Parshat Chaya Sarah – The Life of Sarah
CARLSBAD, California — This week’s portion, titled “Chaya Sarah,” which means the Life of Sarah, deals with Sarah’s death. Odd.
The body of the portion, after discussing Avraham’s purchase of the Cave of Machpailah as a family burial site, talks about the special mission given by Avraham to his trusted servant Eliezer. The mission was to find a wife for Avraham and Sarah’s beloved son, Yitzchak.
The portion then goes on to explain how Avraham gets married to Keturah, who the commentaries explain is actually Hagar. Hagar had reverted to idol worship when she had been previously sent away, but she repented and embraced Monotheism, and was thusly a fitting wife for Avraham. They went on to have more children together.
Finally, at the end of the portion we learn of the passing of Avraham. He was gathered unto his people, the specific description used concerning someone of great righteousness. Next week’s portion will deal with Yitzchak and his newly married wife Rivka.
The name of the portion is indicative of its content, which makes our portion’s name so odd. The portion, as noted above, does not discuss Sarah’s life in the least. Instead it describes life after Sarah.
Or does it?
What is the meaning of life? Why are we here? These are THE big questions in life. This portion tells us the answer. There is more to life, much more, than the ‘rat race.’ A life spent in headlong pursuit of material wealth is not a life at all. The Jewish purpose of life is summed up in one simple sentence articulated in the Talmud: “To make the lowly earth into a dwelling for the Blessed One.”
Everything accomplished by the Patriarchs and Matriarchs is a signpost for us going forward. They demonstrated the correct path and help us along it by having been trailblazers. Sarah didn’t truly die because her progeny are still alive. Sarah had a glorious career during which she and her life partner brought the awareness of the One G-d to a scattered and morally bankrupted populace. She helped changed the world. This can be seen because she successfully reared Yitzchak. Yitzchak would do Avraham and Sarah proud – he carried on with their legacy, successfully passing it on to Yaakov, father of the 12 Tribes of Israel.
It’s wonderful for a parent seeing a child carry on with the family business. It is even better seeing that child become a wonderful human being. It is best of all seeing that child fulfill all of the above and furthermore seeing him/her establish a vibrant, righteous nation, full with good people stretching themselves to serve as G-d’s emissaries in a dark world.
Long live our mother Sarah!
Wishing everyone a happy and HEALTHY Shabbos!
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Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort is Director of Coastal Chabads and Chabad at La Costa. Rabbi Eilfort welcomes readers’ comments and questions and may be reached at RabbiE@ChabadatLaCosta.com.