NOVEMBER 5, 1999 VOL 3, ISSUE 5 26 CHESHVAN 5760

 

 

 

Chabad of Northern Beverly Hills, 409 Foothill Road . Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Rabbi Yosef Shusterman 310/271-9063

PARSHAT CHAYEI SARA In this week's Torah portion, Chayei Sarah, we read of Sarah's passing, Abraham's purchase of the Cave of the Machpela in Hebron for her burial place, and Abraham's dispatching of his trusted servant Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac. All of these events took place when Abraham was at a well-advanced age. In fact, the Torah tells us, "And Abraham was old (zakein), well endowed with days." The Midrash comments: "Some people are old but not endowed with days; others are endowed with days but not old. In this instance we find a person possessing both qualities."

What does this tell us about our forefather Abraham's greatness? A zakein, an elderly person, is defined as one who has acquired wisdom. By studying Torah he has learned a great deal. The zakein has achieved a high level of perfection of his soul. "Endowed with days," however, refers to a person whose every day is perfect and whole. Not only does he perform the mitzvot properly, but he does so every single day of his life. Through his actions, the days themselves are elevated. He illuminates his environment by the commandments he observes and he raises his surroundings to a higher state of perfection.

The terms "old" and "endowed with days" refer to two types of people, and indeed, to two types of tzadikim. Some righteous people are concerned only with themselves and their own pursuit of excellence. By toiling greatly in the study of Torah they attain the level of zakein, but the people around them and the world at large are ignored. Time and effort are devoted solely to their own concerns. Other tzadikim turn outward to disseminate their light upon their surroundings, devoting themselves to each and every person with whom they come in contact. These righteous people forget about themselves entirely, selflessly ignoring personal considerations for the sake of others. Abraham, however, simultaneously embodied both of these qualities. "And Abraham was old, well endowed with days." While managing to achieve the highest level of personal perfection, Abraham sought to perfect his surroundings as well, thereby illuminating the entire world with holiness. (From: L'Chaim 5758 #494,Adapted by Maayan Chai from Likutei Sichot, Volume 3)

"And Sarah lived one hundred years, twenty years and seven years, the years of Sarah's life." (23:1) QUESTION: Rashi explains that the Torah repeats the words "the years of Sarah's life" to let us know that "they were all equal in goodness."How could we say that all her years were equally good if during her life she was barren for many years and was held in captivity by Pharaoh and Avimelech?

ANSWER: In the Gemara (Ta'anit 21a) there is a story of the Tanna who was known as "Nachum Ish Gamzu." Regardless of what would happen to him, even apparently negative things, he would always say, "Gam zu letovah" "this is also for the good." Once, the Jews selected Nachum to deliver to the King of Rome a box full of valuable stones and gems. While on his journey he slept over in an inn where some thieves emptied the box and filled it with sand. In the morning when he realized what happened he said, "Gam zu letovah." Upon arriving at the King's palace, he presented the gift. The King became very angry and wanted to kill the Jews for making fun of him. Suddenly, the prophet Eliyahu appeared, looking like one of the King's advisors and said, "Maybe this is the same type of sand which Avraham used during his war against the Kings, sand that turned into ammunition." The King was at war with a country whom he was unable to conquer. It was decided to test the sand against the enemy. The King's forces were amazed when indeed, thanks to the sand, they were victorious. Upon hearing this, the King had the gift box filled with valuable stones and gems and sent Nachum off with great honors.

Rashi's statement that all the years of Sarah's life were "shavin letovah" "equal in goodness"- means that, even when confronted with difficult and unpleasant situations, she would also always say, "Gam zu letovah." (From:Vedibarta Bam by Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky)

"And Avraham prostrated himself before the members of the council..." (23:12) …Avraham faced ten tests. Most commentators explain that his final and greatest test was the akeida - G-d's command to bring Avraham's son Yitzchak as a sacrifice. However, Rabbeinu Yona (Avos 5:3) explains that Avraham's tenth test was finding a grave for his wife Sara. Why was this such a test for Avraham? Why was this the pinnacle of G-d's testing Avraham's mettle? How did finding a grave for Sara prove that he was worthy to be the progenitor of G-d's representatives in this earthly realm? Imagine a used-car salesman. With a smile right out of a toothpaste ad which can blind at ten paces, he'll tell you that the jalopy he's leaning on will run for another 50,000 miles at least. When he moves his arm, the car sags like an exhausted mule.

Avraham thought he was the legitimate heir to Eretz Yisrael. He assumed that he could bury his beloved wife wherever he chose. However, he has to enter into a haggling match with Efron which made buying a used car look like dealing with a Rolls-Royce salesman. Add the emotional upheaval of the akeida, followed directly by the news of Sara's death, and one could forgive Avraham for treating Efron, the world's prototypical used-car salesman, with the disdain he deserved. But is that how Avraham treated him? "And Avraham prostrated himself..." Avraham treated Efron like the most honorable of people. He didn't say "I had a bad day! My wife just died! I'm stressed out."

Avraham remembered that Efron, a human being, deserved to be treated like the Image of G-d that he was. Avraham didn't react to Efron according to Efron's level. He behaved as a Jew should. If Avraham had a hard day, why should Efron suffer? Sometimes the little pebbles in life's path trip us up more easily than its giant boulders. A person who understands that life is no more that a giant test will recognize a large test. But how about someone pushing in line in front of us? Will we react with the knowledge that we are G-d's ambassadors to the world? Will we feel that He is watching us, expecting us to bring honor to His name and to the people who bear His name? Sometimes the little annoyances of life are more of a test that the cataclysmic events. A Jew must be a mentch even when treated in a most unmentchlich way. That's the hallmark of a person who knows that he is standing in the presence of the King. Because we have a hard day at the office, it doesn't mean that we can take it out on our children or our spouse. This can take enormous self-control. It takes a person who has total mastery over himself to always treat every human being, Jew or non-Jew, with dignity. Avraham's tenth test was really two tests in one. He was under the greatest stress and he was confronted with a person who was somewhat less than a prince. Nevertheless, he accorded him honor. This, the ultimate test, showed that Avraham was fit to be the father of the Jewish People - G-d's ambassadors. (Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler, Rabbi Yissachar Frand, From: Ohr Somayach web site, www.ohr.org.il)

LAWS OF SHABBAT - 39 Melachot: Zoraya (Sowing)

Lawn sprinklers, irrigation systems: A lawn sprinkler may not be turned on during Shabbos. However if the sprinkler was turned on before Shabbos, it may be left on during Shabbos - similar to leaving a light that was switched on before Shabbos. The sprinkler may be turned off during Shabbos for this does not involve any Melocho.

Irrigation systems on farms may also be left operating on Shabbos. However shutting the valves may involve Halachic questions, as shutting down one valve will increase the water pressure in the remaining outlets still open (allowing a greater spurt of water in those locations). In these cases, the main valve should be shut off first. A competent Rav should preferably be consulted in any case. (From: The 39 Melochos by Dovid Ribiat)

 

 

R. Aizik Homiler related:

"When I came to Lyozna I met elder Chassidim who had been Chassidim of the Maggid and of R. Menachem Mendel of Horodok. They used to say:

          "Have affection for a fellow-Jew and G-d will have affection for you;

           do a kindness for a fellow-Jew and G-d will do a kindness for you;

           befriend a fellow-Jew and G-d will befriend you.

(From Rebbe's Hayom Yom Cheshvan 27 ).