Don't Grow Up
Parshat Chayei Sarah
In this weeks Torah Portion Chayei Sarah the Torah states "and Sarah's life was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years, the days of Sarah's life". While there are many interesting and sometimes puzzling passages in the Torah, this one seems to be at the top of the "bizarre quotes" of the day.
Why couldn't the Torah have said simply she lived 127 years.
Rashi explains, that when she was one hundred years she was perfect, free of sin and judgment. Just as we are told that the heavenly court does not judge a person until they begin their twenty first year and have achieved maturity, (this does not give a pass to any teens, mine included) so too, our mother Sarah was free of sin. And we are then told, that at the age of 20 she was innocent, pure and untainted like a seven year old child.
In other words, this seemingly long and cryptic verse is really singing Sarah's praises in a most beautiful manner.
We can learn something important from this verse. In life, we are constantly growing. We become wiser, more astute and more sophisticated as time goes on. While we often kvetch or reminisce about being children (going uphill, barefoot to school for three miles, in the freezing cold) we rarely appreciate the beautiful quality and purity of our childhood.
Don't grow up too much.
Try to tap into that pure Emunah- simple faith and sincerity, that we could so benefit from as adults.
Shabbat Shalom
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