Friends of Itamar

I have always loved clouds, challah and candles, but now I have a heightened awareness of them, especially for Chayeh Sarah.

I’m in the process of restarting as a Matriarch as my grand -daughters look at me and into me, taking in every aspect of my persona as they grow. Here, on the mountains of Israel they are being raised by my children, not far from my home. This is where Sarah and Abraham walked as they pitched their tent; perhaps right in the yard. We hike the Tel now, talk about these private views of the curves of Hashem’s Land- here it is laid out before us. Modern Times are upon us yet we slip back to the clouds of Sarah- these are the clouds of glory that covered her tent. These same clouds. A stone water trough is positioned on an ancient water cistern – it is not hard to imagine the flock of camels drinking to their delight. We review the stories of these parshas- My task- as never before- to be my mom’s daughter, to be a mom to my daughters and to be a matriarch to my grandchildren. I start by just a sigh of contentment as I look up at these same clouds. Wordless, they get it. The view tells it all. Walking down the slope of the Tel enthusiastically now, the girls skip to my house where the dough has been rising. We roll out the dough, braid it and soon the scent that filled Sarah’s tent permeates like none other. Memories of my one and only grandmother (my father’s mother perished along with everyone but him in the holocaust) are filled with the scents of her cooking and baking and this memory imbues my life with meaning.

Our Immahote teach us about integrity as in Sarah knowing what is right for their home, saying it- CAST YISHMAEL the murderer out- Hashem approves. Rivkah came to the tent of Sarah to her husband, Yitzchak, an orphan, and they loved each other- the purest and strongest relationship that became the foundation stone for all generations to this day. Later we will read of Rachel, in her act of concession to her sister as she gave over the signs as an example of the purest form of chesed. The balance of givingness and holding back are perfect examples for our children to know how to handle life- regardless of the time.

For all time.

Israel is at war now. After an exile of 2,000 years and an exile from our holy sites for over three decades in which rain and sleet poured, the sun baked, the years passed- Jews were banished from the heart of Israel’s Tomb of Yosef, Jericho, and all the places we can see but not touch. Even worse, they were turned into cities of refuge for terrorists, right here in the heart of Israel. This is the time to listen to Sarah. This is a biblical time as our comeback is soon. Much healing is needed as we recuperate and rehabilitate, fighting this war that could have been prevented if we had enough integrity. Our matriarchs are raising young lion cubs that are eradicating the enemy! The wounds burn, itch, fall off and heal- revealing new skin- a new spirit- Mothers of Israel are raising the soldiers of King David.

Chayeh Sarah is about convalescence. Rivkah heals Yitzchak, kindling the candle that burned from one Shabbat to the next. Chazzal teach us that when Adam and Chava were banished from Gan Eden the lights went out.

We light the Shabbat candles and usher in the light.

Come clouds of glory! Come to mama!

Shabbat shalom, Leah