How can anyone have two lives on earth?
Parshat Chayei Sara commences as follows: “ויהיו חיי שרה - And the life of Sarah was,” “מאה שנה ועשרים שנה ושבע שנים - a hundred years and twenty years and seven years,” (i.e. a total of a hundred and twenty seven years) “שני חיי שרה - the years of the life of Sarah.”
The last three words seem to be totally redundant. Are they not included in everything that precedes them?
In a wonderful sefer, Doreish Lifrakim by Rav Mordechai Rubenstein, which is a commentary on Pirkei Avot, the introduction explains that the word ‘שני’ can mean two things: it can mean ‘the years of’ and it can also mean ‘two’. Therefore, “שני חיי שרה” does not only mean, “the years of the life of Sarah.” It could mean, “Sarah had two lives!”
Therefore these words are not redundant.
Rav Rubenstein explains that for the vast majority of people on earth, we’re actually only active and properly alive for two thirds of our lives. That’s because we’re asleep for the other third.
With regards to Sarah, however, when she went to sleep it wasn’t because she loved to take it easy and was looking forward to having that rest. Rather, every moment of rest was an investment in the next day when she would be able to be active and alert, to perform as much chessed as possible, because Sara spent her life performing kindnesses for others.
In this way, Sarah lived two separate lives – the time when she was awake and also the time when she was asleep, because that was not wasted time; it was time when she energized herself and prepared herself to do great things. All of Sarah’s 127 years were used for good causes; were used constructively. Even when she was asleep, she was using every precious moment for a good purpose.
From her we can learn how critically important it is to utilize every precious moment we have, and even when we rest, let’s use that as an investment in all the future productive activities that we will achieve.
So let’s follow in one aspect of Sarah’s life, the chessed part and let’s pray with all our hearts for the healing of all those injured, for the safe return of those taken as hostages, as well as Divine Protection for our brave IDF soldiers, Police officers, medical professionals, Firefighters, ZAKA members, security personnel and all those citizens protecting us in Israel as well as around the world, and for those who need healing, shidduchim, children or parnassah and may we be blessed to have the most awesome, gorgeous, beautiful, peaceful, healthy, amazing, relaxed, spiritual, safe, quiet and sweet Shabbat.
NO MITZVOT IN THIS PARSHA
Although none of the 613 mitzvot are counted from Chayei Sarah, we learn about burial of the dead, and funeral practices such as eulogizing the dead. We also find lessons relating to marriage in this Parshah.
NUMBER OF PESUKIM: 105
NUMBER OF WORDS: 1402
NUMBER OF LETTERS: 5314
HAFTORA: Melachim l 1:1-31
Shabbat Mevarchim Chodesh Kislev
Rosh Chodesh – Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023
