This portion's title translates to the Life of Sarah. On the contrary, this portion begins with Sarah's passing and ends with Abraham's passing. When Sarah passes on she is not in her native territory of Canaan. Abraham must purchase a field to bury Sarah. After that, Abraham sends a servant to find Isaac a wife. He sends the servant to Haran rather than Canaan. In Haran, the servant finds a beautiful girl named Rebekah. When Abraham finds out his servant has returned, he dies. Abraham is buried in the same place as Sarah.
Last week I went to a Bat Mitzvah for my friend from New Jersey, Aliza. She read Chayei Sarah brilliantly. In her Dvar Torah she told how she is like Sarah which I can see. Sarah is an organizer and Aliza is passionate about organizing a number of causes. They are also both insightful and loyal. Congratulations to Aliza and her family!
So what are the Jewish ideas of afterlife? There are none! Every Jew has their own idea of afterlife. God lives in the heavens above. In the Torah, it only mentions life. Unlike Greece or Egypt, Ancient Hebrews celebrated life rather than concern their afterlives. Celebrate life to the fullest.
Sarah and Aliza were and always will be positive. It is admirable to see energy brought into our world so vividly. In middle school mornings are tough. We wake up at 6 in the morning and are immediately pressed with a load of decisions. What clothes should I wear? What time do I have to be at the door? By the time a student gets to school they can be very grumpy. We all have those kinds of mornings and I think there is only one cure, joy. I come in with a smile bigger than the world and say good morning to anyone who I see and I know.
My idea of death is focused around the day I die. I think that the minute we die we go into judgement. God decides if we are a good person or a bad person. The good people go to live in heaven watching over Earth seeing more good be done. The bad people, do not. The Torah is a Tree of Life, death is in it so that we can celebrate more life. Yes, the Jewish idea of death is life.
Adam - I believe we live on in our children's memory. All the things we teach you! All the good you do as an individual lives on in peoples memories. My grandfathers taught me the kiddush as well as my love of baseball. Both things have livedon as part of what they gave to me.
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