Chayei Sarah
חיי שרהBuying the Machpelah
54 translated essays · 97 total
תרל"א(1870)
Chayei Sarah תרל"א 1· Essay 1
במדרש יודע ה’ ימי תמימים כו’ The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 58:1) (וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה שָׁנָה (בראשית כג, א), (תהלים לז, יח): יוֹדֵעַ ה’ יְמֵי תְמִימִם וְנַחֲלָתָם לְעוֹלָם תִּהְיֶה, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהֵן תְּמִימִים כָּ…
Acting With Inner Awareness· Essay 2
ובמדרש תנחומא לא תירא כו’ כל ביתה לבוש שנים שבת ומילה כו’. The Medrash Tanchuma compares all the traits in Eshet Chayil to Sara’s deeds. One of them is that she does not fear gehinom for all her house wore garments שנים, w…
Shabbos and Milah Against Concealment· Essay 3
ברש”י שני חיי שרה כולן שוין לטובה. Rashi in discussing the elaboration of the years that Sara lived, explains that it teaches us that all of them were equal in good. י”ל כי דרך אדם הפשוט ע”י שנזקן ונתוסף בו דיעה מיישב אורח…
Sarah's Lifelong Wholeness· Essay 4
אא”ז מו”ר ז”ל הגיד בשם הזוהר הקדוש פי’ בא בימים שהביא עמו כל ההארות שהי’ לו בכל יום דבר מיוחד שנברא עליו וכשמת הביא עמו כל הימים וכ”כ בזוה”ק. The Chidushei Harim explains the Zohar on the pasuk of A…
Carrying Every Day's Illumination· Essay 5
אא”ז מו”ר זצלה”ה הגיד דברי זוהר הקדוש שאליעזר הי’ עבד אמת במ”ש עבד אברהם אנכי The Chidushei Harim explained the Zohar that says that Eliezer was a true slave when he said “I am the slave of Avraham”…
Eliezer the faithful servant's self-effacing bittul· Essay 6
My grandfather, my master and teacher (of blessed memory), related the words of the holy Zohar that Eliezer was a faithful servant, as it says "I am the servant of Avraham" — see there in Parshas Vayeira [on the verse "and behold, a son for…
תרל"ב(1871)
Wholeness through daily renewal of inner light· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "Hashem knows the days of the wholehearted (temimim)" (Tehillim 37:18)… "Just as they are temimim (wholehearted/complete), so their years are temimim (complete)." The Midrash, on Sarah's lifespan, teaches that just as the tz…
Avraham as the channel for Hashem's chesed· Essay 2
My grandfather and teacher, of blessed memory, said regarding the words of the Midrash on "Do kindness (chesed) with my master Avraham": even Avraham Avinu, through whom chesed rolls about in the world, [himself] needed chesed. The Sefas Em…
Faithful service as privilege· Essay 3
In the Zohar HaKadosh, the opening words of Eliezer — "I am the servant of Avraham" — are praised, for it was a privilege in his eyes that he merited to serve him; and Chazal said that because he served Avraham faithfully, he passed out of …
Removing hidden bias as Hashem's messenger· Essay 4
My grandfather, my teacher, of blessed memory, said in the name of the holy Rav of Kotzk regarding "to me" (elai) it is written. The Sefas Emes cites a teaching he received from his grandfather (the Chiddushei HaRim) in the name of the Kotz…
Chayei Sara תרל"ב
תרל”ב ב”ה במדרש יודע ה’ ימי תמימים כו’ כשם שהם תמימים כך שנותיהם תמימים. וזרח השמש כו’ כהדא עגלתא תמימתא כו’. The Midrash quotes the Pasuk (Tehillim 37:18) “HaShem knows the days of the righteous and thei…
תרל"ג(1872)
Elevating time through daily illumination· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "Hashem knows the days of the wholehearted (temimim)" — just as they are temimim, so too are their years. The Sefas Emes opens with the Midrash on the pasuk (Tehillim 37:18): the "completeness" of the tzaddikim extends even …
Fixing daily attainments permanently in the heart· Essay 2
"The years of the life of Sarah" — they were all equal in goodness. Chazal teach that all of Sarah's years were uniformly good; the Sefas Emes will explain how each day nonetheless carries its own distinct avodah while remaining bound to th…
From faithful servant to beloved son· Essay 3
In the Midrash: "a wise servant (eved maskil)…" — "his curse is already in his hand…" — "it is better to be enslaved in this house…" — see there. The Midrash on Eliezer plays on his being a "wise servant" who chose to subordinate himself to…
Chayei Sara תרל"ג
תרל”ג ב”ה במדרש יודע ה’ ימי תמימים כו’ כשם שהם תמימים כך שנותיהם כו’. The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 48:1), HaShem knows the days of the righteous, just as they are perfect so too their years are perfect. פיR…
תרל"ד(1873)
Daily renewal and the whole days· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "Hashem knows the days of the wholehearted…" — "their years are perfect…" The meaning of "days of the wholehearted" is that they are days containing completeness, for the fact that Hashem created this world to renew itself e…
Shabbos as renewal that completes the week· Essay 2
One may explain that "the days of the wholehearted" (yemei temimim) are the Shabbosos of the year and the Yamim Tovim. The Sefas Emes reads the phrase "days of the temimim" as a reference to Shabbos and the festivals, the days that stand ap…
From curse to blessing through faithful service· Essay 3
In the Midrash: because he (Eliezer) served that tzaddik (Avraham) with faithfulness (emunah), he went out from the category of "cursed" to "blessed." The Midrash teaches that Eliezer, a descendant of Canaan who was cursed, rose from "curse…
Testifying that all creation belongs to Hashem· Essay 4
In the Midrash: "the sons of Cheis" are mentioned ten times — because they clarified (confirmed) the purchase of the tzaddik — corresponding to the Aseres HaDibros (Ten Commandments). The Midrash observes that "Bnei Cheis" appears ten times…
The zaken who elevates all his days into wisdom· Essay 5
My grandfather, of blessed memory, related the explanation of the Zohar HaKadosh on "old, coming on in days (zaken ba ba'yamim)" — that he brought with him all the illuminations he had had throughout his days, not one day being lost to him.…
Chayei Sara תרל"ד
תרל”ד ב”ה במדרש יודע ה’ ימי תמימים כו’ שנותיהם תמימים כו’ פי’ ימי תמימים שהם ימים שיש בהם שלימות כי מה שברא השי”ת עולם הזה להיות מתחדש בכל יום ושנה הוא לטובה כדי שיהי’ הארה חדשה בכל זמן. וע…
תרל"ה(1874)
Rectifying space, time, and soul through mitzvos· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "Hashem knows the days of the wholehearted (temimim), and their inheritance shall be forever…" The Sefas Emes opens with the verse, applied by the Midrash to the lives of the righteous, that Hashem "knows" the days of the pe…
Sin is relative to one's spiritual level· Essay 2
"At a hundred years she was like twenty regarding sin" (Rashi, Bereishis 23:1). Rashi, explaining the verse about Sarah's years, teaches that at one hundred Sarah was as free of sin as a twenty-year-old. The Sefas Emes will probe what this …
Servant and son in avodah· Essay 3
The Midrash cites: "A wise servant will rule over a son who brings shame" (Mishlei 17:2). And it is difficult — what wisdom did he display in this? The Sefas Emes asks why a "servant" is praised here as wise. What insight makes the servant'…
Shabbos as the time of favor· Essay 4
"And as for me, may my prayer to You, Hashem, be at an eis ratzon (a time of favor)." The Sefas Emes opens with the posuk (Tehillim 69:14) that speaks of davening at a moment when Hashem's will is openly revealed, and he asks what an "eis r…
Chayei Sara תרל"ה
תרל”ה ב”ה במדרש יודע ה’ ימי תמימים ונחלתם לעולם כו’. כי האדם נברא בעוה”ז לתקן הזמן כי חיות הנשמה למעלה מהטבע והזמן והשגחת השי”ת מקיים ומחדש חיות העולמות. והכל תלוי בהאדם כפי מה שעובד השי”ת וזוכר שהכ…
תרל"ו(1875)
The unseen soul cleaving to Hashem· Essay 1
In the Midrash Tanchuma on the verse "And Avraham was old" — "Bless Hashem, O my soul…" — just as Hashem sees yet is not seen… The Midrash links Avraham's old age to the verse about the soul blessing Hashem, drawing a parallel between Hashe…
Every person is Hashem's shaliach in the world· Essay 2
The request of Eliezer was only that he himself should not be an obstacle, chas ve-shalom, in his master's shlichus (mission). When Eliezer davened for success in finding a wife for Yitzchak, his sole concern was that he personally not stan…
תרל"ז(1876)
Wholeness of a tzaddik's days· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "Hashem knows the days of the tamimim (the whole, perfect ones)" — just as they themselves are whole, so too their years are whole. The Sefas Emes opens with the Midrash that a tzaddik's wholeness extends even to his time: a…
Teshuvah from love and the soul's root· Essay 2
On the pasuk "And Avraham was old, advanced in days." The Sefas Emes opens with the verse describing Avraham in his old age, "old, coming with days," which he will expound in light of the Zohar. In the holy Zohar: that he came with all the …
A complete blessing admits no deficiency· Essay 3
"And Hashem blessed Avraham with everything (ba-kol)" (Bereishis 24:1). The Sefas Emes addresses the blessing that Avraham was blessed "with everything." Now the promise of "and I will bless you" (Bereishis 12:2) was fulfilled. This "blessi…
Eliezer's prayer sweetens Yitzchak's din· Essay 4
In the Midrash: "A wise servant will rule over a shameful son... and among brothers..." (Mishlei 17:2) — "the God of my master Avraham..." (Bereishis 24:12), etc. The Midrash applies the verse about a "wise servant" to Eliezer, Avraham's se…
תרל"ח(1877)
Whole days bound to their root· Essay 1
In the Midrash: "Hashem knows the days of the wholehearted (temimim)" etc. (Tehillim 37:18) — "their years are whole (temimim)" etc. — "the years of the life of Sarah" — for the years of the tzaddikim are beloved before HaKadosh Baruch Hu, …
Yirah is the gateway to ahavah· Essay 2
On the pasuk: "And he gave all that he had to Yitzchak." Avraham bequeathed everything he possessed to Yitzchak — which the Sefas Emes reads on a deeper, middah-level. Based on what is well known, that Avraham Avinu took for himself the att…
Eliezer's bittul to the tzaddik's will· Essay 3
In Rashi: "elai" ("to me") is written [defectively], etc. Rashi notes that when Eliezer retells his mission, the word "to me" is spelled in a way that hints at his own personal stake in the matter — for he had a daughter he might have wishe…
Lavan and Besuel literally unable to object· Essay 4
On the verse, "From Hashem the matter has come forth; we cannot [speak to you bad or good]," etc. Lavan and Besuel respond to Eliezer that the match of Rivkah and Yitzchak has clearly come from Hashem, so they cannot say anything for or aga…
תרל"ט(1878)
Whole days bound to their Source· Essay 1
The Midrash on "Hashem knows the days of the wholehearted" (Tehillim 37:18) — meaning, days that are themselves whole (temimim). The Sefas Emes reads the verse not only as Hashem knowing the days of righteous people, but as the days themsel…
Turning curse into blessing through emunah· Essay 2
In the Midrash: "Pleasant is the conversation of the servants of the Avos…" The matter is as Chazal said: "Better one hour of teshuvah and good deeds in this world than all the life of the World to Come" (Avos 4:17). The Midrash's praise of…
Finding rectification within one's own place· Essay 3
And in the Midrash: "A wise servant…" (Mishlei 17:2) — what was his wisdom? … "Better that I be a servant in this house…" The Sefas Emes cites the Midrash on Eliezer, Avraham's servant, called a "wise servant." His wisdom was expressed in h…
The blessing of "all" to Yitzchak· Essay 4
On the pasuk: "And [Avraham] gave all that he had to Yitzchak, and to the sons of the concubines Avraham gave gifts (matanos)" (Bereishis 25:5-6). The Sefas Emes opens with the pasuk describing how Avraham gave "all that he had" to Yitzchak…
תר"מ(1879)
Days Rooted in Their Source· Essay 1
In the Midrash it is said: “The Lord knows the days of the wholehearted.” This means that although everything is under the providence of the Creator, blessed be He, The Sefat Emet begins by citing a Midrash on the verse “The Lord knows the …
Holy Sparks Among the Nations· Essay 2
“And Abraham again took a wife, etc.” The verse introduces a new stage in Abraham’s life after the story of Sarah, hinting at continued spiritual growth and expansion. In the Midrash it is said, “His leaf shall not wither,” etc. For the ess…
תרמ"א(1880)
Torah as Inner Daily Renewal· Essay 1
In the Midrash it is said: “The Lord knows the days of the wholehearted; just as they are whole, so their years are whole.” The verse teaches that the completeness of the righteous extends not only to their character but also to the span of…
Light Learned from Servants' Speech· Essay 2
In the Midrash it is said: “The conversations of the servants of the Patriarchs are beautiful,” etc. The Sefat Emet begins by citing the Midrash that praises even the simple words of the Patriarchs’ servants, implying that there is deep hol…
Guarding Blessing for Heaven's Sake· Essay 3
In the verse, “And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.” The Sefat Emet begins by focusing on the Torah’s statement that Abraham was blessed “in all.” This was stated before the mission of the servant. The Torah introduces Abraham’s …
Earning Kindness Through Service· Essay 4
In the verse, “And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac, and to the sons of the concubines, etc., Abraham gave gifts.” The Sefat Emet begins by quoting the verse to explore the difference between what Abraham gave to Isaac and what he gave…
תרמ"ב(1881)
Enduring Deeds of the Righteous· Essay 1
In the Midrash it is written: “The Lord knows the days of the wholehearted,” etc. The Sefat Emet begins by citing the verse and its Midrashic interpretation as the foundation for his teaching. For the knowledge of the Blessed One pertains t…
From General to Personal Service· Essay 2
In the verse, “And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac,” etc. The Sefat Emet begins by citing the verse that introduces the teaching, focusing on the phrase “all that he had.” This means that he gave to Isaac that which was unique to him,…
Truthful Prayer Despite Self-Interest· Essay 3
Concerning the faith of Eliezer, as it is written in the Midrash that the righteous one’s servant acted with faith. The Sefat Emet begins by recalling the Midrashic praise of Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, who performed his mission with steadf…
תרמ"ג(1882)
Daily Renewal of Creation· Essay 1
In the Midrash it is said: just as they are whole, so too are their years whole. The Midrash teaches that the completeness of the righteous is reflected in the completeness of their years; their life-span mirrors their inner wholeness. As i…
The Well That Leaps Land· Essay 2
In Rashi: “And I came today to the spring”—from here we learn that the earth leaped for him. Rashi explains that Eliezer’s journey was miraculously shortened; the ground itself contracted so that he arrived the same day he set out. We must …
From Servant to Beloved Son· Essay 3
And in the Midrash it is said: “The conversation of the servants of the Patriarchs is more pleasing than the Torah of their descendants.” The Midrash marvels that the Torah records at length the words of the Patriarchs’ servants, while many…
תרמ"ד(1883)
Undated
43 more essays from this section await translation.