Seems like a happy occasion, right? But this isn't your typical "happily ever after" beginning. Sarah, poor thing, has been through the wringer. She's been married seven times before, and each husband has tragically died on their wedding night, killed by the demon Asmodeus. Talk about baggage!
Her mother, Ednah, is understandably distraught. As we read, "Reuel said to Ednah his wife, Prepare the chamber, and put them therein. And Ednah embraced Sarah her daughter, and wept with her, and said to her. My daughter, may the Lord God of Israel shew thee kindness this night, and grant thee mercy, and have pity on thee because of the sorrow which hath passed over thee unto this day.” Can you imagine the dread in that room? The palpable fear?
Now, Tobiyyah, bless his heart, isn't going in blind. He's got a secret weapon, a piece of advice given to him by the angel Raphael in disguise. Remember that fish Tobiyyah caught earlier in the story? Raphael instructed him to keep the heart and liver for just such a moment.
"And it came to pass when they had finished preparing the chamber and the bed, that Tobiyyah and Sarah arose and went to the chamber. And Tobiyyah remembered the words of Raphael, and took the heart of the fish, and put it upon the pan, and smoked under Sarah’s garments."
Yes, you read that right. He burns the fish heart on some incense. It sounds a little…unorthodox, doesn't it? But in the world of Tobit, faith and a bit of folk magic go hand in hand. Think of it as an ancient Jewish air freshener with a serious kick!
And what happens? According to the text: "And Asmodeus received the smell, and went out thereat, and fled to the end of the land of Egypt, and the angel Raphael bound him there. And he went out of the chamber and they shut the door on them twain.”
Poof! Asmodeus is gone, banished to Egypt, and bound by Raphael. Just like that.
It’s interesting, isn't it? This rather…unusual ritual is what ultimately defeats the demon. What does it say about faith, about taking action, even if that action seems strange or unconventional? Perhaps it's the intention behind the act, Tobiyyah's unwavering belief in Raphael's words and his determination to protect Sarah, that truly makes the difference.
So, the young couple are finally alone, and this time, they're safe. The door is shut, not with dread, but with hope. But what happens next? We'll have to wait until next time to find out.