This week’s persha Haye Sarah, translated as “the life of Sarah” is traditionally accompanied by the maqam Hijaz, reflecting the solemn mood of Sarah Imeinu’s passing. Every letter and word in the Torah carries meaning and purpose, including the very name of the perasha itself. Haye Sarah reminds us that Sarah’s legacy did not end with her death.
Rashi comments on the verse “the years of Sarah’s life were one hundred years, twenty years, and seven years” (Beresheet 23:1) that “all her years were equally good.” We know that Sarah endured years of hardship, yet she consistently found goodness in everything, living with G-d’s presence regardless of external conditions (Sforno & Ohr HaHayim). Sarah’s joy was never dependent on comfort or success. She didn’t wait for goodness to come from outside, she drew it from within. Her trust and innocence shaped her world instead of being shaped by it.
After Abraham’s mourning, the Torah devotes an unusual number of pesukim to Eliezer’s mission to find a wife for Yishaq. The story repeats itself in extraordinary detail, that is Eliezer’s journey, his prayer, and the immediate fulfillment of that prayer when Ribkah appears. Rashi (Beresheet 24:42) and Midrash Rabbah note that several miracles occurred: the journey was shortened to one day, Eliezer’s request was answered precisely, and the well itself rose to meet Ribkah’s bucket. Why were all these miracles necessary, and why such emphasis?
We can answer that Eliezer was not simply seeking a wife; he was searching for a woman who reflected Sarah’s defining traits. His test at the well was not about convenience but about hesed that went beyond obligation. Rabbi Hirsch comments that in Beresheet 18:6, Sarah personally kneads and bakes for guests despite having servants, a model of kindness done with heart. Ribkah mirrored that same hesed when she ran to draw water for Eliezer and his camels. She also shared Sarah’s modesty and upon first seeing Yishaq, “she took her veil and covered herself” (Beresheet 24:65), which Rashi highlights as an act of modesty.
In addition, this first shidduch in history carries a profound message. The Ramban (Beresheet 24:42) explains that the Torah records Eliezer’s story in such detail to teach that marriages are directed by Heaven, not by coincidence. Every miracle, the shortened road, the rising well, the perfect timing underscores a single truth: shidduchim are not random. They are guided by G-d.
We might think such Divine involvement applies only to the perfectly righteous, to Yishaq and Ribkah. Yet the Rambam in his Guide for the Perplexed, teaches that every person experiences hashgachah pratit, personal Divine providence. The Ramhal (Mesillat Yesharim, Derech Hashem 11:3) writes that our purpose is to recognize G-d’s presence in every circumstance, not only in the overtly miraculous ones.
Divine intervention isn’t limited to finding one’s match or witnessing open miracles. It’s always there, quiet, constant, and often unnoticed. We live held by G-d’s embrace and direction.
People often struggle with timing, when will it be my turn, when will things line up, when will the prayers be answered? The struggle is real. Before giving in to despair, step back. Relinquish control. Remember that only G-d can guide the right path, the right person, the right moment, and that He does, often in ways we only recognize later. That step alone carries mountains of blessing and success.
We may not always see the miracle as it unfolds, but like Sarah, we can choose to live with the certainty that G-d’s hand is present in every moment, if we only open our eyes and our hearts to see it and feel it.