וַתָּמׇת שָׂרָה בְּקִרְיַת אַרְבַּע הִוא חֶבְרוֹן בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן וַיָּבֹא אַבְרָהָם לִסְפֹּד לְשָׂרָה וְלִבְכֹּתָהּ (23:2)
Avraham Avinu was in mourning. His beloved wife of so many years had passed away and he felt it was imperative that he eulogize her properly. Surely, at the first formal funeral mentioned in the Torah, the Father of our nation must have delivered a profound eulogy for our first Matriarch. The first Jewish couple had been through so much! Yet, he had a dilemma; what should he say? Sarah was so special to so many people in so many ways that he didn’t know where to begin to sing her praises.
Sarah Imeinu was the consummate prophetess. She was the epitome of beauty, inside and out. The mother of Klal Yisroel; a more quintessential “Yiddishe Mama” there never was. How did Avraham Avinu describe this righteous woman’s pure and inspirational life – how did he succinctly summarize her immense greatness?
The Midrash Tanchuma (Chayei Sarah 4:1) writes that the hesped that Avraham Avinu said on that day was the very song that we sing every Friday night. Within the mystical phrases that comprise Eishes Chayil (Mishlei 31:10-31), Sarah Imeinu is eulogized by her husband and idealized by Chazal as the model Jewish woman.
Sarah Imeinu’s ultimate accomplishment – the focal point of her life, her mission and crowning achievement – can be found in the title that she is bestowed as she is laid to rest. Dedicated and committed, heeding her husband’s call, Sarah reflected a prophetic vision of a world beyond our own. Forever faithful to her role, she, together with Avraham, united heaven and earth by providing education, direction and instruction to her son and to all the souls that looked to her for guidance.
As the foundation of our people, she is the Eishes Chayil that every Jewish woman strives to emulate – and for good reason! As Chazal tell us, it was in the merit of the Eishes Chayil that we were redeemed from Mitzrayim and is in whose merit Moshiach will soon arrive. Bim’heirah v’yameinu, Amein!
The New York School of Jewish Song was founded in 1974 by accomplished choir director Ephraim Klein and exceptional arranger Hershel Lebovits. In 1975, their first record made significant waves in the world of Jewish music by introducing us to the incomparable compositions of Yossi Green. By the time their second volume was released in 1976, the choir was in constant demand. Today’s song, Aishes Chayil, was yet another one of their heartwarming hits and was composed by Chaya Borger – sister of the late choirmaster Shmuel Borger, z’l of Amudai Shaish fame.
Eishes chayil mi yimtzah… who would believe that after all these years, this eternal epitaph (with all its beautiful tunes) is still more precious to us than pearls.
Wishing you an exemplary Shabbos Mevorchim Chodesh Kislev!
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