וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶבַע שָׁנִים שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָֽה׃
Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.
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Shabbat |
Name |
Parasha |
Haftora |
Brit Chadasha |
|
November 19 2022 |
Chayey Sarah |
Genesis |
1 Kings |
Matt 1:1-17 |
The early part of the text spends much time describing the process by which Abraham secured land for Sarah’s burial and then buried her. At the end of the Parasha, we learn that Isaac and Ishmael buried their father Abraham together. Though the Torah describes these brothers’ unity in concise and matter-of-fact language, they and their extended family must have worked hard to achieve reconciliation.
The Parasha tells the stories of Abraham's negotiations to get a burial place for his wife Sarah and his servant's mission to get a wife for Abraham's son Isaac. In the act of purchase land for Sara’s burial, Abraham’s desire to express his undying love for Sarah even after her death and is legitimate and witnessed, and make Abraham a model throughout the generations.
The second century B.C Book of Jubilees reported that Abraham endured ten trials and was found faithful and patient in spirit. Jubilees listed eight of the trials: (1) leaving his country, (2) the famine, (3) the wealth of kings, (4) his wife taken from him, (5) circumcision, (6) Hagar and Ishmael driven away, (7) the binding of Isaac, and (8) buying the land to bury Sarah.
Our Parasha concludes with the description of the death of Abraham. The death of a person is a situation from which most people recoil and are repelled. In contrast, Abraham's death is presented in our Parasha in peace and tranquility; one might even say, in festive language: "Then Abraham expired and died at a good ripe age, old and full of years and was gathered to his people" (Genesis 25:8). Is this appropriate?
