THE GIFT OF FULFILLMENT

Parashat Chayei Sarah

Cheshvan 22, 5785 / November 22-23,2024
Torah: Genesis 23:1 – 25:18
Haftarah: 1 Kings 1:1-31

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This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah and a speedy and safe return of all the hostages being held by Hamas.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.

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Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. NOTE: NO Lunch and Learn on November 25 or December 2. We'll resume on December 9.

Normally we learn from the midrashic collection Ein Ya'akov. However, on December 9, we'll be at BT Chagigah 13b, learning some Merkavah Kabbalah that does not appear in Ein Ya'akov: 

"...אמר ריש לקיש מאי דכתיב אשירה"

"Resh Lakish said: What is the meaning of the verse: I will sing..."

Volume 3 of Ein Ya'akov is now available and downloadable on Google drive at:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1symdqiuA-HHe7pqOezMo_zp79eTpNakc/view?usp=sharing 

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THE GIFT OF FULFILLMENT
 
'And this was Sarah’s life; the years of the life of Sarah were one hundred years and twenty years and seven years. Sarah died in Kiryat Arba, now Hebron, in the land of Canaan; and Abraham came to mourn Sarah and to weep for her.' Genesis 23:1-2
 
Rashi: '“The years of the life of Sarah” tells us that they were all equally good.'
 
Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter, the third Gerer Rebbe, aka the Sefas Emes, offers the following comment on Rashi and the verse: 'There must be differences and changes during the years of a person’s life. There are special times in youth and in old age. But the truly righteous ones find fulfillment (shleimut) in all (or, in each) of their days. Since this is not natural, it must be a gift from God.  And this is the meaning of the verse (24:1) “and the Lord blessed Abraham in every way” – fulfillment that is found in every place and in every time. Thus, Rashi says, “They were all equally good.”'

"The Burial of Sarah" - Gustave Doré, 1866

 
Sarah suffered much travail over the years. Uprooted from her home and moved to a foreign land; years of barrenness; conflict with her maidservant who was also Abraham’s concubine; the near sacrifice of her only son – this must have taken a heavy toll. And yet, the Gerer Rebbe teaches that Rashi was right - that all of her years were equally good.
 
Thursday, November 28 is the American holiday of Thanksgiving. It is also an appropriate day to recite Psalms of Praise (half Hallel). What better day for each of us to remember that we can, we must, find fulfillment in what we have, and to be at peace (shleimut comes from the same root as shalom – peace) with what we don’t have? This doesn’t mean we should not strive to improve ourselves, our lives and our society. But it does mean that, as the Sefas Emes says, fulfillment is indeed a gift from God. And for that, we should be thankful.
 
In advance - Happy Thanksgiving! Hodu l'Adonai ki tov; ki l'olam chasdo - Give thanks to the Lord Who is good, Whose lovingkindness is eternal. Psalm 118.
 
Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Richard A. Flom

Rabbi Emeritus

Temple B'nai Hayim

"שתיקה כהודאה דמיא"

"Silence in the face of wrongdoing is consent.”

BT Yevamot 88a

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