Parshas Chayei Sarah begins with the death of Sarah Imeinu, and the recounting of her productive days and years. The parsha begins, “Sarah’s lifetime was one hundred years, twenty years, and seven years, the years of Sarah’s life.”
Rashi explains that the passuk repeats the words “The years of Sarah’s life” again, to teach us that all her years were equal for their goodness.
Is there another explanation?
My great grandfather, Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vadaath would often officiate at weddings of his students. As halacha dictates, the marriage officially begins when the groom places the ring on the bride’s finger, while uttering “Harei at mekudeshes li…”
At one wedding, as the groom tried to place the ring on the bride’s finger, the ring slipped out of his hand and fell. He picked it up and tried again, unsuccessfully. The ring fell again. Noticeably nervous, he tried a third time, but dropped the ring again.
Someone ran up to Rav Yaakov, “Are you sure we should continue the ceremony? Isn’t this an omen that this marriage is not to be? Maybe cancel the wedding!”
Rav Yaakov was unfazed. “Hashem makes sure that everything happens at exactly the right time. The groom dropping the ring is an omen that he is not supposed to get married yet. The right time for him to get married is one minute later!”
The groom then placed the ring perfectly on his bride’s finger. “Mazal Tov!”
My grandfather, Rav Binyamin Kamenetzky zt”l would repeat the answer given by his father, Rav Yaakov Kamenetzky zt”l, printed in his Sefer Emes L’Yaakov. It was no secret that Avraham and Yitzchok just returned form the Akeida. Chazal tell us that the Satan came to inform Sarah of Yitzchok’s near-death experience, and Sarah passed away from the trauma.
People started talking, and naturally, they blamed her death on the events of the Akeida.
The Torah reassures us that this is not the case. The repeated words, “The years of Sarah’s life” at the end of the passuk, tell us that her years were not cut short. These years were always meant to be her years.
For Hashem is the One who counts our days, but we must make sure to make our days count.
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