Time to Rebuild

Parshat Chayei Sarah

by Rabbi Avi Billet

Since Monday of last week, I have read many articles, sermons, and even listened to some lectures online about "the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy." Most people, particularly those affected, are fairly sensitive to the realities, but no one can speak for another person's devastation. Some had no damage, some had significant damage, some lost everything. Some lost loved ones, and those who were lost are obviously gone forever.

Years ago, I heard a story about the Chafetz Chaim. One year, half of Radin burned down and those who were spared helped those who lost all. They rebuilt, and a little after the rebuilding was completed, the other half of Radin burned down.

As the flames were burning in "Round 2," the Chafetz Chaim was heard saying, "Baruch Hashem. (Blessed is God). There was a decree from heaven that the entire city of Radin should burn down. But the Master of the World, in His kindness, divided the decree in two halves, so people can do chesed (acts of kindness) and help one another."

In our communities, and in the United States in general, we expect nothing less. (Though I have other words for looters.) And as far as a perspective goes, the Chafetz Chaim's response is not only devout, but a reminder of the way he lived his life, truly believing that this world is a "prozdor," a tunnel connecting the pre-mortal existence of our souls to the eternity of the World to Come. This is why he was known to own few material possessions.

For most people, things could be much worse. Thank God, a natural disaster comes and goes – leaving much damage, yes, but leaving us our lives and our abilities to rebuild. Maybe some will be inspired to take on an entrepreneurial spirit. Change professions, open a business, and try to make a go of a new lease on life. Or move to a milder climate.

Avraham was old, the Torah tells us, and God had blessed him "with all." What "all" entails is a discussion. All kinds of blessings (Yonatan); not having a daughter to marry off to pagans (Midrash); having a son that he needs to marry off (Rashi, Radak); Long life, wealth, honor and children, the basic human desires (Ibn Ezra). There are other interpretations as well.

The blessing of "all" does not necessarily mean he had all the material possessions in the world. Rashbam posits that the blessing of "all" serves as an excuse for Avraham's servant to explain why there's no "shidduch" for Yitzchak in Avraham's land: "It's not as if people don't want to marry into Avraham's family – he has everything! It's just that he wants Yitzchak to marry someone from the old country."

We are told in 24:10 that the servant, traveling with 10 camels, took "all of the good of his master." All of Avraham's material possessions, it seems, could fit on ten camels – along with the servants that came along for the journey (which I can only assume lessens the amount of property on the camels).

Parshat Chayei Sarah is the last in the chapter of the life of Avraham. He loses his wife and seems to have no particular relationship with Yitzchak after "the Binding" episode. And yet before he fills the companionship void in his own life (25:1-6), he takes on the project to assure his future, and the fulfillment of "through Yitzchak you will be said to have offspring" (21:12), through building Yitzchak's marriage union with the resources he has left.

It's an amazing lesson in perspective and priorities. I'll deal with myself last, after I make sure everyone else is cared for. My material possessions are not my own anyway, I am giving them to my son (24:36, 25:5). I may not have spoken to him since our Bereshit 22 encounter, he might not even know about his mother's death (Yitzchak was not at the funeral, and a reading of 24:67 may indicate he first discovered she was gone when he brought Rivka to meet her), but I want to make sure he is set up with the best possible wife, so he can build his own family and continue the tradition I have carried in my life. In 9 short verses, Avraham declares his faith in God (24:3&7), concern for his son, and his trust in his friend (especially in 24:2&8).

It's not clear if Avraham was still a wealthy man at his death. He may have given away everything he had in his lifetime. Additionally, there are those who suggest that Yitzchak was wealthy in his youth but lost it all in his older age.

The cycle of ups and downs is therefore not a new phenomenon. Life itself is loaded with challenges, and challenges come in all forms. What are the constants? Avraham said it: Faith, family, friends. An appreciation for the gift and blessing of life itself hopefully comes hand in hand with the faith, family and friends we cherish, all of which make our lives complete.

Electricity, heat, safe homes, good neighbors, and life's amenities are blessings we now appreciate more than ever before. With God's help, and with the help of all those working on the ground to restore a sense of normalcy to local neighborhoods, I wish for everyone to be able to return to warm homes where the work to repair what needs to be repaired, replace what can be replaced, and start with the new lease on life can begin.

We cannot find answers or reasons for nature's wrath. But we can look to the future and see how we will choose to emerge from the storm.