It’s All About My Sister…

…but it shouldn’t go to her head! Yes, my sister Sarah is named after Abraham’s wife (after the name change – Sarah of the promise as our father likes to say). The parsha this week is called Chayyei Sarah, or the life of Sarah, found in Genesis 23:1-25:18. Now, if you’re not familiar with the context of the opening, grab your nearest copy of the Torah and read a few verses…have you seen it yet? Doesn’t this name seem a little ironic to our modern sensibilities? We’re not being told about Sarah’s way of living – she just died! Instead, the story being presented is about the burial place Abraham will insist that he BUY from the Hittites, and assertively REFUSE to accept as a gift (against numerous exhortations to the contrary).

Do you know about Horeb as a current place? A Palestinian-controlled city with a Jewish settlement yards away (albeit troubled), it has been important to allow visitors of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity to visit the graves of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah. Now read these opening verses, remembering the tension that has existed in Hebron for centuries. Think about what the implications are now, so many years later, of Abraham’s resoluteness to purchase land.

Despite Sarah’s physical life having ended, she lives on through her son, Isaac. This section, by placement elevating the name of the woman who would come to be considered the first matriarch, continues to introduce female characters. Chapter 24 contains a beautifully detailed story about Isaac’s introduction to Rebekah – an answer to his father’s request and a servant’s prayer – through his marriage, even saying that he loved her (the word in Hebrew is not often used in the Torah to describe the marriage relationship). This story is familiar, but also presents a spectacular literary effort.

The parsha ends in the middle of chapter 25, and it is easy to understand that this is the end of this section. Abraham remarries, and we learn about his male descendants. He then gives them gifts during their life, but all his inheritance goes to Isaac – and, similar to Ishmael, Abraham doesn’t want his other sons to settle near Isaac. This is necessary for the story to continue as we know it – imagine what issues may have been created if these half-brothers had been in each other’s space! This chapter also presents the descendants and territories of Ishmael. Abraham has died, and the story is ready to move on with new characters and scandals.

The haftorah, this week found in 1 Kings 1, details the last days of David, and the favor placed on the son of his favorite wife. In response to the fighting taking place over the succession to his throne, David reaffirms more than once the promise that Solomon will become the next king. Protection and placement are ensured because of his relationship with G!d – much like that provided to Isaac because of Abraham. These biblical characters, now familiar, were given favor. The stories that have been passed down and cherished are often similar and interwoven.

שבת שלם