EVEN IN THE FALL, SHE RISES
Although, she was not actually deserving of punishment for any infraction, the mere entry into this phase of life, where punishment is a possible outcome, represents a decline…
Although, she was not actually deserving of punishment for any infraction, the mere entry into this phase of life, where punishment is a possible outcome, represents a decline…
“Abraham was old, well on in years [literally: “he came with his days”]; and G-d blessed Abraham with everything.”
Each person must accept upon himself – according to his own reckoning – something that the Rebbe used to demand of him, and he must fulfill that and complete that mission
“In the merit of the righteous women the Jewish people were liberated from Egypt.” (Talmud, Sota 11b)
There is a popular stereotype that Chassidim are not organized and not punctilious to use out their time to its fullest.
To whatever extent the gloom of exile has increased in recent years, joy must also be increased.
There are just a few Torah portions named after individuals. The first is the parsha of Noach, appropriately named after the man from whom all of humanity descends. The second is this week’s parsha, entitled Chayei Sarah-the Life of Sarah.
In the HaYom Yom of 22 Cheshvan, that fell out on Shabbos Chayei Sara in the year 5704, the Rebbe writes: “One of the teachings of the Maggid of Mezritch, heard by the Alter Rebbe when he was in Mezritch for the first time, from late summer 5524 (1764) until after Pesach 5525 (1765):
The message here is that the name Tzemach Tzedek expresses the faith of chassidim, the perfect faith of every chassid, that their Rebbe – for example, the leader of this generation [“Tzemach is Moshiach…for ‘Tzemach’ is numerically equivalent to ‘Menachem’”] – is in fact Moshiach, and if we had merited, the matter would have been fulfilled and manifest outwardly; Moshiach would be visible to the human eye
Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, was sent by his master to find a suitable wife for his master’s son, Isaac.
In his effort to find a burial place for Sarah, Avraham wound up paying a very high price for the M’aras HaMachpella. He didn’t have many choices, and Sarah needed k’vura right away, so Avraham bought it.
In this week’s Parsha we find two central themes: 1) the passing of Sara and the purchase of the M’aras HaMachpeila, and 2) the successful search of Eliezer in finding a wife (Rivka) for Yitzchak.
One of the enigmas of the Torah is the way in which Sarah received the news that she was going to be a mother at the age of 90. In this week’s parsha, the Torah states, “And Sarah laughed at her insides, saying, ‘After I have withered shall I again have clear skin? And my husband is old!’”