When you Choose Shabbat, you choose to learn that every Shabbat is different and special. This week I learned about Chayei Sarah (Genesis 23:1 through 25:18), the fifth weekly Torah portion in the annual cycle of Torah readings. According to Wikipedia, Chayei Sarah (חַיֵּי שָׂרָה) is made up of 5,314 Hebrew letters, 1,402 words, 105 verses, and 171 lines of the Torah Scroll. I also learned that the Shabbat before the start of a Jewish month (Rosh Chodesh) is known as “Shabbat Mevarchim” (the Shabbat when we bless); on this day during the synagogue service, we recite a special blessing for the new month and announce the timing of Rosh Chodesh.
Chayei Sarah (“The Life of Sarah”) ironically begins as Sarah dies and Abraham buys the Cave of Machpelah to bury her. Abraham sends his servant to find a wife for Isaac. The servant meets Rebecca at a well and Rebecca returns with the servant to marry Isaac. Abraham remarries, has more children, and dies at age 175.
Rabbi Michael D Klein of Temple Torat Emet offers his insights on this week’s Torah reading, Chayei Sarah for Shabbat November 23, 2024 aka the 22 Cheshvan 5785:
“Avraham is concerned about who will become the wife of Isaac, the next matriarch of the line of Jewish wives and mothers. He sends his beloved servant Eliezer to journey back to their ancestral homeland to find a suitable mate for Isaac. A most puzzling question arises from this. The families of Charan are idol worshippers just as the daughters in Canaan. Why then, not just seek a wife for Isaac from those who live nearby?
Rabbi A. L Scheinbaum suggests the real answer. Apparently, although there were many beautiful maidens among the surrounding Canaanites, Avraham was seeking a wife for Isaac who was more than just outwardly beautiful. He wanted his beloved son Isaac to be blessed with the same love and kindness which his mom had exhibited her entire life. Thus, the miracle of Eliezer encountering Rivka, after a journey of several thousand miles is magnified even more, by the acts of kindness she projected to an unknown servant from far away.
The lesson to be learned is obvious. We, as parents, want our children to find ideal partners in life’s journey and certainly outward beauty is an important characteristic. We must teach our children that while physical beauty is important, inward beauty – kindness, consideration, intelligence, generosity, honesty, and shared beliefs and values ultimately will far outweigh physical appearance in choosing with whom they will spend our adult lives. Avraham is teaching us an important paradigm lesson in values and teaching our children what we value most as potential partners for life’s journey. May we all be blessed, as Isaac was, to find our true love in kindness and Jewish values!”
Questions for consideration and discussion.
- Why does the Torah have to specify the amount Avraham paid to Efron for purchase of the burial cave?
- What are the essential lessons taught in the narrative of purchasing a burial site?
- Why is so concerned about who will succeed Sarah as matriarch of the Jewish people?
- How does Isaac reconcile with his brother Ishmael?
Rabbi Michael D. Klein attended Yeshiva College of South Florida and served as Torah Reader, Hebrew teacher, Chazzan and spiritual leader of various synagogues throughout South Florida. In January 2015 he became Ritual Director, Bnai/Bnot Mitzvah instructor and 7th grade Hebrew instructor for Temple Torat Emet of Boynton Beach. In October 2019 he was accepted into an accelerated track and received his smicha from Yeshiva Adath Wolkowisk and has been the Rabbinic leadership of Temple Torat Emet since August 2020. In September of 2022 he was appointed Rabbinic and Spiritual Advisor of the Florida Region of FJMC.
Choose Shabbat; choose to celebrate, to light candles, sing songs and learn a little Torah.
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