Don’t Just Count your Days – Make Your Days Count.

A deeper look at Parshat Chayei Sarah and the secret to a life well-lived.

This week’s Torah portion is Chayei Sarah (The Life of Sarah). As we read through the text, a fascinating discrepancy appears regarding Abraham – one that forces us to rethink what it actually means to “get old.”

The Mystery of the Double Aging

In Genesis 24, the Torah states that “Abraham was old, coming in days” (Ba Bayamim). However, keen readers will notice that we already established this fact. Thirty-seven years prior, in Chapter 18 (Genesis 18:11), the text explicitly stated that “Abraham and Sarah were old”.

Why does the Torah need to tell us twice? Rashi, the primary commentator, notes this oddity. If the Torah repeats something, it isn’t a mistake; it’s a message.

Some commentaries suggest that perhaps Abraham became young again (miraculously) to father Isaac, and then aged a second time.

But this explanation hits a wall: Abraham later remarries Keturah and has more children! Unless we want to claim he became young a third time, we need a better explanation that fits the simple meaning of the text.

“Coming Into the Days”

The secret lies in the specific Hebrew phrase used: Ba Bayamim.
Translated literally, it doesn’t just mean “advanced in years.” It means “coming into the days”.

Think of it like entering a house (Ba Babayit). When you enter a house, you are fully inside it. The Torah is telling us that Abraham didn’t just let time pass him by. He entered his days.

Many people simply watch the calendar flip. They sit on the porch and let time pass. But Abraham plunged into the experiences of his life. Whether it was a happy occasion or a challenge, he put his heart and soul into every single day.

This explains why King David is also described with this phrase, even though he died at age 70 – which isn’t historically “ancient” compared to the Patriarchs. David lived through wars, anguish, and triumphs. He didn’t just exist; he felt and processed everything. The intensity of his life experiences left an imprint on him, making him “old” in wisdom and experience, not just a number.

Why Mention It Twice?

So, why repeat it for Abraham?

The first time (Chapter 18) covered his life up to age 100. The second time (Chapter 24) tells us that even after another 37 years – years that included the Binding of Isaac and the death of Sarah – he never checked out. He didn’t “retire” from his spiritual mission. He continued to fully inhabit his days, making the later years even more valuable than the former.

The Zohar takes this deeper, explaining that “coming into the days” means not a single day was wasted. Every day was “complete” in its service to God. His physical appearance reflected the spiritual weight and fullness of his service.

The Life of Sarah

This theme connects perfectly to the start of the Parsha, “The Life of Sarah”. The text breaks her years down curiously: “100 years, and 20 years, and 7 years.”

Why this phrasing? Rashi explains that all her years were “equal for good”.
This seems impossible. How can years spent in the dangerous palaces of Pharaoh or Abimelech be “equal” to years spent in the Holy Land?

The answer is that her “Life” wasn’t defined by her location or comfort, but by her focus. Her life was her connection to God – represented by her three constant miracles: the Shabbat candle that burned all week, the blessing in her dough, and the Divine cloud over her tent.

Because her internal mission never wavered, whether in a palace or a tent, her days were truly equal. Like Abraham, she didn’t just count her years; she made her years count.