Parshas Chayei Sarah

Liyluy Nishmas Elchonon Tzvi ben R' Yisroel Menachem, Zev Yehudah ben R' Shmuel Mordechai, R' Baruch Moshe Aryeh ben R' Zev Yehudah

 In perek chaf gimmel posuk beis it says "Vatamas Sarah b'Kiryas Arbah hiy Chevron b"Eretz Canaan, vayavo Avraham lispod osah v'livkosa" "Sarah died in Kiryas Arbah which is Chevron in the land of Canaan, and Avraham came to eulogize Sarah and to cry over her." Rashi explains that the reason why the incident of the Akeida is followed by the death of Sarah, is because when she heard her son was almost slaughtered her nishama flew out of her and she passed away.

 Reb Chaim Shmulevitz ztl brings to light the differences between Avraham and Sarah regarding the Akeida. Avraham was able to overcome his tremendous feelings of rachmanus and take a knife and slaughter his "only" beloved son. Sarah however who we know was on a higher level of Nevuah than Avraham couldn't handle it. She heard her son was almost slaughtered,or as the Targum Yonasan learns it the Satan told her Yitzchak really had been slaughtered, and she passed away.

 Reb Chaim asks, what was the difference between the two of them? Why was Sarah unable to handle it?

  One answer that Reb Chaim gives is that Avraham had the chance to adapt to the news slowly and therefore was not totally overcome by it. As we know Hashem broke the news to Avraham "kach na es bincha es yichidcha asher ahavta es Yitzchak". Sarah however heard it all at once and had no chance to adapt to it and therefore her nefesh flew out. The idea of needing to adapt to a situation, Histaglus, is a real force in a person.

 However Reb Chaim gives another answer. When a person is faced with a nisayon, Hashem does not only gives him the nisayon, but also the means to overcome it. The ramban says that no person is given a nisayon that they can not pass. Avraham Avinu was given the nisayon of the Akeida, and therefore with it the ability to overcome it. Sarah however was not given the nisayon, she just happened to hear about it, so she was not strong enough to overcome the shock and according to the Tragum Yonasan the pain that came with the news.

 We see the Koach that adaption has on people and we know that one can obviously adapt to a positive setting or a not so positive setting. Realizing how strong the midah of histaglus is we can possibly guide ourselves to adapt to what we feel are the correct things in our lives. From Reb Chaim's second answer and the Ramban we can just remind ourselves of an incredible fact. No one is faced with a nisayon they can't pass. It may feel like it's impossible but if it was we wouldn't be in the situation. Keeping that in mind can help give alot of chizuk in a time of hardship. Good Shabbos