Nov 26/05 - Shabbat Chayei Sarah: Let Sarah’s Light Shine Upon Us All! -

Commentary by Rabbi Lawrence Pinsker

This week’s Torah portion begins with the death of the Matriarch Sarah, wife of Abraham. We read:

"Sarah died in Kiryat Arba, which is in Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to eulogize Sarah and to weep for her." (Genesis 23:1-2)

The commentator Rashi says that everyone in the city stopped working and gathered in order to hear Abraham deliver her eulogy and pay their last respects (Rashi, on Genesis 23:10). Rashi says that Sarah was beloved by all the peoples who lived in Hebron because of her lifelong devotion to tzedek, the elevated and compassionate form of Divine justice which teaches that every living creature has a right to whatever it needs in order to fulfill its purpose within Creation.

The Midrash says Abraham’s eulogy was the Eshet Chayil (“Woman of Valour”) passage that much later forms chapter 31 of the Book of Proverbs which he composed to honour Sarah. The Jewish practice of husbands reciting that text to their wives during Shabbat dinner ritual begins with Abraham’s undying love for Sarah. His praise for her includes:

"She spreads out her palm to the poor, and extends her hands to the destitute." (Proverbs 31:20)

Sarah welcomed the poor who came seeking her help and lovingly "spread out her palm," to receive them. But for those in worse economic conditions who could not even approach her, Sarah did not wait. Instead, she went to them, and “[extended] her hands to the destitute."

The Midrash also teaches that the portals of Sarah's tent "were open wide" — she graciously and warmly extended hospitality to everyone who arrived. And elsewhere Midrash says that "a blessing was bestowed upon her dough" (Genesis Rabbah 60:16), ensuring that there was always enough food for each and every needy guest.

To this portrait, Midrash adds another detail: in Sarah’s tent "a lamp burned from the eve of one Shabbat until the eve of the following Shabbat."

What is the connection between the light that illuminated Sarah's tent continuously from one Shabbat to the next and the deeds of tzedakah that she performed? The ancient rabbinic Sages compared the light kindled by Sarah to the light that will one day shine on the entire Jewish People in the messianic age:

In the future, the nations will be drawn to your light, as it says 'And nations will walk by your light.' (Isaiah 60:3) And what is the light that the Holy One, Who is Blessed, will shine upon Israel? It is the light of tzedakah, as it says, 'But upon you who are in awe of My name, the sun of tzedakah will shine' (Malachi 3:20). And why were they worthy to merit this? It is because of the merit of the lamps that they lit for Shabbat." (Yalkut Shimoni on Numbers, Beha'alotecha 8)

We understand our prophets’ vision to mean that one day we, the people called Israel, will develop a caring society that will be bathed in "the light of tzedakah" and that all nations will be drawn to it. By kindling lamps to mark Shabbat and to remind people that the light of Shabbat does not fade away from week to week, we will achieve a just and compassionate society.

And how do Shabbat lamps lead to the "light of tzedakah"? Again, classical sources offer an explanation by pointing out that when there is no light, we cannot see each other to respond. We become like the Egyptians during the plague of darkness, when "No man could see his brother" (Exodus 10:23). Our tradition compares darkness to selfishness. Just as total darkness prevents us from seeing each other, selfishness does the same: people can perceive only themselves. In the words of one Hasidic teacher:

The worst darkness is that of someone who does not want to see his suffering brother and extend to him assistance. (May'nah Shel Torah, vol. 2)

The lamps that we light each Shabbos are to inspire us to truly see others, to acknowledge their purpose within creation, and to see what they need in order to fulfill their purpose.

Sarah's Shabbat lamp burning from one Shabbos to the next set the standard. All week long, the people in whose midst Sarah and Abraham lived were able to see each other and to help each other. No one turned away complaining of “compassion fatigue” or despair that nothing that could be done for those in need. So the light of Sarah’s Shabbat lamp brought the light of tzedakah to her community and dismissed the spectre of selfishness.

One final note: the Midrash about Sarah's tent says that "a cloud hovered over the entrance to her tent." In biblical and rabbinic terminology, the hovering "cloud" always represents the Shechinah, the Presence of God that seeks to dwell with us on earth. We learn from Nachmanides’ commentary on Genesis 14:18 that, according to some Jewish mystical texts, the name of the Shechinah is "Tzedek."

Sarah's generosity is the essence of tzedek. Because Sarah opened her home to all in need, shared her bread with the hungry, and kindled a "light" that enabled people to see each other with concern and compassion all week long, the Shechinah dwelled within Sarah's home.

May your Shabbat bring such light to your home as well.