Chayei Sarah – Page 12 – Peninim on the Torah

Let it be that the maiden to whom I shall say, “Please tip over the jug so I may drink,” and who replies, “Drink, and I will even water your camels,” her will You have designated for Your servant Yitzchak. (24:14)

Eliezer established a criteria for a suitable mate for Yitzchak. He would request of her an act of chesed, kindness. If her response exceeded his request, it would indicate that she was truly a baalas chesed. The wife for Yitzchak, the future Matriarch of Klal Yisrael, must be an individual whose character refinement is innate. Rivkah displayed a level of chesed that was exemplary. We may wonder why her willingness to draw water for the camels was so remarkable that it demonstrated her admirable quality of chesed. What was so special about it? We suggest that the answer lies…

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Moshe Marcovich In Chayei Sarah, 5758

And Avraham said to his servant, the elder of his household who controlled all that was his….And I said to my master,” Perhaps the woman will not follow me?” (24:2, 39)

The Torah tells very little about Eliezer, Avraham’s trusted servant. Who was he? Who was his father? The first indication about his origins is later in the narrative, when Rashi explains the word “hkt”–“ulai,” this word is normally spelled with a “vov” and is translated as “perhaps.” It is now spelled without a “vov” and should really be interpreted as “to me.” Rashi says that Eliezer was alluding to his own daughter whom he had hoped to marry to Yitzchak. Thus, when he asked Avraham what to do if he was not successful in finding the suitable mate for Yitzchak,…

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Moshe Marcovich In Chayei Sarah, 5758

And Avraham expired and died in a good old age, mature and content. (25:8)

The Ramban remarks on Avraham Avinu’s lofty character. He was sameiach b’chelko, satisfied with his lot in life. He was not one to yearn for luxuries. Those who desire luxuries will never be happy with what they attain. If they have a hundred, they desire two hundred; if they have two hundred, they desire four hundred. We are puzzled by the Ramban’s statement. Avraham really did not have a reason to complain. Hashem blessed him with extraordinary wealth and prestige. He miraculously saved his life when he was thrown into the fiery furnace. He was blessed with a son…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5757

“And Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years, twenty years and seven years…” (23:1)

The narrative of Sarah’s death follows immediately after the story of Akeidas Yitzchak. Chazal explain that Sarah died as a result of the Akeidah. The Satan told her that Avraham had actually slaughtered their only son, Yitzchak. In response, she cried out in grief and died. The Piazesner Rebbe, zl, offers a fascinating insight into her death. He cites Rav Mendel M’Rimanov, zl, who explains Chazal’s dictum concerning bris, covenant. Chazal refer to bris when discussing yesurim, pain and affliction, as well as when discussing salt. What relationship is there between salt and suffering? He comments that just as salt…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5757

“And Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her.” (23:2)

The Midrash says that Avraham came directly from Har Ha’Moriah, the scene of the Akeidah. What is the significance of Avraham’s point of origin? Does it make any difference to us from where he came? The commentators respond with various explanations. Horav Aharon Levin, zl, suggests that “Har Ha’moriah” served as the text for Avraham’s eulogy. Throughout her life, Sarah Imeinu excelled in spiritual realms. She was righteous and G-d fearing, kind and noble. She attained a level of prophecy that surpassed even that of Avraham. Yet, all of these attributes do not necessarily dignify Sarah’s essential function in life…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Chayei Sarah, 5757

“And the maiden was very fair to look upon, a virgin and no man was on familiar terms with her.” (24:16)

This pasuk is the basis of the Torah’s characterization of the modesty appropriate for a Jewish daughter. Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, notes that Torah does not say aht vgsh tku “A man does not know her,” as it states in other places, but rather vgsh tk ahtu, a term which does not occur in any other place. This seems to imply that not only was she a virgin in the usual sense, that no man knew her, but she was also so uncommonly modest that no man had dared to become intimately familiar with her. Rivkah’s standard of tznius, modesty,…

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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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Let it be that the maiden to whom I shall say, “Please tip over the jug so I may drink,” and who replies, “Drink, and I will even water your camels,” her will You have designated for Your servant Yitzchak. (24:14)

And Avraham said to his servant, the elder of his household who controlled all that was his….And I said to my master,” Perhaps the woman will not follow me?” (24:2, 39)

And Avraham expired and died in a good old age, mature and content. (25:8)

“And Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years, twenty years and seven years…” (23:1)

“And Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her.” (23:2)

“And the maiden was very fair to look upon, a virgin and no man was on familiar terms with her.” (24:16)

“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)

YEARS

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