Chayei SarahArtscroll p.106 | Haftarah p.1136Hertz p.80 | Haftarah p.90Soncino p.118 | Haftarah p.135

Shabbat MevarechimRosh Chodeh Kislev is on Thursday and Friday

Volume 31No. 9

1

In loving memory of Harav Yitzchak Yoel ben Shlomo Halevi

“And afterwards Avraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre,which is Hebron, in the land of Cana’an” (Bereishit 23:19).

3 November 2018 25 Cheshvan 5779

Shabbat ends London 5.19pmJerusalem 5.25pm

Cave of Machpelah, Hebron

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Sidrah Summary: Chayei Sarah

United Synagogue Daf HashavuaProduced by US Living & Learning together with the Rabbinical Council of the United SynagogueEditor: Rabbi Chaim Gross Editor-in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis Editorial Team: Rabbi Daniel Sturgess, Rabbi Michael Laitner, Sharon RadleyAvailable also via email US website www.theus.org.uk ©United SynagogueTo sponsor Daf Hashavua please contact Danielle Fox on 020 8343 6261, or dfox@theus.org.ukIf you have any comments or questions regarding Daf Hashavua please email rabbigross@theus.org.uk

1st Aliya (Kohen) – Bereishit 23:1-16Sarah dies aged 127, in Kiryat Arba, also knownas Hebron (see p. 3 article). After eulogisingSarah, Avraham negotiates with the head of thelocal Hittites, Efron, in order to purchase a burialplot for Sarah, Me’arat (Cave of) Hamachpela.They agree a price of 400 silver shekels.

Point to Consider: In what way does the spellingof Efron’s name hint at his greed? (see Rashi to23:15)

2nd Aliya (Levi) – 23:17-24:9Avraham buries Sarah. Avraham asks his servant(understood to be) Eliezer to seek a wife for hisson Yitzchak, making him take an oath only toselect a girl from Avraham’s birth town, Charan,rather than from Cana’an. Avraham also insiststhat Yitzchak’s future bride must agree to leaveher home to come to the Land of Cana’an (laterIsrael), rather than Yitzchak going to live inCharan.

3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 24:10-26Eliezer sets out on his journey, with ten camelsand presents from Avraham. Towards theevening, Eliezer arrives at a well, close to hisdestination, where he rests the camels. He praysto God to show him a clear sign of the identity of Yitzchak’s future bride: the young lady whowould offer water to Eliezer and his camels. As he finishes his prayer, Rivkah appears, with ajug on her shoulder, from which, after drawingwater from the well, she gives Eliezer to drink.She then draws water for all of his camels todrink. Eliezer gives her jewellery and asks herwho she is. Rivkah relates that she is thedaughter of Betuel, Avraham’s nephew. Shegrants Eliezer his request for a place to sleep.

4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 24:27-52Eliezer is amazed that his prayers were answeredso quickly and exclaims thanks to God. Rivkah

runs home to tell her family what has happened.On seeing Eliezer’s gifts to Rivkah, her brotherLavan runs out to greet him and welcomes himin. Eliezer introduces himself and recounts thestory of his journey. He asks permission to takeRivkah as a wife for Yitzchak. Lavan and Betuelagree.

5th Aliya (Chamishi) – 24:53-67Eliezer gives more jewellery, as well as gold andsilver vessels, to Rivkah. He gives her familydelicious fruit (Rashi). They eat and drinktogether, and Eliezer stays overnight. The nextmorning, Lavan and his mother ask for Rivkah tostay with them longer before leaving. Eliezer isinsistent and Rivkah agrees to go immediately.Rivkah meets Yitzchak in the Negev, where hebrings her into his mother Sarah’s tent.

6th Aliya (Shishi) – 25:1-11Avraham marries Ketura, whom the Midrashidentifies as Hagar. Their descendants are listed. Avraham dies, aged 175. He is buried by Yitzchak and Yishmael, also in Me’aratHamachpela, next to Sarah.

7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 25:12-18Yishmael’s descendants are listed. He dies, aged137.

Question: What was the name of Yishmael’soldest child? (25:13) Answer on bottom of page 6.

HaftarahThis section of the Book of Melachim (Kings)relates the attempt by Adoniyah, the older sonof King David, to establish himself as David’ssuccessor. Queen Batsheva and Natan theProphet manage to foil this plot, by warningKing David, who reasserts his younger sonShlomo’s (Solomon) right to succeed him.

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3In memory of Chaya Rachel bat Moshe Ben-tzion

Quality of Yearsby Rabbi Shlomo Odze, Associate Rabbi, South Hampstead United Synagogue

It is an amazing facet of Torahthat one can look at the samefamiliar verse that one hasread many times, and yetalways be able to uncovernew explanations. Oneexample is an interestingobservation made by the

Kli Yakar (Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim ben AaronLuntschitz d. 1619) on the familiar opening verseof this week’s sidrah:

And the life of Sarah was (a total of) 100 year, 20 year and 7 years” (Bereishit 23:1). This is nota ‘typo’ but is in fact the exact translation of theverse from the Hebrew (Vayi’heyu chayei Sarame’ah shanah ve’esrim shanah ve’shevashanim). The verse describes the first twosegments of Sarah’s life in the singular “year” andonly says “years” in the plural at the end. Thisnuance is often lost in English translations.

After bringing our attention to this unusual andgrammatically incorrect phrasing, the Kli Yakarsuggests the following explanation:

Although all of the life of righteous people can be ‘complete’ in the service of God, they oftenreach new heights during their final years. This is because they can acquire especially deepwisdom during their twilight years and becausethe very nature of these years engenders in thema greater sense of purpose to make the most oftheir time.

Therefore, the earlier years, in Sarah’s case the120, are considered like one year in comparisonto the quality of the final years. Hence the Torahstates the singular “year” with regard to both 100and 20 but uses the plural “years” with regards tothe seven final years, in order to emphasise thispoint.

The Kli Yakar ends by pointing out that the samewording is used with regard to Avraham’s passing

(see Bereishit 25:7). In light of his explanation ofthe opening verse in this week’s sidrah, suchwording comes as no surprise. However, adds theKli Yakar, this phrasing is also used with regard tothe passing of Yishmael, which may seemunexpected given the contrast between his lifeand that of his father (see Bereishit 21:9 withRashi).

Yet, explains the Kli Yakar, this in fact makesperfect sense and is actually the most appropriateexample of his idea. This is because Yishmael didteshuva (improved his behaviour) at the end of hislife, thereby making use of his own twilight yearsmore than all of his collective early years (seeRashi to Bereishit 25:9).

This explanation sends a powerful message, notonly for when we are advanced in years, but forlife’s entire journey. Just as our matriarchs andpatriarchs, whom we are enjoined to emulate,ensured that all of their years were complete, wetoo should be inspired to build in the same way,making the most of every moment at every stage.

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4In memory of Yehuda ben Yaakov HaCohen

Jewish Contemporary Ethics Part 7: The Emergence ofEthical Man I by Rabbi Dr Moshe Freedman, New West End Synagogue

The previous articlehighlighted the role of the soulas the source of mankind’semotional and empatheticabilities, unique intellect andcapacity to engage in abstractthought. This makes humansdistinct from animals; we can

consider the wider consequences of our actionsand develop an innate moral intelligence.Nevertheless, the Torah is filled with discoursebetween God and mankind, through bothindividual and national revelation. If humans canuse their intellect, via their God-given soul, todiscern ethical behaviour, what role does Divinerevelation play? Clearly an individual’s subjectiveexperiences and environment may deflect theneedle of their moral compass towardsimmorality. Yet does that mean that God’spurpose is limited to merely being a moralauthoritarian who keeps His human subjects incheck?

One of the most profound and originalcontributions to the subject of Jewish meta-ethics was made by the Talmudist andphilosopher Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (d. 1993). While the nature of the God-humanrelationship is discussed in many of his classic books, it was one of his lesser knownworks, published posthumously in 2005 – TheEmergence of Ethical Man – which contains themost noteworthy expression of his uniqueperspective.

The book originated as ten handwrittennotebooks bound together under the title The Concept of Man and refers back to the storyof Bereishit, to emphasise mankind as part of acontinuum of life, from plant to animal to human.This idea was first proposed centuries ago bymedieval Jewish philosophers such as RabbeinuBachye ben Asher (d. 1340). Furthermore, acareful reading of Bereishit by the Italiancommentator, Rabbi Ovadiah Seforno (d. 1550)leads him to write that “Adam” describes a type

of animal which had already been establishedand was now being elevated by being endowedwith a Divine spirit.

Yet rather than assume that Adam’s soul madehim a transcendent being, above nature, RabbiSoloveitchik places mankind back on thenaturalistic continuum. The ethical character ofmankind emerged from entirely naturalisticbeginnings, but only because of mankind’sDivine soul. From here Rabbi Soloveitchik beginsto address the relationship between mankind andGod vis-à-vis mankind’s ethical development.

He writes that the tzelem Elokim (the image ofGod) in which mankind was made (see Bereishit1:26) “signifies man’s awareness of himself as a biological being and the state of beinginformed of his natural drives”. According toRabbi Soloveitchik’s reading of the Torah, while Adam is born from naturalistic beginnings,it is only God’s direct interaction with him and hisdescendants that allows humanity to transcendthe hedonistic drives, in order to experience themoral and ethical self.

Rabbi Soloveitchik contrasts the moralconsciousness of Avraham, who was able toderive Divine law and ethics from his ownspiritual intuition (see Talmud Yoma 28b) andMoshe, the reluctant leader who required Divinerevelation to serve as a conduit for God’smessage of ethical responsibility. While Avrahambecame the forefather of our Biblical nation,Moshe was the leader who began the chain oftransmission of God’s ethical and legal intent forall mankind in every generation.

Rabbi Joseph B.Soloveitchik

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5In memory of Yisrael Shmuel ben Yirmaya Yehoshuah

Shalshelet – An Expression of Hesitation by Rabbi Geoffrey L Shisler, former Rabbi New West End Synagogue

The singing notes (trop) inthe Torah have much toteach us. In today’sreading, we find a note thatappears on only fouroccasions in the entireTorah. It is called ashalshelet. It occurs on

the word vayomar (rmayv) at the beginning ofChapter 24 (verse 12).

The word shalshelet means ‘chain’. The namereflects what it looks like. It is sung as a long,drawn out note, usually up and down, threetimes.

Since it is so rare, Rabbi Yosef ibn Caspi (d. 1345)suggests that when it appears, it signifies thatsomething similar is happening on eachoccasion; it indicates hesitation.

The first time we find the shalshelet is in parashatVayera (Bereishit 19:16), when Lot was fleeingfrom the city of Sedom while it was beingdestroyed. He had been commanded not to look back, but to leave everything behind andrun. The shalshelet is written on the wordvayitmahmah (hmhmtyv), meaning ‘he hesitated’. Lot knew that he had to go, but it was still verydifficult for him to leave all his possessions andlife behind. This explains his hesitation.

The second appearance of the shalshelet is intoday’s sidrah. Eliezer had been commanded byhis master Avraham to go and find a wife forYitzchak from Avraham’s family in Padan Aram.Eliezer went, but with another wish in his heart.He had a daughter himself, whom he hopedmight become Yitzchak’s wife. He knew that thiswas highly unlikely, but he nevertheless stillhoped. So he hesitated.

The third appearance is in the story of Yosef.Potiphar’s wife tried to persuade him to sleepwith her. Yosef was momentarily tempted, as we

can see from the fact that the shalshelet appearson the word vayema’en (Namyv), meaning ‘herefused’ (Bereishit 39:8), implying that hehesitated. It is worthy of note that Yosef is called a tsaddik (righteous man) not because hewas not tempted, but because he was able toovercome his temptation.

The final occurrence of the shalshelet is inparashat Tsav (Vayikra 8:23), where the Torahrelates Moshe’s preparations for the dedicationof the Tabernacle.

Our Rabbis tell us that had Moshe not arguedwith God about taking on the responsibility totake the Israelites out of Egypt (see Shemot 4:14with Rashi’s commentary), he would have beenthe High Priest, not just the leader of the people.Instead, that honour was given to his brotherAharon.

Moshe had to practise every procedure requiredfor the service in the Tabernacle and then teachthem to Aharon. He was thrilled that his brotherheld such an important office and he understoodvery well why it had been denied him.

The singing notes perhaps show us Moshe’shuman side. Though he was genuinely happy forAharon, when passing on the full responsibility ofthis high office to him, as the shalshelet reveals,there was the slightest trace of hesitation.

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6In memory of Yaacov ben Shmuel

The 80th Anniversary of Pogromnacht (Kristallnacht) Part 2by Rabbi (Major) Reuben Livingstone LLM CF, Senior Jewish Chaplain to HM Armed Forces and Chaplain to AJEX

On 10 November 1938, theBritish Chargé d’Affaires inBerlin, Sir George Ogilvie-Forbes, sent the followingurgent telegram to London:

“I have just returned from atour of Friedrichstrasse and city districts whereJewish shops are being smashed and looted byyouths in plain clothes, followed by large andsmiling crowds including soldiers and others inparty uniforms. Police were taking no notice...Business offices owned by Jews are beingentered and smashed up apparently withimpunity. Similar attacks on Jewish property aresaid to be taking place all over Germany...(The)Chief Rabbi of Berlin has been arrested andseven synagogues have been burnt...The factthat these attacks began only after midnight lastnight and that Jewish shops and offices havebeen systematically signalled out indicate thatthis action was deliberately planned”.

Ogilvie-Forbes later wrote, “I can find no wordsstrong enough in condemnation of the disgustingtreatment of so many innocent people. Thecivilised world is faced with the appalling sight of500,000 people – ostracised, terrified and bereftof livelihood – about to rot away in starvation”.

Ogilvie-Forbes instructed his embassy passportofficers to bend the rules and issue traveldocuments for thousands of Jews to escapeGermany. One of those diplomats in Berlin wasMI6 Station chief Frank Foley (his cover was aspassport officer). Today, he is commemorated atYad Vashem as one of the Righteous AmongNations. In truth, too few people in that erastrained themselves to help Jews. It was oftenindividual diplomats of great moral courage to dowhat was possible.

In the days following Pogromnacht (commonlyreferred to as Kristallnacht – 'The Night of the

Broken Glass'), high level Nazi meetings wereconvened to assess the aftermath – and thewider ‘Jewish Question’. The destruction of7,500 Jewish businesses was discussed which,in order to repair, would have consumed theentire German foreign reserve. They came upwith an ominous idea – to impose a levy on allJews equivalent to the damage that had beendone; roughly a billion Reichsmark (about $400million in 1938) for “property damaged in therioting”. It was also formally decided to expelJews from all forms of civil service and to transfertheir businesses to non-Jewish ownership byJanuary 1 1939.

The international response was ostensiblyoutrage – but it could have been so much more.The USA recalled its ambassador – temporarily –but did not sever diplomatic relations withGermany. Reaction from countries that, a shorttime later, would be at war with the Reich, wasfar too little and too late to slow down the anti-Semitic juggernaut. At least the Britishrecognised how dangerous the Reich wasbecoming and quietly started to facilitate thetransportation of as many Jewish children to the UK as possible, saving almost 10,000 souls in 1938-9.

Pogromnacht was the end of any hope that Jews could have had of living in Germany, and it heralded a transition to systematicviolence, which ultimately became wholesaleslaughter... and Holocaust. The violence implicitin the 1935 Nuremberg Laws that had strippedJews of German citizenship was now an explicittool in a merciless war against them. Withrampant arson, vandalism and open murderencouraged by the Nazi Government against theJews, the road to the Final Solution was,tragically, wide open.

Answer: Nevayot

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Due to unforeseen personal circumstances, we were unable to produce a Tribe Scribe; this is areproduction from Chayei Sarah 2016.

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