Chayei Sarah – Page 13 – Peninim on the Torah

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5757

“And she went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came up. And the servant ran to meet her and said, ‘Let me, please, gulp a little water out of your pitcher.'” (24:16,17)

When one studies the narrative of the entire encounter between Eliezer and Rivkah, he assumes that the length of the text emphasizes Rivkah’s kindness. Eliezer devised a system of testing this young girl to determine if she was worthy to be the wife of Yitzchak, to take her place as the second Matriarch of Klal Yisrael. Yet, one wonders why, after Eliezer saw that the water “rose up” to “greet” Rivkah, he still felt driven to test her. Does the water rise up for every individual? Did he need any greater indication that this was no ordinary young woman? How…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5757

“Blessed is Hashem Who has not withheld His kindness and truth from my master. As for me, Hashem has guided me on the way to the house of my master’s brother.” (24:27,28)

What does Eliezer mean when he says, “Hashem has guided me“? Horav Yerucham Levovitz, zl, interprets Eliezer’s words to relate that Hashem took him by the hand and led him to this place. Hashem did not let go of his hand at any time during his journey. He never permitted him to falter or stray from the path to his destination. Rav Yerucham continues to assert that this concept applies to all of us. If we were each to look back in life, each individual tracing his own unique “history”, we will note that indeed Hashem has guided us along…

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Sruly Schnair In Chayei Sarah, 5756

“And Sarah’s life was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years the years of Sarah’s life.” (23:1)

The final phrase of this pasuk, “the years of Sarah’s life,” seems superfluous. The commentators suggest a number of explanations for this apparent redundancy. Horav Yaakov Kamenetzky, z.l., offers a novel explanation which is noteworthy. The Midrash states that the Satan frightened Sarah to death with images of the Akeidah. The shock of the sacrifice of her only child was too much for this elderly mother to bear. The Midrash seems to imply that Sarah would have continued to live had she remained unaware of the Akeidah. This, however, would have been a great chillul Hashem, desecration of Hashem’s Name,…

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Sruly Schnair In Chayei Sarah, 5756

“And Sarah’s life was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years.” (23:1)

The Midrash cites an ambiguous statement attributed to Rabbi Akiva. Noticing his students dozing during a lesson, he asked, “How did Esther come to rule over 127 provinces? Let the ‘daughter’ of Sarah who lived 127 years come and rule over 127 provinces!” Obviously, the profound message of this statement was meant to arouse his sleepy audience. What was the underlying message? The Chidushei Ha’Rim explains that Rabbi Akiva wished to teach his students the value of time. Esther Ha’malkah merited to reign over an entire province for each year during which her ancestor, Sarah, devoted herself to spiritual endeavor….

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Sruly Schnair In Chayei Sarah, 5756

“And Yitzchak was comforted for his mother.” (24:67)

The Torah implies that Rivkah filled the void which the death of his mother had created in Yitzchak’s life. Chazal explain that the blessings which were conferred upon Avraham Avinu’s home, and the pious customs which distinguished it, ceased when Sarah died. These were restored when Yitzchak brought Rivkah into his parents’ home. In this regard, we may note two things from the Torah and Chazal. First, only Yitzchak was comforted for his mother by Rivkah’s presence. Despite the apparent return to normal functioning in his home, Avraham Avinu was still bereft of his eishes ne’urim, the wife of his…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5755

“And the life of Sarah… (these were) the years of the life of Sarah.” (23:1)

Every word of the Torah is replete with profound messages. The pasuk in Tehillim 37:18, “Hashem knows the days of the innocent and their inheritance shall be forever” is interpreted by the Talmud in Bava Basra 58a as referring to the lives of the righteous. Just as the righteous are perfect, so are their days perfectly complete. Sarah Imeinu’s life was the essence of perfection. How can we define a perfectly complete life? Horav Boruch Sorotzkin z.l., explains that before a person is born, his life-span has been pre-determined. A halachic rule governs the determination. One half day is viewed…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5755

“And Avraham (was) old, advanced in age, and Hashem blessed Avraham in all things.” (24:1)

Surely the Torah is not apprising us of Avraham’s success in amassing material wealth. The Torah intends to teach us the true meaning of wealth. Success is not measured by quantity, but rather by quality. Everything Avraham Avinu possessed was worthy of blessing. To possess a fortune means nothing if that fortune is not blessed. Everything that Avraham had was a source of blessing to him. Why? Horav Moshe Swift z.l. suggests that the answer lies in the fact that Avraham controlled his possessions, rather than the possessions dominating him. He had business dealings with various people; he was even…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5755

“And the man took a golden ring of half a shekel (its) weight and two bracelets for her hands, of ten (shekels) of gold was their weight.” (24:22)

In the Midrash, Chazal suggest that this “jewelry” symbolizes a deeper spiritual entity. The golden ring of a half shekel alludes to the machatzis ha’shekel, the half shekel which each Jew gave for the Mishkan ; the two bracelets represent the two luchos which were joined together; and the ten-shekel weight denotes the Aseres Ha’Dibros which were engraved on the luchos. We must endeavor to understand the underlying message of these pieces of jewelry. Horav Mordechai Rogov z.l., implies that the lessons to be gleaned from the machatzis ha’shekel and the luchos with the Aseres Ha’Dibros underscore the foundations for…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5755

“And they said, ‘from Hashem comes the matter.'” (24:50)

This pasuk seems to be the source for the concept that marriages are made in Heaven. Indeed, this idea is reaffirmed in Navi and Kesuvim. In the Midrash, Chazal question, “From where did this decision come?” The Midrash offers two replies. Some say that the decision emanated from Har Ha’moriah, the scene of the akeidas Yitzchak. It was at this place that Yitzchak demonstrated the exceptional devotion to Hashem which merited him the Divine blessing. Others reply that the pasuk is referring to the statement in pasuk 51, “Let her be the wife of your master’s son.” Here the pasuk…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5755

“And Yitzchak and Yishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpeilah.” (25:9)

Rashi states that from this pasuk we derive the idea that Yishmael repented and permitted Yitzchak to precede him in their father’s funeral procession. This statement is puzzling. Why did the Torah wait until the end of Avraham’s life to confirm that Yishmael repented? We know that thirty-eight years prior to Avraham’s demise, Yishmael was one of the “young men” who accompanied Avraham and Yitzchak to the akeidah. Why is it imperative to acknowledge Yishmael’s teshuvah once again? Horav Shimon Schwab, z.l., offers a profound insight into the teshuvah process which applies to this situation. Perhaps Yishmael initially repented only…

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“And she went down to the well and filled her pitcher and came up. And the servant ran to meet her and said, ‘Let me, please, gulp a little water out of your pitcher.'” (24:16,17)

“Blessed is Hashem Who has not withheld His kindness and truth from my master. As for me, Hashem has guided me on the way to the house of my master’s brother.” (24:27,28)

“And Sarah’s life was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years the years of Sarah’s life.” (23:1)

“And Sarah’s life was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years.” (23:1)

“And Yitzchak was comforted for his mother.” (24:67)

“And the life of Sarah… (these were) the years of the life of Sarah.” (23:1)

“And Avraham (was) old, advanced in age, and Hashem blessed Avraham in all things.” (24:1)

“And the man took a golden ring of half a shekel (its) weight and two bracelets for her hands, of ten (shekels) of gold was their weight.” (24:22)

“And they said, ‘from Hashem comes the matter.'” (24:50)

“And Yitzchak and Yishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpeilah.” (25:9)

YEARS

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