Parshas Chayei Sarah
1. As has already been discussed many times[1] regarding the names of the parshiyos, the content of each parshah is alluded to in its name. So too with our parshah: the name "Chayei Sarah" ("the life of Sarah") alludes to the content of the entire parshah.
This is puzzling: the whole parshah speaks of events that took place not during the time of "the life of Sarah" (while she was alive); on the contrary, all the events of the parshah took place after Sarah's passing[2].
And not only did they actually take place in the time after her passing, but in their content, too, they are the opposite of "the life of Sarah":
The first section relates how Avraham bought the Cave of Machpelah for the burial of Sarah. The second matter of the parshah[3] is the marriage of Yitzchak and Rivkah, at the conclusion of which the verse says[4], "And Yitzchak was comforted after his mother" — "and once she died, he was comforted by his wife"[5]. And so too (and all the more so) the third matter of the parshah[6] — "And Avraham again took a wife…" and the continuation, "And these are the generations of Yishmael…" — all this is the utter opposite of "the life of Sarah," for from the standpoint of (the life of) Sarah, the order is "Drive out this handmaid and her son…"[7].
How, then, can one say that "the life of Sarah" is the content of the parshah — and of the entire parshah at that?
2. The explanation of this: The interpretation is known[8] of what the Gemara[9] says, "Yaakov our father did not die… just as his descendants are alive, so he too is alive":
The true meaning of life is an everlasting, eternal life[10]. And this is possible only for those who cleave to G‑d, Who is the source of true life and eternity, as it is written[11], "And the L‑rd G‑d is truth; He is the living G‑d," and "And you who cleave to the L‑rd your G‑d are all alive…"[12].
From this it is understood that when is it evident that Yaakov had a true life — eternal life, a life of holiness? When one sees the eternity of his life: that also after the soul departs from the body it continues, that later too "his descendants" are "alive" — their life is the same as the life of Yaakov our father.
Similarly it is understood regarding "the life of Sarah"[13]: When is the life of Sarah revealed and confirmed? When the influence of the years of Sarah's life is evident (also) after the time of her life in this world, when her matters of goodness and holiness continue (also) afterwards. Specifically in this manner can her one hundred and twenty-seven years be called "the life of Sarah," a life worthy of the name — the true life of Sarah our mother.
According to this, the section of the parshah that speaks of the marriage of Yitzchak and Rivkah is explained: Since the conduct of Yitzchak, Sarah's child ("her descendants are alive"), was in keeping with (the order of) Sarah's life; and so too was the conduct of Rivkah, whom he married, as it is written, "And Yitzchak brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother" — "and behold, she is his mother"[14], that the matters of Sarah (a lamp burning from one Shabbos eve to the next, a blessing found in the dough, and a cloud attached to the tent[15]) continued afterwards with Rivkah as well — it is precisely in this that the truth and eternity of "the life of Sarah" was expressed[16].
This, however, is not sufficient, because (besides the fact that this explains only one matter of the parshah and not the other two matters mentioned above,) most of the section does not speak about the marriage itself, but about the details of the events and conversations in Eliezer's mission (how he found Rivkah, how he related this to Besuel and Lavan and obtained their consent to the match, and so on).
3. This will be understood by first explaining why in the first section of the parshah, too, the length is specifically in the give-and-take between Avraham and the children of Ches and Ephron about buying the Cave of Machpelah:
This too requires explanation: At the beginning of Avraham's words to the children of Ches — "I am a stranger and a resident with you"[17] — our Sages say[18]: "If you wish[19], I am a stranger; and if not, I will be a resident[20] and take it by right, for the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me, 'To your offspring I will give this land'"[21]. Seemingly this is not understood[21*]:
a) Since Avraham could have taken the Cave of Machpelah "by right"[22], why did he make such an effort that they should sell it to him (and "for full money")[23], and say "I am a stranger"?
b) How could he take it "by right," since at that time it did not yet belong to Avraham (there was only the promise for the future[24]: "To your offspring I will give this land")?
The end of the parshah also requires explanation: On "And Yitzchak and Yishmael his sons buried him"[25], our Sages say[26] (and Rashi[27] cites it): "From here[28] [we learn] that Yishmael repented and let Yitzchak go before him." One must understand: Why does the Torah allude to Yishmael's repentance only at Avraham's burial (after his passing) — Yishmael repented while Avraham was still alive[29], and that is the "good old age" that is said of Avraham[30]?
4. The explanation of this — beginning with the difference between Avraham and Sarah[31] regarding their offspring:
Avraham was, in the simple sense, the father not only of Yitzchak but also of Yishmael — to the point that, as our Sages say[32], "your son, your only one, whom you love" — refers both to Yitzchak and to Yishmael. Even more: Yishmael was born to him before Yitzchak.
That is, from Avraham there came forth not only the Jewish people but also other nations, to the point that G‑d says, "I have made you the father of a multitude of nations"[33] — he is "a father to the whole world"[34].
Sarah, by contrast, was the mother only of Yitzchak; that is, her connection is only to the Jewish people[35].
And this is also the difference between the service of Avraham and the service of Sarah:
Avraham publicized G‑dliness to all types of people — "Avraham our father caused the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, to be called upon by the mouth of every passerby"[36] — even to Arabs who bow down to the dust of their feet[37] — without considering whether they would remain under his influence afterwards or not.
Whereas with Sarah (from the time Yitzchak was born), the influence and drawing down of G‑dliness through her was only to the fitting place, to the side of holiness (as alluded to in the story of Rabbi Bena'ah[38] and explained at length in Chassidus[39]).
This was expressed also regarding Avraham's son Yishmael. Sarah said of him (and carried it out), "Drive out this handmaid and her son, for the son of this handmaid shall not inherit with my son, with Yitzchak," even though "the matter was very grievous in Avraham's eyes on account of his son"[40]:
Avraham drew down G‑dliness to everyone; therefore "the matter was very grievous… on account of his son," "that she was telling him to send him away"[41]. Even more: he prayed[42] (and accomplished) "Would that Yishmael might live before You"[43].
From the standpoint of Sarah[44], however, Yishmael bears no comparison to Yitzchak, and therefore there must be "Drive out this handmaid and her son, for the son of this handmaid shall not inherit with my son…" — he has no place in receiving Avraham's influence together with Yitzchak, the Jewish people.
5. This very matter is the general point of the three sections (and stories) in our parshah:
The Cave of Machpelah was the burial place of Adam and Chavah[45], from whom the entire human race descends. Accordingly, the Cave of Machpelah should seemingly not have had a connection only and specifically to Jews. Yet we see that Avraham made an effort and bought it for the burial of Sarah, and there lie the three Avos and the Imahos — it belongs only to Jews. This itself is a proof that Jews are the essence of Adam and Chavah as well[46] — and all other nations bear no comparison to them.
Afterwards the parshah brings out (in the story of Eliezer's mission) a still higher matter: the superiority of the Jewish people is not only in relation to the nations that have no connection at all to Avraham, but also in relation to those that do have a certain connection:
Of Eliezer, the servant of Avraham, it is said that he "drew and gave others to drink from his master's Torah"[47]. And in this story itself (about his mission) the Torah relates the many miracles that G‑d showed him (as he carried out Avraham's mission), to the point that from the length of the story our Sages learn[48] that "the conversation of the servants of the Patriarchs' households is more pleasing than the Torah of the sons…" — and after all this, Avraham could not marry Yitzchak to the daughter of Eliezer, because "my son is blessed and you are cursed, and the cursed cannot cleave to the blessed"[49].
That is, notwithstanding all of Eliezer's virtues, in comparison to Yitzchak he is not merely lower in level, but is to him as "cursed" compared with "blessed."
6. And at the end of the parshah the Torah adds a still greater elevation in this — that the superiority of the Jewish people is even in relation to the offspring of Avraham, and in such a manner that those offspring have no standing at all:
After the Torah relates that "Avraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah," and "she bore him…," the verse says[50], "And Avraham gave all that he had to Yitzchak; and to the sons of the concubines… Avraham gave gifts, and he sent them away from Yitzchak his son…"[51]. And similarly regarding the sons of Yishmael: although they are "the generations of Yishmael, son of Avraham," the Torah immediately adds and emphasizes, "whom Hagar the Egyptian, the handmaid of Sarah, bore"[52] — that Yishmael's existence (with all his "generations" to the end of all generations) is that the "handmaid of Sarah" bore him[53], bearing no comparison to Yitzchak, the son of Sarah.
[According to this it is also understood why the Torah alludes to Yishmael's repentance in connection with Avraham's burial and in his "letting Yitzchak go before him": Yishmael's (main) sin, because of which Avraham had to send him away together with Hagar, was that he claimed that he was the "firstborn" and "takes a double portion"[54]; he did not acknowledge the truth, that he is only the son of the handmaid (not an heir), and that the true heir is Yitzchak, "the son of the mistress"[55] — as Sarah said, "Drive out this handmaid and her son, for the son of this handmaid shall not inherit with my son, with Yitzchak."
Therefore his repentance is alluded to (a) specifically in connection with the burial (after Avraham's passing, which is the time when it is actually evident that he does not consider himself an heir), and also (b) in his then letting Yitzchak go before him: he acknowledged the truth and admitted that Yitzchak is the heir (and obligated in his burial), and that he is the son of the handmaid[56].]
And this is the general connection of the matters discussed in the parshah to the name of the parshah, "Chayei Sarah" — because in them is emphasized the accomplishment of her service[57] (which is her true "life"): bringing out the distinction and incomparability between Yitzchak and Yishmael, between Jews and non-Jews.
7. A deeper explanation of this matter: The existence of heaven and earth and all their hosts (including the nations of the world) is "for the sake of Israel"[58]; the entire purpose of their creation is for the sake of the Jewish people. Consequently, if they do not carry out this intent and purpose of theirs, the reason for their existence is absent.
[According to this one can explain (by way of possibility) the content and definition of the seven Noahide laws[59]: the seven Noahide laws are not a matter and purpose in themselves (for their own sake), but this too is for the sake of Israel and for the sake of the Torah — for the sake of the Jewish people's fulfillment of Torah and mitzvos. In order that Jews should be able to fulfill Torah and mitzvos (drawing down the G‑dly light that is above the world), the world must be fit and prepared "to be settled" for this, and this is accomplished through the seven Noahide laws, which establish an order of settling the world.
And therefore, when a descendant of Noach transgresses one of the seven laws — without distinction as to which law it is — he is liable to death[60], the nullification of his existence. Since the purpose and reason of his existence is (not as an end in itself, but) "for the sake of Israel," when he does not carry out his task, he loses, as a matter of course, the foundation of his existence in the world.]
And since this is what their existence consists of, it had to be evident right away in relation to the first Jew — Avraham. And this matter too is emphasized in Parshas Chayei Sarah, in all three matters, as follows.
8. In the first section this is emphasized in Avraham's words, "a stranger and a resident — if you wish, I am a stranger; and if not…":
The Land of Israel was created by G‑d with the intent that it be given to the Jewish people — the earlier "by His will He gave it to them"[61], to the nations of the world, was for the sake of[61*] "by His will He took it from them and gave it to us." And this itself is in such a manner that each part of the Land of Israel had its time and way of when and how it would come to the Jewish people[62]: the Land of Israel as a whole was to come to the Jewish people only in the time of Yehoshua (earlier — "the beasts of the field would multiply against you"[62*]) and through conquest[63]; and the Cave of Machpelah — to Avraham (for the burial of Sarah) through his buying it from the children of Ches[64].
And this was Avraham's intent in saying, "If you wish, I am a stranger; and if not… I will take it by right, for the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me, 'To your offspring I will give this land'": If they carry out the intent and purpose for which G‑d gave the Cave of Machpelah into their possession (in order to sell it to Avraham), then "I am a stranger," and he will buy it from them [and so too regarding the intent and purpose of the world, which is "for the sake of the Torah": the Cave of Machpelah was at first with them, with the children of Ches, and Avraham must buy it, and through this there is added to the Torah[65] a section, a teaching: "'taking' [is learned from 'taking'] from the field of Ephron"[66]; and more].
But if they do not want to sell it, then "I will take it by right":
Since they do not carry out the task and purpose of their having the Cave of Machpelah in their possession, the existence of their temporary ownership of the Cave of Machpelah is nullified as a matter of course, and so "I will take it by right."
[And all this is connected with "the life of Sarah" — through Sarah's power and service, as the verse begins, "And Avraham rose up from before his dead and spoke to the children of Ches, saying, 'I am a stranger…'" — as will be explained.]
9. So too this (that the nations and so on exist "for the sake of Israel") is also explained in the second matter — the marriage of Yitzchak (the first one born a Jew) and Rivkah: the length of the section about the miracles that happened to Eliezer, which he related to Besuel and Lavan, and which led them too to acknowledge that "the matter has come from the L‑rd" and to consent to the match of Yitzchak with Rivkah — "Here is Rivkah before you; take her and go… as the L‑rd has spoken" — all this brings out that the main point and purpose of everything that took place here are Avraham and Yitzchak ("for the sake of Israel")[67].
And even more: when Besuel wanted to hold it back — his existence was nullified[68].
Since the existence of Besuel was in order that "Besuel begot Rivkah"[69] — that from him Rivkah should be born and she should marry Yitzchak — when he wanted to hold it back, his existence was nullified.
10. The same applies to the third matter of the parshah: the Torah emphasizes here not only that Yishmael is a "son of the handmaid" (a son of "the handmaid of Sarah"), but even more, that his existence depends specifically on his acknowledging that he is a "son of the handmaid":
On the verse at the end of the story, "He fell upon the face of all his brothers," our Sages say[70]: "As long as Avraham had not died, he 'dwelt'; once Avraham died, he 'fell.'" And one may say that the inner meaning of this is:
Yishmael's repentance [which consists of his acknowledging that he is a "son of the handmaid," as above] came about through Avraham's prayer, "Would that Yishmael might live before You" — "live in awe of You"[71]; and G‑d accepted the prayer, as above, as it is written, "And as for Yishmael, I have heard you…."
And this is the meaning of "As long as Avraham had not died, he 'dwelt'; once Avraham died, he 'fell'": As long as Avraham lives in Yishmael (in his conduct), as long as Yishmael holds on to Avraham's prayer, "Would that Yishmael might live in awe of You," and therefore feels that his true existence is a "son of the handmaid" — he is in a state of "dwelling," his existence has a place. But "once Avraham dies" — he tears himself away from Avraham — he "falls," he ceases to exist.
11. And this matter too — how the existence of non-Jews is "for the sake of Israel" — is connected specifically with the service of Sarah, which is why it is the main point of the entire Parshas "Chayei Sarah":
The name Avraham (the Torah says) is because "I have made you the father of a multitude of nations." This means that (by virtue of his accomplishment in the world — "father") he has a connection[72], to make the distinction, also with "a multitude of nations." And for this very reason, by virtue of his influence in the world, it is not felt among the nations that they have no existence of their own (and that their existence is only "for the sake of Israel").
Whereas Sarah is from the term serarah, "rulership" — she "rules over all"[73]. And by virtue of her, it is felt among the nations of the world that the Jewish people rule over their existence, and consequently — that they are "servants" to Sarah and her heirs, the Jewish people.
12. Seemingly one can still ask: It is true that in the matters of the parshah the service and accomplishment of Sarah are expressed; but since in actuality they speak of the time after her passing, they are still not entirely in keeping with the meaning of "the life of Sarah" — the one hundred and twenty-seven years that she lived in this world and performed her service.
The explanation of this: The point of the matters of Parshas Chayei Sarah (although it is in the time after her passing) — this Sarah accomplished through her service in the one hundred and twenty-seven years of her life in this world (to bring about that this world should feel that its existence is "for the sake of Israel").
It is only that at the time of her actual service the accomplishment was concealed, and it came to be revealed specifically after her passing.
[Similar to what is known[74] regarding the souls in Gan Eden delighting in the radiance of the Shechinah — that the "radiance of the Shechinah" is "the radiance of their very Torah and service" that they performed in this world; it is only that its revelation comes later, in Gan Eden.]
And since the ultimate perfection of service is that what the service accomplishes should (in the end) also come into revelation (in the World to Come) —
— and as was once discussed at length[75] regarding the reward (revelation) in the World to Come, that it is not a secondary or tertiary matter, but that the complete fulfillment of the intent of observing the mitzvos in this world comes about through the drawing down effected by observing the mitzvos coming into revelation in the World to Come —
it is therefore understood that the matters of the parshah in which Sarah's service comes to revelation — they are "the life of Sarah"; they are the complete fulfillment of the intent of the one hundred and twenty-seven "years of the life of Sarah."
13. Every matter in the Torah is a lesson. There is a simple and clear lesson regarding these days of ours from the beginning of the parshah and its end:
When the sons of Yishmael come with a claim that the Cave of Machpelah belongs to them, being the children of Avraham, the parshah provides a clear answer: Besides the fact that the overwhelming majority of the Arabs who live in the neighboring countries of the Land of Israel (and in the Land of Israel itself: Chevron and so on) are, as is well known, not descended from Yishmael[76], Yishmael himself has no connection to the Cave of Machpelah, for Avraham bought the Cave of Machpelah for the burial of Sarah, and Yishmael, as said, is not the heir of Avraham — and certainly not of Sarah. Consequently it is understood that it belongs only to Sarah's son, Yitzchak, and "to the offspring of Yitzchak — not all of Yitzchak"[77] — specifically Yaakov.
Even more we learn from the end of the parshah: When a time comes when Yishmael becomes "wild" and comes with wild claims and demands, Jews should not, G‑d forbid, be afraid or be overawed by this. One need only remind him of the truth, that his existence is "whom Hagar the Egyptian, the handmaid of Sarah, bore to Avraham," and that when he begins to regard himself as an independent entity (not as a son of the handmaid of Sarah), he "falls upon the face of all his brothers."
And since non-Jews too believe in the Written Torah, when this will be established among Jews as it should be, and it will be explained to non-Jews as well, in a fitting style but with clear and open language and content,
and certainly without, G‑d forbid, losing heart before the nations of the world, and all the more so not before those who regard themselves as sons of Yishmael,
they will stop pressuring Jews. For they too will sense (especially since "their guardian angel sees"[78]) that it is for their own good that the Cave of Machpelah, within the entire Land of Israel in its borders, should be completely — also openly, and even in the time of exile, "before the eyes of the children of Ches" — in the possession of Jews.
(From talks of Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sarah, 5735 and 5736)
Key Lesson
Sarah's true life is seen in what continued after her: in Yitzchak and Rivkah, and in bringing out that the Jewish people bear no comparison to the other nations, whose existence is for the sake of Israel and the Torah. Avraham bought the Cave of Machpelah for Sarah's burial, so it belongs to Yitzchak's and Yaakov's descendants alone. When others press claims to it, Jews must not be intimidated, but should state the truth of the Torah clearly; then the nations themselves will see that it is for their good that it be in Jewish hands.