Parshat Chayei Sarah
24 Cheshvan 5762
November 10, 2001
Daf Yomi: Baba Kama 106

Guest Rabbi:
Rabbi Mendel Kaufman
Young Israel of Briarwood, NY

The Sedrah begins (23:1), "And it was the life of Sarah, one hundred years and twenty years and seven years, the years of the life of Sarah." The last phrase "the years of the life of Sarah" seems to be superfluous since it already says "and it was the life of Sarah, etc." (Rashi explains the extra phrase by saying that the repetition "the years of the life of Sarah" indicates that "all her years were equal in goodness").

We might explain the seeming repetition by saying that in fact the words "the years of the life of Sarah "are no repetition at all. The text is speaking of the two stages in the life of Sarah. The first part that enumerates the number of years, "one hundred and twenty and seven" that Sarah lived is referring to the years that Sarah lived on this world. The second part, "the years of the life of Sarah" is referring to the years after Sarah had passed away. It is telling us that the years of the life of Sarah continued even after her death because her spiritual legacy continued to live in the generation that following her right up until this day.

We find the continuation of Sarah's legacy later in the Sedrah. It says (24:67) "And Yitzchok brought (Rivka) to the tent of his mother, Sarah." Rashi says "And he brought her to the tent and behold she was his mother Sarah, that is, she was the same as Sarah, for all the time that Sarah lived a light burned from Erev Shabbat to Erev Shabbat, and there was a blessing in the dough, and a cloud hovered over the tent. When Sarah died these things ceased and when Rivka came they returned. (Bereshit Rabbah 60:16)

What is interesting is that the Bereishit Rabbah brings a fourth thing that returned to the tent when Rivka came. "All the days Sarah was alive the doors of the tent were open wide, when Sarah died they were no longer open so wide, and when Rivka came the doors were again opened wide." (It is a bit puzzling that Rashi omits the fourth thing.) This dedication to hospitality was of course, the test that Eliezer, the servant of Avraham used in finding a wife for Yitzchok as detailed in the middle of the Sedrah. If we examine the way the Torah describes the test we can learn much about the requirements of kindness and hospitaltity.

Eliezer says, (24:14) "And it will be, the maiden that I say to her, 'Let me drink from your pitcher', and she will say 'Drink and I shall also feed your camels, she is the one you have chosen for your servant Yitzchok.'

We should note that the test was not just that Rivka consented to provide Eliezer with a drink. The test was that she volunteered also to provide water for the camels, a much more formidable task. Camels, particularly after a long journey, drink an enormous amount of water. This is an important ability in kindness, to be able to think ahead and anticipate the needs of others.

There is a story that is told of Rabbi Yoshe Ber Soloveitchik zt"l, the Brisker Rav, that shows this talent. Before Pesach a man came to the Rav with a question, "Can I fulfill the mitzvah of Arba Kosos, (the four cups) with milk?" The Rav asked, "Why can't you use wine, are you ill?" "No," the man replied, "I am thank G-d, in perfect health, I simply cannot afford wine." "If so," the Rav said, "I have a simple solution to your question". And the Rav took out ten rubles and gave them to the man. After the man left, one of the Rav's students asked him, "Why did you give him so much money? Two or three rubles would have been more than enough for the wine needed at the Seder." "Of course," the Rav replied, "but if he is asking me whether he can drink milk that means he doesn't have any meat for the Seder meal either so I gave him a few extra rubles so he can buy himself some meat and enjoy a proper Yom Tov meal."

When we examine what actually happened we see that Rivka demonstrated a depth of sensitivity beyond that which Eliezer was looking for. The Torah tells us (24:17-20) "and the servant ran towards her and he said 'Give me a little water from your pitcher' and she said, 'Drink my master', and she hastened and lowered her pitcher and gave him to drink. And he finished drinking and she said 'I will draw for your camels until they finish drinking'. She hastened and emptied her pitcher into the trough and ran again to the well to draw water and she drew water for all his camels."

Note the subtle but very significant difference between what Eliezer was looking for and what actually happened.

Eliezer expected her to offer to feed his camels before Eliezer himself drank. Instead Rivka waited until after Eliezer had drunk his fill, then she offered to feed the camels. This shows how sensitive Rivka was to Eliezer's feelings. She did not want Eliezer to feel uncomfortable while he was drinking that he was placing such a huge burden upon her that she would have to feed his camels as well. So she waited until he had drunk his fill then she offered to draw for the camels.

Rivka had taken on an onerous task to provide water for Eliezer and his camels but she still had the presence of mind to be sensitive to Eliezer's feelings. As someone once said , "A true host makes his guests feel at home, even if that is where he wished they were."

Further in the text, the Torah demonstrates another aspect of Rivka's hospitality, her modesty. It says (24:28) "And the maiden ran and told in her mother's house kadevarim haeilah, according to these events. The expression kadevarim is puzzling. It could have been simply said devarim haleah or kol hadevarim haeilah which would have meant that she related the events that had just happened. The kaf added to devarim seems to indicate that she did not tell the whole story. The letter kaf is used to express approximation, and is translated "about". The Torah seems to be telling us that Rivka only told "about the events", an abbreviated version of the events, which indicates that she merely told the general outlines of the incident and did not emphasize her own role in them. She was ready and eager to help but not about to boast about it.

Creativity, sensitivity and modesty are the key elements of a true act of chessed.