Parshat Chaye Sarah; Genesis 23:1- 25:18
This week’s parasha, Chaye Sarah deals in kindness. It shows this value from many different angles.
Our portion opens with the announcement of the death of Sarah. Abraham shows his wife, Sarah the ultimate in kindness by attending to her final needs and purchasing a burial site for her from the Hittites and mourning her death. This might seem like an expectation but upon reading our text closely. At the end of the last portion –Vayera, Abraham was in Beersheva. And this week Sarah dies in Hebron. Perhaps they weren’t together in the same locale, their relationship suffering from the act of near sacrifice of their son, Isaac.
But even if they were apart, Abraham didn’t leave this task to his son but made sure Sarah had a proper grave site in the Cave of Machpelah. When we accompany the dead to their final resting place, we engage in the ultimate act of lovingkindness, called a chesed shel Emet. When we help place earth in the gravesite we engage in this act that is never repaid but is filled with kindness and compassion and honor for the dead.
The theme of kindness and compassion continues in the portion as the story switches to finding a wife for Isaac. Abraham sends his servant Eliezer to find a wife for his son. He comes upon Rebecca who is actually kin to Abraham through his brother Nahor. Eliezer observes Rebecca’s gentleness and kindness first hand when she not only offers him water to quench this strange traveler’s thirst but also waters the pack of camels that accompanied him on this long journey. She displays the same kind of generosity and hospitality that Abraham had shown to traveler’s that came to his tent. Rebecca’s kindness extends to Eliezer even offering him lodging. Of course these are signs’ to Eliezer that God has guided him on his journey and that he has found Abraham’s family who indeed would have suitable partners for Isaac. Rebecca’s kindnesses to Eliezer and to the animals indicate to Eliezer that she will indeed be not only a suitable match for Isaac but a person who can carry on these most important values of Abraham’s tribe.
In a world where cruelty and rudeness are the norm, where road rage is at every turn of the corner, this week’s portion and emphasis on basic human kindness and caring is a good reminder of how we ought to act in the world. But the pressures of everyday urban life seem to eat away at basic civility in social interactions. There are too many people sharing the same amount of space and so we think that we have to push and shove our way to make room in the world. Frustrations run high and caring runs low. As we study our parasha let us learn from Abraham and Rebecca that we might reinvigorate a commitment to kindness in all our interactions large and small.
We can bring the water of politeness, kindness and caring to a world thirsting for these basic and nurturing values.
Posted by Lee at November 13, 2006 09:01 AM
