Aging Gracefully

In chronicling the life of Avraham, we are told in the portion Chayei Sarah that “Avraham was old, well advanced in days, and G-d blessed Avraham in all things.”

Seemingly, “old” and “well advanced in days” are synonymous. Why does the verse repeat itself?

Our Sages interpret these two qualities in the following manner: “Old” alludes to the acquisition of knowledge, while “well advanced in days” refers to the filling of each and every day with the performance of mitzvos.

“Old” and “well advanced in days” thus allude to two distinct things: “Old” relates to the superior quality of Avraham’s soul, for he acquired much wisdom and insight; “well advanced in days” relates to Avraham’s accomplishments with regard to the world as a whole.

This is in keeping with the general difference between Torah and mitzvos. Torah, G-d’s wisdom, is both intellectual and spiritual. By acquiring this wisdom, one enhances the quality of one’s soul. Mitzvos, on the other hand, are clothed in physical things, and their main purpose is not so much to enhance a person’s spiritual standing as to illuminate the physical world and transform it into a dwelling fit for G-d.

Herein lies the special quality of Avraham. He was able to harmoniously combine the ability to perfect himself and the ability to perfect and elevate the world. Moreover, Avraham accomplished both in a flawless manner — he was “blessed in all things,” “old” and “well advanced in days.”

As with all accounts in the Torah, there is a lesson here for our own spiritual service:

There are individuals who constantly busy themselves with rectifying and improving the world, yet forget about their own self-improvement. Then there are others who are entirely immersed in perfecting themselves and do nothing to illuminate the world around them.

Avraham’s manner of service teaches that we must combine the two.

Although both these aspects of service are necessary, greater emphasis is placed on illuminating and improving the world because this fulfills the purpose of creation: transforming the world into a dwelling place for G-d.

Shabbat shalom!

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