Difference between revisions of "Devar/5770/Chayei Sarah"
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Latest revision as of 21:08, 19 November 2009
עברית
English
And the life of Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years; these were the years of the life of Sarah (Gen 23:1)
The name of our portion, translated as "the life of Sarah", sounds odd to us -- since it opens with Sarah's death, and not with any life-events of hers. Our Sages expounded: The LORD knoweth the days of them that are wholehearted; and their inheritance shall be for ever (Psa 37:18). Just as they are wholehearted, so are their years whole. At twenty she was as pretty as a seven year old; at one-hundred, as free of sin as a twenty year old Midrash Rabbah Bereshit, Chayei Sarah. They expounded that the Torah used this odd wording for Sarah's age to inform us of her purity. And our Sages continue: What need is there to say "the years of the life of Sarah" again at the end? To inform you that the life of the righteous is precious to God both in this world and in the next world.
For a long time the people have had the custom of visiting the grave-sites of the righteous and praying there. The Cave of the Machpelah in Chevron, in which Abraham and Sarah were buried, is one of the most sought after holy sites among the general public. There they go to request mercy and to pray for their individual needs. But our teacher the Rambam wrote explicitly: We do not erect memorials on the graves of the righteous -- their words are their memorials. Nor should one visit graves. (Laws of Mourning 4:4). This is because the righteous bequeaths us his wisdom and deeds, while he is alive -- through his words and good deeds. After his death, he no longer acts in this world except through those words with which he influenced others while he was alive. And therefore there is no benefit to visiting the graves of the righteous (additionally, it is possible they are not even buried in that grave; and further: it is close to "asking of the dead", which is forbidden by the Torah).
Our Sages' exposition teaches us that the Torah speaks of two worlds: this world and the next world. In this world we are commanded with the Master of the World's commandments, and we try our best to fulfill His will, may He be blessed. And in the next world, where there is neither sitting nor standing (because there is no body nor any bodily needs whatsoever) we receive the reward for our action in this world. Sarah filled her life with deeds of kindness, with hospitality and with helping her husband bring light into this world. May her memory be blessed.
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