“Sarah's life was a hundred and twenty and seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.” (Genesis 23:1).
According to Rashi, Sarah's life of 127 years was made up of 127 years of living righteously, living to her fullest potential. Like Sarah, we are put on this earth for a limited number of years. It is up to us to make the most of them. According to the Sefat Emet this is done by “Shemitchadesh lo yida'ut bchol yom” – a person is to renew their understanding every day. Doing so in a conscientious way makes a person a tzadik—a righteous person--such that “The tzadik joins each day to its root [God's will]”1.
The immeasurable value of tzedekah—righteousness--has been described in previous writings ashaving been the characteristic for which Noah and Abraham were chosen for their roles in history, and also as the measure by which Sodom was sentenced. Here, we highlight tzedakah as a daily practice of expanding our consciousness and connecting to the Greater Good; updating our understanding of the world and its need; and honing our actions to fill our time to the fullest.
Time is truly of the Essence; the double meaning, poignant. Renewing our understanding today draws us to the Source, and informs us of the growing urgency of our world's need for our tzedakah. "...The planet has warmed since the preindustrial period, [pushing] Earth toward irreversible change, some of which is unavoidable...decisive action to cut emissions quickly and thoroughly...can greatly reduce the risks of crossing further dangerous thresholds that would put the planet even more at risk..."2
Sarah optimized every day in her life, with regular attunement, befitting of a person “b'tzdakah”, to the needs of the world around her. She is a role model for us: connecting every day to The Source in tzedakah. May it be God's will that we all live like Sarah: connect each day to its Source, and with tzedakah, address the ethical imperatives in ourselves, our family, our neighbors, and our world.
1 Sefat Emet, Parshat Chaye Sarah, 2
2 https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/some-irreversible-changes-to-the-climate-can-still-be-headed-off-report-says