Chaye Sarah
Gen. 23:1-25:18
Précis: The parasha begins with the counting the days of the life of Sarah (Chaye Sarah) and with her death. It continues with a detailed description of the purchase of the cave of Machpelah by Abraham for a family burial site. Abraham orders his servant to go to Abraham’s ancestral home to obtain a wife for Isaac, and after a series of fulfilled signs, including watering of his camels, the servant finds Rebecca. Rebecca returns with the servant; she and Isaac meet, fall in love at first sight, and become man and wife. The parasha ends with the death of Abraham, and his burial by Isaac and Ishmael in the family plot.
Gen. 24:17-20 “A servant ran toward her and said, 'Please, let me sip a little water from your jar.’ ‘Drink, my lord,’ she said, and she quickly lowered her jar upon her head and let him drink. When she had let him drink his fill, she said, ‘I will also draw for your camels, until they finish drinking.’ Quickly emptying her jar into the trough, she ran back to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels.” |
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Rabbi Stacey Rigler has written about the importance of kindness (chesed) in this week’s reading (10 Minutes of Torah, 11/14/22). She notes that we often focus on Rebecca's kindness to the animals. But, she maintains, there is much more.
Kindness first requires that one be considerate, seeing another person, their circumstances, and their needs. Rebecca knew that not only the man but also the camels would need water.
Kindness requires an act of friendliness, an assumption of goodwill. Rebecca was not offended by the request from a stranger but assumed that he was in need and worked to help.
Kindness requires selflessness and generosity. Rebecca seeks no quid quo pro. Rigler cites Alan Morinis in his book Everyday Holiness: “Chesed involves acts that sustain the other…In the Jewish view, it is not enough to hold warm thoughts in our heart or to wish each other well. We are meant to offer real sustenance to one another... to qualify as chesed, these actions need to come out of kindness and no other motive."
We live in a time when acts of true chesed are needed more than ever. Thoughts and prayers are not enough.
