This week’s Torah portion begins with the death of Sarah, though it is called the “life of Sarah.” This paradox has provoked many commentaries.
Of course, when someone dies, we can see the totality of his or her life. But as I’ve learned in writing my mother-in-law’s biography, giving “life” to one who has passed away means that we keep them with us by remembering them, and by sharing the lessons of their experience with future generations.
That is what Abraham does, in buying Sarah’s burial plot and protecting her enduing legacy by finding an appropriate wife for her son, Isaac.
Ultimately, Abraham, too, passes away. Curiously, Ishmael — Abraham’s other son, whom he sends way with his mother, the maidservant Hagar — reappears to help Isaac bury their father.
Whatever pain existed in their relationship in the past, they set it aside in an early example of what it means to honor one’s father and mother — even if one’s feelings may be complicated.
Today, the burial site of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebeccah, Jacob, and Lean remains in Hebron. It is a flashpoint — at times, a deadly one — between Muslims and Jews.
But Ishmael and Isaac remain capable of setting the past aside, and moving forward together toward peace.
This is the portion that all journalists should love: the Torah tells the story of the 12 spies, only two of whom tell the truth when the other ten shade it in a negative away (perhaps to suit a political agenda that is opposed to Moses).
It's not that the ten "lying" spies misconstrue the facts about the Land of Israel; rather, they interject their opinions that the land is impossible to conquer, which strikes unnecessary terror into the hearts of the people.
We have many examples of such fake news today -- from the Iranian propaganda outlets spreading false claims that they are winning the war, to California politicians spreading false horror stories about ICE raids in L.A.
The people realize, too late, that they have been fooled, and once they are condemned to die in the desert, they try to rush into Israel -- only to be defeated by the inhabitants, as the spies predicted that they would be.
But as consolation, God gives the people new commandments -- focused on things they must ...
This week's portion discusses the procedure for lighting the menorah, the holy seven-branched lamp, in the Tabernacle (and later the Temple). It also describes an episode where the people crave meat, and God punishes them by giving it to them in excess. We also read the story of Miriam, Moses's sister, who is punished with the spiritual skin blemish of tzara'at for speaking about her brother, thus violating the prohibition against lashon hara (evil tongue).
I heard a fantastic sermon this week about the lighting of the menorah: that while only the priests were qualified to clean and purify the menorah, anyone could light it. A reminder that each of us can inspire others along the way.
This week we study the vow of the Nazirite; a reminder that sometimes trying to be too holy is excessive, and the best we can do is to be the best that we are.
https://www.chabad.org/parshah/torahreading_cdo/aid/2495720/p/complete/jewish/Naso-Torah-Reading.htm
