Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Click here to receive the weekly parsha by email each week. Parashat Chaye Sara AND THE SERVANT SAID TO HIM, "WHAT IF THE WOMAN DOES NOT CONSENT TO FOLLOW ME TO THIS LAND, SHALL I THEN TAKE YOUR SON BACK TO THE LAND FROM WHICH YOU CAME?" ABRAHAM ANSWERED HIM, "ON NO ACCOUNT MUST YOU TAKE MY SON BACK THERE!" (Bereishit 24:5,6)   Why Did Abraham Object So Strongly to the Canaanite Women? "From the Daughters of the Canaanites" – Lest they say I entered the land...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat Chaye Sara YITZCHAK THEN BROUGHT HER INTO THE TENT OF HIS MOTHER SARAH, AND HE TOOK RIVKA AS HIS WIFE. YITZCHAK LOVED HER, AND THUS FOUND COMFORT AFTER HIS MOTHER'S DEATH. (Bereishit 24:67)     SARAH'S BURIAL, YITCHAK AND RIVKA, AVRAHAM AND KETURA/HAGAR – CLOSING THE CIRCLE   "Yitchak had just come back from the vicinity of Beer-lahai-roi" – For he had gone to bring Hagar to Avraham his father, so that he should wed her. (Rashi, Bereishit 24:62, as per Bereishit Rabba)   "From the...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat (link to original page) Parashat CHaye Sara WHEN SHE HAD LET HIM DRINK HIS FILL, SHE SAID:“I WILL ALSO DRAW FOR YOUR CAMELS, UNTIL THEY FINISH DRINKING.” (Bereishit 24:19)   The Needs of Man and his Animals, and the Quality of Mercy   Our Sages derived from the passage “And I shall give grass in your fields for your animals” (Devarim 1:15) that one must feed his animals before he eats. Know that this applies only when there is no danger or suffering, but should there be danger or pain, one...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat Chayey Sara (link to original page) Parshat Chayey Sara   "My lord – hear me! A piece of land worth four hundred silver weight, what is that between me and you! You may bury your dead!" (Bereishit 23;14-15) The Cave of Makhpela – Rav and Shmuel (debated). One said – two rooms, one within the other, and the other said – a room and an attic above it [Trans. note – both Rav and Shmuel see the word "Makhpela" based upon the root k'f'l', which means "double"). We have no difficulty...

Shabbat Shalom The weekly parsha commentary – parshat Chayei Sarah (link to original page) Parshat Haye Sara "And Isaac and Ishmael buried him": Hence we know that Ishmael repented and let Isaac walk before before him, and this is the ripe old age that is attributed to Abraham. (Rashi on Genesis 25,9). Repentence, even that of Ishmael at the end of his life, atones for everything. "The Life of Sarah": Rashi comments, "It is all equal to goodness," and even though regarding Ishmael it is written, "And these are the years of the life of Ishmael," it may be...