The life of Sarah

This week’s parasha is entitled Chaye Sarah. In English it means “the life of Sarah” but the parasha begins with her death. The Rabbis who comment on the Torah say that Sarah died when she heard about Abraham’s attempted sacrifice of Isaac.

When did Sarah hear about the sacrifice? What did she hear? Did someone tell her that Abraham was going to sacrifice her son and she knew what he would do in that situation? How often in Jewish life do we hear something and jump to a conclusion without truly finding out the whole story. We assume, based on past experiences, or based on one person’s negative experience, that the worst is true.

I wonder what Sarah thought about God. Here is a divinity that had taken her away from her family to journey into the desert. She was promised a child but forced to give a surrogate to her husband. She finally gives birth late in life and then hears that her husband is asked to sacrifice that son. “Why is this God asking so much?” I am sure she asked. Just hearing about what might have happened was enough -- she was walking away.

All too often in religious life, I feel that the negative experiences far outweigh the positives. Sarah rightfully did not think about how her children would be blessed years later or what she had gained already by deciding to be Jewish. She had big expectations and she wanted them to be realized sooner rather than later. If we could speak to her now, would she think it would have been worth it? Would she have understood the test?

We are all on journeys – hopefully not as taxing as Sarah’s, but they are lifetime relationships with Judaism, with the synagogue, and with God. It is hard to really reflect on your whole journey. It is easier to think about what you are receiving and what you are giving at this moment. But in the end, when we look back on our journey we hope that Judaism and synagogues have added to our lives. For me that is the goal of my rabbinate, to ensure that each child and family that I come into contact with has a richer, more meaningful life because Judaism enabled them to add holiness to that life.