This week is all about families and Gd. Avraham talks to Gd one way or the other many times. However, Sarah is the personality I am interested in.
ו וַיְמַהֵר אַבְרָהָם הָאֹהֱלָה, אֶל-שָׂרָה; וַיֹּאמֶר, מַהֲרִי שְׁלֹשׁ סְאִים קֶמַח סֹלֶת–לוּשִׁי, וַעֲשִׂי עֻגוֹת. |
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said: ‘Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.’ |
The bread was simple
No yeast, no gaava – גאווה
The taste was heavenly – the angels ate it
Are you able to hear Gd? Presumably, He is speaking to us always. Some of us are able to hear, not many. Even rarer is the case of, actually, answering the call we heard. However, if you hear, but still question the validity of the call, prepare to face the consequences.
You laughed? You thought it was impossible for Me?
You’ll get a child, and a great one, soon
You’ll never see him married, get to love the grandkids
It is told that Sarah did not live to see the family her son, Yitzhak יִצְחָק created. (hopefully, I’ll talk about it next time). Was this the punishment she received for laughing at the prospect of having a child at 99? Or, was it just a nervous laughter of a woman who lost all her hope forcing herself not to hope again? Don’t we all sometimes dream so hard about something, so hopeful, so often that we try to sort of push away that hope knowing that the dream is totally unattainable? I know I do.
א וַיהוָה פָּקַד אֶת-שָׂרָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמָר; וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוָה לְשָׂרָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר. |
1 And the LORD remembered Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as He had spoken. |
ב וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד שָׂרָה לְאַבְרָהָם בֵּן, לִזְקֻנָיו, לַמּוֹעֵד, אֲשֶׁר-דִּבֶּר אֹתוֹ אֱלֹהִים. |
2 And Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. |
A woman’s quest as old as life itself
Her pleas to Gd for baby that she yearns
A miracle – each one of them through ages
יב וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל-אַבְרָהָם, אַל-יֵרַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ עַל-הַנַּעַר וְעַל-אֲמָתֶךָ–כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר אֵלֶיךָ שָׂרָה, שְׁמַע בְּקֹלָהּ: כִּי בְיִצְחָק, יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע. |
12 And God said unto Abraham: ‘Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah saith unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall seed be called to thee. |
Sarah was, definitely, able to hear Gd. We are told that she had more Ruach ha Kodesh – רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ than even Abraham. Her Shabbat candles’ light is said to have illuminated the world. This Friday night, when I am lighting the candles, I will think of Sarah – my pra-mother. I will hope to merit adding at least a sparkle of her light to my own candles.
Noshing Across the Nation 
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