In this week's Torah reading of "Chayei Sara", Avraham Avinu purchases the area around Me'arat Hamachpela. Hashem had already promised the land to Avraham. Why then did he agree to pay for it?
When Avraham sent his servant to find a wife for Yitzchak, he instructed him to find her in “my land and my birthplace (moladty)” (Bereishit 24:4). While we know the servant went to Aram Naharayim, where Avraham’s brother Nachor lived, there is actually a dispute among commentaries as to where Avraham came from
Our parasha deals primarily with Yitzchak, the son or Avraham and Sarah, whose education was at the top of Sarah’s interest. Many parents, in fact, leave no stone unturned to ensure that their children have excellent educations. They pay for good schools, look for a good atmosphere, and try to protect them from dangers of all sorts. For better or for worse, though, the most important factor in their success is the personal example the parents set.
Our matriarch Sarah’s name (literally and roughly, female officer) hints that she was far more than an excellent wife and mother; she was a leader in her own right. The other name attributed to her, Yiska (see Bereishit 11:29 with Rashi), may also be connected to the word nesicha (princess). However, this week we want to focus on a different type of position of power, as seen in the haftara.
