Rabbi Benjamin Yudin Discusses Parshas Chayei Sarah on JM in the AM (5786)

Good morning. Good shabas everybody. Tomorrow we have the privilege of reading paras. Whoa. First of all, just the very name of the para, the life or lives of surah is the para which talks about her passing. As the first p tells us, she lives 127 years and then dies and then is buried. Why is the para called? And interestingly, so too the last para in the ratius called Yako and Yakov lived is the para that at the end of talks extensively about his passing. What is the Torah teaching us? That in Judaism, death is simply a part of life. It continues life. The nama, the soul lives on. This is a very very important teaching of the very name of the para itself. The para of contains 105 sukim. Interestingly, the para can be split into three parts. The first 20 sukim speak of Aram's acquiring a burial place for surah. Some even count this acquisition as the 10th test of which we are taught in the fifth chapter of OS that everybody agrees to the number 10. Abraham faced 10 tests in his life and passed them all. Interesting debate among the authorities. What were the 10? So for example there most authorities would say that the 10th test was at the end of paras vira namely Abraham was faced with the test of the aada. There are those however that learn that the burial of Sorah was the 10th test. How might it compare? And one answer is certainly as Rashi explains in the beginning of paras after Moshe questions at the end of Schmos. Uhoh. Like what's going on? Says Moshe to Hashem. Things have only gotten worse now that I've come to parro. And Hashem rebukes Moshe in the beginning of paras. And Rashi explains for elos I appeared to the Oos and even though I did not fulfill my promise to them, they never complained. But you Moshe are complaining to me about what I am doing. Whoa. And what is it that Rashi says over there? Hashem told Abraham, "This land is your land." And yet when it came time to bury Sora, he has to purchase the land as the text teaches for an exorbitant amount of money. And we don't find that Ara after the deal looks heavenward and says, "Hashem, like what's going on here? You don't keep your word. Okay. Be it as it may, the first 20kim of paras teach us the important principle of ke is literally that a Jew is to be buried in a Jewish cemetery. Meaning that we don't have the outlook and philosophical idea. Come on. Once you're dead, what's the difference where you're buried? After all, this is earth and that is earth. Why can't Abraham bury Sorah in the cemetery of Why can't a Jew be buried in a non-Jewish cemetery? Why must a Jew be buried as opposed to, God forbid, cremated? Why must a Jew be buried in the ground as above as opposed to above ground burial? And the answer to this is that a Jew lives differently, dies differently. We believe that only the body is laid to rest in the ground. But the nishama, the soul lives on, which helps us get through the phenomena of death with greater understanding because we recognize that it's not an end all, but rather it's a trans transition from this world to another the world. And we believe that the dead of Israel will be privileged to haveim which is the 13th principle of faith of the Rambam that there will be a resurrection of the dead. That's the first 20ukim. The next 67 sukim constitute the longest chapter in the book of boratious. And incredibly, the Torah tells us of the negotiation, the test that the servant of Abraham, who was designated to find a bride for and instead of asking me what I thought the test should have been, like to ask the young lady about to go to the will very simply, "Where is God?" And if she would say, "God, what kind of a God? No such thing as God. She's not the girl. Ah, if she points up to the sky, oh, she's in the running." No, the criteria was not in where is God. The criteria was is she a good person. The run in his drushan explains that there are midos and deos. Meidos are characteristics. What's her character like? Is she giving or taking? That is passed on. Good or bad. Personality is passed on in our genes from one generation to the next. as opposed to deos which is beliefs that can be undone. A good person such as Rifka even though she was raised in a home of idolatry could be taught the concepts of monotheism. The Torah is teaching us the first thing to look for in a wife is is she a giver? Is she a taker? Will she have guests for Shabas even though it might not be the best for her nails? or come on she has the right and proper values. So this is the second part of the parasa. And the third part of the parasa is the burial of Abraham by and yes and Abraham marrying cur and the progeny of Ishmael. The labrei says something especially fascinating. There are three parios in the Torah that talk about Abra vira and the Rebi reminds us as found in the Gamorra of Zoro Tess Omar olive 9A and the Ramban in bacius chapter 2 3 au Kimla s which we recite every Friday night as the introduction to the kdish. The Gomorrah in the name of Tana Deahu the Ramban teaches that this world and I quote from the gam this world consists of 6,000 years the first 2,000 years are to literally nothingness. The second 2,000 years are Torah and the last 2,000 years are Yimos Hamashiach says the Rebi. Take a look. There are three parachu paras is the to of Abraham's life. The nothingness. He has to leave where his birthplace is, his community, his father's home. All that negativity, all that nothingness, don't take that with you. All right? And this is the beginning of And how does end with chapter 17 in the book of Batius? the chapter of Brris Mil and Mila as we know is the prerequisite for enabling the Jew to study Torah. So the first 2,000 years of civilization were to the first two first part of Abram's life was to the second part of civilization second 2000 years is starting with Haneshar Abraham teaching monotheism to the world and it's encapsulated the next 2,000 years in vo where the Torah teaches what's the greatness of Abraham why does God love Abraham I love him says because he will direct command his children progeny after him to perpetuate literally kindness and judgment. And finally, the last 2,000 years are imosiach. Now, take note everybody. How does Kayasaur end? Parasis chapter 25 interestingly begins with number one Abraham remarry. Okay. But Yseph Abraham Y Abraham continued he takes a wife her name is Catura. Sounds like Curz to me says Rashi. And who is this Cura? None less than Hagar. Hagar. She was the one who at the end of Verra says to Abraham Goresh Moazb get rid of this woman and her son and God agrees with Sorro. Listen, is it not somewhat of a to surro that Abraham remaries the very woman she said get rid of? What's going on here? It's clear Rashi points out that from like the incense that Hagar clearly did Chuva a reversal of our ways and therefore as will be in the future as we say we complete every prayer session. How does the para end the very mafier the last few of conclude withtomo? These are the descendants of Yeshua. And the para ends with the five words literally on the face of all his brethren falls. And we see that happening in our day that the progeny of Yeshua is exceedingly numerous. And just take a look my friends at the last balatim on the para then what's the next verse after the next verse is these are next week the generations that came from says when will fall in the end of days then benavid will sprout forth the moshiach the juxiposition of the fall of andosit is a beautiful remes a beautiful hint towards What's the message of all this? Number one, take a look at the incale chapter 33 24 singular was the life of encapsulates past, present and future. When we say the toem, we know what that means. Past, present, future, we're living in very special times. And remember the rashi at the beginning of when God says to Abraham, I'll make you into a great nation. That's the God of Abraham. I'll bless you. That's the God of Ye. And I'll make your name great. That's the God of Yakov. I might think says the garb that maybe we will close the Hashem. No, we end the Abra. Why? Because Jewish history closes. It begins with Abraham and it ends with Abraham. And the rabbis interpret this to mean as the points out what does it mean as Abraham was known for his so too I'm Israel keep up besides and of course your learning of Torah keep up your and it's hashem he is I promise you on his Shabbat. Shalom to all.