[Avodah] Bereshit 23: 6-16

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 11:51:47PM -0500, T613K at aol.com wrote:
: The most striking example of that is the many times variants of "tzachak"  
: and "sachak" occur in connection with Yitzchak.  Avraham laughing, Sarah  
: laughing, the whole world rejoicing for her, Yishmael mocking, Avimelech 
: seeing  Yitzchak and Rivka "playing."  Etc.

>From http://www.aishdas.org/asp/2004/12/love-part-ii.shtml :
    If we look at the portrayal of the avos, both in their relationships
    with Hashem and with their families, I believe you find three
    distinct models for loving relationships.

    ... I would like to suggest that for Avraham, love was not primarily
    expressed by giving to the beloved, but by giving of oneself to
    further the beloved's goals. This is also how Chazal portray the
    relationship between Avraham and Sarah....
    ...
    Yitzchaq's love was more straightforward. It was giving to the
    beloved. That's why it warrants explicit use of the term ahavah
    rather than letting it remain implied. Avimelekh knew that Yitzchaq
    and Rivqah were spouses when he saw him "metzacheiq es Rivqah
    ishto", making her laugh or perhaps otherwise acting intimately.
    (Not sexually, as this was in public.) The word-play used in the Torah,
    "Yitzchaq" and the more rare usage of "metzacheiq", gives us a sense
    that this behavior is inherent to what it is to be a Yitzchaq.

    When Rivqah arrived at Avraham's home, Yitzchaq was returning from
    prayer. He went "lasu'ach basadeh, to talk in the field". The word
    "lasu'ach" is not the usual one for prayer. The mishnah uses the root
    to caution us "Al tarbeh sichah im ha'ishah, don't overly engage in
    sichah with women." Sichah has a connotation of flirting; Yitzchaq's
    prayer was one of flirting with G-d.

    When we get to Yaaqov, we find a synthesis of the two. ....

See there for how I attempt show that the avos were consistent in their
views of love WRT ahavas Hashem, their wives, and their children.

In Ashirah Lashem I have a more on this theme in a footnote to Lekha
Dodi. See <http://www.aishdas.org/siddur_pg.pdf> pg 27, fn 3:
    As we noted earlier (Ashrei, note 4), Yitzchak is an archetype
    of one who mastered Avodah {Worship [of G-d]}. Yitzchak's name
    has romantic connotations; when he has a quiet moment alone with
    his wife, he "metzacheik es Rivka ishto" (B'reishis 26:8). His
    encounter with G-d on Moriah was when he went out "lasuach basadeh"
    (ibid. 24:63) {to speak in the fields}. The word "lasuach" brings
    to mind the admonition in Avos (1:5) "do not overly engage in sichah
    with a woman". There, Rav Hirsch defines sichah as a light, perhaps
    flirtatious, conversation. Yitzchak prayed to "the Beloved of his
    soul". Flirting with G-d.

    Following in his footsteps, members of the Chassidic movement of
    the Second Temple era would go out in the fields, calling each other
    to come greet the Shabbos Queen together. Based on this custom, the
    Kabbalists of Tzefas instituted Kabbalas Shabbos. They saw Shabbos
    as a bride, and would go out "lasuach basadeh", to be "metzacheiq"
    her with the love song of Shir haShirim, with Tehillim, and with
    this poem. Earlier generations of the current Chassidic movement too
    would go out to the woods to sing their greeting.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Despair is the worst of ailments. No worries
micha at aishdas.org        are justified except: "Why am I so worried?"
http://www.aishdas.org                         - Rav Yisrael Salanter
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