The main focus of our Parshah is the search by Abraham for a suitable son for his wife. This of course, as in other areas, prefigured the behaviour of Jewish parents throughout the ages. Judaism has understood from the beginning that the Jewish home is the foundation of Jewish life and the right Jewish match is the basis on which that foundation rests. We thus find it not surprising that Abraham insists that his son’s future spouse should not come from his local environment but rather from his family. The children of Canaanite parents and culture are not a suitable match for a descendent of Abraham. This has also been replicated throughout Jewish history, with intermarriage being seen as undermining the future of Judaism and the Jewish people. Yet we often overlook the fact that Abraham makes another condition in instructing his servant in his mission to find Isaac a spouse. Eliezer asks what he should do if the prospective bride refuses to return with him. Should, perhaps, Isaac go to her? Abraham’s answer is unequivocal. Under no circumstances should Isaac return to Haran. In such a case the servant would be freed of his obligation to find Isaac a wife only from Abraham’s family, with the implication that he could look elsewhere, even maybe to the locals. In other words, while intermarriage is bad, leaving Israel to go back to Haran is even worse. How do we explain this position? Abraham is worried about Isaac’s future development and realises that in order to build a Jewish home, and thus a Jewish people, he will need the right wife. Yet he also knows that such a match is only the beginning of the process. Even more important is the environment in which that home is situated. What sort of Jewish home will be built? After all, he may have reasoned, he himself was happily married to a nice Jewish girl, yet was told by G-d to leave his environs in order to fulfil his spiritual potential. Isaac may be in more danger of being led astray with a Jewish girl in Haran than living in Israel with a Canaanite wife. This is a lesson for our times. Intermarriage is still a danger to Jewish continuity and needs to be discouraged. Yet it is not the end of the story. Even more important is providing the right environment for Jewish children to grow up Jewish. Without good Jewish education, all the Jewish marriages in the world will not help us.

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Sidra Statistics

Parshat Chayei Sarah

·         has 105 verses ;

·         is the 5th in Genesis, 5th in the Torah

·         11th longest in Genesis, 33rd longest in the Torah ;

·         has no mitzvot