Emotional Intelligence

Chayye Sarah

Genesis 23:1-25:18

Précis: The parasha begins with the counting of the life of Sarah (chayye Sarah) - and with her death. It continues with a detailed description of the purchase of the cave of Machpela 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, 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 burial cave.

Genesis 23:1 “And the life of Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years; these were the days of the life of Sarah.

Rabbi Evan Moffic taught about the importance of temperament – “hishtavut hanefesh” in Reform Voices of Torah (11/9/09).It is usually defined as “equanimity, inner calmness, maintenance of an even keel.” According to commentary, Sarah, about whose death we read in this parasha, was a paragon of the concept.

The weekly reading begins by telling us that she lived for 127 years, and then seems to repeat itself by adding ”these were the days of the life of Sarah.” As we've noted often, every repetition offers a new opportunity for commentary. Rashi is quoted as saying that the repetition reminds us that all of Sarah’s years were for the good. But we know from the text that this is not self-evident. There were many “downs” in Sarah’s life: she had to leave her kin with Abraham to journey to a new land; she was endangered in Pharaoh’s court when Abraham passed her off as his “sister;” she went childless for decades; she dealt harshly with Hagar out of apparent jealousy; and finally, her beloved son was the object of the Akedah (whether she knew or not of this was a matter of midrash). Rashi’s comment means that despite these hardships, her character remained unaffected as she maintained “hishtavut hanefesh.”

This quality was greatly prized by commentators throughout the ages. As is so often the case, a traditional rabbinic observation has a modern corollary: today, we call it “emotional intelligence." We should be are aware of our feelings and emotions, but not ruled by them. The traditional understanding of Sarah’s character is a model for all of us in our dealings in the workplace and with our families. It is also a model for those of our political leaders who are faced with issues of the gravest concern in coming months.

Noah, Abraham, and God

Noah

Genesis 6:9-11:32

Précis: The story of Noah and Flood appear in this parasha. Noah, called by God, builds the Ark and collects the animals. Then it rains for forty days and nights. Noah and his family are saved and they leave the Ark, build an altar, and make sacrifices to God. God sets a rainbow as a promise not to destroy mankind again. Noah plants a vineyard, makes wine, and becomes drunk. An odd incident takes place with his sons. The story of the Tower of Babel is included, and the parasha ends with a genealogy of the ancient peoples of the Bible, ending with Abram.

Genesis 6:9 “...Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age.” 

The Torah reading in this parasha is interesting in its portrayal of the human characters and perhaps troubling in its portrayal of God.

First, the text strikes a note of ambivalence: Noah is praised in our parasha as "a righteous man; blameless in his age." Is Noah really righteous, or just better than those in his wicked society? How would he measure up to other people in other societies? Second, the text tells us that Noah "walked with God" (as opposed to Abraham, who "walked before God"). What is the difference between the two characters? 

Noah is silent and does not complain about God’s plan, in stark contrast with Abraham at Sodom, when Abraham engages God in debate about the fate of the city. Here is the major difference between Noah and Abraham, hinted at in the text: Noah walks "with" God, and does not question Him. Abraham walks “before” God, the adverb indicating a degree of independence or even leadership, a difference emphasized by Abraham's argument about the fate of Sodom ("Will not the God of Justice act justly?" Gen 18:24). One human being simply follows orders; the other argues with God. 

While we might wonder at this difference, what are more problematic are the different portrayals of God in the two stories. In the story of the Flood, God simply declares that the earth is wicked and states His intent to destroy the world and start anew with Noah. When humans build a Tower, they are dispersed, again without a chance to atone for whatever sin they have committed.

In the story of Sodom, God engages in an investigative process ("I will go down and see for Myself" (Gen 18:20)), and then debates with Abraham about His plans before making a decision to destroy the city. Clearly, the God of Noah is not the same as the God of Abraham. Is this because Noah and Abraham occupy different levels of ethical awareness, or is it that God has “matured” in His understanding of human nature? If we are endowed with free will, do humans have the ability to “surprise” God (cf., omniscience vs. omnipotence)? What does it say about us, and what does that say about our conception of God? 

Those who believe that the text is best understood as a compilation by a Great Redactor believe that the different portrayals of God in the Flood and Sodom stories is because the tales have different, divergent, and contradictory sources. Those who read the text as a unified whole see a suggestion that there was growth and change in the relationship between human beings and the Creator, and that the nature of the relationship is dynamic.

Does this have relevance to us today? Perhaps. The text is a mirror of our understanding of God and God’s role in human affairs. History seems to indicate that we are really "on our own" and the God has removed Himself from us. In addition to being a sign that He will not destroy the world again, the rainbow could also be a sign of the withdrawal of His Presence from day to day human affairs. 

In a more practical manner, Abraham, who walks “before" God and shows God the “right” way to do things, is a role model for all of us who might help lead others: a human being who demands justice, even from God.