Page 11 - HaMizrachiChayei Sarah AUS 2020

TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon Rabbanit Sharon Rimon

The Perfect Partnership

hayei Sarah is the parasha that there. He chose Avraham and leaves spiritual journey, but a full partner
concludes the story of Avra- Avraham to actualize that choice in his mission and in the creation of
Cham and Sarah. It begins with through meaningful living. Avraham the House of Israel. This is also the
Sarah’s death and burial in Ma’arat understands his role is 'ה ם ׁ ֵ ש ְּ ב אֹר ְ ק ִ ל, “to impression we receive from the well-
HaMachpelah, and ends with Avra- call in G-d’s Name.” known midrash (Bereishit Rabbah,
ham’s death and burial in the same Sometimes, G-d explicitly commands Lech Lecha, 39): “Avraham would
place, at which the Torah empha- us what to do, but sometimes our convert the men and Sarah would
sizes they are both buried “in Ma’arat obligation is to work it out for convert the women.”
HaMachpelah… the field that Avra- ourselves. What does G-d want Amongst other things, this
ham bought from the Bnei Chet, from me right now? And then, our partnership manifested itself in the
where Avraham and Sarah his wife are recognition of G-d does not come words of Yishayahu who calls the
buried” (Bereishit 25:8-10). from an external command, but people to “look to the rock from
“” The very first thing we from a deep, authentic and internal which you were hewn… look to
awareness. Avraham symbolizes the
Avraham your forefather and to Sarah
hear about Avraham is
journey and the process, of constant
who gave birth to you…” (Yishayahu
his marriage to Sarah, self-searching for the will of G-d. 51:2).
and it soon becomes Sarah, initially, appears as a woman Avraham and Sarah, our first mother
clear that their life dedicated to her husband’s ‘life work,’ and father, built the foundations of
our nation – together, listening to the
and somewhat lives in his shadow
path is a joint mission. while totally identifying with the Divine command echoing in reality
cause and personifying self-sacrifice and guiding their mission to call in
and devotion to it. Together with G-d’s Name in the world. Together.
It is no coincidence that the Torah reit- Avraham, she leaves everything and
erates their mutual burial, for, from the embarks on the trek to Eretz Yisrael. Avraham and Sarah are surrogate
first moment they appear on the scene, Together, they go down to Egypt and parents to all those many people,
the Torah treats them as a couple, she complies with Avraham’s plans – from all nations, whom they cared for
almost as one unit. The very first thing at great personal risk – to save himself during their lifetimes, and they are
we hear about Avraham is his marriage from Pharaoh (Bereishit 12), and the couple that serves as an example
to Sarah (Bereishit 11: 29-30), and it together, but at his bidding, she hosts for all subsequent Jewish families to
soon becomes clear that their life path their guests. continue their path of mutual service
is a joint mission, with both of them of G-d.
setting out to fulfill the first of G-d’s However, Sarah is not only a supportive
ָ
ְ
commands to Avraham: ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָ ה ל ֶ א ...ך ְ ל ך ֶ ל wife but also an active, initiating char-
ָ ּ ך ֶ א ְ ר ַ א ר ׁ ֶ ש ֲ א, “Go for yourself to the Land acter. After 10 years without a child,
which I will show you.” it is she who urges Avraham to marry
Hagar. And after Yitzchak is born, it is
There are two aspects to this voyage she who demands that Avraham expel
to a yet unknown destination: Yishmael, whom she discerns is ruining
following G-d’s instructions and Yitzchak’s education. Indeed, G-d is on
understanding what He wants, her side, so to speak: ךי ֶ ל ֵ א ר ַ מא ּ ֹת ר ׁ ֶ ש ֲ א ל ּ ֹכ
ָ
and a lot of personal initiative and ּ ה ָ לֹק ְּ ב ע ַ מ ׁ ְ ש ה ָ רׂ ָ ש, “Anything Sarah says to
independent thinking. you, listen to her voice!”
Rabbanit Sharon Rimon teaches Tanach
Even when Avraham does reach the In this sense, Sarah is not just an and is Content Editor for the HaTanakh
Land, G-d does not tell him what to do escort on Avraham’s physical and website.

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