D'var Tora
From Rebbetzin Penny Kornspan
This week's Sedra, Chayei Sarah is difficult to contain in two
minutes so my focus is going to be very narrow. We know
Sarah was great, and her tent was a unique place with special
status - most notably, the Shechinah rested there. It was because
of her righteousness, not Avraham's, that the wonders occurred.
We know this because after her death ... all miracles of the tent ceased.
Who could possibly replace her? How was one to find a 'clone' of Sarah, a successor?
Enter Rivka. We know the women were not the same, as Sarah is principally described
as being strong and decisive, e.g. she sends Hagar away - while Rivka is described
as being kind and generous e.g. the gallons and gallons of water she chose to draw for Eliezer's camels.
We also know that Avraham and Yitzchack were very different. Avraham personifies the sefira of Hesed: kindness. While Yitzchack personifies the sefera of Gevura: strength. That being said, we understand the women had to be different in order to accommodate the personalities of their husbands. G-d's plan is that each marital unit contain partners that complement each other, and compensate for one another. This certainly requires distinct personalities.
So ... how were Sarah and Rivka alike? They both brought the best of themselves to each situation they encountered. They both used their G-d given skills and talents to move themselves, their husbands and children along the path Hashem set before them. We know Rivka passed the test because the Shechinah returned to the tent of Sarah, which was now rightfully hers.
Where am I going with this? Each Jewish home has the capacity to mimic Sarah's Tent. Each woman here has differing strengths and weaknesses, yet we all have the same job - bringing holiness to our respective homes.
It is interesting that most of you have probably heard of the following concept: we can make our homes into a Bait Mikdash. Our homes can be like THE TEMPLE a place of peace and holiness. Interestingly, The Ramban teaches us that the Temple was actually a replica of Sarah's tent - because - long before the Clouds of Glory rested upon a temple, those Clouds rested upon Sarah's home. The weight of that statement requires much reflection. G-d, through the use of a communal Temple was trying to take us back to the intrinsic holiness which existed in the home and in marriage.
May Hakodesh Baruch Hu bless us with the capacity to understand this, and moreover the desire to create such an environment for ourselves as well as our families.
From Rebbetzin Penny Kornspan
This week's Sedra, Chayei Sarah is difficult to contain in two
minutes so my focus is going to be very narrow. We know
Sarah was great, and her tent was a unique place with special
status - most notably, the Shechinah rested there. It was because
of her righteousness, not Avraham's, that the wonders occurred.
We know this because after her death ... all miracles of the tent ceased.
Who could possibly replace her? How was one to find a 'clone' of Sarah, a successor?
Enter Rivka. We know the women were not the same, as Sarah is principally described
as being strong and decisive, e.g. she sends Hagar away - while Rivka is described
as being kind and generous e.g. the gallons and gallons of water she chose to draw for Eliezer's camels.We also know that Avraham and Yitzchack were very different. Avraham personifies the sefira of Hesed: kindness. While Yitzchack personifies the sefera of Gevura: strength. That being said, we understand the women had to be different in order to accommodate the personalities of their husbands. G-d's plan is that each marital unit contain partners that complement each other, and compensate for one another. This certainly requires distinct personalities.
So ... how were Sarah and Rivka alike? They both brought the best of themselves to each situation they encountered. They both used their G-d given skills and talents to move themselves, their husbands and children along the path Hashem set before them. We know Rivka passed the test because the Shechinah returned to the tent of Sarah, which was now rightfully hers.
Where am I going with this? Each Jewish home has the capacity to mimic Sarah's Tent. Each woman here has differing strengths and weaknesses, yet we all have the same job - bringing holiness to our respective homes.
It is interesting that most of you have probably heard of the following concept: we can make our homes into a Bait Mikdash. Our homes can be like THE TEMPLE a place of peace and holiness. Interestingly, The Ramban teaches us that the Temple was actually a replica of Sarah's tent - because - long before the Clouds of Glory rested upon a temple, those Clouds rested upon Sarah's home. The weight of that statement requires much reflection. G-d, through the use of a communal Temple was trying to take us back to the intrinsic holiness which existed in the home and in marriage.
May Hakodesh Baruch Hu bless us with the capacity to understand this, and moreover the desire to create such an environment for ourselves as well as our families.