A Short Vort On Chayei Sarah

Gravity, Captain Phillips, and All is Lost are movies presently playing in theaters. I find it interesting that there are 3 films out there right now which all deal with alienation and existentialism using an exciting and suspenseful external context to deal with an issue which is actually internal and can even seem to be banal.

This fits well with Aviva Zorberg's approach to Chayei Saraah. She cites a Medrash that has Yitzchak himself telling Sorah that he almost dies and then she dies from the shock. But he was right there!? What shook her up? The almost. The vulnerable nature of life. It was a sudden attack of existential angst that took Sorah's life!