"And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years." Our Sages comment, "When she was one hundred, she was like twenty regarding sin. Just as a twenty-year-old has no sin because she is exempt from liability in her youth, so too when Sarah was a hundred, she was without sin. All of the years of Sarah's life were equally good." When a person is twenty, they have plenty of energy, but they are not yet fully matured. When they are elderly that have attained wisdom, but they do not have much stamina. Sarah was the exception to the rule. When she was twenty, she had already attained profound enlightenment, which complemented her constant acts of loving-kindness and good deeds. When she was a hundred, not only was she full of wisdom, but she also retained her vibrancy to perform constant acts of loving-kindness and good deeds.
We learn from Sara that we have the inner strength to overcome our challenges, even the flaws of human nature, so that all the days of our lives are replete with perfect goodness.
Follow in the holy footsteps of Sarah to fill all the days of your life with goodness. Strive to acquire wisdom and maturity in your youth to enhance your unabated acts of loving-kindness. And when you are older, grace your understanding and knowledge with vast supplies of loving-kindness, thoughtfulness, and good deeds. (Based on Rashi to the Chumash and Be'ar Yoseph) |