Thursday, Mar-Cheshvan 22, 5782 / October 28, 2021
Parshat Chayei Sarah begins with the passing of our Matriarch Sarah at the age of 127. The Torah describes the details how Abraham went about to purchase a burial place and arrange for her burial. Later in this Parsha we read about the passing of Abraham at the age of 175.
In this Parsha the Torah also describes in great detail how, after Sarah’s passing, Abraham sent his trusted servant Eliezer to choose a wife for his son, Yitzchak. Most of the Parsha is about how Eliezer makes his choice of who should be Yitzchak’s wife. He negotiates with Rivkah's family to get their permission and blessings to take Rivkah back with him as a wife for Yitzchak.
Yitzchak was 40 years old when Abraham sends Eliezer to choose a wife for him.
Our sages explain how the name of the Parsha, Chayei Sarah, which literally means, "the life of Sarah," fits with the details of the Parsha which are about the passing and burial of Sarah.
Our sages say, "The wicked even when they are alive are called dead, while the righteous even after they die are called alive."
Sarah, being the matriarch of the Jewish people and one of seven prophetesses, was considered alive even when physically she had passed away. This is hinted in the name of this Parsha, Chayei Sarah.
Our sages tell us that when Rivkah came into the tent of Sarah, all the miracles which took place during Sarah's lifetime returned and it was as if Sarah was still alive. Thus, Sarah continued living through the good deeds and mitzvot of her son Yitzchak and his wife, Rivkah.
Sarah, who passed away at 127, lived 48 years less than Abraham, who passed away at 175. In Ecclesiastes (5:11) King Solomon says, "Sweet is the sleep of the laborer, whether he eats little or much." King Solomon is speaking of those who “labor” in the observance of the Mitzvot. “Nomatter if one performed many good deeds, because they lived longer, or less, because they lived fewer years, they will get the same reward!"
The Midrash explains this with a parable: A king hired workers. While they were working, the king came by and called one of them to accompany him. As a result, the worker accomplished less than the others.
In the evening when all the workers came to claim their salary, the king paid each one, also the person who walked with him. Can the king say, "I won't give you a day's work, for you haven't worked as much as them?” The worker can say to the king, “It was you who kept me from my work."
The same applies when G-d calls a person back to Him at a younger age. G-d doesn’t measure achievement by the sum of mitzvot, but by how we fulfilled and spent those years allotted to us.
HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY