What is the role of Matriarchs in the Torah and in Jewish society today? There are a number of matriarchs (some reluctantly, some happily, some almost but not quite yet) right here in this room today. What is our role, in studying the torah, in raising our families, in contributing to our communities? How does this compare to our historical role, and what can we learn from our history that helps us today?
As everyone probably knows, this section begins with the death of Sarah. Genesis 23:1 states, “And the life of Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years;/ these were the years of the life of Sarah”. In Genesis 23:2, Sarah dies in Kiriatharba, apart from her husband Abraham, who came to mourn for her. This sets off a very specific chain of events:
1. Sarah’s death leads Abraham to purchase burial land.
2. Abraham finds an appropriate wife for Isaac.
3. All of Abrahams begats, his descendants are described, and the Abraham dies and is buried by two of his sons, Isaac and Ishmael.
At first glance, it seems to be very little about Sarah, and mostly about Abraham and the end of his life. But it appears to actually be more about securing the covenant and ensuring it’s continuity thought the generations. For example:
1. Sarah’s grave is the first permanent legal presence in the land promised to Abraham and to their descendants.
a. Is this why it is important that Abraham pay full price for it????
2. Abraham ensures the covenant’s continuity by getting Isaac a wife, Rebecca, from his birthplace.
a. What would have happened if Isaacs wife came from somewhere else???
3. Abraham took a 2nd wife – Keturah – and had many more sons with her, but gave all that he owned to Isaac when he died and sent these other sons “east”.
a. What was the point in the story of having another wife and more kids if they weren’t going to have any significance to the story or our future???
4. Isaac and Ishmael (son from Hagar) buried Abraham
a. Why only these two sons? Is there any significance to the fact that Isaac settles in the same place (Beer-lahai-roi) that Hagar took Ishmael to when she was wandering in the desert, and where she finally found water?
There is also a certain duality to this section. Not unlike a piece of music where you have melody and harmony woven together, or point and counterpoint, there are a couple of different threads running through this section. For example, there is are the very open and blatant actions of Abraham, the patriarch, in setting events in motion versus the more subtle, but equally important development of the matriarch, and the passing of the flame from Sarah to Rebecca. The women in Abraham’s life appear to be subservient and subject to the whims of the men, but then they are also their own characters and they each play a significant role in ensuring the continuity of the covenant. What do we know about each of them?
SARAH Abrahams partner for life, barren, gives slave to Abraham,
talks to God, LAUGHS at God.
HAGAR Slave, given to Abraham and first to give him offspring, fertile,
banished by Sarah, but looked after by God, who shows her the well.
REBECCA Abraham’s hand chosen wife for his favorite son, or chosen by God,
heroine, strong, playgirl image from 3,000 years ago, too good to be true, but
falls off camel when sees Isaac for first time.
KETURAH Abraham’s last (3rd) wife, fertile, but not important? Why is she here?
Questions:
What is the role of women in a matriarchal society, and/or in our society today? How is it the same/different?
Rebecca speaks only one word: ELECH – I will go. Abraham speaks the same word when he leaves his homeland on his journey. What does this tell us about Rebecca’s character and about her journey? How important is her role in perpetuating the covenant?
Were Sarah and Rebecca barren so they could only conceive through a miracle?
Isaac and Ishmael bury Abraham. Both had their issues with him – one was almost sacrificed and one was banished to possibly die in the desert. How does this bring their journey full circle?
No comments:
Post a Comment