Session 45: Parashat Chayei Sara

The Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863

Parashat Chayei Sarah includes the first instance of public grieving in the Torah, when Abraham mourns the loss of his wife. Public grief is a feature of human society, allowing communities to collectively process loss and seek solace in each other. Additionally, besides creating a container for the emotions of the moment, public mourning allows a society to reflect on its deepest commitments and noblest aspirations. Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address achieved all this and more in a few short paragraphs.

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