Chayei Sarah 12

There are two themes here that can be easily translated into modern times. Firstly it is the command to purchase the burial plot for Sarah and secondly it is the discovery of Rebecca to be the right choice for Isaac. Death and Marriage, the passing of one generation to another: Dor va’Dor. Today, many of us use the actual purchase of the Cave of Machpelach as the black and white proof that Eretz Israel is ours. This Cave and the Temple and the burial ground for Joseph at Shechem, are the three steadfast places that stand as physical proof that we belong there (Bereshit Rabbah 79). Both Machpelach and Shechem are actually paid for. The price did go up: Abraham paid in silver while David paid in gold. Those in the world who call the Torah the Old Testament, know very well that these literal occurrences, described so plain and practical, are indisputably proof that The Promised Land is indeed our Land.

Usually the Torah does not go into the details of daily incidentals of human existence. It steers clear of domestic matters. That is why our Rabbis have been fascinated about this sidrah. Ibn Ezra regards the mentioning of the buying of the burial ground as: “The preeminence of the land of Israel over all other lands, both for the living and dead.” Ezra also sees it as proof of Avraham’s inheritance. The second theme in this Parashat, that of seeking a suitable wife for Isaac, can also be seen in modern time. It is the last of Avraham’s activities that of briefing his servant on how to go about seeking the right candidate. He makes his servant swear that he won’t take a wife for Isaac from within the Canaanites, “among whom I dwell”. Avraham directs him to go “unto my country, and to my kindred…” Let’s take a closer look as to what Avraham meant. Abravanel wonders about this as well, he asks: “why not from among the Canaanites? Was it because they were idol worshippers?” We know that even Avraham’s own family worshipped idols. Why did he place the daughters of Canaan out of reach and not the daughters of Bethuel and Nahor who were also among idol worshippers? Meanwhile, there were clearly good Canaanites like Aner and Eshkol whose offspring Avraham also excluded.

The answer comes down to the definition of the word ‘molad’ti’. When Avraham says ‘my kindred’ – molad’ti, the Sages had various ways of translating the meaning of the word. Rashi took the word in the usual sense of ‘birthplace’. Meanwhile, Ramban left it open and saw two possibilities; that of kindred, family and place and on the other side, members of the same race or origins but not necessarily family. Rashi finds the answer in the word ‘deeds’ - k’Maaseh’ – “According to the deeds of the land of Egypt in which you dwelt”. With other words, it was understood that the deeds of the Egyptians and Canaanites were worse than others. Deeds much worse than idol worshipping. Was Isaac to be married locally, within any of these people, Avraham feared that Isaac would assimilate. Later, when the servant meets Rebecca and she passes her character test by fetching more water for the camels, it becomes clear that symbolically the Torah teaches us about the importance of character. When the servant picks out Rebecca to talk to, because she was the prettiest among the maidens, the Torah sets the record straight and proves that her inner beauty is more important. A lesson every son’s mother wishes her future daughter-in-law to pass.

But where do find a Rebecca today, JDate?