Many commentators wonder, why do we call this week’s parsha “Chayei Sarah - The Life of Sarah,” when the Parsha discusses the events surrounding her death? Shouldn’t it be called “The Death of Sarah?”
Let us look at the opening pasuk to the parsha and ask a few more questions.
ויהיו חיי שרה מאה שנה ועשרים שנה ושבע שנים שני חיי שרה. (כג:א)
“Sarah’s Lifetime was one hundred years, and twenty years, and seven years; the years of Sarah’s Life.”
Why does the pasuk repeat at the end, “The years of Sarah?” It already said “and these are the years” of Sarah’s lifetime?
The 2nd pasuk in the parsha says, ״ויבא אברהם לספוד לשרה ולבכתה״ - “And Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to cry over her loss.” The Medrash asks, from where did Avraham come from? Rebbi Levi says that he came from burying his father Terach. Rebbi Yossi says that cannot be true because the burial of his father took place two years before the death of Sarah. Rather, he was coming from Har Hamoriah.
Let us attempt to answer these questions in tandem:
Rav Yehoshua Weinberg quotes Chazal who say ״רשעים בחייהם קרויים מתים״, “the lifetime of the wicked are considered as if they are dead.” This means that only people who live a life focused on improving their relationship with Hashem and their commitment to mitzvoth are actually alive. Those who choose to ignore the mitzvoth and do not live a life of personal growth, are not considered to be “alive.” This also explains the pasuk that says ״כי לא אחפוץ במות המת״, that Hashem does not desire the death of the Rasha, the evil one who does not focus on his relationship with Hashem, i.e the one who is considered “dead” while he is physically alive. Rather, Hashem wants him to do teshuvah and return to Him so he can be deemed righteous before he dies.
Sarah Imeinu truly lived her life. As Rashi says, she was just as perfect at age 100 as she was at age 20. She spent her entire life bringing people closer to monotheism and a life of commitment; she truly “lived” every day of her breathing life. For this reason, the Torah tells us twice that these were “the years” of Sarah’s life - a true, meaningful life.
When considering the Medrash above that discussed from where did Avraham come, Rav Shach explains there is actually no argument here, but both opinions are correct. How can this be? Since Sarah was 127, was there such a need for a sad, drawn out eulogy? After all, she lived a full life? Rabbi Levi is saying that the eulogy was as follows: Avraham was Avraham the Ivri, and he stood up to the entire world. They were all idol worshippers and he was the one voice of reason that understood the trueness of Hashem. How could he stand alone against the entire world? The answer is, Sarah, for she was his partner and supporter of his work. This is what Rebbi Levi meant when he said that Avraham came from the burial of Terach; that he came to eulogize Sarah “from the burial of Terach,” meaning he came from the point of view of the one who helped him “bury” the idols of Terach. As if to say that without her, Avraham would not have been able to rid his father’s house and certainly not the many others in the world of the idols in their midst.
In contrast, Rebbi Yossi says that Avraham “came from Har Hamoriah.” Avraham was 100 years old when Yitzchak was born and then he was commanded to sacrifice him. How could he do that? He spent his entire life teaching people not to kill, to be good and to act in a kind manner. How would Avraham explain this to everyone? And yet, despite all this, Avraham accepted the mission, as did Yitzchak who went along knowing what his fate would be! Even when the Angel came to stop Avraham from sacrificing Yitzchak, Avraham and Yitzchak were not sure if they should alter the plan until Hashem gave them a sign that he had changed the plan. Where did Yitzchak get such strength and drive from? It must have been from the chinuch of his mother, Sarah. This is what he Madrash meant -- that Avraham came from Har Hamoriah, that he came from the mountain or the rock of his his life and the that of his son; Sarah. Without her, none of this would have been possible.
There are a few lessons to take away here:
1. We live in a society where so much is pulling at us in directions that are contrary to a Torah lifestyle. Don’t fool yourself into thinking this is just our challenge. Avraham’s challenge was harder; he and Sarah were alone. We are not alone and we have so many learning opportunities and Rabbis who can guide us to a proper life of Torah observance. Let us all take advantage of those opportunities.
2. We shouldn’t fool ourselves into thinking that “righteous” and “evil” are terms that we define on our own. Hashem has defined it as Torah observance; as commitment to improving our observance of mitzvot. We need to remember that there is both the mitzvoth between Man and G-d, but that there are also the mitzvoth between Man and his fellow man. They both are necessary, and Hashem looks at both areas of our lives.
3. Let us never underestimate the impact we have on our children. They watch our every move. They notice when we yell and scream. They notice when we cut corners. They notice when we daven and when we don’t. They notice when we go to shul and when we don’t. They notice everything. Let’s focus on the important messages we want them to see in us, and then be sure to act in ways that support that.
This was the life of Sarah - and what a life it was!
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