The Life of Sara - True Life After Death

This week’s Torah portion is called "The Life of Sarah." It’s both incredibly moving and deeply inspiring. Yet a quick read brings to mind a seriously puzzling question!

We see that almost the entire Torah portion is dealing with the time period after Sara’s passing.  So, why is the portion called: "the life of Sarah"?  Wouldn't it have been more appropriate or effective if the title were called something like: "the passing of Sarah"?

Is the Torah offering us yet another profound lesson here, in both this parsha’s content and the seeming disconnect between its narrative and its title?

As parents you try as hard as you can to prepare your children for the many challenges and opportunities that Hashem may present them with in life. We teach and invest in them from out of our deepest, values, beliefs and ambitions.

 In the case of this week’s Torah portion though, Abraham had 2 children from 2 very different wives.

Each one of his wives instilled in their respective child, a very different message or perspective on the "Path of Abraham". The question is - which child will keep the true path of Abraham alive?

Sara invested her entire life, her entire being into Isaac.  The very purpose of her life was to insure that her son would perpetuate her legacy as the first Jewish woman alive into successive generations. And of course, Jacob and then Joseph were here grand and great grand-children respectively!

Who would continue lighting Sara’s Shabbat candles? Who would continue the laws of Jewish family purity? Who would say words of Psalms through streaming tears for her children? This week’s Torah portion answers these critical questions:

Sarah’s son Isaac finds a beautiful and pure Jewish wife Rebbecca. Rebbecca will keep Sara's legacy alive. She will continue the chain of the Jewish people on the path laid out before them by Abraham Our Father.

It is only now that we can say: "Sarah" is alive (in this Torah based way)! She will live on through her children and in turn through our children, thanks to her. That’s why this week’s Torah Portion of Isaac's marriage to Rebecca is called: "The Life of Sarah"!