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Chaye Sarah
22 Nov
08
Beresheet
23:1 - 25:18
Haf Torah - I Kings 1:1-31
This weeks Torah
reading includes the death and burial of Sarah, the procuring of Rebecca
as the wife of Isaac, and Abraham's going on to his rewards contented that
his mission of passing his faith on to his son, Isaac, is assured.
The death of Sarah
is the first instance in Scripture where burial of the dead is mentioned.
Many of the present day rules and customs regarding burial and mourning
are derived from these passages. One such custom is the eulogy, the text
stating that Abraham came to eulogize and bewail Sarah. This helps loved
ones go through this period of grief by retelling and remembering
highlights of their lives together. The Torah gives the details of
Sarah's death to provide a legal document for Abraham and his heirs,
Isaac, Jacob, and the Jewish people to follow, to the land of promise,
Israel. According to this passage of Scripture, the land for Sarah's
burial was purchased with proper and legal documentation. This was so
that neither he nor his descendants would be accused of stealing the land
of promise. For this reason the pioneers of modern day Israel also
purchased land in Israel with proper documentation so that they would not
be accused of stealing land from any peoples.
Abraham's servant
Eliezer was a wise man full of experience and wisdom regarding the needs
of his master. He was sent forth as a shadchan, matchmaker, to find a
wife for Isaac. Both Abraham and Eliezer sought G-d for Isaac's beshert,
soul mate. Abraham infers his trust and faith in HaShem telling Eliezer
that G-d will send His angel to guide and direct him on his mission.
Eliezer prays specifically for G-d's blessings and direction. He asks for
good characteristics for Isaac's wife such as the gift of hospitality,
cooperation, an industrious nature, consideration towards others, beauty
and, purity. Notice that beauty was NOT the first desirable quality. By
sending Eliezer, Abraham was assured that the wife of his son would not be
from a society that was influenced by the world, but by G-d's law. Isaac
and his future wife Rebecca were equally yoked.
Abraham was
contented and lived to the ripe old age of 175 years. He was assured that
the vision of the promise given to him by G-d was passed on to his son
Isaac and future generations.
Shalom U’Bracha
Rabbi Z
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