Parshat Chayei Sarah 5778
Rabbi Jablinowitz
This week's parsha begins by telling us the years of Sarah's life and is even called Chayei Sarah, the life of Sarah. And Rashi quotes the Medrash on the words in the first pasuk which teach us of the exceptional nature of Sarah's life. Yet, immediately afterwards, we read in the second pasuk of Sarah's death and that Avraham eulogized her and mourned for her. And then we read of Avraham's negotiations in acquiring Me'aras Ha'Machpelah and that he buried Sarah there. And after that the parsha focuses on Avraham finding a wife for Yitzchak. Why then is our parsha called the life of Sarah went it deals with the death of Sarah in the beginning of the parsha, and moves on to the next generation in the continuation of the parsha?
The Medrash Tanchuma teaches that when Avraham Avinu eulogized his wife Sarah he read Eishes Chayil, from the thirty first chapter of sefer Mishlei. On the words Zamamah Sadeh Va'tikacheihu, the Medrash says Zamamah V'Natlah Sedei HaMachpelah V'Sham Nikbarah. She conspired and acquired the field of Machpelah and she was buried there.
How could Avraham eulogize Sarah as having acquired the field of Machpelah when it was bought by Avraham after her death?
The Gemara in Berachos 18A teaches Tzadikim Afilu B'Misasam Keruyim Chayim. The Tzadikim are considered as being alive even after they have died. This teaches that the effect of the righteous continues even long after they have departed this world. Even though the Me'aras Ha'Machpelah was acquired after Sarah died, since it was in her merit that she was buried there it was as if she acquired it herself.
The Ohr Gedalyahu teaches that the reason she was buried there was because she rectified the sin of Chava who was already buried there. Chava sinned by convincing her husband to eat from the Eitz HaDa'as. When Hashem punishes Adam Harishon He tells him (Chapter 3, Pasuk 17), Ki Shamata L'Kol Ishteacha. Adam was punished for listening to his wife and sinned by eating from the Eitz HaDa'as. The Sfas Emes teaches that this was rectified by Sarah Imeinu. When she tells Avraham to send Yishmael away he doesn't want to, but Hashem tells him (Chapter 21, Pasuk 12), Kol Asher Tomar Eleicha Sarah Shema B'Kolah, you must listen to your wife. Chazal teach that Sarah had a greater level of Ruach Hakodesh and Avraham was instructed to follow that Divine inspiration of Sarah.
We see from here when Avraham was eulogizing Sarah as the Eishes Chayil, he was emphasizing her great influence on the world around here as a result of her great level of prophecy and holiness. And this influence was felt even after she died. This is why our parsha is called Chayei Sarah; even though it discusses her death and the aftermath, her influence continued long after she departed this world. Tzadikim Afilu B'Misasam Keruyim Chayim.
We read that after Yitzchak met his future wife Rivkah, the first thing he did was to bring her into his mother's tent. Rashi teaches (Chapter 25, Pasuk 67) that when he brought her in, the unique characteristics of his mother's home returned. Ner daluk M'Erev Shabbos L'Erev Shabbos, Bracha Metzuyah B'Isah, V'Anan Kashur al Ha'Ohel. There was a candle lit from Erev Shabbos to Erev Shabbos, bracha was found in the dough, and a cloud of glory was over the home. We see from here that the influence of Sarah Imeinu was felt into the next generation. The Eishes Chayil remained alive through the influence she had on her home. Even though she was no longer alive the model of the Jewish home continued. And the Ohr Gedalyahu explains that even beyond the private, individual homes, this model extended to the future Mishkan which would contain the Menorah, the Lechem Hapanim, and the cloud of glory over it in the desert.
The life of Sarah therefore teaches us a very important lesson. The actions and spiritual conduct of a person can have long reaching effect, even beyond their years on this earth. And one of the paradigms for this was Sarah Imeinu. For even though we read of her petirah in this week's parsha, the life of Sarah, Chayei Sarah, continues even until this very day.
Good Shabbos
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