Chayyei Sarah: The life of a woman in the ancient middle east
Parshah for Saturday, Nov. 6:
Chayyei Sarah [Bereishit, Ch. 23, verse 1 - Ch. 25, verse 18
Ironically for a parshah called "The Lives of Sarah," it starts immediately with her death at the age of 120. Abraham buries her in Hebron, where he had once built an altar to God. This is one reason why many religious Jews in Israel are avid to hold on to Hebron, now in the West Bank and surrounded by Palestinians.
The rest of the parshah deals with Abraham finding a wife for his son Isaac. He sends a servant back to his homeland, who finds the beautiful and generous Rebecca. She is kindly and hospitable to the stranger, convincing the servant that she is the one for Isaac. The tribes of the middle east have historically made almost a cult of hospitality, and the Torah reflects this, not surprisingly. It is one of the highest virtues, much admired by whoever wrote the Torah.
Everyone in this story recognizes that this is truly a match made in Heaven. "Then Laban and Bethuel answered, 'The matter was decreed by the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good. Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be a wife to your master's son, as the Lord has spoken." Clearly these are good men, even without partaking of the covenant, since they recognize the one God.
Women in the middle east were not permitted to live independently of men, either father, brother or husband. The best they could hope for was to find a kind, loving man as protector. We are told, "Isaac then brough her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he took Rebekah as his wife. Isaac loved her, and thus found comfort after his mother's death." Not a word about Rebecca's comfort (having left her entire family behind), but, as I said, if Isaac truly loved her and took care of her, she was better off than most women of her time and place.
The parshah ends with a lengthy list of Abraham's descendants. Not quite as numerous as the stars in the sky, but the old boy was certainly fruitful.
(Note: all citations from Eitz Chayim ("Tree of Life"), the official Chumash (printed version of the Torah) of the Conservative Movement (copyright 2001 by the Rabbinical Assembly; Hebrew text, based on Biblia Hebraica Stuttgarensia, copyright 1999 by The Jewish Publication Society; English translation copyright 1985, 1999 by The Jewish Publication Society).
(Except as otherwise specifically noted and referenced, all commentaries are mine.)
Chayyei Sarah [Bereishit, Ch. 23, verse 1 - Ch. 25, verse 18
Ironically for a parshah called "The Lives of Sarah," it starts immediately with her death at the age of 120. Abraham buries her in Hebron, where he had once built an altar to God. This is one reason why many religious Jews in Israel are avid to hold on to Hebron, now in the West Bank and surrounded by Palestinians.
The rest of the parshah deals with Abraham finding a wife for his son Isaac. He sends a servant back to his homeland, who finds the beautiful and generous Rebecca. She is kindly and hospitable to the stranger, convincing the servant that she is the one for Isaac. The tribes of the middle east have historically made almost a cult of hospitality, and the Torah reflects this, not surprisingly. It is one of the highest virtues, much admired by whoever wrote the Torah.
Everyone in this story recognizes that this is truly a match made in Heaven. "Then Laban and Bethuel answered, 'The matter was decreed by the Lord; we cannot speak to you bad or good. Here is Rebekah before you; take her and go, and let her be a wife to your master's son, as the Lord has spoken." Clearly these are good men, even without partaking of the covenant, since they recognize the one God.
Women in the middle east were not permitted to live independently of men, either father, brother or husband. The best they could hope for was to find a kind, loving man as protector. We are told, "Isaac then brough her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he took Rebekah as his wife. Isaac loved her, and thus found comfort after his mother's death." Not a word about Rebecca's comfort (having left her entire family behind), but, as I said, if Isaac truly loved her and took care of her, she was better off than most women of her time and place.
The parshah ends with a lengthy list of Abraham's descendants. Not quite as numerous as the stars in the sky, but the old boy was certainly fruitful.
(Note: all citations from Eitz Chayim ("Tree of Life"), the official Chumash (printed version of the Torah) of the Conservative Movement (copyright 2001 by the Rabbinical Assembly; Hebrew text, based on Biblia Hebraica Stuttgarensia, copyright 1999 by The Jewish Publication Society; English translation copyright 1985, 1999 by The Jewish Publication Society).
(Except as otherwise specifically noted and referenced, all commentaries are mine.)
posted by Tom Beck at 9:50 PM
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