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Parshat Chayei Sarah Chaim S. Kaminetzky, National President Sponsored by UMB Bank and Trust Company -- America's only Shomer Shabbat Bank Guest Rabbi:
The Rebbe Chaya Sora 24:2- When Avraham Avinu was about to send his trusted servant Eliezer to choose a wife for his son Yitzchok, the Torah refers to Eliezer in these words: "And Avraham said to his servant the eldest of his house, he who rules over all that belongs to him, etc." Gemora Yuma 28:B, Rabbi Eliezer comments: "Since the Torah says that Eliezer ruled over everything that Avraham had, it means that Eliezer even shared in the learning and Torah that his master had. This means that Eliezer, the servant of Avraham sat with his master, in the Yeshiva and learned with him." This is the inspiration we expect from great people. If Avraham had become inspired to follow the ways of G-d and to preach the ways of G-d as a guide to daily living, then even his servant who came in daily contact with him, had to become inspired as well. Avraham's way of life had to be a total involvement of everyone who came near to him, so that they, too, should become inspired with the way of life. Otherwise, he could not become the great Avraham Avinu, the first of the Forefathers of Klal Yisroel. Avraham became the role model of his generation so that the nefesh that he influenced in Charan, followed him to Eretz Canaan (Eretz Yisrael). Isn't this what we hope for and expect from any Rabbi who teaches in a Yeshiva? He is not just another teacher; The Rebbe inspires the student to learn Torah with dedication and love. The Rebbe implants within the heart of his students the basic of character growth- Midot Tovot- that will guide the young students and remain with them throughout their adult life. What an awesome responsibility one carries when you realize that youngsters watch your every action, copy you and try to emulate you. If only the baalei-batim of all our Young Israels would look to their Rabbi as the role model for Torah learning, for mitzvot, for maasim tovim and for their own measure of midot tovot. If only all this could be, what a great movement for good Young Israel would truly be. The Hereafter When Avraham had to bury his wife Sora, he went to the children of Chait [Bnei Chait] to buy a burial plot for her. He wanted to buy the Meorat Hamachpaila. Herein were already buried Adam and Eve (later Avraham and Sora, Yitzchok and Rivkah, Yaakov and Leah). We find the words "Bnei Chait" ten times in Bereishit: eight times in this portion of the buying of the plot, a ninth time in Chaya Sora 25:10 when Avraham dies, and a tenth time at the end of Bereishit 49:32 when Yaakov dies. The Midrash tells us that the ten times that we find the words "Bnei Chait" in the Torah is equal to the Ten Commandments. After all, the Ten Commandments are the cornerstone and foundation of our Torah. How can we equate this with the words Bnei Chait being repeated ten times? The Malbim answers very beautifully: When Avraham went to buy a family plot, the Bnei Chait were the owners of that plot. They said to Avraham: "We also believe in burying, in a common burial hill outside of town. Choose any place you want." But they did this for humane and practical reasons. They did not want people walking in the streets, stumbling over dead bodies. Avraham Avinu wanted to teach them one of the basic foundations of Yiddishkeit. Avraham wanted to show them that we believe in the everlastingness of the soul, that there will be a time of Techiyat Hamaytim, when the dead will become alive again. We bury our dead in the ground because this is the Commandment of the Torah: "From dust hast thou been taken and to dust thou shall return." The mitzvah of burial is so great, that even a Kohain Godol (a High Priest serving in the Beit Hamikdosh), who is not allowed to go to the funeral of even his own mother or father, had to take care of a Mait Mitzvah; if he were walking in the desert and found a dead person, he would have to make himself "spiritually unclean" and attend to the entire burial himself. This concept of the Techiyat Hamaytim is as important in our philosophy of Judaism as our belief in the Ten Commandments. Within the Ten Commandments, we find incorporated all the mitzvot of the Torah, the concept of the mitzvot Asay and Lo Taasay, mitzvot between man and G-d and mitzvot between man and man. Therefore, the Midrash says the ten times we find the words "Bnei Chait" in the Torah is equal to the Ten Commandments. These ten times [Bnei Chait] refer to the family burial plot that Avraham Avinu was buying, showing that he believed in a hereafter, in the eternity of the soul. The Gemora tells us that a person should spend every penny that he has to buy a burial plot for the family. We believe that there is a hereafter. We only say goodbye to
P.S. Parshat Chaya Sora has always been set aside as a Shabbat wherein we speak of "The National Council of Young Israel Benevolent Association". The mitzvah of proper burial is such a holy one. Our Rabbis tell us it is a sgula for long life to buy a burial plot (to be used after 120 years). I have personally witnessed and seen the grief and anguish of a family who did not have a burial plot, running around the day of the funeral to make these arrangements. This is adding untold aggravation to what is already a very trying time. Join your community Benevolent Association NOW. Spare your family unnecessary hardships and problems. Take care of this most important mitzvah and live long and happily. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Young Israel Benevolent Association, services branches and members in the Metro New York area and provides and ensures proper funeral arrangements, according to Halacha, which includes: *Complete Coordination of Funeral Arrangements For those branches outside the Metro New York area, the Benevolent Association is prepared to be of assistance with guidance and direction to set up local Chevra Kadisha Organizations. Family membership includes unmarried children under the age of 21 BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION
NCYI's Weekly Divrei Torah Bulletin is sponsored by the Henry, Bertha and Edward Rothman Foundation - Rochester, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Circleville, Ohio
* * * * * The National Council of Young Israel's Divrei Torah Bulletin is a weekly newsletter. If you'd like to receive our weekly e-newsletter with the Parshat Hashavua, Please click here to sign up! |
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Today is Tuesday, May 22, 2012
