The Chief Rabbi’s weekly insight for Parshat Chayei Sara.
Is the title of this week’s parsha misleading? Chayei Sara means the life of Sara, but when one has a look at the content of the parsha, sadly it’s all about the death of Sara, and the manner in which Avraham made arrangements to bury her.
In the Midrash, Rabbi Akiva draws a parallel between two outstanding Biblical characters, Sara Imeinu – Sarah our matriarch, and Esther HaMalkah, Queen Esther. What’s the connection between the two? According to Rabbi Akiva, at the beginning of our parsha, the Torah tells us that Sara was 127 years old when she passed away. It was thanks to her merit that at a later time Esther became the queen over 127 provinces.
But the comparisons between the two run far deeper than that.
- After all, both Sara and Esther were exceptionally selfless and kindhearted people.
- Both had two names: Sarai became Sara, and Hadassah was Esther.
- Both of them were connected to royalty: Esther of course was the queen while Sara literally means princess, and she was given that name because she was a person of regal bearing.
Hashem said to Avraham,
And in the book of Esther we are told,
Last motsei shabbat we all heard the very sad news of the passing of my illustrious predecessor, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, z”l, and throughout this week, we have been grieving. And we have been joined by so many people around the globe, well beyond the confines of our people, because his global impact was so enormous and so extraordinary.
Like Sara Imeinu he was somebody who touched the hearts and moulded the minds of so many people. His impact was enormous and his legacy will certainly continue to live on. Like Sara Imeinu, concerning Rabbi Lord Sacks we will always be able to say that although, sadly, he has passed away, in spirit, he will always continue to live on in our hearts and in our minds.
Yehi yichro baruch – may his memory be for an eternal blessing.
Shabbat Shalom.