Cary Hillebrand takes a look at Parashat Chaye Sarah

Parashat Chaye Sarah

פרשת חיי שרה

בראשית Genesis 23:1 to 25:18

This is the only weekly Torah portion named after a woman. Ironically, it starts with her death.

Chapter 23, verses 1 through 9 – Death of Sarah

Chaye Sarah (Life of Sarah) actually starts with the death of Sarah. Does she die shortly after the Akedah (as a result of it, as some commentators including Rashi believe? The Torah does not say)? One can imagine the scene when she learns what transpired: “You did what!!!??’?”. Also of interest is that she dies in Hebron. Abraham at the time may still have been living in Beer Sheva. What may be going on here? Did they perhaps separate after Sarah learned what transpired at the Akedah.

Abraham shows reverence for the dead and tries to buy a suitable burial place from the resident Hittites. We are not told why Abraham specifically wanted the Cave of Machpelah (מערת המכפלה).

Verses 10 through 20 – Abraham buys a cave as a burial site

Abraham wants to pay the full and fair price, so that he will have a legitimate title to the burial cave. Abraham was promised by G-d that all the land will be theirs. In the meantime, he is still a stranger in the land and even a burial place must be purchased. Abraham did not yet belong to the land. He was by his own account, a resident foreigner (גר ותושב). Having purchased property at the least gives him a symbolic stake in the land. Possibly, Abraham was not allowed to purchase property among the Hittites for him to live on so this was the next best thing. Note that Abraham made sure that the entire bargaining procedure and business transaction were overheard by the surrounding Hittites so there would be no misunderstandings.

Ephron the Hittite may possibly have taken advantage of the situation to drive an exorbitant selling price. While there is no mention elsewhere in the Bible, Jewish tradition has it that all the Patriarchs (except Joseph) and all the Matriarchs (except Rachel) are buried here. Location of the alleged burial site (מערת המכפלה) stands in the modern city of Hebron, although there is no evidence that the cave under the present-day compound (originally a Byzantine church) dates to this period, or is, in fact, a burial ground. It remains a place of contention between Jews and Muslims.

Chapter 24, verses 1 through 9 – Abraham dispatches Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac

Abraham is advanced in years, Sarah has recently died, and he needs to find the 37-year-old Isaac a suitable wife. Abraham wants to assure that she is not from the Canaanites, but from the land of his birth. Is this a first hint of discouragement to marrying outside the tribe? Note that Isaac is not to make the journey back. Abraham sends his trusted senior servant (עבדו זקן ביתו) – not named but generally believed to be Eliezer, to select a suitable wife. Isaac apparently has no say in the matter!

Verses 10 through 27 – Eliezer finds a suitable wife for Isaac

Plaut notes that verse 12 contains the first recorded prayer for divine guidance in the Torah, and by a non Jew who non the less offers prayers to his master Abraham’s god (ה’ אלקי אדני אברהם).

Note Eliezer’s methodology to judge if a girl is worthy of being brought back as a suitable wife for Isaac. Stopping by the watering spring, he will request water for himself from the girls who come to draw water for their own family’s needs. If a girl not only consents to offer him water from her jug, but also, without being asked, draws water for his camels, he will know that she is the one. Eliezar’s gifts of a gold nose ring and gold bracelets seems a bit over the top, especially considering that he had not yet stated his business. No evidence that Rebekah was in any way reticent in accepting such a generous present, and without first receiving her family’s permission. Surely she knew that there had to be strings attached.

Verses 28 through 61 – Rebekah agrees to marry Isaac, sight unseen

Note the offer of a bridal price, apparently without haggling. Rebekah is asked if she will go with Eliezer and accept Isaac for a husband (sight unseen) and she agrees. We do not know if she really had right of refusal or if this was just a formality. After all, the gifts were already given and accepted.

Verses 62 through 67 – Rebecca and Isaac meet and consummate the marriage

Note that in the meantime, Isaac had apparently left Abraham’s camp and settled in the Negev, at Beer­ Lehai-Roi (באר לחי ראי). Recall that this was the site where the banished Hagar and Ishmael were saved by divine intervention. Perhaps a traumatized Isaac retreated there to seek comfort from loved ones away from his father.

Eliezer’s caravan, including Rebekah approached Isaac’s encampment. Rebekah, upon sight of Isaac walking (לשוח) in the fields towards evening, descended from her camel and veiled herself. The Hebrew ותפל (verse 64) is usually translated as descended, although fell would be a more faithful translation. Did Rebecca fall from the camel upon sight of Isaac?

Some rabbinic sources interpret לשוח to be supplicating or praying (hence we have the mincha or afternoon prayers) although the simple Hebrew translation is strolling.

Isaac, apparently without hesitation, takes Rebekah into his late mother’s tent to consummate the marriage. It is not clear from the text if Isaac loves Rebecca for who she is, or for replacing his deceased mother.

Chapter 25, verses 1 through 18 – Abraham remarries, raises more children, and dies.

The widower Abraham, at the age of 140 takes another wife, Keturah and begets six sons. No mention if she is local or from his birthplace. He provides for his sons and sends them away, eastward so as to to assure Isaac’s title as patriarch is unchallenged. Some Rabbinic sources claim that Keturah was really Hagar, mother of Ishmael, although there is no hint of this in the Torah. Is this a reasonable assumption? Not very likely. Let’s do the math. Sarah was 76 years old when she offered Abraham to copulate with her maid servant Hagar. As she was above the age of puberty, she was probably older than 15. Sarah dies at age 127, that is 51 years later, so Hagar would have had to be at least 66 years old. And as Keturah was fertile enough to give Abraham 6 sons (we don’t know how many daughters if any), it would be a stretch to identify her with Hagar.

After Abraham’s death, Ishmael makes an appearance, and the two brothers bury him in the Cave of Machpelah. We are not told what the relationship (if any) is between them.