CHAYE SARA 1980

In this Torah portion Chaye Sora we have enunciated the two main values which have characterized Jews throughout the generations.  One was the great love of independence and the second was a great love of family.  The Jews throughout the generations wanted to be independent so he could practice his religion and not be beholden to others.  That's why so many Jews were small businessmen, diamond merchants, etc.  They could always sell their stock or take their merchandise with them and leave if they were threatened. Unfortunately, in America we Jews have had to sacrifice our independence in order to make our way in America.  It becomes almost impossible to pursue our religion fully.  When the first and second generations in America had to earn a living they were forced to choose many times between their religion and their livelihood.  It was not a choice that if they kept the Sabbath they would earn $9000 and if they did not they would earn $10,000, but the choice was that if they kept the Sabbath they would earn nothing because they would not be hired and if they did not keep the Sabbath they would earn $10,000.  By integrating fully into all sorts of business enterprises we Jews lost a great deal of independence.  Abraham was told that he could bury Sarah in the cave of Ephron.  Ephron said he could have the cave. However, the field in which it was located would cost Abraham 400 shekels, an exorbitant price.  Abraham paid it because he did not want to have his access to the field in any way obstructed.  This way he combined his need for independence and his love for family in one act.  Continuously he tells the sons of Ches that he is a Ger V'toshav, he is a stranger and a citizen in their midsts.  This, of course, is a perpetual Jewish dilemma.  Our religion teaches us that we must contribute to our country and to all humanity.  We Jews must support every good cause.  We cannot step aside and say the non-Jews do not count.  They do count, and we must always do our share.  However, we always must remember that we are different, that we have a special message yet to teach the world, that we are still Am Segula.
 
Many Jews have great difficulty handling this contradiction.  They either go to one extreme or the other.  In our day so many Jews have tried to forget they are Jews and they want to become more gentile than the gentile.  Ernest Hemingway writes about this and he makes fun of these Jews.  Robert Cohen in his book who can box better than the rest, dress better than the rest, etc. is an object of derision.  In this Torah portion we read how it says that Abraham was blessed with everything.  There are different explanations for this.  Some say it means with a son.  Others say it means with a daughter. The explanation I like best is that the word Ba Kol in Hebrew which means everything is an abbreviation for with all his heart.  Abraham knew how to reconcile his obligation to his humanity and to his Judaism.  He was whole hearted.  Abraham's oldest son, Ishmael, had trouble with this.  That's why, according to some, he left Judaism.  At the end of this Torah portion, though, we learn how he returned to Judaism and became once again a faithful Jew. However, it says something very strange.  After he did this it says in the Torah that on the face of all his brothers Nofol which is generally translated as settle, but which usually means in Hebrew he fell.  On the face of all his brothers fell meant that because he returned to Judaism he fell in the estimation of his friends.  He, though, could now handle it. Abraham mentions that he is first a Ger and then a Toshav.  In order for a Jew to remain a Jew he must first realize that he is a stranger, that he has special ways and then that he is a citizen like other citizens.  We are Jewish Americans not American Jews.  If we say we are American Jews our Judaism will quickly disappear because we will not be able to stand up and practice our religion in the face of all the pressures against us.  We will consider Judaism to be a fossil, a mummy of the past.  The only way for Jews to have the strength is by getting a good Jewish education and the only way we can get this type of education now is through day schools.  I applaud the efforts of Abe Katz who has donated such a large sum of money to make sure
 
that our children know about their Jewishness, so they can be like Abraham, people who can reconcile their Jewishness and their humanity. The story about two people who went to a costume party, one dressed as a popular singer and the other as a mummy.  The host asked the popular singer what he would like to drink.  He said, "A scotch and water".  He then turned to the mummy and said, "What would you like?"  The mummy looked at him and said, "Nothing, I just came to unwind".