CHAYEI SARA: PITTSBURGH ON MY MIND
By: Suri Davis
Why is this Torah portion named the life of Sarah, when it actually describes life after Sarah dies? The Lubavitcher sichahs on this parshah elucidate that after Sarah died, her values lived on as revealed in this week’s torah portion.
First, her son Isaac, the first person born a Jew in this world, carries on the mesirus nefesh/dedication of a Jewish life by marrying Rivkah, a woman dedicated to Jewish values and modesty and monotheism.
Second, when Sarah dies, Abraham purchased his first piece of the land of Israel, the Cave of Machpelah, in Hebron, which establishes the Jewish right to the land of Israel as the Jewish homeland, in fulfillment of G-d’s promise to Abraham and all the Jews thereafter.
This week, one week after 11 Jewish souls died to sanctify G-d’s name, we learned about each invidivual who died and their unique devotion to G-d, their family and community. We join the community in mourning for them, but also in rejoicing in the special people they were. Their legacy to family, friend and community. They died because they were Jewish, they died as Jews praying to G-d, and in a sanctuary that was devoted to worship of G-d.
Those who talked about these special 11 souls, who took on mitzvoth/good deeds for the benefit of their souls, who came from all over the country to comfort the families who were in mourning for them, reveal the life of these 11 martyrs. As Abraham cried for Sarah as he eulogized her, how the world at large cried for the lives of those who were killed out of hate, we mourn their lives, and celebrate the continuity of their souls with a determination by their families and Jews around the world to mourn the hatred that caused their death, mourning the loss of these lives to their families and community ,but also celebrating their lives by continuing to do mitzvoth in their names.
In their deaths, we understand their lives. In their memory, we continue doing their mitzvoth and rededicating ourselves to Judaism and Jewish continuity. Yehi Zichram baruch/May their memory be blessed.
Shabbat Shalom.
-Suri