Esther, Descendant of Sarah

When we experience challenges, we can remember that our ancestors went through similar and probably worse. We can draw on their strengths, that have come down to us as a legacy. This point is one that can be drawn out of the following:

In the midrash (Esther Rabbah 1:8), Rabbi Akiva connects Sarah with Esther via the number 127:

Rabbi Akiva was sitting and teaching, and the students were dozing off. He sought to arouse them. He said: What was Esther's merit to rule over 127 provinces? Such said the Holy One, blessed be He: Let Esther, the descendant of Sarah, who lived for 127 years, and rule over 127 countries.

The connection via this number is not the end of the conversation, it is just the beginning. They are indeed highly connected. Each of these attractive women had to spend time in the palace of a mighty non-Jewish King who desired her. And each had to keep a major identity component secret, because a man close to her had requested it.
In the case of Sarah, she concealed that she was actually Abraham's wife; in Esther's case, she obeyed Mordechai's instructions that she tell no one she was a Jew.

That takes fortitude, self-discipline, and courage.

Perhaps it was in the merit of the earlier story, of Sarah's dedication in doing this dangerous thing for the sake of her husband, that Esther, this sheltered young girl, was given the strength for her tremendously challenging mission.
Or perhaps it was a kind of spiritual DNA that came down from ancestress to descendant.
And conceivably, Esther also knew the story of Sarah her foremother, and drew inspiration from her strength.[1]
All three are likely true.

Today we too can draw strength from knowing that those who came before us faced many terrible situations. Sometimes their courage failed. But many times they also won. And we are their children.


[1] Although their ending was different. Sarah was freed, while Esther remained forever in the palace. Thanks Tobie Harris for pointing that out.