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Misc 6 Rebbe Akiva was teaching and the community before him was falling asleep. He decided to wake them up. He said, "Why did Esther merit to rule over 127 provinces? Let Esther - a descendent of Sarah, who lived 127 years come and rule over 127 provinces." (Medrash Rabba) Perhaps we can understand this strange Medrash as follows. The generation of Rebbe Akiva was despairing under the burden of the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash and the Hadrianic persecutions. Most of the leaders had been killed and the masses were in a state of depression. It was difficult to arouse the community to recommit itself to observance of Torah and Mitzvos. Therefore Rebbe Akiva explained. Reward and punishment may not follow immediately. Sometimes the real benefits of one's actions can only be seen after tens of generations. Sarah's life, when establishing the Jewish people, gave the wherewithal to Esther to remain a committed Jewess as the wife of the Persian King. While the Parsha is call Chayai Sarah - the life of Sarah - it begins with relating her death. When she passed away her Eternal life continued. Usually when a person dies the mark they leave behind is not relevant to the majority of people. When Sarah died, it was realised that she had really lived. Why did Avrohom insist that Yitzchak's wife come from his family in distant Choron and reject the Cananim where he lived? After all, they were all idolaters! Explains R' Avrohom of Sochatshov. The Cananim where steeped in perverse idolatrous practice. Not only did they reject Hashem and sin with their intellect, in their depravation they sinned with their entire being. They were entirely lacking in any degree of politeness and decency. This is something that remains for generations and Avrohom wanted that Yitzchok should have nothing to do with it. With Lovon and his family they just sinned with their intellect. This can be taught and changed and need not destroy the future generations. |
