Parashat Chayei Sarah begins with Sarah’s passing and ends with Abraham’s passing. In between is all about their legacy.
Immediately after Sarah’s burial, we are given the above line of introduction, as Abraham turns his attention to the next generation, finding a wife for Isaac. The biblical description of being “old, advanced in years” is not a description of age. It highlights a timely need for contemplation as to how one’s whole raison d’être can continue without them. The same phrase is used in the haftarah: “And King David was old, he came into his old age, and they covered him with clothes, but he was not warmed.”
Like Abraham, it is time for David to think about his legacy, naming an heir to avoid anarchy following his passing. Unlike Abraham, he is not blessed with physical strength at this time. The contrast between Abraham who was “blessed with everything’ and King David, who despite multiple garments could not maintain his body temperature, is poignant.
Where Abraham is proactive in seeking out a wife for Isaac, King David is passive. With rebellion looming, his wife Bathsheba takes control, persuading David to proclaim his heir and initiate a succession plan.
