CHAYE SARAH 1998
 
In the Torah portion Chaye Sarah, we learn about the basic values of Judaism. We learn how throughout the ages ever since the time of Abraham, Jews have wanted to be independent and very concerned about family.  It is these two values which have always marked the Jew. We learn how Abraham insisted that he be able to buy a plot in Chevron to bury his wife.  He did not want the people who lived there, the sons of Chais, to give him a plot because they could then always take it away.  He was very concerned that his wife get a proper burial, and later he was very concerned that his son, Yitzchak, should be married and have a family. Without a family, the rabbis teach us, we cannot implement the values of the Torah.  In fact, we learn that even before G-d would give us the Torah, He had us prove that we had families.  Without a family the Torah is almost impossible to implement.
We learn, too, that when Abraham sent his servant, Eliezer, to get a wife for Yitzchak, it says that, "He made Eliezer swear by G-d the G-d of heaven, the G-d of the earth."  A few sentences later it says that Abraham said to him, "Be very careful lest you return my son there.  G-d the G-d of the heavens Who took me from the house of my father..."  Here in this sentence G-d is referred
 
to only as the G-d of the heavens, not the G-d of the heavens and the G-d of the earth.  Rashi comments on this, "But now G-d is known as the G-d of the heavens and the G-d of the earth because I have made this view accustomed in the mouths of all creatures, but when G-d took me from the house of my father, He was only the G-d of the heavens and not the G-d of the earth." What does that mean?
That means that Abraham was not the founder of monotheism.  After all, when Abraham was born Noah was still alive.  In fact, Noah was alive even when Abraham was an adult, and there was a yeshiva of Shaim and Aber, Noah's son and grandson.  G-d was known in the world, although Noah, Shaim, and Aber did not spread the message around too much, but religious was conceived of in terms of beliefs.  It was ethereal.  It was something of the heavens.  If a person believed in certain things, no matter what he practiced, he was considered a religious man.  Abraham, though, protested against this attitude.  It was he who initiated the principle that you could not approach G-d unless you were first moral.  G-d requires practical things down here on earth, not just some ethereal beliefs.
 
This is almost similar to what we see now in the United States, where we say we do not care what you believe as long as you obey the law, or what is similar in our synagogue or other orthodox synagogues.  If someone says they do not believe in this or this, we say to sit down, but if he says he will not pay his dues, then we do not let him in on Rosh Hashonna and Yom Kippur.  What you do is so much more important than what you say.  Of course, there is a relationship between them.  If a person does not believe in G-d and morality, he is not going to keep Jewish laws or try to be a moral person.  After all, what's the point if the world is pointless anyway?
That's why Abraham told Eliezer not to have his son marry among the daughters of Canaan, even among those in Canaan who believed in monotheism, like some of his friends, because he was not so sure of their practices.  He knew that if his son would marry their daughters, his son would be drawn into their orbit.  However, if Eliezer brought somebody from his family in Mesopotamia, even though they were idol worshippers at the time, as long as she was a moral and good person, she would be drawn into Yitzchak's orbit and not the other way around.  If we look later on, the test that Eliezer set up to
 
find out whether or not the girl he would see would be the right girl for Yitzchak was a a test which would display whether or not she was innately kind and caring.  He said, "G-d, the girl whom I will ask, 'Please give me a drink,1 if she will also say, 'Not only will I give you a drink, but I will give drink for your camels,' she will be the girl whom You have chosen for my master's son, Yitzchak."  It is interesting to note that when he first comes to the well, it is called the B'Air, but from then on it is called Ayin, which means a spring. There is a big difference between a well and a spring.  A well you have to dig down and bring up the water. There is water there, but it takes a lot of effort to bring it to the surface.  You have to reinforce the sides of the well, and get a bucket and pull it up.  A spring is different.  It flows out by itself.  It is always giving.  There are many good people in the world, but to get to many of them you really have to work hard.  To get them to give a few dollars or to give of their time or reputation, you have to almost dig through layers and layers of indifference. There are other people, on the other hand, who are always giving, always willing to help even before they are asked. They volunteer. This is the type of person that Eliezer was looking for, a girl who exuded kindness.  He did not ask that a girl have a certain type of beliefs or kitchen or
 
away of dress should appear before him to be the chosen mate of Yitzchak.  He asked for a girl who would exude kindness and helpfulness.
We know that ethical, good conduct, Deretz Eretz, even comes before Torah. A scholar who has terrible character traits is not considered a worthy individual, even if he has a lot of Torah.  The primary thing is G-d has to be the G-d of the land as well as the G-d of the heavens.  A Torah scholar, to be respected, must live a life of good deeds.  It is not like in secular fields where someone can be a genius in his field and a terrible depraved person in his personal life.
This Torah portion teaches us that we Jews have always wanted to be independent so we could practice our religion, so we could develop our qualities of kindness and compassion, and we knew that to develop these qualities we needed a family where we could practice these values day in and day out. These are not just theoretical beliefs, but things which must be practiced day in and day out.
 
I am reminded of the story about a man who went to the movies.  Sitting in front of him was a big collie dog and his mistress was sitting beside him.  All during the movie, the dog laughed at all the right places. The man was amazed.  Near the end of the movie he turned to the dog's mistress and said, "I am amazed that you dog is enjoying the movie so much."  She replied, "I am, too, because he hated the book."  It is not so much what is written in the book; it is whether or not you are expressing the values of our good book in your life. If you are, then you are truly a fit descendant of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Rebecca.  Let us all hope that we will be fit descendants of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Rebecca so the Mashiach will come quickly in our day.  Amen.