Lifecycle

Every year we talk about the irony of this week’s parsha: Chayei Sarah, or the life of Sarah. In reality, the only thing we are told about Sarah’s life is the number of years she lived (127 years). The portion ends by telling us about Abraham’s death.

In between all of this, we learn about Isaac’s new wife, Rebekah. We glimpse Kiryat Arba – Hebron – the gravesite of our ancestors – for the first time. (Both the Arabic and Hebrew name for this city are derived from the words meaning “friend.”) Finally, the lineage of Abraham is detailed. Among the death of our foremother and forefather, we are filled with details of life that goes on, despite loss.

Just over a week ago, the world, country, and Jewish community experienced loss of life. Yet, life continues through their children, through their synagogue, and through their contributions to society. As Jews, Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Buddhists, and many others celebrated Shabbat together a week after this calamity, we began to see the building of bridges – of friendship, support, “glimmers of reconciliation” (as Bruce Feiler says about Hebron in his book Abraham). The sadness and tragedy of the situation doesn’t necessitate a lack of future good.

יתגדל ויתקדש שמה רבא, בעלמא די-ברא כרעותה וימליך מלכותה, בחייכון וביומיכון , ובחיי דכל בית ישראל, בעגלא ובזמן קריב, ואמרו אמן. יהא שמה רבא מברך, לעלם ולעלמי עלמיא. יתברך וישתבח, ויתפאר ויתרומם ויתנשא, ויתהדר ויתעלה ויתהלל, שמה דקודשא, בריך הוא. לעילה מן כל ברכתה ושירתא, תשבחתא ונחמתא, דאמירן בעלמא, ואמרו אמן. יהא שלמא רבא מן שמיא, וחיים, עלינו ועל כל ישראל, ואמרו אמן. עשה שלום במרומיו, הוא יעשה שלומ עלינו, ועל כל ישראל, ואמרו אמן.

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Komps kaos is still moving slowly…I am in the midst of working on arranging and completing my third bibliography, continuing with reading, and setting up some accountability for this overwhelming task.

This week I began reading Israel Knohl’s The Messiah Before Jesus, which studies particularly the messiah presented in the Dead Sea Scrolls (a generation before Jesus).