|
|
|
|
Moshiach in the Parsha - Chayei Sarah
|
|
THE SECOND BOW
Breishis 23:7,12.
Source: Midrash Hagadol In the account of how Avraham bought a burial place for Sarah from the children of Cheis, he bowed down twice before them. But the Midrash says that the children of Cheis had appointed Avraham as king over them, and that he was not really bowing down to them. Avraham was really bowing down to Hashem, thanking Him for his having been appointed king. In reward for these 2 times that Avraham bowed, all the nations of the world will also bow 2 times to his children, the Jewish people. The first time that they bowed down was in the times of King Shlomo, as it is written, (Tehillim 72:11), "And all the kings bowed to him." The second time will be in the days of Mashiach, as the prophet Yeshayahu said (49:23), "Kings will be your baby-sitters, and their princesses will be your nursemaids, and they will bow their faces to the ground before you."
BOUGHT AND WAITING
Breishis 23:16.
Source: Beraishis Rabah 79:7
When Avraham was obtaining a place to bury Sarah, Efron first said that he wanted to give the field of Machpelah in Chevron as a gift. But Avraham insisted on paying full price -- and even a very high price -- for the field. This is one of the 3 places that were clearly bought by the Jewish people and that the sale was recorded in the Written Torah. Therefore, the gentiles can't even pretend to complain that we have taken it from them illegally. The second place is the burial place of Yosef, as it is written (Beraishis 33:19), "And he (Yaakov) bought the piece of land." The 3rd place is the location of the Bais Hamikdash, which was bought by King David for 600 gold shekels (Divrei HaYomim I, 21:25). It is on that place where the 3rd Bais Hamikdash will be built.
SHABBOS CANDLES AND ETERNAL LIGHT
Breishis 24:67.
Sources: Rashi. Yalkut Shimoni, B'haaloscha Rashi says that Rivkah brought back 3 miracles to Sarah's tent, including that the candle lit on Erev Shabbos remained lit until the following Erev Shabbos. In Yalkut Shimoni it is written that the rewards in the days of Mashiach for lighting Shabbos candles include the following: * Hashem will show the candles of Tzion, as it is written, "On that day, I will search Yerushalayim with candles." (Tzefania 1:12) * We won't need the light of the sun because Hashem's glory will light the way, as it says, "You will no longer need the sun for daylight nor the moon to shine, for Hashem will be your eternal light." (Yeshayahu 60:19) * The nations will walk in the light of the Jewish People, as it says, "The nations will walk in your light." (ibid. 60:3)
THE 8TH TENT
Breishis 24:67
Source: Baal HaTurim When Yitzchak took Rivkah as a wife, the Torah writes that he took her, "into the tent." This word (ha'ohelah) is written eight times in the Torah. The 8 times it is mentioned allude to the 8 places where the Divine Presence was destined to rest among the Jewish people. The 7 places where the Divine Presence already rested were: 1) the Mishkan (the sanctuary) in the desert, 2) Gilgal, 3) Shiloh, 4) Nov, 5) Givon, 6) the first Bais Hamikdash, and 7) the second Bais Hamikdash. The 8th place will be the third Hamikdash which will be built in the Days of Mashiach.
ALL SHALL BE RIGHTEOUS
Breishis 25:1.
Source: Beraishis Rabah 61:4 At the end of the parsha, the Torah tells us that Avraham married Keturah, and that they had 6 sons: Zimran, Yakshan, M'dan, Midyan, Yishbak, and Shuach. All 6 grew up to be idol worshippers, and their names indicate this. "Zimran," for example, shows that they used to sing (m'zamrin) to idols. How could the tzadik Avraham have had such wicked children? Hashem says that before the Redemption, it can happen that righteous people have some children who grow up to be righteous and others who grow up to be evil. But in the Days of Mashiach, all will be righteous, as it says (Yeshayahu 60:21), "They shall inherit the land forever; they are the branch of my planting and the work of my hands in which I am proud." Even the wicked sons of Avraham and Keturah will serve the Jewish people in the days of Mashiach.
THE FAR EAST IS WAITING
Breishis 25:6.
Source: Midrash Hagadol Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmeni said: When Avraham saw the great number of children he had, he knew that they would be harmful to Yitzchak and therefore, Avraham sent them off to the far eastern end of the world. Avraham said to them: "Yitzchak is my precious son. Any nations which will enslave Yitzchak and his descendants will be punished severely in Gehenom. Therefore you should all stay far away in the east. As long as the children of Yitzchak are enslaved among the nations, remain where you are. But when you will hear that they are living safely and securely, come and serve them. In this way you will merit the Shofar of Mashiach." In the days of Shlomo, some of them came to serve the Jewish people, thinking that he was Melech HaMashiach. When they saw that he wasn't, they returned to the east. They will return when Mashiach is actually revealed, may it be speedily in our days!.
YISHMAEL'S FALL
Breishis 25:18.
Source: Beraishis Rabah 62:5 The last word in parshas Chaye Sarah hints to what will happen to the children of Yishmael in the days of Mashiach. The last verse says, "And before all his brothers he lived". This same statement is recorded earlier (16:12) in the promise to Yishmael's mother. But the Hebrew words used for the phrase, "he lived," are much different in the two places. Earlier, it is clearly written, "he shall live" (yishkon). But here, the word, "nafal," is used, which literally means, "he fell"! Why is it written in this way? The Midrash gives 3 reasons for why it is written "he fell." One reason is that during the lifetime of Avraham he "lived" but after Avraham's death, he "fell." The 2nd reason is that before his descendants attacked the Bais Hamikdash, they "lived," but after they attacked it, they "fell." And finally, in the time of exile the descendants of Yishmael "live," but in the days of Mashiach, they will "fall."
|
|
|
|
|
