Marriage & the Land of Israel – Chayyei Sarah
Two fundamentals of Judaism come together in this week’s portion – marriage and the Land of Israel.
The Land figures in the efforts made by Abraham to secure a burial place for Sarah.
The location and measurements are fully spelled out in the text, as befits the first piece of Eretz Yisra’el to be part of the heritage of the Jewish people.
How strange it is these days that those who know and honour the Bible can’t openly and honestly declare that the Jewish link with Israel pre-dates both Christianity and Islam!
The second fundamental of Judaism to derive from this sidra is marriage.
Abraham not only wants a bride for his son Isaac but wants careful choice to go into the selection of a bride. Another issue of particular relevance today.
Getting married to the kind of person with whom a future and a destiny can be built is an intellectual as well as an emotional issue. Treating marriage blithely and lightly does nobody any favours.
