Parshat Chayei Sarah
27 Cheshvan 5764
November 22, 2003

Daf Yomi: Menachos 47

Guest Author:
Rabbi Yitzchok Winner
Associate Member, YICR

 

The Torah portion of Chayei Sarah tells us about Abraham's golden years. As the verse says (Genesis 24, verse 1), "V'Avrohom Zokein Bo Bayomim" - "and Abraham was old, well advanced in years". When reading the verse it seems that it is being superfluous by telling us that he is "zokein", old. Don't we know he is old for we just said that he was "bo bayomim", well-advanced in his age. And conversely, if we are stating that he is well-advanced in his age don't we know that he is "zokein", old? The Torah Timema of Rabbi Epstein explains, based on a Midrash, that the above is not necessarily so. One can age before his time due to hardships, illness, obstacles or life's ordinary struggles which can make one age prematurely and thus appear old even though they have not actually lived many years. While another can be old having lived many calendar years on earth, yet he carries his age well and doesn't look his age. Thus the verse is telling us that Avrohom was both, he indeed did look "zokein", old, and was quite old having actually lives many, many years, "bo bayomim".

We see here too the difference between the way the righteous and wicked people live their lives and how they age. As the Kli Yakar explains, with righteous people the older they get, the more they grow in their righteousness. For the righteous person, throughout his life, has emphasized the power of the soul over the body, the intellect over the emotions. Thus, in old age, when the body and the emotions are weakened he is still able to serve G-d. However, with the wicked, who have always emphasized the primacy of the body over the soul, in their old age, when the body is in its weakened state, they cannot enjoy life as they have in the past. This is what the Talmud tells us, "Talmidai Chachomim Kol Zman Shmazkenom Daton Myushovus Alaihan - "with the righteous the more they age the more their minds are settled"; not so the ignorant, who's minds become weaker with the passage of time, having not exercised their intellect throughout their lives.

The Zohar explains here that we can also learn a lesson with regard to personal growth. When the verse tells us "bo bayomim", it literally translates as "he came into his days". The Zohar learns from here that Avrohom achieved his greatness by moving higher, gradually, step by step. "He came into his days" meaning levels, day-by-day from level-by-level. He experienced each "yomim" - level in his path towards perfection and closeness to HaShem. As the Shaloh HaKodesh says, every day of the righteous is filled with some sort of accomplishment and advancement. Each day has its Divine flow and energy that G-d created specifically for that day and the truly righteous will not waste even a day. Avrohom truly was "bo bayomim", he came to his old age with all his days intact for he had never lost a day.

Unfortunately, may of us live our lives not knowing where our days have gone and what accomplishments we have achieved. True days, indeed the days of the righteous, are full and accounted for. Each and every day is viewed as an opportunity for further spiritual growth, as time allotted for becoming one step closer to fulfilling their Divine mission and purpose on earth.

The value of time is expressed so eloquently in an old Chassidic saying "mdarf hitten de zman - we must guard the time". Every bit of time, every day that passes, is not just a day but a life's concern. The Rebbe Rashab quoted the Alter Rebbe saying: "A summer day and a winter night are a year" (Hayom Yom Cheshvan 17). Time must be utilized to the fullest. Killing time is more like suicide that only wasting it.

This is vital in educating children, as they are taught about life and its value, to always use time to its fullest. So too, with regard to adults, to train oneself to use one's time wisely.
True, as the holy Zohar says, in order to achieve greatness one must first pass through mediocrity. One must grow from step to step, we must first learn to walk before we can run. Thus, "bo bayamim", we must go through the daily experience of life and its lessons to reach old age and its wisdom.

 

However, I believe there is another lesson to learn here; that is not only the utilization of the quantity of time but the quality as well (Rashba). There are times in our lives that are so great that they act as a center point for drastic and dramatic improvement; a pivotal point or moment of celebration in our lives which allows us to transcend the usual smaller steps towards growth and to spring forth toward perfection.
For example, the bar mitzvah day for a Jewish boy, when his birthday is not only a change of calendar year, going from twelve to thirteen, but rather going from childhood to adulthood, a whole new status. So too, the wedding day of a bride and groom changes them from being only for themselves, by themselves, to a creation of a new single unit which is the combination of the two. A marriage created specifically to be another link in the building of our people as a nation. So too, a birthday celebrated every year as we go from one year to the next is not only just another day in our lives but one which must be infused with a special resolution to correct the past year and to accomplish our purpose for the coming year as well. There are the specific days in our lives on which we make decisions and evaluate priorities in order to live our lives to the fullest and to be pleasing in G-d's eyes.

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