Within the educational program of the project of the Jewish Community of Dnipro, “Beit Yoel” – a Dnipro Beit Chabad for Israelis living and studying in the city – another Torah lesson for girls took place, conducted by Rebbetzin Leah Dorfman. The traditional weekly gathering was held at the home of the Dorfman family and was dedicated to the weekly portion of Chayei Sarah, and the main theme of the class was the spiritual legacy of the Matriarch Sarah, which continues to determine the fate of the Jewish people even thousands of years after her departure from life.
At the center of the discussion was the question that arises already upon becoming acquainted with the name of the portion: why is it called “The Life of Sarah” if it begins with the account of her death? Rebbetzin Leah Dorfman invited the participants to look at the subsequent events of the portion as a continuation of the work of Sarah’s entire life. It is precisely her passing that becomes the starting point for Avraham’s acquisition of the Cave of Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite, and then the narrative moves on to the mission of Eliezer, who set out in search of a bride for Yitzchak.
Special attention was given by the girls to the fact that all these events are united by one profound idea. Throughout her entire life, Sarah concerned herself with ensuring that her descendants from generation to generation would walk in the way of the Almighty, preserving faithfulness to His mitzvos and passing Jewish values on to their children. And although Sarah’s earthly life came to an end, her work continued in the establishment of the family of Yitzchak and Rivka, on which the future of the subsequent generations of the Jewish people depended. That is precisely why the name “Chayei Sarah” acquires special meaning: a person’s true life continues in their spiritual legacy, in the values and deeds that remain after them.
“The story of the Matriarch Sarah helps one understand that the significance of a human life is determined not only by the years lived but also by what a person leaves behind,” noted Rabbi Yaakov Dorfman, director of the “Beit Yoel” project. “It is especially important for our students to become aware of the enormous role that a Jewish woman plays in preserving tradition and transmitting spiritual values to future generations. We are glad that such lessons help the girls understand more deeply their purpose and feel themselves part of the united and cohesive Jewish Community of Dnipro under the leadership of Chief Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
