Parashat Chayei Sarah 5765/2004
EJD
The weekly reading for the week of 22 Heshvan, 5765 - November 6, 2004 Parashah: Chayei Sarah Genesis 23:1 to 25:18; Haftarah: 1 Kings14:1-31; Mei Kituvim: 2 Chronicles 16:13 to 17:19; Brit Chadashah: Acts 1:3 to 2:47
The Bagel: Looking good. Abraham's wife Sarah was a beautiful woman to look upon (Genesis 12:14). Her beauty created international problems for Abraham for Pharaoh wanted her for his harem. Tensions were high in those international relations between the foreigner Abraham and Egypt over the beauty of Sarah. But G-d intervened and rescued Abraham and Sarah. Sarah's beauty once again became a factor in the historical outcome of relations between Abraham and Abimelech, king of Gerar (Genesis 20). In the shared readings for this week there is a common theme of beauty or "looking good" that also affected the outcome of Biblical history in different ways.
Torah:
Genesis 23:1 to 25:18. In Parashat Chayei-Sarah, the beautiful, but aged Sarah dies. A suitable replacement was needed to replace her. Keturah, one of Abraham's concubines, is simply mentioned in the text unadorned with any intrigue. There is no mention of her beauty or of any historical outcome because of "looking good." Besides Abraham's role in history was nearly at an end. The stage was about to shift to Isaac.
It was to be the future wife of Isaac that the center stage of beauty and historical outcome would be played out. G-d designed a role for the "good looks" of Rivka (Rebecca in Genesis 24:16) to be the wife of the child of promise, Yitzak (Isaac). The relationship of Rebecca to Isaac is similar to that of the relationship of Sarah to Abraham. Both women were ravishing in beauty and both men were recipients of G-d's unchangable covenant. Both couples brought forth the child who would inherit the promise of G-d. The same beauty that brought trouble for Abraham was the beauty that helped determine the selection of a wife for Isaac. Abraham's servant, who was commissioned by oath to find a suitable wife for Isaac, asked G-d for a demonstrable miracle to aid in the selection process. It was the combination of the fulfillment of the requested sign and the overwhelming "good looks" of Rebecca that clinched the choice. The results of that selection became evident later when "....he loved her; thus Isaac was comforted after his mother's death" (Genesis 24:67 NASB). The suitable replacement for Sarah had been found and the outcome of history changed for the mother for the child of promise had been obtained.
Haftarah:
1 Kings 1:1-31. In the Haftarah reading, the connection of beauty and the outcome of history is found in the deathbed of David. He was losing body temperature, which meant that he wouldn't last very long. The plan was to find a beautiful woman who could supply the heat needed to keep David alive. The beauty contest ended in the selection of Abishag. Her assignment was to be in bed with David to provide warmth for his failing body. It could be said that she functioned like a royal robe. The king wore clothing that was consummate with his position. Not only did the clothing keep the king warm when it was cold, but also had to display a beauty representative of royalty. Even in the unpleasant scene of a deathbed there was a necessity for upholding royal dignity.
What would have been the outcome of history if beautiful, but aged Bathsheba was confined in David's deathbed instead of Abishag? The beauty of Bathsheba had a very important role to play. It was her appeal to David concerning the outcome of the transition of power that helped turned the tide in favor of Solomon. She informed him of the interloper Adonijah and reminded him of his previous commitment to install Solomon as his successor.
We gather from this historical outcome the outworking of G-d's plan. Why should Hagar and Ishmael be the connection to the promise of G-d? Why should Haggit and Adonijah be the connection to the kingdom of Israel? As G-d ordained the Sarah-Isaac connection to the line of promise so in the same way G-d plugged-in the Bathsheba-Solomon connection to the kingdom lineage.
Mei Kituvim:
2 Chronicles 16:13 to 17:19. In the reading of the Kituvim, there was a beauty of king Asa that was marred in his death. His "good looks" were spiritual in nature. He was a man of faith. He had removed the evil bamot (high places) and trusted Adonay for military victory over the massive Ethiopian invasion. But in a lesser military invasion he wanted to trust in his own strength and ability rather than G-d. He created an alliance with the Syrians against the Northern Kingdom of Israel. G-d judged his unbelief and the result would be wars. Asa turned ugly at this point. Pride is an uglification process. It tarnishes the beauty of faith. Asa became diseased in his feet and remained a bitter man unto his death.
The transition to power was different. His son Jehoshaphat retained his father's original beauty. His life was characterised by the "good looks" of his faith. Like Asa, he removed the bamot and brought Judah back to the worship of the One-True G-d. This kind of beauty always brings a positive outcome in history. Jehoshaphat went down in history as one of Judah's good kings. His poliies spared Judah from destruction.
Brit Chadashah:
Acts 1:3 to 2:47. When we get to the Brit Chadashah, there is the greatest example of the affect of beauty on the outcome of history. The unbelievable asthetic prowress of the Messiah in His resurrection body was a sight to behold. Those talmidim (disciples) that grazed on His glory were transformed. They ceased being frightened cowards and instead became bold witnesses of the reality of the Messiah. Even when the establishment of the kingdom was deferred by Him to the future, they acted to carry out His mandate to make disciples worldwide. That beholding of His beauty as He ascended into heaven translated into the beauty of faith for millions since that day. The sign of that translation was a translation. A miracle of flaming tongues descended from heaven so that Jews from all over the diaspora heard the glories of this faith in their own heart language. That process without the sign continues today. There are approximately 6,800 languages in the world today. The bible has been translated into over 2, 000 languages (most of these are incomplete Bibles).
Cream Cheese: O how beautiful is the Son, Who is the Savior, and his salvation! This beauty changes personal histories by faith, which changes the course of international history.
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