Parashat Ḥayyei Sarah (Genesis 23:1 - Genesis 25:18) פָּרָשַׁת חַיֵּי שָׂרָה
SYNOPSIS:
Parashat Ḥayyei Sarah contains three complete sidrot [order, part] and one sidra՚ divided between this parasha and the previous one. The first deals with the death and burial of Sarah; the second, the search for a wife for Isaac; the third, Rebekah agrees to marry Isaac and returns with Abraham's servant; and the fourth, Abraham's lineage through his concubine Keturah, through Ishmael, and the death of Abraham.
First Sidra՚ (Gen. 23:1-20): The death and burial of Sarah.
The parasha opens with the death of Sarah at the age of one hundred and twenty seven years old. Sarah dies at Kiriath Arba [בְּקִרְיַת אַרְבַּע - Village of Four], a suburb of Hebron. Abraham needs a place to bury Sarah and so he appeals to the Children of Heth, in whose midst he lives. The Children of Heth respond to Abraham's appeal with an open invitation to bury Sarah in any one of their sepulchres. Abraham, however, desires to bury Sarah in the Cave of Makhpelah situated in the end of a field belonging to Efron the son of Sohar the Hittite. Abraham is willing to pay the full price for the real-estate. Efron, who is there amongst the Children of Heth, stands up and declares, "No my lord hear me, the field I give to you, and the cave that is therein I give it to you; before the eyes of the sons of my people I give it to you - bury your dead" (Gen. 23:11). Abraham politely responds before all those gathered, "But if you would only hear me; I will give silver for the field - take it from me, and I shall bury my dead there" (Gen. 23:13). To which Efron replies, "My lord hear me, land (worth) four hundred sheqels of silver what is it between me and you; your dead you may bury." (Gen. 23:15). Abraham comprehends Efron's not so subtle hint and weighs out four hundred sheqels of silver. A sheqel is a measure of weight weighing 11.4 grams equivalent to 0.4 ounces. This was an exorbitant amount to pay for this piece of real-estate, since according to worker's contracts of the period the yearly salary of an unskilled labourer was ten sheqels of silver. It would seem that Efron's generosity was a facade. Sarah is buried in the Cave of Makhpelah. The sidra՚ ends with the proclamation, "And it was established that the field and the cave in it is for Abraham as a burial holding; from the Children of Heth" (Gen. 23:20).
Second Sidra՚ (Gen. 24:1-41): The search for a wife for Isaac.
In the second sidra՚ Abraham commands his head servant whom Abraham whole heartedly trusts - possibly Eliezer of Damascus (see Gen. 15:2) - to find a wife for Isaac. Abraham makes his head servant swear by YHWH that he will not take a wife for Isaac from amongst the Canaanites, but is to go to the country from where Abraham migrated and is to find a wife from amongst his kindred. The servant asks Abraham, "Perhaps the woman will not come, to go after me to this land; may I then bring your son back - back, to the land from which you went out" (Gen. 24:5). Abraham replies, "Watch out for yourself, lest you bring my son back there" (Gen. 24:5). Abraham tells his servant that YHWH will send His angel before the servant and if the woman is not willing to return then the servant is clear of his oath. The servant takes ten camels, servants and gifts, and sets out for the city of Nahor in Aram Naharaim [אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם - Aram between the two rivers, the rivers being the Euphrates and the Tigris]. Once the servant reaches the city of Nahor he makes the camels kneel down by a well (also referred to as a spring) outside the city. This is at evening time when the women came out of the city to draw water. The servant prays to YHWH that he will find the right girl at the spring and that he will recognize the girl by her fulfilling the following test: the servant will ask her for a drink of water, and not only will she give him to drink but the camels also. As soon as the servant finishes speaking Rebekah, who was very good looking, comes out of the city with a pitcher on her shoulder. Once she had filled her pitcher at the spring the servant ran up to her asking her for a drink of water. Rebekah gave the servant to drink and once he had finished drink she drew water for the camels, without being asked. Now, one camel can drink 30 gallons (135 litres) of water in only 13 minutes, and there were ten! Once the camels had finished drink the servant knew that Rebekah was the one, so he gave her a gold earring weighing half a sheqel and two bracelets for her hands weighing ten sheqels. The servant asks Rebekah whose daughter she is, and if there is room in her father's house for them to stay over night. She tells the servant that she is the daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor by his wife Milkah (thus Rebekah was Isaac's first cousin one generation removed), and that there was plenty of room and feed for the camels. The servant bows down to YHWH and thanks Him. Rebekah runs home and tells her family all that has had happened. Rebekah's brother, Laban [לָבָן - white], upon seeing the earring and bracelets runs out to greet Abraham's servant - the Torah seems to imply that Laban is motivated by greed - and invites him, the men who are with him, and the camels to be honoured guests in his home. They return with Laban to his home where all the etiquettes of hospitality are more than forth coming, however, the servant refuses to eat until he has told them about his errand. The servant tells them how YHWH has blessed Abraham with greatness, and has given him sheep, cattle, silver, gold, servants and maids, camels, and donkeys, and that Sarah has provided Abraham with a son who will inherit all of his father's property. The servant also relays that Abraham made him swear that he will not take a wife for Isaac from amongst the Canaanites, but from Abraham's own family; hence the reason for his errand.
Third Sidra՚ (Gen. 24:42-67): Rebekah agrees to marry Isaac and returns with Abraham's servant.
In the third sidra՚ Abraham's servant continues telling his story; his prayer at the spring and his meeting with Rebekah. The servant then wants to know whether Rebekah is willing to return with him or not. Laban and Bethuel answer, "The matter has come from YHWH; we cannot speak to you evil or good. Here is Rebekah before you take and go; that she may be a wife for the son of your lord, as YHWH has spoken" (Gen. 24:50-51). The servant then bows down to the earth before YHWH, and bestows upon Rebekah garments and even more jewels. The next day when they were about to set off on the return journey to Canaan, Laban and Milkah tried to persuade the servant to let Rebekah stay for at least ten days. The servant retorts that he is under YHWH's protection and must return to Abraham immediately. Laban and Milkah then inquire from Rebekah whether she wants to tarry a little longer, to which she simply responds, "I will go" (Gen. 24:58). Rebekah's family then sends her on her way accompanied by her nurse. Before she sets off her family blesses her, "Our sister, may you become thousands of myriads; and may your seed inherit, the gate of those who hate him" (Gen. 24:60). Isaac, who dwells in the Negev not far from Beer-Sheba, is going out into the field in the evening to meditate when he lifts up his eyes and sees camels approaching. When Rebekah sees Isaac she dismounts from her camel and asks the servant who is the man approaching them, the servant responds that it is his master; Rebekah veils herself out of modesty. Isaac brings Rebekah to Sarah's tent, she becomes his wife and he loves her; being comforted after his mother's death.
Fourth Sidra՚ (Gen. 25:1-18): Abraham's lineage through his concubine Keturah, through Ishmael, and the death of Abraham.
The last parasha closed with a list of Nahor's descendants, this parasha closes with a list of Abraham's descendants through his concubine Keturah and also through Ishmael. While Abraham is still alive he bequeaths all that he has to Isaac and to the sons of the concubines he gives gifts and sends them away from Isaac to the east country. Abraham dies at the age of one hundred and seventy five years and is buried by Isaac and Ishmael in the Cave of Makhpela next to Sarah. After Abraham dies God blesses Isaac. As the parasha opened with the death of Sarah so it closes with the death of Abraham.
THE AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS:
If the central theme of parashat Lekh Lekha is trust, then the central theme of parashat Ḥayyei Sarah is confidence; the fulfillment of trust. In parashat Lekh Lekha YHWH commands and Abraham obeys, even without knowing the end results - that is trust. In parashat Ḥayyei Sarah Abraham acts with the self-assurance that YHWH will bring his desires to fruition, even without petitioning YHWH - this is confidence. Abraham's confidence extends beyond his relationship with YHWH, to those who are close to his heart, like his head servant. Abraham's confidence in his servant is so firm and unshakable that he trusts him with the task of finding a suitable wife for Isaac. In turn, by the time the servant reaches the city of Nahor he is confident that YHWH will bring the right women to him, letting him know that she is the one. When Rebekah leaves her home for Isaac, whom she has never met, she is confident that he is the right man for her. To trust in YHWH is not the end goal, but the means to build a deep and special relationship with God. Through trust in YHWH our confidence in His provision will blossom and we can rest assured that His loving-kindness will fill our life's - providing we remain loyal to His ways and teachings.
Parashat Ḥayyei Sarah contains three complete sidrot [order, part] and one sidra՚ divided between this parasha and the previous one. The first deals with the death and burial of Sarah; the second, the search for a wife for Isaac; the third, Rebekah agrees to marry Isaac and returns with Abraham's servant; and the fourth, Abraham's lineage through his concubine Keturah, through Ishmael, and the death of Abraham.
First Sidra՚ (Gen. 23:1-20): The death and burial of Sarah.
The parasha opens with the death of Sarah at the age of one hundred and twenty seven years old. Sarah dies at Kiriath Arba [בְּקִרְיַת אַרְבַּע - Village of Four], a suburb of Hebron. Abraham needs a place to bury Sarah and so he appeals to the Children of Heth, in whose midst he lives. The Children of Heth respond to Abraham's appeal with an open invitation to bury Sarah in any one of their sepulchres. Abraham, however, desires to bury Sarah in the Cave of Makhpelah situated in the end of a field belonging to Efron the son of Sohar the Hittite. Abraham is willing to pay the full price for the real-estate. Efron, who is there amongst the Children of Heth, stands up and declares, "No my lord hear me, the field I give to you, and the cave that is therein I give it to you; before the eyes of the sons of my people I give it to you - bury your dead" (Gen. 23:11). Abraham politely responds before all those gathered, "But if you would only hear me; I will give silver for the field - take it from me, and I shall bury my dead there" (Gen. 23:13). To which Efron replies, "My lord hear me, land (worth) four hundred sheqels of silver what is it between me and you; your dead you may bury." (Gen. 23:15). Abraham comprehends Efron's not so subtle hint and weighs out four hundred sheqels of silver. A sheqel is a measure of weight weighing 11.4 grams equivalent to 0.4 ounces. This was an exorbitant amount to pay for this piece of real-estate, since according to worker's contracts of the period the yearly salary of an unskilled labourer was ten sheqels of silver. It would seem that Efron's generosity was a facade. Sarah is buried in the Cave of Makhpelah. The sidra՚ ends with the proclamation, "And it was established that the field and the cave in it is for Abraham as a burial holding; from the Children of Heth" (Gen. 23:20).
Second Sidra՚ (Gen. 24:1-41): The search for a wife for Isaac.
In the second sidra՚ Abraham commands his head servant whom Abraham whole heartedly trusts - possibly Eliezer of Damascus (see Gen. 15:2) - to find a wife for Isaac. Abraham makes his head servant swear by YHWH that he will not take a wife for Isaac from amongst the Canaanites, but is to go to the country from where Abraham migrated and is to find a wife from amongst his kindred. The servant asks Abraham, "Perhaps the woman will not come, to go after me to this land; may I then bring your son back - back, to the land from which you went out" (Gen. 24:5). Abraham replies, "Watch out for yourself, lest you bring my son back there" (Gen. 24:5). Abraham tells his servant that YHWH will send His angel before the servant and if the woman is not willing to return then the servant is clear of his oath. The servant takes ten camels, servants and gifts, and sets out for the city of Nahor in Aram Naharaim [אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם - Aram between the two rivers, the rivers being the Euphrates and the Tigris]. Once the servant reaches the city of Nahor he makes the camels kneel down by a well (also referred to as a spring) outside the city. This is at evening time when the women came out of the city to draw water. The servant prays to YHWH that he will find the right girl at the spring and that he will recognize the girl by her fulfilling the following test: the servant will ask her for a drink of water, and not only will she give him to drink but the camels also. As soon as the servant finishes speaking Rebekah, who was very good looking, comes out of the city with a pitcher on her shoulder. Once she had filled her pitcher at the spring the servant ran up to her asking her for a drink of water. Rebekah gave the servant to drink and once he had finished drink she drew water for the camels, without being asked. Now, one camel can drink 30 gallons (135 litres) of water in only 13 minutes, and there were ten! Once the camels had finished drink the servant knew that Rebekah was the one, so he gave her a gold earring weighing half a sheqel and two bracelets for her hands weighing ten sheqels. The servant asks Rebekah whose daughter she is, and if there is room in her father's house for them to stay over night. She tells the servant that she is the daughter of Bethuel the son of Nahor by his wife Milkah (thus Rebekah was Isaac's first cousin one generation removed), and that there was plenty of room and feed for the camels. The servant bows down to YHWH and thanks Him. Rebekah runs home and tells her family all that has had happened. Rebekah's brother, Laban [לָבָן - white], upon seeing the earring and bracelets runs out to greet Abraham's servant - the Torah seems to imply that Laban is motivated by greed - and invites him, the men who are with him, and the camels to be honoured guests in his home. They return with Laban to his home where all the etiquettes of hospitality are more than forth coming, however, the servant refuses to eat until he has told them about his errand. The servant tells them how YHWH has blessed Abraham with greatness, and has given him sheep, cattle, silver, gold, servants and maids, camels, and donkeys, and that Sarah has provided Abraham with a son who will inherit all of his father's property. The servant also relays that Abraham made him swear that he will not take a wife for Isaac from amongst the Canaanites, but from Abraham's own family; hence the reason for his errand.
Third Sidra՚ (Gen. 24:42-67): Rebekah agrees to marry Isaac and returns with Abraham's servant.
In the third sidra՚ Abraham's servant continues telling his story; his prayer at the spring and his meeting with Rebekah. The servant then wants to know whether Rebekah is willing to return with him or not. Laban and Bethuel answer, "The matter has come from YHWH; we cannot speak to you evil or good. Here is Rebekah before you take and go; that she may be a wife for the son of your lord, as YHWH has spoken" (Gen. 24:50-51). The servant then bows down to the earth before YHWH, and bestows upon Rebekah garments and even more jewels. The next day when they were about to set off on the return journey to Canaan, Laban and Milkah tried to persuade the servant to let Rebekah stay for at least ten days. The servant retorts that he is under YHWH's protection and must return to Abraham immediately. Laban and Milkah then inquire from Rebekah whether she wants to tarry a little longer, to which she simply responds, "I will go" (Gen. 24:58). Rebekah's family then sends her on her way accompanied by her nurse. Before she sets off her family blesses her, "Our sister, may you become thousands of myriads; and may your seed inherit, the gate of those who hate him" (Gen. 24:60). Isaac, who dwells in the Negev not far from Beer-Sheba, is going out into the field in the evening to meditate when he lifts up his eyes and sees camels approaching. When Rebekah sees Isaac she dismounts from her camel and asks the servant who is the man approaching them, the servant responds that it is his master; Rebekah veils herself out of modesty. Isaac brings Rebekah to Sarah's tent, she becomes his wife and he loves her; being comforted after his mother's death.
Fourth Sidra՚ (Gen. 25:1-18): Abraham's lineage through his concubine Keturah, through Ishmael, and the death of Abraham.
The last parasha closed with a list of Nahor's descendants, this parasha closes with a list of Abraham's descendants through his concubine Keturah and also through Ishmael. While Abraham is still alive he bequeaths all that he has to Isaac and to the sons of the concubines he gives gifts and sends them away from Isaac to the east country. Abraham dies at the age of one hundred and seventy five years and is buried by Isaac and Ishmael in the Cave of Makhpela next to Sarah. After Abraham dies God blesses Isaac. As the parasha opened with the death of Sarah so it closes with the death of Abraham.
THE AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS:
If the central theme of parashat Lekh Lekha is trust, then the central theme of parashat Ḥayyei Sarah is confidence; the fulfillment of trust. In parashat Lekh Lekha YHWH commands and Abraham obeys, even without knowing the end results - that is trust. In parashat Ḥayyei Sarah Abraham acts with the self-assurance that YHWH will bring his desires to fruition, even without petitioning YHWH - this is confidence. Abraham's confidence extends beyond his relationship with YHWH, to those who are close to his heart, like his head servant. Abraham's confidence in his servant is so firm and unshakable that he trusts him with the task of finding a suitable wife for Isaac. In turn, by the time the servant reaches the city of Nahor he is confident that YHWH will bring the right women to him, letting him know that she is the one. When Rebekah leaves her home for Isaac, whom she has never met, she is confident that he is the right man for her. To trust in YHWH is not the end goal, but the means to build a deep and special relationship with God. Through trust in YHWH our confidence in His provision will blossom and we can rest assured that His loving-kindness will fill our life's - providing we remain loyal to His ways and teachings.
