Leah From Itamar – Chayeh Sarah

Leah’s Blog -Chayeh Sarah  October 2021

 

The heat of the day is a great time to see someone’s true colors. The journey of Abraham’s servant had him and his camels thirsty on this dusty afternoon. Blazing in the light of mid day, a woman of chesed appears, filling earthen ware jugs for him and his caravan. Here is a true sign that this is the next Matriarch. She is then gifted in the glimmer of jewelry. 

Rivka shines. Rivka understands the criteria in what she is being asked to do- to leave her family and follow the path of Abraham, already demonstrating the criteria in the ability to discern character and morals by choosing to leave home and follow Abraham’s servant. 

When Yitzchak came from the field and saw her, it was not the shine of her gold that had him decided but of knowing she filled the vessels in deep lovingkindness and givingness. He observed her intuition that hit her like a strong wind- her appeal for him and his for her. 

The story of their meeting goes way beyond the skin deep appearance and the sheen of the sun and gold- it is a deep intuition. Rivka mirrors Sarah; the candles again are lit in the tent of the Matriarch. Sarah lives through her bride: Chayeh Sarah. He becomes consoled in the grief for his mother by taking his wife igniting her life force in order to build the next rung of history. Lighting up the world is not an easy task- not then, not now. 

The ability to be able to shine, love on people but to discern trouble and refine and process it out of society is a key factor. This is the mission of the Matriarch. She has a moral obligation to go the extra mile! Sarah fought for the sole inheritor- Yitzchak. Soon it is Rivka’s turn for declaring Yaakov, as Esau spelled CODE RED- alert. He seemed like a good guy and excelled in archery, sports and business; he had a nice white smile but something was not right with him. 

Don’t judge a book by its cover. When the United States government wants to use the Israeli Consulate for Palestinian political venues its nothing less than raping Israel. Its policy rabidly denouncing growth of communities in the heartland of Israel is nothing less than anti-Semitism. This is what Esau does, smiling with white teeth. In our own lives our ability to distinguish and note can come as early as childhood like Rivka, for some of us it can be like a “token falling” like when Sarah laughed upon realizing there is nothing G-d can’t do for us. 

Appearances are not always what they seem to be. Our innermost core reaction to them are critical if we want to keep the ner tamid, the eternal flame alive. We have carried the torch thus far, we must not lose the ability to look deeper.

Recently I was in ancient Shilo, a must for all of you who come back to Israel ASAP. There were so many fascinating things to see there. The area of the jars jugs and barrels unearthed were not only beautiful but the message of how olive oil was made right there and stored in the place of the Tabernacle, living witnesses to Israel in her majestic time was incredible. (See the above picture taken there).

In Pirkey Avot, The ethics of the Fathers Rabbi Yossi teaches, “אל תסתכל על הקנקן אלה במה שיש בו”- Do not look at the jar but what is in it. We should look not only at world events, and everything around us but it doesn’t hurt to look in the mirror. Who do we mirror? In the world of Instoosh and FB it would be a good idea to look a little deeper. Carry the light of the Temple with you.

Shabbat Shalom, Leah