Yitzchak Went to Visit His Mother Sarah in Gan Eden to Study Torah for Three Years to Gladden Her
This week’s parsha is Chayei Sarah. In the parsha, Avraham Avinu sends his servant Eliezer on a mission to find a suitable wife for his son Yitzchak (Bereishis 24, 1): "ואברהם זקן בא בימים וה' ברך את אברהם בכל"—now Avraham was old, well on in years, and Hashem had blessed Avraham with everything (“bakol”). Rashi comments that the gematria of "בכל" equals "בן" (52). So, now that Avraham had a son, it was time to find him a wife.
The commentaries are perplexed by this comment. After all, the Torah has already mentioned numerous time that Yitzchak was Avraham’s son. Also, the Torah states explicitly (ibid. 4): "ולקחת אשה לבני ליצחק"—and take a wife for my son, for Yitzchak. So, why was it also necessary to teach this to us by means of a gematria?
It appears that we can explain the matter based on a perusal of the initial, extraordinary encounter between Yitzchak Avinu and Rivkah Imeinu, as chronicled in the following pesukim (ibid. 63): "ויצא יצחק לשוח בשדה לפנות ערב, וישא עיניו וירא והנה גמלים באים. ותשא רבקה את עיניה ותרא את יצחק ותיפול מעל הגמל. ותאמר אל העבד מי האיש הלזה ההולך בשדה לקראתנו, ויאמר העבד הוא אדוני ותקח הצעיף ותתכס". Yitzchak went out to converse (meditate/pray) in the field towards evening and he looked up and saw, and behold, camels were approaching. Rivkah looked up, and she saw Yitzchak; she let herself down from the camel. She said to the slave, “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” The slave replied, “He is my master.” She then took the veil and covered herself.
We will attempt to clarify three items mentioned in these pesukim related to Yitzchak Avinu prior to his actual first meeting with Rivkah Imeinu in person: (1) The passuk says "ויצא יצחק", but it does not mention from where “Yitzchak went out.” (2) It says that he went “to converse,” but it does not mention what the conversation was about. (3) It says that he went out to the “field,” but does not state to which field.
Eliezer Arrived with Rivkah Imeinu after Yitzchak Avinu Finished Praying Tefilas Minchah
We will begin to shed some light on the subject by introducing a pertinent teaching in the Gemara (Berachos 26b):
"אברהם תיקן תפלת שחרית, שנאמר וישכם אברהם בבוקר אל המקום אשר עמד שם, ואין עמידה אלא תפלה, שנאמר ויעמוד פינחס ויפלל. יצחק תיקן תפלת מנחה, שנאמר ויצא יצחק לשוח בשדה לפנות ערב, ואין שיחה אלא תפלה, שנאמר תפלה לעני כי יעטוף ולפני ה' ישפוך שיחו. יעקב תיקן תפלת ערבית, שנאמר ויפגע במקום וילן שם, ואין פגיעה אלא תפלה".
Avraham instituted the Shacharis prayer, as it is stated (Bereishis 19, 27): “And Avraham rose early in the morning to the place where he had stood,” and “standing” refers exclusively to tefilah, as it is stated (Tehillim 106, 30): “And Pinchas stood up and prayed.” Yitzchak instituted the Minchah prayer, as it is stated (Bereishis 24, 63): “And Yitzchak went out to converse in the field toward evening,” and “conversing” refers exclusively to tefilah, as it is stated (Tehillim 102, 1): “A prayer of the afflicted when he is faint and pours out his supplications before Hashem.” Yaakov instituted the Arvis prayer, as it is stated (Bereishis 28, 11): “And he encountered the place, and he slept there,” and “encountering” refers exclusively to tefilah.
Additionally, Chazal teach us that the passuk: "ויצא יצחק לשוח בשדה"—is informing us that Yitzchak Avinu went to the site of the Mikdash and called it a field. Here is the pertinent passage in the Gemara (Pesachim 88a):
"מאי דכתיב והלכו עמים רבים ואמרו, לכו ונעלה אל הר ה' אל בית אלקי יעקב וגו', אלקי יעקב ולא אלקי אברהם ויצחק? אלא לא כאברהם שכתוב בו הר, שנאמר אשר יאמר היום בהר ה' יראה, ולא כיצחק שכתוב בו שדה, שנאמר ויצא יצחק לשוח בשדה, אלא כיעקב שקראו בית, שנאמר ויקרא את שם המקום ההוא בית אל".
What is the meaning of the passuk (Yeshayah 2, 3): “Many nations will go and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the Mountain of Hashem, to the House of the G-d of Yaakov, etc.”? Why specifically the G-d of Yaakov and not the G-d of Avraham and Yitzchak? Rather, not like Avraham, who called it a “mountain” (Bereishis 22, 14) . . . And not like Yitzchak, who called it a “field” (ibid. 24, 63) . . . Rather, it is like Yaakov, who called it a “house” (ibid. 28, 19).
We learn from these two passages in the Gemara that Yitzchak went to the site of the Mikdash, which he called a “field,” and prayed tefilas Minchah there. Then, the Torah informs us: “Yitzchak went out to converse (meditate/pray) in the field towards evening, and he looked up and saw, and behold, camels were approaching.” Thus, we learn that immediately after instituting tefilas Minchah at the site of the Mikdash, he sees Rivkah Imeinu approaching.
Regarding this, the Ba’al HaTurim writes: "לשוח בשדה, היינו שיצחק תיקן תפלת המנחה ואז נזדמנה לו רבקה, והיינו דכתיב על זאת יתפלל כל חסיד אליך לעת מצוא, דהיינו אשה, דכתיב מצא אשה מצא טוב". He is suggesting that when Yitzchak instituted and prayed tefilas Minchah at the site of the future Mikdash, he was actually praying for a proper, suitable mate. We see that HKB”H answered Yitzchak’s tefilah. For, immediately, upon completing his supplication, he looked up and saw the camels carrying Rivkah approaching. The Ba’al HaTurim supports this assertion by citing the passuk (Tehillim 32, 6): "על זאת יתפלל כל חסיד אליך לעת מצוא"—for this let every devout person (“chassid”) pray to You at an opportune time (“time of finding”)—and what they expounded in the Gemara (Berachos 8a): “At an opportune time,” refers to (finding) a (good) wife, as it is stated (Mishlei 18, 22): "מצא אשה מצא טוב"—one who has found a wife, has found goodness.
This coincides magnificently with the commentary of the Kli Yakar on the passuk: "ויצא יצחק לשוח בשדה לפנות ערב"—our Rabbis of blessed memory learn from here that Yitzchak instituted tefilas Minchah, whose time is “towards evening,” proximate to the setting of the sun. This supports the Rabbis statement that (Berachos 6b): “A person should always be diligent with regard to tefilas Minchah. For Eliyahu was only answered through tefilas Minchah. And even though Avraham and Yaakov also instituted tefilas Shacharis and Arvis, we do not find that they were answered immediately and promptly. With regards to tefilas Minchah, we find that Yitzchak was answered immediately.
Presumably, Yitzchak prayed for a proper match while Eliezer was still on the way. “For this let every chassid pray at an opportune time,” i.e., for a wife . . . Immediately upon praying for her, it is written: “He looked up and saw, and behold, camels were approaching.” While praying, he cast his eyes downward; but immediately after the conclusion of the tefilah, he cast his eyes upward, and he saw that he was answered immediately: “And behold, camels were approaching,” transporting his mate (spouse). From this they deduced that a person is more likely to be answered with tefilas Minchah.
Yitzchak Left Gan Eden after Three Years
Now that we have elucidated the words: “Yitzchak went out to converse (pray) in the field”—let us delight in Chazal’s interpretation of "ויצא יצחק". Where did he come out of? The Midrash explains (Yalkut Shimoni, Chayei Sarah 109): From where did he come out? From Gan Eden. This is the source of the Chizkuni’s comment: “Yitzchak went out”—from where did he come out? From Gan Eden. For he was there from the time of the Akeidah until now, for three years. He presents the same explanation in the passage of the Akeidah (Bereishis 22, 19): “Avraham returned to his young attendants.” And Yitzchak, where did he go? Instead, he was secluded in Gan Eden for three years.
Based on this fascinating insight, the Megaleh Amukos addresses that which is written in this week’s parsha (ibid. 23, 2): "ויבוא אברהם לספוד לשרה ולבכותה"—and Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to cry over her. Why didn’t Avraham bring Yitzchak with him to eulogize his mother as would have been expected and appropriate? After all, he was Sarah’s only child. We find the answer to this question in the Midrash just cited; Yitzchak was secluded in Gan Eden for three years and was unable to attend.
With this understanding, the Megaleh Amukos interprets the passuk (ibid. 24, 64): "ותשא רבקה את עיניה ותרא את יצחק ותפול מעל הגמל"—Rivkah looked up, and she saw Yitzchak, and she let herself down from (literally: she fell off) the camel . . . She inquired of the servant, “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” The servant replied, “He is my master.” Rashi comments: “She saw Yitzchak”—she saw that he was resplendent, and she was astonished by him. This prompts the Megaleh Amukos to wonder: Was it Rivkah’s nature to inquire and pursue young men?!
Therefore, the Megaleh Amukos explains that Rivkah encountered Yitzchak after he had just returned from three years in Gan Eden. She saw that he shone with a resplendent light not of this world. This then is the gist of the passuk: “Rivkah looked up” and beheld Yitzchak exiting Gan Eden. “She saw Yitzchak” emitting a brilliant other-worldly light, not of Olam HaZeh. This startled her, “and she almost fell off the camel.” So, she asked Eliezer, “Who is that man walking in the field toward us?” And the servant said, “He is my master.”
This explains fantastically the sacred words of the Yismach Moshe (Toldos). After Yitzchak bestowed the Berachos upon Yaakov, it is written (ibid. 27, 27): "ויגש וישק לו וירח את ריח בגדיו ויברכהו ויאמר, ראה ריח בני כריח שדה אשר ברכו ה'"—so, he drew close and kissed him; he smelled the fragrance of his garments and blessed him; he said, “See, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field which Hashem has blessed.” Rashi comments: This teaches us that the fragrance of Gan Eden entered with him (Yaakov). How did Yitzchak recognize the fragrance of Gan Eden? Based on what we have learned, the answer is clear: He recognized the fragrance of Gan Eden, because he had been secluded there for three years.
