Praise for Sara

Parshat Chayei Sara is devoted to giving praise to our Mother Sara, and her wonderful attributes. Rav Kook chose to focus on an attribute that is often neglected.

He interpreted Sara’s refusal to have Yishmael associate with her son, Yitzchak, very different from the simple text. It wasn’t a situation of an overly protective mother who didn’t want her boy playing with a wild kid. It reflected a deep understanding on the part of Sara, of the special role that the Jewish people were to have in the world.

Yishmael was described in the Torah as a פרא אדם, a wild man, whose hand was in everything. He and his descendants were destined to be thieves. Such a personality must be separated from the holy seed of Abraham.

Rav Kook praises Sara for understanding the special destiny of the Jewish people. They needed to correct the sin of the serpent. This destiny could only be realized when they were “a nation that dwelled apart.” They also needed the holiness of the land of Israel in addition to being alone in order to achieve these goals.

Sara was rewarded by being the first Jew to be buried in Eretz Yisrael. Avraham Avinu purchased a נחלה, an inheritance, for all time.

It is fascinating how a simple story that is read every year, can be interpreted from a totally different perspective. This once again reflects the beauty and depth of the Torah.