At the beginning of this week’s Parsha we read that Sara died at the age of 127. The Talmud in Megilah tells a story in which Rabbi Akiva was lecturing when he noticed that his students were not paying attention. To wake them up he suggested that that Sarah lived for 127 years, corresponding to the 127 provinces over which Queen Esther ruled. Rabbi Akiva does not explain any deeper connection between these two women. What is it about Sarah that connects her to Esther? And what is the message we are meant to take from this parallel? Let us consider the life and legacy of these two extraordinary women. First, Sarah. When Avraham was commanded to leave his homeland, his birthplace, and his father's home, Sara accompanied him into an uncertain future. She left behind the familiarity and security of everything she had known, trusting in Hashem and in the mission that Avraham had been given. When they descended to Egypt because of famine, Sara was taken into Pharaoh's palace, and later a similar episode occurred with Avimelech. On both occasions, Sara's personal safety and dignity were placed in jeopardy as part of the unfolding story of the Jewish people's beginnings. She endured it all, placing her trust in Hashem. Sara’s selflessness goes further. When she realized that she had not been blessed with children, she gave Hagar to Avraham as a wife, hoping that through her, Avraham would merit the fulfillment of Hashem's promise that his descendants would become a great nation. Sara was willing to put aside her own personal longing in order to advance the Divine mission that she and Avraham had embraced. Sara's was a partner in building the future of the Jewish People, and she was willing to make extraordinary personal sacrifices to help bring that future about. Queen Esther was similarly willing to sacrifice her own comfort, security, and personal interests for the sake of something greater: the future and welfare of the Am Yisrael. Esther's story is, in many respects, a continuation of Sara's. Esther was brought into the palace of Achashverosh, initially concealing her Jewish identity. But when the Jewish People faced annihilation, Mordechai challenged her to recognize that her position of privilege came with a responsibility. She could no longer remain safely hidden. Esther understood the personal danger. She was prepared to risk everything. Her famous words, "And if I perish, I perish," capture the essence of her greatness. Esther was willing to sacrifice her own safety for the survival of her people Sara forged the Jewish value of subordinating personal comfort and security for the future of the Jewish People. Esther carried that legacy forward, putting her own life on the line when her people needed her. I few months ago, I mentioned in this forum how Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel invoked Queen Esther as he reason to support Abdul El Sayed for Senate after he won the Michigan Democratic primary. I explained then that Ms. Nessel completely misunderstood Esther’s act. Esther did not sacrifice the Jewish people for the sake of the world. She sacrificed herself for the sake of the Jewish people. Her willingness to endanger her own life was motivated by an unwavering commitment to the survival of her nation. If anyone in Michigan followed in the heroic ways of Queen Esther it was Haley Stevens. In the days leading up to the Michigan Senate election, Congresswoman Stevens made a very public decision to break with her party's nominee, Abdul El-Sayed, and endorse his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers due to an unwillingness by the El Sayed campaign to condemn anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric, including a gross and outrageous propaganda commercial in support of his campaign. Her decision brought considerable political blowback and placed her at odds with many of her allies. But there are moments when standing by one's convictions comes at a personal cost, when loyalty to a political party, professional relationships, or one's own standing must be weighed against the greater, selfless good. That is the legacy of Queen Esther, and it is the legacy of Sara before her. Two women, separated by generations, connected by 127. And one enduring lesson: our greatest responsibility is not simply to protect our own place in the world, but to ensure that the Jewish People have a future in it.
