Chayei Sarah

חיי שרה

Parshah Chayei Sarah

Genesis 23:1-25:18 

 

chayei Sarah
And Sarah was a hundred and twenty seven years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. – Beresheeth (Genesis) 23:1

This Torah portion is dedicated to Sarah whose name means Princess or Queen. The beauty of Sarah captivated Kings but the righteousness of her life captivated the heart of Abraham the father of the great nation. Sarah was a princess of YaHuWaH the great I am. After mourning for Sarah, Abraham spoke to the sons of Heth saying that he was a Ger w’toshab (stranger and a sojourner) displaying his allegiance only to YaHuWaH and not to man. He then asked to bury his wife in the nearby Cave of Machpelah, and paid Ephron the Hittite the value of the field, four hundred shekels of silver. Sarah was buried in the land of the Hittites.

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Let us take note that Abraham the patriarch did not consider himself a part of beni Chet  or  “the Hittites” but rather a stranger and sojourner! We are commanded to be Qodesh (Set Apart/Pure) and to be separate from the worldly system which is as a collective is “Mystery Babylon”. Abraham left Ur of the Chaldees (Babylon) to be a friend of YaHuWaH but a stranger to the world.

Abraham sent his faithful obed or servant Eliezer אֱלִיעֶזֶר  whose name means “My Elohim will help” to find a wife for Yitshaq from among his relatives living in Haran of Mesopotamia. Eliezer was made to swear by an oath, placing his hand upon his master Abraham’s thigh, not choose a wife from among the heathen Canaanites. He set out on a five hundred and fifty mile journey to Haran taking ten camels and lavish gifts in search of a bride.

MapAbram

Eliezer sought a sign from YaHuWaH that if a young woman of the city would draw water for him and his ten camels also, she would be the bride of Yitshaq. In answer to his prayer, as soon as Eliezer reached the city of Nahor he meet Abraham’s grand niece Ribqah  drawing water from the well. She gathered water for him, and for his ten camels proving she was the woman for Yitshaq.  This test was important because a single  camel can drink twenty gallons of water in a single serving.  After passing the test Eliezer gave the young woman expensive bracletts and a nose ring.  Only at this point does Eliezer learn that the young woman was indeed a near kin to his master and that the match was truly ordained by YaHuWaH.  Laban, Ribqah’s brother invites Eliezer to their home.  Eliezer agreed however would not eat until he had related the entirety of the purpose of his journey and had the permission of Ribqah’s parents to return with him to the land of Kena’an (Canaan).  The parents agreed to the proposal and Eliezer gave more gifts to Ribqah and the entire family.  The next morning she returned with Eliezer to marry Yitshaq.     Rebekah or Ribqah means literally a  snare, which is thought to speak  of the effect of her beauty. Her strength and beauty would comfort Yitshaq concerning his mom Sarah’s death.

Genesis 24:67 And Yitshaq brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. And he took Ribqah and she became his wife, and he loved her. Thus Yitshaq was comforted after his mother’s death.

Here we see a beautiful foreshadowing of the great Marriage of the Lamb! The bride of Messiah will dwell in his tent and they shall be his prized possession and “he shall wipe all tears from their eyes.”

After the death of Sarah, Abraham took a woman named Keturah.  Through Keturah Abraham had six additional sons, Zimram, Yokshan, Medan, Median, Ishbak and Shuah.  Before Abraham’s death he gave his wife and son’s gifts and sent them away from Yitshaq.

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Abraham lived to be one hundred and seventy five. At his death he was buried with his wife Sarah. The inheritance and the covenant would be passed down to Yitshaq.

Genesis 25:5 Now Abraham gave all that he had to Yitshaq

Not only would the material gifts of Abraham’s legacy be given to his covenant son but also the berikah (spiritual favor, i.e. “blessing”.)

Genesis 25:11 And it came to be, after the death of Abraham, that Elohim baruch (blessed) his son Yitshaq…
There are many lessons to learn when examining this particular portion of Torah.  One could spend a life time mining the treasures found in the life of Abraham, his beloved Sarah and their covenant son Yitshaq.  It is vital to understand the covenant child, Yitshaq and his inheritance, he is a type and shadow of the Messiah that would come through his offspring.  Though Yitshaq was chosen, he was chosen because YaHuWaH said of Abraham “I know him, that he will teach his children after him.’  Abraham and Sarah taught their Son “The Way” and because of this YaHuWaH prospered his family. All the clans of the earth would be baruch through Abraham, Yitshaq and Yaacob!  This is because of their obedience and allegiance they had to Him.   We must also teach our children “The Way of YaHuWaH” so that we too may be baruch through the Promise of Abraham.