"And Sarah's life"

Synopsis

Sarah's life is connected to the Mochin [another term for Spiritual Light] and the secret of Ten Sfirot that are contained within the dimension of Binah. The number 37 appears frequently here. This was Isaac's age at the time of his binding, for example, and it was because of his binding that Sarah died. The Angel of Death appeared before Sarah and told her that Abraham was about to sacrifice their son. These events convey the various levels of spiritual Light that Sarah's life revealed in this world.

Relevance

The metaphysical forces embodied by Sarah are instilled within us through thoughtful meditation upon these verses.

Hundred Keter Mochin Seven Year

23. "And Sarah's life was..." All this life is above IN BINAH. A hundred year REFERS TO KETER above. "Twenty year" IS CHOCHMAH AND BINAH above. The seven years ARE THE SEVEN LOWER SFIROT above. THIS IS THE SECRET OF THE FIRST THREE AND THE LOWER SEVEN SFIROT OF BINAH, WHERE SARAH RECEIVED LIFE, WHICH IS MOCHIN. Rabbi Shimon said, Come and look at the secret of all this. Why is the number seven followed by the word "years," while all other numbers are followed by the word "year?"

23. וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה. אִינוּן חַיִּין, כֻּלְּהוּ לְעֵילָא, מֵאָה שָׁנָה לְעֵילָא. וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה לְעֵילָא, וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים לְעֵילָא, כֻּלְּהוּ הֲווֹ כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת. אֲמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, תָּא חֲזֵי, רָזָא דְמִלָּה, מַאי שְׁנָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ, דַּאֲמַר שָׁנָה שָׁנָה, וּבְאִינוּן שֶׁבַע, דַּאֲמַר שָׁנִים. דִּכְתִיב מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וּלְבָתַר שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים.

Atzilut Hundred Keter Ten Thought Year

24. The "hundred year" includes everything, NAMELY KETER, WHICH INCLUDES ALL TEN SFIROT. EACH SFIRAH COMPRISES TEN, AND TOGETHER THEY COMPRISE ONE HUNDRED. For there is included the highest and most secret place of all, WHICH IS ARICH ANPIN, with the hundred daily benedictions, MEANING THAT IT DAILY GIVES THE ABUNDANCE OF A HUNDRED BENEDICTIONS UPON MALCHUT FROM THE HUNDRED SFIROT IN IT. ARICH ANPIN IS THE SECRET OF KETER OF ATZILUT. Also, the "twenty year," WHICH ARE CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, INCLUDE ARICH ANPIN, the most concealed of all. For that reason, it is written "year" IN THE SINGULAR, which is the secret of unison, for a thought and a Jubilee (Heb. yovel). THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH AND BINAH never separate from each other, AS THE FIRST THREE SFIROT ARE JOINED TO EACH OTHER AS ONE.

24. אֶלָּא מֵאָה שָׁנָה, כְּלָלָא דְכֹלָּא תַּמָּן, דְּאִתְכְּלֵיל אֲתַר עִלָּאָה, כֹּלָּא כַּחֲדָא, בְּרָזָא דְמֵאָה בִּרְכָאָן, בְּכָל יוֹמָא. וְכֵן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה, דְּאִתְכְּלֵיל עִלָּאָה סְתִימָא דְכָל סְתִימִין, וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב שָׁנָה רָזָא דְּיִחוּדָא, דְּלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מַחֲשָׁבָה וְיוֹבְלָא לְעָלְמִין.

Creation Judgment Mercy Seven Ten Year

25. But the seven years, WHICH ARE THE SEVEN LOWER SFIROT OF BINAH, are separated from each other and from that which is hidden above, ARICH ANPIN. Although everything is united and all are equal, THE LOWER SEVEN pertain to Judgement and Mercy in many aspects and paths. This is not so IN THE FIRST THREE SFIROT OF BINAH, FOR ARICH ANPIN IS ENCLOTHED IN THEM above THE CHEST, WHERE THERE IS NO JUDGEMENT AT ALL. For that reason, it is WRITTEN "SEVEN YEARS" AND NOT 'SEVEN year,' AS WITH THE FIRST THREE SFIROT. THE WHOLE TEN SFIROT, THE FIRST THREE AND LOWER SEVEN, are called life. Therefore it is written, "And Sarah's life was...," for it existed. It was created substantively and existed above, IN THE TEN SFIROT OF BINAH.

25. שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים: אִלֵּין אִתְפָּרְשָׁן, וְנָפְקָאן מִכְּלָלָא סְתִימָאָה דִלְעֵילָא. וְאַף עַל גָּב דְּכֹלָּא יִחוּדָא חָדָא, אֲבָל מִתְפָּרְשָׁן, בְּדִינָא וְרַחֲמֵי, בְּכַמָּה סִטְרִין וְאוֹרְחִין, מַה דְּלָא הֲוֵי הָכֵי לְעֵילָא. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב שָׁנָה, רָזָא דְּיִחוּדָא, דְּלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ לְעָלְמִין. וְכֻלְּהוּ אִקְרוּן חַיִּים, וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה, דַּהֲווֹ מַמָּשׁ, דְּאִתְבְּרִיאוּ וְאִתְקַיְּימוּ לְעֵילָא.

Abraham Birth Death Death and the Afterlife Isaac Torah Women Year

26. Rabbi Chiya said that it has been explained WHY THE DEATH OF SARAH IS WRITTEN RATHER THAN THAT OF THE OTHER WOMEN. Isaac was 37 years old when he was bound, and because he was bound, Sarah died, as is written, "And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her" (Beresheet 23:2). From where did he come? From mount Moriyah, where he was binding Isaac. The 37 years from the time that Isaac was born until the time he was bound were the life of Sarah, for "vayihyu (was)" is 37 years in numerical value - the years from Isaac's birth to his binding. IN ORDER TO MENTION THIS, SARAH'S DEATH IS MENTIONED IN THE TORAH.

26. אֲמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא, הָא אוֹקְמוּהָ, דְהָא כַּד אִתְעַקַּד יִצְחָק, בַּר תְּלָתִין וְשֶׁבַע שְׁנִין הֲוָה, וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְעַקַּד יִצְחָק, מִיתַת שָׂרָה, דִּכְתִיב וַיָּבֹא אַבְרָהָם לִסְפֹּד לְשָׂרָה וְלִבְכֹּתָהּ. מֵאַיִן בָּא, מֵהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה, בָּא מִלְּמֶעֱקַד לֵיהּ לְיִצְחָק, וְאִינוּן תְּלָתִין וְשֶׁבַע שְׁנִין, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְיְילֵיד יִצְחָק, עַד שַׁעְתָּא דְּאִתְעַקַּד, אִינוּן הֲווֹ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה וַדַּאי, כְּחוּשְׁבַּן וַיִּהְיוּ, בְּגִימַטְרִיָּ"א תְּלָתִין וּשְׁבַע שְׁנִין הֲווֹ, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר, מִדְּאִתְיְלֵיד יִצְחָק עַד דְּאִתְעַקַּד.