This fall, election season has taken front and center in our lives, mailboxes, text messages and robocalls.
But in the Lewis household, we are experiencing a different kind of election season — one for our child. The question is, where will she “elect” to attend college (and, which college will “elect” her to become a member of its student community?) Our daughter is in the midst of the college application process. She even considered dressing up as a college application for Halloween, because it was “the scariest thing I can think of!”
Chayei Sarah and a mother’s fear for her child
Yet, as a rabbi who is a parent to a high school senior, the scariest thing I can imagine is my daughter going away to college. And this lived experience raised the awareness of a Torah connection. Our Torah portion as I write this week, Chayei Sarah (“The life of Sarah”) begins with the death of Sarah. It was a death that some sages of Jewish tradition postulated was born of a mother’s fear for her child.
During Rosh Hashanah, we had recounted the story of the Akeidah — the most challenging test of Abraham.
During Rosh Hashanah, we had recounted the story of the Akeidah — the most challenging test of Abraham.
Abraham took his son Isaac up to the mountain, potentially to offer him as a sacrifice. Although God ultimately sent a ram to sacrifice in place of Isaac, Jewish oral tradition taught that Sarah saw Isaac in a vision before he returned with Abraham from the mountain.
In the vision, Sarah learned from Isaac himself that if not for an angel of God calling out to Abraham at the last moment, Abraham would have slain him.
Her fear and pain at her child’s experience caused Sarah to cry out to God and to breathe her last breaths.
Her fear and pain at her child’s experience caused Sarah to cry out to God and to breathe her last breaths (Vayikra Rabbah 20:2).
At once, this Torah portion is relatable for the parent of a child going off into the unknown. We wish to protect them; we wish them happiness, health and, God willing, a kind world — that is, a world that values human dignity and ethical principles more than the politics of the day.
We shift to consideration of kavanot
Although November is a loud month in the world of politics, we find ourselves in a quieter month in the Jewish calendar. The month of Heshvan calls us to be more intentional in our actions. In Hebrew, we call these intentions kavanot.
The rabbis of our tradition taught us to take a few silent moments before we pray to reflect on our intentions. Kavanot can help us both in our prayer world and in the action world of our lives.
The rabbis of our tradition taught us to take a few silent moments before we pray to reflect on our intentions.
As we approach the month of Kislev (beginning November 11), let us focus our kavanot on our upcoming gatherings of family and loved ones.
Our American Thanksgiving holiday comes on Kislev 16. And Hanukkah is just around the corner, beginning on Kislev 25. The days that we spend with one another on these happy occasions are truly miracles of logistics — negotiating location and menu, travel to and from, and maintaining patience with and for one another.
May God bless these gatherings in the coming months. And may these blessed times help all of us to overcome our fears of the unknown.
Rabbi Jennifer Lewis will serve UHC Terre Haute during the 2026-27 academic year.
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