Chaya Sara: life after death

Chaya Sara: life after death

 

Chaya Sarah opens with the death of Sara.  The consequence of Sara's death is the need for a burial plot... in the land.  The parsha ends ( before the coda of the descendants of Ismael) with Avraham's burial ( by both Yitzchok and Ishamel) in that same burial plot. 

The Me'orath Hamachpeilah is the first purchase of the JNF.  It establishes a foothold in the (occupied) promised land and it enshrines the relationship between Avraham and Sarah, establishing the position of Yitzchok as heir.  

Sarah's role in establishing Yitzchok as heir is not only a consequence of bearing him, but also that she was a paradigm for wifing. When Rivkah arrives, Yitzchok is comforted for the loss of Sarah.  When Rivkah's relatives bless her, they use the word chaya (24:60) וַיְבָרְכוּ אֶת-רִבְקָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהּ אֲחֹתֵנוּ אַתְּ הֲיִי לְאַלְפֵי רְבָבָה . 

 

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The test

Eliezer imagines an exchange between himself and the dream girl. He (leading 10 camels of riches and a retinue) will ask her  ( 3 year old) for a drink of water.  She will not say," why don't you just get it yourself" or,"have one of  your servants get it."  She will give him  the drink, put aside what ever she had to do, offer to water his camels and proceed to do that.

Eliezer generates an unrealistic expectation  and it is fulfilled.  Rebecca's relatives call this and act of Gd.

What could she have been thinking?
She could have thought that she would be rewarded for her fulfillment of the request of this obviously wealthy man...which she was.  There may have been an economic motive ( look at her brother, Lavan, who was excessively motivated by wealth)

Or she could have thought that even the wealthy may need kindness and riches should not exclude a person from unthinking benevolence.  Even if she did not understand the circumstances that prompted the request, it was an opportunity for her to help.

Or maybe both, or neither.

Who knows what a 3 year old thinks about?