Chayei Sarah: Building a World of Love After a Week of Violence
By: Rabbi Sandra Lawson
Tags: Pittsburgh, Torah, Judaism

The events of this past week were difficult for us all. Last week a man armed with weapons attempted to enter the First Baptist Church of Jeffersontown, a predominantly black church in Kentucky. The doors were locked and no one was inside but a few moments before the church was packed. When the man found the church locked he then went to a local Kroger and murdered Maurice Stallard and Vickie Jones. Shooting both of them several times. He killed Stallard and Jones for being black. He was looking for black people to kill that day. Our hearts and our prayers are with this community that is grieving.

On Saturday, last shabbat, morning in Pittsburgh at the Tree of Life — Or L’Simcha synagogue, Jews were murdered while they were praying and they were killed for being Jews. This horrific event has pierced the heart of Jews and non-jews worldwide.

Our hearts and our prayers go out to the the families who have have lost loved ones and we are praying for a complete recovery both physically and mentally from those who have suffered from this traumatic ordeal.

I represent the groups that have been targeted by violence and murder this past week. Even though I don’t spend every waking hour thinking about my identities, I am well aware that I live in a world that sees my blackness before they see me or get to know me, and my Jewishness often represents a threat.

Let us not forget the bombs that were mailed to prominent political figures who oppose this administration’s policies.

All of this is tied together by hatred and bigotry. I believe that the political rhetoric that we see from some of our leaders who run our country has embolden many with extremist views, this must stop. We have come too far in our nation’s history to move back in time. Regardless of our political views we must come together to stop hatred and bigotry, racism and anti-semitism. We as a nation and as a people must unite and work together against hate.

This week we are in the Torah portion Chayei Sarah: the Life of Sarah. In the beginning of this week’s Torah we celebrate the life of Sarah and at the end of this week’s torah we celebrate the life of Abraham. The cool part is that in this week’s Torah when Abraham dies his sons Isaac and Ishmael come together to bury him. It’s the perfect symbol of the struggle to bringing people together. In this political climate that we live in where so much is focused on how we disagree. This week’s Torah reminds us that despite difference we can come together. It happened in the past, it can happen today and will happen in the future.

Now back to this week’s Torah portion. The word hesed, which means kindness, is repeated throughout this portion. Hesed represents kindness and love between people. The word hesed is used to describe Abraham, he is known for his great kindness.

It was this characteristic that Abraham valued most and wanted to passed on to his family.

And it was this characteristic that made Rebecca a suitable mate for Abraham’s son Isaac. Rebecca demonstrated supreme acts of kindness, giving more than was asked of her and expecting nothing in return.

I would hope that on this Shabbat, after everything that we have been through as a nation, and as a community that we rededicate ourselves to Hesed “acts of kindness.” Acts of kindness toward our family, our friends, strangers, and especially each other. Let’s practice “random acts of kindness,” and love without being asked and expecting nothing in return. It will make a difference. I believe that kindness towards other will create Olam Hesed a world of love. And to quote a friend Olam Hesed Yibaneh — We will build this world of love.