The Secret of Sarah Imeinu's Laughter: The Soul of Yitzchak and the Future Redemption

Lesson No. 273 | Lesson 1 - Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh Parashas Vayeira, Eve of 21 Cheshvan 5761 - Yeshiva Ketana "Ohr Torah"

Sarah Imeinu (our Matriarch) did not laugh out of a lack of emunah (faith), but rather out of crying and fear. This article explains, according to the "Haamek Davar" and the "Heichal HaBracha," the depth of Sarah's intention in demanding a son who was above the way of nature, a holy and pure soul in whose merit the Geulah (Redemption) would come to the Jewish people.

Hashem promises Avraham Avinu (our Patriarch): "And I will bless her, and I will also give you a son from her; and I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall be from her." Hashem promises him a son named Yitzchak, and commands him to change Sarai's name to Sarah, because a change of name has the power to help one be blessed with children.

Avraham returns home and brings Sarah the tidings of the prophecy he received. He tells her: "I received a prophecy, from today you are called Sarah. In exactly one year, at this time, a son will be born to us, and from him will come kings, tribes who will illuminate the entire world."

Sarah hears the good news and begins to rejoice. For two whole days, Avraham and Sarah dance and sing songs of thanksgiving to Hashem. After eighty-five years of anticipation and prayers for children, the long-awaited news finally arrives.

The Contradiction - Why Does Sarah Laugh?

And behold, exactly two days later, three Arabs (the angels) arrive at the tent, and they also say: "I will surely return to you at this time next year, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son."

Seemingly, Sarah should have answered, "Baruch Hashem (Blessed is Hashem), it is true, we already received the message two days ago." But instead, her reaction is surprising: "And Sarah laughed within herself."

How can this laughter be understood? After all, just two days ago she received an explicit prophecy from Avraham that she would have a son, a son who would become nations, from whom the kings of the House of David and the King Mashiach ben David would emerge. How is it possible that after two days of dancing and immense joy, suddenly when the guests arrive, she begins to laugh?

A Soul Above the Way of Nature

The answer to this is explained by two of the greatest leaders of Israel: the Netziv of Volozhin zt"l in his book "Haamek Davar," and the Komarno Rebbe zt"l in his book "Heichal HaBracha." Both of them, a leader of the Lithuanian tzaddikim and a leader of the Chassidic tzaddikim, gave the exact same explanation without having seen each other's words, to show that our Torah is a Torah of truth. Both explain that Sarah's laughter was not a laugh of joy, but rather a laugh of crying and disappointment.

Hashem can bring children into the world even without the way of nature. Hashem can tell a stone to give birth, or bring forth offspring from water, as we saw with Yaakov Avinu who became the wealthiest man in the world simply from the sheep drinking water.

Sarah Imeinu prayed for 85 years. She did not want just any child through the way of nature. The tzaddikim want to bring holy and pure souls into the world, above the way of nature, souls that have no blemish and no connection to sin.

When Sarah heard the news from the angels, she feared that it might be a regular child. She said to Hashem: "Is this what You are giving me after 85 years of crying out to You? I want a child above nature, a holy child who will have absolutely no interest in the materialism of the street."

Yitzchak Avinu - The Defender of Israel

Sarah knew through Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Inspiration) that the future Geulah (Redemption) depended on Yitzchak. The Gemara in Tractate Shabbos (89b) says that in the future to come, when Hashem will say to Avraham and Yaakov, "Your children have sinned," they will answer, "Let them be wiped out for the sanctification of Your Name." Only Yitzchak Avinu will advocate and teach defense for the Jewish people, saying: "Master of the Universe, when they preceded 'we will do' to 'we will hear' before You, You called them 'My firstborn son'; now are they my sons and not Your sons?"

Yitzchak will calculate the years of a person's life and prove that they have almost no time to sin, and he will say to Hashem: "Half is upon me and half is upon You." In order for Yitzchak to be able to teach such a defense and say, "I am pure and clean, I was bound upon the altar," he had to be absolutely holy.

Yitzchak never opened his eyes to look at the street, and therefore it is said, "And his eyes became dim from seeing." Sarah demanded that this son be above all nature, and therefore, when she feared that there might be a trace of naturalness in him, she cried.

The Secret of Sarah's Fear

These matters are hinted at in the verse itself. The verse, "And Sarah denied, saying, 'I did not laugh,' for she was afraid; and He said, 'No, but you did laugh,'" is extremely rare, and is divided into four parts by the cantillation marks (the pesek). In each such segment, awesome secrets are hidden.

Why does it say, "For she was afraid" ("ki yare'ah")? What was Sarah afraid of? The author of the "Heichal HaBracha" explains that Sarah heard the angel say to Avraham: "And behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son." Longevity always comes from the side of the man (as seen in the genealogies from Adam to Noach). When it says "a son to Sarah"—a son attributed only to the woman—this could hint at a short life.

Sarah foresaw through Ruach HaKodesh (Divine Inspiration) that Yitzchak might die at a young age. She was afraid ('for she was afraid') that she had received a son whose life would be short. Indeed, the holy Arizal explains that Yitzchak was supposed to pass away at the age of 37 (the gematria of Hevel, whom he came to rectify), and only in the merit of the Akeidah (Binding of Yitzchak) was he granted a long life.

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