based on a teaching from Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, ztz"l
I. Avraham and Sarah's Goals and Mission
- Spreading belief in Hashem
- being an example of moral, good behavior for other people
(יח) וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יט) כִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו לְמַעַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ ה' לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט לְמַ֗עַן הָבִ֤יא ה' עַל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֖ר עָלָֽיו׃
(18) since Abraham is to become a great and populous nation and all the nations of the earth are to bless themselves by him? (19) For I have singled him out, that he may instruct his children and his posterity to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is just and right, in order that the LORD may bring about for Abraham what He has promised him.”
(א) וַיְהִ֣י אַבְרָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְתֵ֣שַׁע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיֵּרָ֨א ה' אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔י הִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ לְפָנַ֖י וֶהְיֵ֥ה תָמִֽים׃ (ב) וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְאַרְבֶּ֥ה אוֹתְךָ֖ בִּמְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃ (ג) וַיִּפֹּ֥ל אַבְרָ֖ם עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֛וֹ אֱלֹקִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ד) אֲנִ֕י הִנֵּ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וְהָיִ֕יתָ לְאַ֖ב הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִֽם׃ (ה) וְלֹא־יִקָּרֵ֥א ע֛וֹד אֶת־שִׁמְךָ֖ אַבְרָ֑ם וְהָיָ֤ה שִׁמְךָ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֛י אַב־הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִ֖ם נְתַתִּֽיךָ׃ (ו) וְהִפְרֵתִ֤י אֹֽתְךָ֙ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְגוֹיִ֑ם וּמְלָכִ֖ים מִמְּךָ֥ יֵצֵֽאוּ׃ (ז) וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֜י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֗ךָ וּבֵ֨ין זַרְעֲךָ֧ אַחֲרֶ֛יךָ לְדֹרֹתָ֖ם לִבְרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֑ם לִהְי֤וֹת לְךָ֙ לֵֽאלֹקִ֔ים וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃ (ח) וְנָתַתִּ֣י לְ֠ךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֨ אַחֲרֶ֜יךָ אֵ֣ת ׀ אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֗יךָ אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן לַאֲחֻזַּ֖ת עוֹלָ֑ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹקִֽים׃
(1) When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am El Shaddai. Walk in My ways and be blameless. (2) I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will make you exceedingly numerous.” (3) Abram threw himself on his face; and God spoke to him further, (4) “As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You shall be the father of a multitude of nations. (5) And you shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I make you the father of a multitude of nations. (6) I will make you exceedingly fertile, and make nations of you; and kings shall come forth from you. (7) I will maintain My covenant between Me and you, and your offspring to come, as an everlasting covenant throughout the ages, to be God to you and to your offspring to come. (8) I assign the land you sojourn in to you and your offspring to come, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting holding. I will be their God.”
וּבֵרַכְתִּ֣י אֹתָ֔הּ וְגַ֨ם נָתַ֧תִּי מִמֶּ֛נָּה לְךָ֖ בֵּ֑ן וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֙יהָ֙ וְהָֽיְתָ֣ה לְגוֹיִ֔ם מַלְכֵ֥י עַמִּ֖ים מִמֶּ֥נָּה יִהְיֽוּ׃
I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she shall give rise to nations; rulers of peoples shall issue from her.”
Questions for Reflection:
1. What were some of Avraham's goals in life?
2. What were some of Sarah's goals in life?
3. Do you think they achieved them?
4. What is a goal you want to achieve in your life? How are you moving towards it? Are there any times that it feels hard to reach?
1. What were some of Avraham's goals in life?
2. What were some of Sarah's goals in life?
3. Do you think they achieved them?
4. What is a goal you want to achieve in your life? How are you moving towards it? Are there any times that it feels hard to reach?
II. The Torah Says Avaraham and Sarah's Lives Were (all?) Good!
(א) וַיִּהְיוּ֙ חַיֵּ֣י שָׂרָ֔ה מֵאָ֥ה שָׁנָ֛ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים שְׁנֵ֖י חַיֵּ֥י שָׂרָֽה׃
(1) Sarah’s lifetime—the span of Sarah’s life—came to one hundred and twenty-seven years.
(ב) שני חיי שרה. כֻּלָּן שָׁוִין לְטוֹבָה:
(2) שני חיי שרה THE YEARS OF SARAH’S LIFE — The word years is repeated and without a number to indicate that they were all equally good.
(א) וְאַבְרָהָ֣ם זָקֵ֔ן בָּ֖א בַּיָּמִ֑ים וַֽה' בֵּרַ֥ךְ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם בַּכֹּֽל׃
(1) Abraham was now old, advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
Questions for Reflection:
1. Was Avraham's life all good? What challenges did he face?
2. Was Sarah's life all good? What challenges did she face?
1. Was Avraham's life all good? What challenges did he face?
2. Was Sarah's life all good? What challenges did she face?
R. Yehudah Aryeh Leib of Ger (Gerer Rebbe), commentary on Rashi
There must be differences, variations, and changes during a person’s lifetime. There are special times during a person’s youth and special times during a person’s old age. But the ones who are truly righteous find fulfillment in all their days. . . Fulfillment, wholeness, completion—these can be found in every place and at every time. Thus, ‘They were all equally good.’”
Commentary on S’fat Emet (Lawrence Kushner and Kerry Olitzky):
It is not merely that the years of Sarah’s life were equally good. Rather, each and every one of them was good—even amid the seemingly regular...disappointments we all must face. The S’fat Emet teaches us that we must live our lives trying to emulate Sarah.
Take away: Sarah faced challenges and ups and downs, but finding PURPOSE in your life and following it, made all of her days "good"
There must be differences, variations, and changes during a person’s lifetime. There are special times during a person’s youth and special times during a person’s old age. But the ones who are truly righteous find fulfillment in all their days. . . Fulfillment, wholeness, completion—these can be found in every place and at every time. Thus, ‘They were all equally good.’”
Commentary on S’fat Emet (Lawrence Kushner and Kerry Olitzky):
It is not merely that the years of Sarah’s life were equally good. Rather, each and every one of them was good—even amid the seemingly regular...disappointments we all must face. The S’fat Emet teaches us that we must live our lives trying to emulate Sarah.
Take away: Sarah faced challenges and ups and downs, but finding PURPOSE in your life and following it, made all of her days "good"
From Rabbi Sacks:
To answer this question you will need to take a survey of the events in Avraham's life. Highlights include leaving the land of his birth and travelling to an unknown land; leaving that land to Egypt due to famine; returning to Israel and arguing with his nephew Lot; being promised a child but experiencing years of childlessness; war; exile again in Egypt; strife between his wives Hagar and Sarah; the birth of Yitzchak; the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac); Sarah's death and burial; Yitzchak’s marriage to Rebecca; a second marriage and more children; and then death. Many of these events were deeply challenging for Avraham (and in fact considered tests from God). But because Avraham had faith that his life was fulfilling the destiny promised to him by God, and had meaning ... he could rise to each test and each challenge with faith in God and the destiny God had promised him.
To answer this question you will need to take a survey of the events in Avraham's life. Highlights include leaving the land of his birth and travelling to an unknown land; leaving that land to Egypt due to famine; returning to Israel and arguing with his nephew Lot; being promised a child but experiencing years of childlessness; war; exile again in Egypt; strife between his wives Hagar and Sarah; the birth of Yitzchak; the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac); Sarah's death and burial; Yitzchak’s marriage to Rebecca; a second marriage and more children; and then death. Many of these events were deeply challenging for Avraham (and in fact considered tests from God). But because Avraham had faith that his life was fulfilling the destiny promised to him by God, and had meaning ... he could rise to each test and each challenge with faith in God and the destiny God had promised him.
(טז) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה. אִם לָמַדְתָּ תוֹרָה הַרְבֵּה, נוֹתְנִים לְךָ שָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה. וְנֶאֱמָן הוּא בַעַל מְלַאכְתְּךָ שֶׁיְּשַׁלֵּם לְךָ שְׂכַר פְּעֻלָּתֶךָ. וְדַע מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא:
(16) He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say: It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it; If you have studied much Torah, you shall be given much reward. Faithful is your employer to pay you the reward of your labor; And know that the grant of reward unto the righteous is in the age to come.