Our Matriarch Sarah is eternally recognized as a pious woman, renowned for her hospitality, generosity, and beauty. By every measure, the well-known quote “Behind every great man, there is a great woman” can be best attributed to Sarah who demonstrated loyalty, resilience and unwavering support to Abraham as he underwent 10 challenging tests, known as the Asara Nisyonot.

Abraham’s eulogy of Sarah was codified by King Solomon who concluded the Book of Proverbs with 22 verses commonly known as “Aishet Chayil – An Accomplished Woman,” which captures the essence and eternal praise of the Jewish wife and mother. While each verse speaks so powerfully to Sarah’s uniqueness, there are two that highlight her piety and generosity.

“She arises while it is yet night, and gives food to her household” (Proverbs 31:6). While Chazel praise Abraham for arising early in the morning (Bereishit 23:3), the success of Akeidat Yitzchok was attributed to Sarah’s devotion, who had arisen beforehand, thereby ensuring that all necessary provisions for this monumental journey would unfold without delay.

A second example, this time highlighting Sarah’s generosity, can be found in the verse, “She spreads out her palm to the poor and extends her hands to the destitute’”(Ibid., 31:20). Notice the shift from “spreads out her palm” which is direct and singular, to “extended her hands” which is indirect and in the plural form. This implies that when helping a poor person Sarah had the sensitivity to recognize that one direct portion is sufficient, whereas the destitute (evyon) required modesty, such as leaving an envelope with cash in the mailbox, etc. as those individuals can only comfortably accept support indirectly and with a double portion due to being accustomed to earning a higher sum prior to falling into poverty.

These examples, and many others, highlight why Sarah was also called Yiscah, which means “to gaze, to look.” Sarah was able to see with ruach hakodesh — holy inspiration (see BT Megillah, 14a)— the needs of her husband and community at large, reinforcing the words,

All that Sarah tells you, heed her voice” (Genesis, 21: 12).

Rashi explains that “the account of Sarah’s demise was juxtaposed to the binding of Isaac because as a result of the news of the “binding,” that her son was prepared for slaughter and was almost slaughtered, her soul flew out of her, and she died. The Zohar explains that the gematria of the first word in our parsha, “Vayihiyu,” equals 37, the age of Yitzchok at the time of Akeidat Yitzchok because, although Sarah lived 127 years, her life effectively began with the birth of Yitzchok.

Abraham, upon losing his beloved wife, mourns, weeps and then arises. As the verse states, “And Sarah died in Kiryat Arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her. And Abraham arose from before his dead” (Genesis 23:2-3). Had he grieved many days, we would have understood. Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, zt”l comments that at this sensitive time, Abraham does two things that set the stage for the future of the Jewish people: He purchases the Me’arat Hamachpeila in Hebron, Israel, and secures the marriage of his son Yitzchak to Rivka.

Abraham grieves then rises. There is a limit to grief. Although we have suffered tragedies throughout the millennia that would have devastated nations beyond any hope of recovery, we carry on with faith and fervent hope that better times await us. Through all the challenges experienced by Abraham and Sarah, they kept pushing forward. Yes, we mourn, weep and daven for the safe release of our captives and the end to all hostilities, then we rise and build a better future for our children. This is our unique and inherent strength found within our DNA. May there be an end to our grief, and may we usher in a brighter tomorrow.

Mordechai Plotsker runs a popular 10-minute nightly shiur on the parsha with a keen interest on the invigorating teachings of the Berditchever Rav, the Kedushas Levi. Shiurenjoyment.com.

Plotsker resides in Elizabeth with his wife and children, and can be reached by email at [email protected].