“Chayei Sarah or “Sarah’s life” is an allegory of the
powerful effect a righteous woman has in establishing a messianic presence on
earth - the woman being Sarah and all women who follow in her footsteps.
The Life of Sarah is not about her death, therefore, but about her legacy. A legacy the body of Messiah would embrace again in these last days.
Rav J.B. Soloveitchik wrote, “Without Sarah, Avraham takes leave of the world stage.”
Kepha describes well the kind of legacy Sarah inspires in this world.
1Pe 3:1 In the same way, wives, be subject to your
own husbands, so that if any are disobedient to the Word, they, without a word,
might be won by the behaviour of their wives,
1Pe 3:2 having seen your blameless behaviour in fear.
1Pe 3:3 Your adornment should not be outward –
arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on dresses –
1Pe 3:4 but the hidden Man of the heart, with the
incorruptible ornament of a meek and peaceable spirit, which is of great value
before Elohim.
1Pe 3:5 For in this way, in former times, the
set-apart women who trusted in Elohim also adorned themselves, being subject to
their own husbands,
1Pe 3:6 as Sarah obeyed Aḇraham, calling him
master, of whom you became children, doing good, and not frightened by any
fear.
1Pe 3:7 In
the same way, husbands, live understandingly together, giving respect to the
wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the favour of
life, so that your prayers are not hindered.
An unknown sage once said: “it was through a woman that Satan gained a foothold in the human race, it may very well be through the lives of a generation of Sarah’s that Satan will begin to finally lose his foothold on the human race and usher in the messianic kingdom”
Will a generation of Sarah’s bring an end to the destructive demonic influences of the “Queen of heaven” in our generation?
A generation of Sarah’s will not stand for or tolerate the spirit of “feminism” destroying our society today.
A generation of Sarah’s will help restore patriarchal rule and authority that will usher in the Messianic age.
A generation of Sarah’s will embody the very spirit and heart of an end time assembly of called out ones.
YHVH is the Elohim of order and righteousness and His Kehelah – His Body on earth will be without spot or wrinkle when the Messiah returns.
Our Torah Portion:
Gen 23:1 And Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.
א וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה
The
numerical value of the opening term of this Parasha (vayih’yu) adds up to the
sum of 37, which is the same as the difference between the age of Sarah from
when she gave birth to Isaac at 90 years old and her death at 127. This means that Yitchak was 37 years when she
died. She is the only woman whose age is mentioned
in Scripture
Gen 23:2 And Sarah died in Qiryath Arba, that is Ḥeḇron, in the land of
Kenaʽan, and Aḇraham came to mourn
for Sarah and to weep for her.
There is an appearance of a Tittle(marking) over “ve livkotah” or “and
to weep for her”, vs 2, the letter “kaph” is diminished. There are many
possible interpretations; this could possibly suggest that this diminished
“kuph” from the root word “bakah” or “weep” points to the resurrection. Death
for those who have the life of YHVH is not final; it is merely a state of rest
in which one waits for YHVH for the resurrection at the appointed time. Our
weeping, for those who have died, however sad is not so sad when we have within
us the hope of the first resurrection.
2Co 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but even if
our outward man is perishing, the inward man is being renewed day by day.
2Co 4:17 For this slight momentary pressure, is
working for us a far more exceeding and everlasting weight of esteem.
2Co 4:18 We are not looking on what is seen, but on
what is not seen. For what is seen passes away, but what is not seen is
everlasting.1 Footnote: 1See 5:7, and Rom. 8:24, Heb.
11:1 & 13.
Shaul (Paul)
speak prophetically about Sarah.
Sarah will always be
the example not only for set apart woman but also for the body of Messiah.
Gal 4:21 Say to me, you who wish to be under Torah, do
you not hear the Torah?
“Under the Torah” can
mean to be under the curse of the Torah, which the death penalty for disobeying
Torah. Yahshua came to deliver us from the curse or the penalty of disobedience
to the Torah. He did this through his death and resurrection. This does not
give us licence to wilfully disobey Torah. All sin is defined as disobedience
to Torah.
1Jn 3:4 Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and
sin is lawlessness.
1Jn 3:5 And you know that He was manifested to take
away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
1Jn 3:6 Everyone staying in Him does not sin.
Everyone sinning has neither seen Him nor known Him.1 Footnote: 1See
2:4 & 3 John v. 11
1Jn 2:4 The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not
guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1Jn 2:5 But whoever guards His Word, truly the love
of Elohim has been perfected1 in him. By this we know that we are in
Him.2 Footnotes: 1Gen. 17:1, Ps. 119:1, Mt. 5:48. 2See
3:24.
Gal 4:22 For it has been written that Aḇraham had two sons,
one by a female servant, the other by a free woman.
Gal 4:23 But
he who was of the female servant was born according to the flesh, and he of the
free woman through promise.
Gal 4:24
This is allegorical, for these are the two covenants: one indeed from
Mount Sinai which brings forth slavery, which is Haḡar,
Gal 4:25 for
this Haḡar is Mount Sinai in
Araḇia, and corresponds to
Yerushalayim which now is, and is in slavery with her children.
Gal 4:26 But
the Yerushalayim above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Gal 4:27 For
it has been written, “Rejoice, O barren, you who do not bear! Break forth and
shout, you who do not have birth pains! For the deserted one has many more
children than she who has a husband.”
Gal 4:28 And
we, brothers, as Yitsḥaq was, are children
of promise.
Gal 4:29
But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him born
according to the Spirit, so also now.
Gal 4:30 But
what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the female servant and her son, for the
son of the female servant shall by no means be heir with the son of the free
woman.”
Gal 4:31
Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the female servant but of
the free woman.
Both Kepha and Shaul must have been aware of the
midrashic discussions around Sarah. We see this reflected in the writings of
the sages.
“There is a custom at the Friday night Shabbos
table to sing the ancient hymn known as "Eshes Chayil" - A Woman of
Valor - which is found in the concluding chapter of the Book of Proverbs. The
Midrash cites a tradition that it was composed by Avraham as an eulogy to
Sarah, and it later became part of the Book of Proverbs (Midrash Tanchuma on
Genesis 24:1). Within this eulogy to Sarah, we find the following words of
praise:
"She spreads out her palm to the poor, and
extends her hands to the destitute." (Proverbs 31:20)
The Midrash teaches that the doors of Sarah's tent
"were open wide" - a metaphor for her warm hospitality; moreover,
"a blessing was bestowed upon her dough" (Genesis Rabbah 60:16). In his
commentary on this Midrash, the Tiferes Zion, a 20th century sage of Jerusalem,
explains that the "blessing" on her dough means that she was able to
feed all the needy guests; there was always enough for everyone.
In Sarah's tent, adds the Midrash, "a lamp
burned from the eve of one Shabbos to the eve of the following Shabbos."
The "light" from her Shabbos lamp lasted all week until the arrival
of the following Shabbos. Is there a relationship between the continuous light
of Sarah's Shabbos lamp and the deeds of tzedakah that she performed? The
beginning of an answer can be found in the following teaching of our sages
regarding the light that will shine on the People of Israel in the messianic
age:
The
Midrash describing Sarah's Tent mentions one more unique quality: "A cloud
hovered over the entrance to her tent." In biblical and rabbinic
terminology, the hovering "cloud" represents the Shechinah - the
Divine Presence that seeks to dwell with us on earth.
Sarah's
tent became a model for the Set Apart Temple in Jerusalem. For example, Sarah's
tent was open to all the women of her generation who were seeking spiritual
nourishment, and the Temple was open to all those who were seeking spiritual
nourishment. In addition, the 12 loaves of the Temple show-bread were blessed
and remained fresh from Shabbos to Shabbos; moreover, there was a continuous
light from the western lamp of the Menorah, and the Shechinah dwelled within.
These special qualities of the Temple served as a reminder that our spiritual
life in the Land of Israel is to be modeled after the spiritual life which
flourished in Sarah's tent. (These insights are based on the ArtScroll Overview
to Parshas Chayei Sarah by Rabbi Nosson Scherman. ) – End quote.
Sarah’s
body was rejuvenated in her last days to bring forth life. May this soon be
said of the body of Messiah.
Gen 23:3
Then Aḇraham rose up from
beside his dead, and spoke to the sons of Ḥĕth,
saying,
Gen 23:4 “I
am a foreigner and a sojourner among you. Give me property for a burial site
among you, so that I bury my dead from my presence.”
Gen 23:5 And
the sons of Ḥĕth answered Aḇraham, saying to him,
Gen 23:6
“Hear us, my master: You are a prince of Elohim among us. Bury your dead
in the choicest of our burial places. None of us withholds from you his burial
site, from burying your dead.”
Gen 23:7 So
Aḇraham rose and bowed
himself to the people of the land, the sons of Ḥĕth.
Gen 23:8 And
he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your desire that I bury my dead from my
presence, hear me, and approach Ephron son of Tsoḥar for me,
Gen 23:9 and
let me have the cave of Maḵpĕlah which he has,
which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me for the complete amount
of silver, as property for a burial site among you.”
Gen 23:10
And Ephron dwelt among the sons of Ḥĕth.
And Ephron the Ḥittite answered Aḇraham in the hearing
of the sons of Ḥĕth, all who entered
at the gate of his city, saying,
Gen 23:11
“No, my master, listen to me! I shall give you the field and the cave
that is in it. I shall give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people.
I shall give it to you. Bury your dead!”
Gen 23:12
And Aḇraham bowed himself
down before the people of the land,
Gen 23:13
and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying,
“If only you would hear me. I shall give the amount of silver for the field,
take it from me, and let me bury my dead there.”
Gen 23:14
And Ephron answered Aḇraham, saying to him,
Gen 23:15
“My master, listen to me! The land is worth four hundred sheqels of
silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead.”
Gen 23:16
And Aḇraham listened to
Ephron, and Aḇraham weighed out the
silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Ḥĕth, four hundred
sheqels of silver, currency of the merchants.
Throughout the chapter Ehpron’s name is spelled
with a “vav” – after the sale of the property Ephron’s name is spelled without
the “vav” Thereby the Torah implies that his stature had diminished as he have
overcharged Avraham for the property.
It is rather ironic that YHVH had promised Avraham
the land and only towards the end of Avraham’s life was he able to purchase a
very small piece.
Will this scenario repeat itself again in the last
days as the sons of Chet (Terror). All the land purchased by the patriachs is
in the hands of Muslims today.
“The 400 shekels of silver that Abraham paid Ephron
the Hittite to buy the cave of Machpelah and adjoining land in Genesis 23:14–16
compares with the 100 pieces of silver that Jacob paid the children of Hamor
for the parcel of ground where he had spread his tent outside the city of
Shechem in Genesis 33:18–19; the 50 shekels of silver that King David paid
Araunah the Jebusite for Araunah's threshing floor, oxen, and wood in 2 Samuel
24:18–24 (but 1 Chronicles 21:24 reports cost 600 shekels of gold); and the 17
shekels of silver that Jeremiah paid his cousin Hanamel for his field in
Anathoth in the land of Benjamin in Jeremiah 32:7–9.”Gen 23:17 Thus the field of Ephron which was in Maḵpĕlah, which was
before Mamrĕ, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that
were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded
The literal Hebrew
says that the field was “raised up” (kayam). Some commentaries state that
Hebron is second only to Yerushalayim/Jerusalem in set apartness. The ancient
name Kiryat Arba is believed to be a reference to the fact that in Machpelah
are the graves of Adam and Chavva (Eve) as well as the three patriarchs and
their first wives.
The word “Machpelah”
figuratively means to “repeat or to double”. The life and promises that YHVH
has given to our ancestors will be given and even fulfilled in their
descendants. The life of these fathers and mothers of our faith was not meant
to remain in a grave, it was meant to be passed on to their descendants.
(Repeated and doubled)
“Mamre” means strength
or fatness. This comes as a result of His life within us.
Gen 23:18 to
Aḇraham as a possession
in the presence of the sons of Ḥĕth,
before all who went in at the gate of his city.
Gen 23:19
And after this Aḇraham buried Sarah his
wife in the cave of the field of Maḵpĕlah,
before Mamrĕ, that is Ḥeḇron, in the land of
Kenaʽan.
Gen 23:20
Thus the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Aḇraham by the sons of Ḥĕth as property for a
burial site.
