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This week’s Parasha is Chayei Sarah (the life of Sarah) and covers Genesis 23:1- 25:18.

It starts in chapter 23 with the death of Sarah.  Sarah had lived 127 years and she died in the land of Hebron.  Abraham tells the leaders of the Hittites, who ruled in the land, that he is (and I quote) “a sojourner and a foreigner among you.  Sell me a piece property among you for a burying place that I may bury my dead out of my sight”. The Hittites say to him. “Hear us my Lord.   You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs”.   Abraham does not desire to be beholden to the Hittites, and he had already selected a place that he would like to bury Sarah.  Abraham declares this at the gate of the city where the person who owns the property happens to be and other important people in the city are as well.  All of the people will witness that Abraham will buy this property, he will pay for this property, and then he will own this property forever; that nobody would be able to come back and say “I did not sell you that property”.   Abraham buys the plot of property from Ephron, and pays the full price, which was a bit on the pricier side.  Abraham would bury the body of his beloved wife Sarah in this cave, which also would serve as the burying place of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Rebecca, and Leah.

In chapter 24, we are informed of Abraham’s intention to find a wife for his son Isaac. Sarah has been deceased now for three or four years, and Abraham calls on his most trusted servant and tells him he wants him to go back to the land that Abraham came from and find a wife for his son Isaac from his family and he makes his trusted servant swear that he will do just as Abraham has been asked by the Lord the God of heaven.   Abraham tells his servant “Make sure you find a wife for my son there, but if he does not find a wife, “you are free from the oath.  So, the servant took 10 of his master’s camels and some other men, and possessions to give as gifts, and he set out to the city of Nahor.

This is approximately some 500+ miles and would probably take close to a month to arrive, so this is no small journey. When he arrived to the area, he stopped at a well at the time of the evening when the women would come out from the city to get more water. The servant proceeds to state “Lord God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today, show steadfast love to my master Abraham”.  He asked God to deliver the right virgin to him, give him water, and also water his camels.  As the servant says this, Rebecca, the daughter Abraham’s relative and also Laban’s sister, approaches and gives him water and offers to water his camels.  The servant firmly believes that Abraham’s God, whom he trusts in, has delivered the right one.

Now we should also note that the servant does not say the words “my God “but he still believes that he’s been given a sign from God. He asked Rebecca if there is room in her house for lodging for the night, and she replies “yes”.  Upon hearing this, the servant bowed his head, he worshiped the Lord, and he said, “blessed be the Lord the God of my master Abraham who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master”. When Rebecca heard these words, she ran back to her house.  Her brother also noticed that she was adorned with a ring and bracelets.   Laban inquires to what is going on.  Abraham’s servant explains to the family what his mission was and how God brought forth Rebecca.  Upon hearing from the stranger, who says he is the servant of Abraham their relative, and that these are the words of God that Rebecca could be given to Abraham for Isaac’s wife, this required some trust—remember, they are more than 500 miles from Abraham. That’s like driving all the way to Tennessee but having that take 21 or more days by camel.   Laban’s family accepted the gifts from Abraham’s servant and Rebecca states she is willing to go.   Rebecca’s family wanted her to stay for a few more weeks before letting her go; however, Rebecca leaves the next day. This shows some strong faith on Rebecca’s part since she has no idea of Isaac’s character, what he looks like, and just like Abraham, left her family behind to go to a land that she was told God wanted her to do. At the end of the long journey, she sees a man approaching, — most likely Abraham.  The servant said, “we are getting close and that is my master”.  Only this time, referring to Isaac, she places the veil over her face.  Isaac comes up to her and takes her into the tent that was once his mother’s, and they are married and it says that Isaac loved her.

Chapter 25 gives us the rest of the history for Abraham. This chapter tells us that Abraham takes another wife name Keturah.  Keturah bore him six sons.  At a future point down the road, Abraham, like he did with Ishmael, would send them away from his son Isaac. Verse 6 tells us that these were the sons of his concubine, as was Ishmael. He did give these sons gifts, but the vast remainder of his wealth, Abraham gave to Isaac. When Abraham reached the age of 175 years, he breathed his last and he was buried next to his wife Sarah whom he loved.So, what have we learned from this Parasha?  In chapter 23, Abraham purchased some land, that God had already promised him. I do not believe this is a lack of faith on Abraham’s part but more about the fact the Hittites were unaware that God had given Abraham the land and now he needed it for a place to bury his wife. We also see a continuation of Abraham’s faith when he sends his faithful servant to find a wife for his son and how God brings that about to be and the faithfulness of Rebecca that she follows Abraham’s servant where God wants her to go to be the wife of a man she has never met. In chapter 25, we see how Abraham again protects the promised line of Messiah when he sends all of his other sons away and leaves Isaac in this land. The promises God made to Abraham have been and continue to be fulfilled just as God said they would be, some of those promises are us in the work that we do for our Lord. Every day the Lord brings opportunities for us to be about his will just as Abraham was about God’s will.  In His time, he does that with us today.   My question for you Brothers and Sisters — are you more about your will or God’s.  Will you think about His business Monday through Friday or do you just really think about it on Shabbat while we’re here in the pews.  For most of you I’m preaching to the choir, but to some you’re still working on that commitment.  Listen to the Holy Spirit and act on the will of God in your life this very day and the days to come.