Attias Parsha. Hayyei Sarah

11/10/2015

Hayyei Sarah

Before Hashem makes the sun of one tzaddik set, He makes the sun of another rise. The day that Rabbi Akiva died, Rabbi Yehudah HaNassi was born…. Before the sun of Sarah set, the sun of Rivkah rose.5

Accordingly, Sarah lived the exact number of years, months, and days that had been assigned her from the beginning. She did not die prematurely out of grief. If so, how are we to understand Rashi’s6 comment that when Sarah was informed of the Akedah, her soul departed?

e Midrash7 provides more information.

Satan came and told Sarah, “Avraham took Yitzhak, slaughtered him, and offered him as a sacrifice on the altar.”

Sarah began to weep and wail — crying three times like three tekiyot,8 and sobbing three times like three broken shofar blasts. en her soul departed, and “Avraham came to eulogize Sarah….”9 From where did he come? From Mount Moriah.

In other words, when Sarah heard that her son had given up his life in sancti cation of Hashem’s Name, her heart over owed with awe and joy; “the eye wept bitterly, and the heart rejoiced.”10 In this way, Sarah participated in the Akedah. Moreover, she in- stituted shofar blowing on Rosh HaShannah to invoke its merit. With that, she completed her life mission and died.

Looking back at Sarah’s life, we see that her fervent desire and hope over decades had been to bear a son. She had spared no effort trying to merit this, even giving her maidservant to Avraham as a wife. Still, it was not clear whether she had wanted a son for herself or for Hashem.

5. Midrash Rabbah, Kohelet 1:5.

6. On Bereshit 23:2.
7. Yalkut Shimoni.
8. Long shofar blasts.

9. Bereshit 23:2.
10. Hymn for Rosh HaShannah.

On the last day of her life, it became clear that she had wanted a son who would dedicate himself to Hashem.11

The fact that her heart over owed with joy and awe at the news of the Akedah and that she instituted the shofar blasts of Rosh HaShannah showed that all the years of her life had been equally good, that her long- ing for a son had been for Hashem’s sake. Now Vayihiyu hayyei Sarah, Sarah’s lifetime became perfect.

WHERE SARAH DIED

Sarah died in Kiryat Arba, which is Hevron, in the Land of Ca- naan….

Avraham rose up from the presence [literally: face] of his de- ceased….12

Why is it necessary to identify the locale of Sarah’s death in three ways? And why is her face mentioned here?

The three place names allude to three privileges that Sarah was granted at that time: She would be buried in the Machpelah Cave, with her husband, in the Land of Israel.

Kiryat Arba (“City of Four [Couples]”). According to Malbim, Avraham and Sarah lived in Be’er Sheva.13 Apparently, for some reason Sarah had journeyed to Kiryat Arba; then she felt that her time had come and realized that Hashem’s hashgahah14 had brought her there.15 A prophetess on a higher level than Avraham,16 Sarah knew that Hashem wanted her to be buried in the Machpelah Cave, which would become the resting place of four couples — Adam and Havah, Avraham and Sarah, Yitzhak and Rivkah, and Yaakov and Leah.

11. As Hannah prayed, “If you… give Your maidservant male o spring, I shall give him to Hashem all the days of his life….” (Shemuel 1 1:11).
12. Bereshit 23:2–3.
13. See Bereshit 22:19.

14. Providence.
15. As our Sages teach: A person’s feet take him to where he is meant to die (Sukah 53a).
16. See Bereshit 21:12, Rashi.

Hevron (“Joining Together”). Each husband and wife were originally one soul, which split into two when they came into this world. When they leave it, their souls are again joined together. at is why Adam and Havah were buried beside each other, and Avraham and Sarah would be, too.

The Land of Canaan. Of course, where Sarah lived is where she died and was buried. If a verse tells us the obvious, it must be to teach us something else — in this case, that being in the Land of Israel is a special privilege for both the living and the dead, as the Ibn Ezra comments.

Nevertheless, since Hevron comes before Canaan in the verse, we learn that burial with one’s spouse is preferable to burial in the Land of Israel. us Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky, whose wife had been buried in the United States, chose to be buried beside her rather than alone in Israel.

In light of our discussion, we can explain why “Avraham rose up from the face of his deceased.” In Hebrew, the word פנים means both “face” and “inside,” for a person’s inner self is revealed in his face, to those who understand. Sarah’s thoughts about where to be buried were a will, which Avraham read on her face. He then rose up quickly to carry out her will.

BUYING THE MACHPELAH CAVE

Avraham… spoke to the children of Het, saying, “I am an alien and a resident among you; give me an estate for a burial site (ahuzat kever) with you….”17

The Gemara18 relates that Satan compared Iyov to Avraham. “Master of the Universe,” said Satan, “I have wandered throughout the earth and have found no one as faithful as Your servant Avraham. You told him, ‘Arise, walk through the land…, for to you I will give it.’19 Nevertheless, when he had no place to bury Sarah until he paid four hundred shekel, he did not question Your at tributes (midot).”

17. Bereshit 23:3–4.

18. Bava Batra 15b.

What was noteworthy about Avraham paying Ephron for a burial site that Ephron owned? Taking private property without permission and payment is robbery! Even when the Land of Is- rael was under Jewish rule, David HaMelech paid Aravnah the Jebusite for the Temple site, which Aravnah owned.

Let’s examine Avraham’s efforts to acquire the Machpaleh Cave.

Our Sages relate that upon learning of Sarah’s death, the children of Het closed their shops and came to the center of town to pay their last respects.

While they were all standing in front of the town hall, Avra- ham asked for ahuzat kever (“an estate for a burial site”) — a place for a private cemetery, to be used exclusively for his own family they told him, “In the choicest of our burial places bury your dead,”20 but a private cemetery is out of the question. It interferes with city planning and violates the zoning law.

Avraham expected that answer. at is why he began by say- ing, “An alien and a resident am I with you.”21 Rashi comments: If you wish, I am an alien; if not, I will be a resident and take it by law, for Hashem promised this land to my o spring.

Surely Avraham was not threatening to take the plot against their will! Rather, he was saying: Since Hashem gave this land to me and my offspring, a law that blocks my way is not bind- ing.

“Avraham… prostrated himself… before the children of Het,”222 and pleaded with them to change the zoning law for him. “Heed me, and entreat223 (pig’u) for me to Ephron,”224 the city’s mayor.

19. Bereshit 13:17.
20. Bereshit 23:6.
21. Bereshit 23:4.
22. Bereshit 23:7

All of them agreed and signed the law — but only after Avraham paid an exorbitant price to prevent any future claims on the plot.

The exorbitant price involved more than money. Citing the verse “But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Yehudah could not drive out,”225 Rashi226 writes: Physically they could, but they were not permitted to, because Avraham had made a treaty with them when he bought the Machpelah Cave from them.They were Hitties who were called Jebusites for the city of Jebus. Thus David HaMelech was told, “You shall not enter [Jerusalem] until you remove the blind and the lame”227 — a reference to images on which the oath had been engraved. In summary, in order to acquire a private burial site, Avraham had to bow down and plead, pay a lot of money, and sign an unfavorable treaty. Even so, Avraham did not question Hashem’s ways. He trusted that everything is from Hashem and is for the best. Indeed, the Hittites’ signatures on the sale contract prevented later generations of gentiles from burying their dead there, for “ He eld, with the cave in it, was con rmed for Avraham as an estate for a burial site.”228

Similarly, in modern times, Jews had to entreat the United Nations to return the Land of Israel to our people, as if the UN were the owner, and a legal document was signed. is was for the best, since the UN’s ratification helps the Jewish people from being swallowed up by other nations.

Let’s return now to the comparison between Avraham and Iyov. Of Avraham it says only, “You are God-fearing,”229 but of Iyov it says, “a whole-hearted and upright man who fears God and shuns evil.”230

Satan told Hashem: It’s easy for Iyov to fear God, for he is extremely wealthy, and blessed with sons and daughters. He has not been tested.

Hashem said to Satan: He is in your hands, but do not take his life.

Iyov lost everything, and he stood rm in his trials. But he sinned in his heart. He should have said to himself, “Everything is from Hashem and is for the best.” And indeed, it was. ln the end, Iyov was given double what he had before, and sons and daughters on a higher level than the rst ones, of whom he himself had said, “Perhaps my children sinned.”231

Avraham, as Satan pointed out, never questioned Hashem’s attributes (midot). e word midot also means “measurements.” Avraham trusted that everything is measured and calculated by Hashem, and is truly for the best.

262. Bereshit 23:7
. Translation follows Yirmiyahu 7:16 and RashI, Bereshit 28:
. Bereshit 23:8.
. Yehoshua 15:63.
. On Devarim 12:17.
. Shemuel 2 6:5.
. Bereshit 23:20

Translation follows Yirmiyahu 7:16 and Rash, Bereshit 28: Bereshit 23:8.
Yehoshua 15:63.
On Devarim 12:17.

Shemuel 2 6:5. Bereshit 23:20.

AVRAHAM WEEPS

Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to weep for her.232

In the Torah, the word velivkotah, “and to weep for her,” is written with a small kaf (ולבכתה). is teaches us that he only wept a little.233

Why did Avraham only weep a little? And why do we need to know this? Presumably, Avraham wept the amount prescribed by Hala- chah, which is a little the reason people weep more is either out of feelings of grief or to meet others’ expectations, rather than to fulfill what is written in the Shulhan Aruch. Thus our verse says “Avraham came.” From where did he come? The Rashbam states that he had not been away. Accordingly, we may explain “came” as “decided and then deliberately acted accordingly.”

229. Bereshit 22:12.

230. Iyov 1:8.
231. Iyov 1:5.
232. Bereshit 23:2.

233. Baal HaTurim.

Avraham was in complete control of his every motion. For instance, the Torah says that he “li ed his eyes, and he saw…”234 — he decided to li his eyes and see. For although his eyes were open, Avraham controlled whether or not they would see. The story goes that someone told Rabbi Baruch Ber Lebowitz, “I read in the newspaper that your teacher, Rabbi Hayyim Brisker, died.” Rabbi Baruch Ber ignored the report. Later, two men came and informed him of his teacher’s death, and he began to weep.

To those who asked about his reaction, he explained, “ There is no law in the Shulhan Aruch that we believe a newspaper. But there is a law that we believe two witnesses. So then I was not required to weep, but now I am.”

34. 35. 36.

82 37.

The Rashbam states that he had not been away. Accordingly, we may explain “came” as “decided and then deliberately acted accordingly.”

SARAH IS BURIED

And a erward, Avraham buried Sarah, his wife…. And Avraham was old…. 235

ere is a mystifying Midrash236 on this verse.

“He who pursues charity and kindness will find life, charity, and honor.”237 “He who pursues charity” is Avraham Avinu, as it

Bereshit 18:2. Bereshit 23:19–24:1. Bereshit Rabbah 58:9. Mishlei 21:21.

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BERESHIT

is written, “ ey will keep the way of Hashem, to do charity.”38 “Kindness,” for he did an act of kindness for Sarah….

Hashem said to him, “My cra is doing acts of kindness. You have seized my cra — come wear My garment.”

us “Avraham was old,” and it is written, “e Ancient of Days sat.”39

If the Midrash wanted to highlight Avraham’s hesed,40 why take burying his wife as example? at’s natural and expected; any husband would do it. Wouldn’t a better example be extending hospitality to strangers when he was in pain?

e answer lies in the words “Avraham was old.” e word za- ken, “old,” is an acronym or zeh kanah hochmah, “this one acquired wisdom.” Evidently Avraham used great wisdom in burying his wife.

Avraham did not bury his wife like any husband does. Rather, he seized Hashem’s cra . e Torah begins and ends with His hesed; it begins with Hashem making garments for Adam and Havah, and ends with Him burying Moshe Rabbenu. When Avraham buried Sarah, he was cleaving to Hashem’s attributes by imitating His kindness.

Says the Mesilat Yesharim:41 Even while a person is doing physical things that the body requires, his soul should not stop cleaving to Hashem, as David HaMelech said, “My soul cleaves a er You.”42 In this way, he ascends to a higher level of sanctity.

Life provides many opportunities to ascend spiritually. Hashem asks us to “walk modestly with your God.”243 Walking modestly, says the Gemara,244 refers to taking the dead to the grave and bringing brides to the chupah.45 From here we learn that even while taking care of such natural things, a servant of Hashem is “with your God” — fullfilling the mitzvah of cleaving to Hashem.

38. Bereshit 18:19.
39. Daniel 7:9.
40. Kindness.
41. Shaar HaKedushah, ch. 26. 42. Tehilim 63:9.

43. Michah 6:8. 44. End of Makot.

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ELIEZER TESTS RIVKAH

“Let the girl to whom I shall say, ‘Please tip your jug so I may drink,’ and who replies, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels,’ be the one whom You have designated for… Yitzhak.”246

Eliezer’s instructions were only to go to Avraham’s homeland and family and to take a wife for Yitzhak from there. Why did he decide on his own to test the candidate? A messenger does not decide anything on his own — especially on a fateful mission like this one!

We may answer in light of the Midrash247 that Eliezer had a daughter, whom he thought might be a suitable match for Yitzhak. He said to Avraham, “Perhaps the woman will not want to follow me to this land,248 and I will give Yitzhak my daughter.”

Avraham replied, “You are cursed, for you are descended from Canaan, who was cursed by Noah. My son is blessed.  curse cannot cleave to the blessed. If they marry, the verse ‘he shall cleave to his wife’249 will not be fullfilled.”

Assumedly, Avraham also explained to Eliezer, “Ham and Ca- naan were determined that Noah should have no more sons with whom they would have to share the inheritance. ey thought only of themselves. is is the spiritual level of ‘cursed.’ Yitzhak is ‘blessed’ — he gives and gives to others. e two types cannot be matched together.”

45. Wedding canopy.
46. Bereshit 24:14.
47. Bereshit Rabbah 59:9. 48. Bereshit 24:5.

84 49. Bereshit 2:24.

So Eliezer understood that he was to nd a “blessed” to match the “blessed.” He himself was well versed in Avraham’s approach to hesed. Evidently Avraham had taught his approach to his family before leaving Aram Naharayim. So Eliezer needed to nd a girl from the family who had caught on to it.

Avraham had gone beyond the dictates of human reason when he slaughtered three calves for three guests. A good student of Avraham’s would water ten camels — which drink large quantities to store in their bodies for traveling through the desert — from a small pitcher, even though it meant going to the spring and back many times.

Rivkah did this and more. For she also said, “Drink, my mas- ter” — I am merely the servant here. In this, she was truly a good student of Avraham, who had prostrated himself before the guests and then stood and waited on them like a servant.

Rabban Gamliel, the Nassi50 of Israel, behaved similarly. e Gemara51 relates that when the Sages were his guests, he stood and served them, like Avraham — and like Hashem, Who makes the wind blow, the rain fall, and the crops grow, and sets a table before each person.

Since Rivkah was “blessed,” she was a suitable match for the “blessed” Yitzhak.

Each of us is required to say, “When will my deeds reach the deeds of my Forefathers?” So it behooves us to learn these points and put them into practice.

ELIEZER BECOMES “BLESSED”

[Lavan] said, “Come, O blessed of Hashem!”252

So Eliezer understood that he was to nd a “blessed” to match the “blessed.” He himself was well versed in Avraham’s approach to hesed. Evidently Avraham had taught his approach to his family before leaving Aram Naharayim. So Eliezer needed to nd a girl from the family who had caught on to it.

Avraham had gone beyond the dictates of human reason when he slaughtered three calves for three guests. A good student of Avraham’s would water ten camels — which drink large quantities to store in their bodies for traveling through the desert — from a small pitcher, even though it meant going to the spring and back many times.

Rivkah did this and more. For she also said, “Drink, my mas- ter” — I am merely the servant here. In this, she was truly a good student of Avraham, who had prostrated himself before the guests and then stood and waited on them like a servant.

Rabban Gamliel, the Nassi50 of Israel, behaved similarly. e Gemara51 relates that when the Sages were his guests, he stood and served them, like Avraham — and like Hashem, Who makes the wind blow, the rain fall, and the crops grow, and sets a table before each person.

Since Rivkah was “blessed,” she was a suitable match for the “blessed” Yitzhak.

Each of us is required to say, “When will my deeds reach the deeds of my Forefathers?” So it behooves us to learn these points and put them into practice.

50. Leader.
51. KIddushin 32b. 52. Bereshit 24:31.

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Hayyei Sarah

Our Sages53 said: Eliezer went from the category of “cursed” to the category of “blessed” by serving a tzaddik faithfully. If the Jewish people, who are in the category of “blessed,” do hesed for a tzaddik with their hands and feet, how much more so!

What is the kal vahomer254 here?

Eliezer, the son of the wicked Nimrod,255 was brought up to deny Hashem. Nevertheless, by attaching himself to a tzaddik and serving him faithfully, Eliezer acquired the level of “blessed” — giving sel essly to others. In seeking a suitable match for Yitzhak, Eliezer set aside his own interest and that of his daughter, and thought only of the welfare of Avraham’s family.

If Eliezer, who received a bad upbringing, gained so much by attaching himself to a tzaddik, then how much more will Jews, who received a good upbringing, gain by doing the same!

AVRAHAM REMARRIES

VaYoseph Avraham, Avraham proceeded and took a wife….56

VaYoseph literally means “added.” Avraham added to something he had done in the past.57 What does this word come to teach us?

53. 54. 55. 56. 57.

86 58.

e Midrash says.

“In the morning, sow your seed; and in the evening, be not idle. For you do not know which will succeed — this or that — and if equally, all the better.”58

is teaches that if a poor man comes to you in the morning, give him charity, and in the evening give him again…. If you stud- ied Torah in your youth, study Torah in your old age….

And if a person begot children in his youth, he should beget

Yalkut Shimoni.
Logical deduction of the type “If x, then how much more so y.” Yalkut Shimoni 109.
Bereshit 25:1.
See Malbim.
Kohelet 11:6.

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BERESHIT

children in his old age…. From whom do you learn this? From Avraham Avinu, as it is written, “VaYoseph Avraham, Avraham added [to what he had done in the past] and took a wife.”

From here we learn to serve Hashem until our last day without slacking o . We must never rest on our laurels. “Man goes forth to his work, and to his labor until evening.”59 e laborers of old kept working until the day ended. We — who are laborers in this world, working to earn our share in the world to come — must keep working until our life ends.60

Along these lines, Rabbi Simhah Zissel Ziv gave a novel inter- pretation to the well-known verse “Educate the youth according to his way; even when he grows old, he will not depart from it.”61 We must train a child early on to never depart from “educate the youth,” but to continue learning and improving throughout life, even when he grows old.

59. Tehilim 104:23.
60. See Bava Metzia 83b. 61. Mishlei 22:6.

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