrew is chadah alludes to the 24 books of Tanach. The well water alludes to the source of Divine wisdom. The 24 books form the channel through which Hashem’s wisdom flows into the world.8 ,at the end alludes to the Oral Torah which is identified with the sefirah as malchut [ה] ”With “hei which in turn is identified with the final “hei” of Hashem’s Name. So, the Oral Torah is a pitcher that draws from the 24 books of the Written Torah.9 The Oral Torah, however, despite its vast body of knowledge, it is no more than a “pitcher” of water hidden in the “sea” of Divine wisdom in the entire Torah.