Parashat Chayei Sarah

Parshas Chayei Sarah

==Passing of Sarah==
After hearing about the Akida, how Yitzchak was prepared for slaughter and almost slaughtered, Sarah's soul flew out of her and passed away.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:2"/> Her life spanned 127 years, all of them which were equally good.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:1">Rashi Berashis 23:1</ref> Sarah was 100 years old but like 20 years old regarding sin, who is not yet liable for punishment and was like a 7 year old regarding beauty.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:1"/> She died in Chevron in the Land of Canaan which was also named Kiryas Arba - Settlement of Four after the four giants living there; Achiman, Sheshai, Talmai and their father.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:2">Rashi Berashis 23:2</ref> It also alluded to the future destiny of the city which would have four holy couples buried there; Adom and Chava, Avrahom and Sarah, Yitzchak and Rivka, Yackov and Leah.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:2"/>

==The Burial==
Avrahom came from Beer Sheva<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:2"/> to eulogize Sarah and to mourn her.

===Purchasing the Cave===
Avrahom arose from before his dead, and spoke to the men of Ches. He mentioned how he was a stranger  from another land but had settled among them<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:4"/> as an inhabitant of the land. He requested a piece of land<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:4">Rashi Berashis 23:4</ref> by them to use as a burial plot, where he could bury his dead from before him. If they were willing to sell it to him, Avrahom would buy it like a stranger but if not he would take it legally as an inhabitant since Hashem had already promised<ref>Berashis 12:7</ref> to give his descendants the Land.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:4"/>

The Sons of Ches answered Avraham calling him a prince of G-D who dwells in their midst and telling him that he could bury his dead in the choicest of their graves. None of them would withhold<ref>Rashi Berashis 23:6</ref> their graves from Avrahom burying his dead. Avraham arose and bowed to the Sons of Ches, the people of the land. He answered them that if it was their will<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:8">Rashi Berashis 23:8</ref> to allow him to bury Sarah they should listen to him and request<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:8"/> from Ephron ben Tzochar that he may give him the Machpelah double cave, that belongs to him which is found at the end of his field. He should give it to Avraham at its full priced value<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:9"/> as a burial property in their midst. It was called the Mearos Hamachpela since it was a two story cave<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:9">Rashi Berashis 23:9</ref> and because it contained buried couples;<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:9"/> currently Adom and Chava and later Avraham and Sarah, Yitzchak and Rivka, Yackov and Leah. Avraham wished to pay the full price of the land so later the sale could not be contested. Similarly King Dovid purchased the land of the Beis Hamikdash from Araunah at its full value.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:9"/>

Ephron was sitting amongst the people of Ches since he had been appointed as an officer over them that very day and had been raised to greatness due to the importance of Avraham who needed him.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:10">Rashi Berashis 23:10</ref> Ephron the Chiti answered Avraham announcing to all the people of Ches who had left their work<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:10"/> and came to the city gate, to pay respect to Sarah.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:10"/> Avraham should listen to him and not purchase it with money,<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:11">Rashi Berashis 23:11</ref> rather Ephron is giving him the field and the cave that is in it for free in front of his people, and it is as if he has already given it to him<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:11"/> to bury his dead. Avraham bowed before the people of the land.

Avraham replied to Ephron allowing the people of the land to hear, that he is not interested in accepting his offer of giving the field for free.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:13">Rashi Berashis 23:13</ref> Rather if Ephron would only<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:13"/> listen to him and accept the money that he had prepared<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:13"/> and wished he had already given him<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:13"/> for the field, then he will then bury his dead there.

Ephron replied to Avraham, telling him that a piece of land that is worth only four hundred shekels of silver,  what is its importance between two friends like them.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:15">Rashi Berashis 23:15</ref> It is not important so let him leave the sale<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:15"/> and bury his dead. Avraham listened to Ephron and weighed out to him the 400 shekels of silver that were acceptable by all merchants, which Ephron had requested in front of the people of Ches. Ephron had promised a lot but did not nothing,<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:16">Rashi Berashis 23:16</ref> originally he declared that he wanted to give the cave as a gift but in the not only did he take the full payment, he took it in extra large Kentrin shekels, each worth 100 coins, that were acceptable everywhere, even in locations that used large shekels.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:16"/> Due to this Ephron had the letter Vav subsequently removed from his name in the Torah.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:16"/>

Retrospectively the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, facing Mamre, was established as Avraham's possession,<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:17">Rashi Berashis 23:17</ref> thereby rising from the the possession of a simple person to the possession of a king.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:17"/> This included the field, the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, within its entire surrounding borders. It became Avraham's possession before the eyes of the Chetim. Ephron sold it to him<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:18">Rashi Berashis 23:18</ref> in the midst and presence<ref name="Rashi Berashis 23:18"/> of all who had come within the city gate.

===Burial of Sarah===
Afterwards, Avraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, facing Mamre, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. The field and the cave within it were established to Avraham as burial property, purchased from the Chitim.

==Eliezer's Mission==
===Aging of Avraham===
Avraham was old, advanced in days, and Hashem had blessed Avraham with everything including a son,<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:1">Rashi Berashis 24:1</ref> which he now had to marry off.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:1"/>

===Eliezer's Oath===
Avraham asked his servant Eliezer, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that was his; to please place his hand under his thigh. One who swears must hold in his hand a religious item such as a Torah scroll or Tefillin. Since circumcision was Avraham's first mitzvah and he had fulfilled it with pain, it was dear to him; so he choose to use it.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:2">Rashi Berashis 24:2</ref> 

Avraham requested that Eliezer swear by Hashem the G-D of the heaven and earth, that he will not take a wife for Yitzchak from the Canaanites, in whose midst they lived. Rather he was to go to the land of Avraham's birthplace and from there find a wife for his son Yitzchak.

Eliezer inquired in the case where the woman would not agree to go back with him to the Land of Cannan, would he be permitted to bring Yitchak to Aram Naharaim. Avraham responded, warning Eliezer not to bring Yitzchak there. Rather Hashem the G-D of the heavens Who took him from his father's home in Charun<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:7">Rashi Berashis 24:7</ref>  and Ur Kasdim<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:7"/> the land of his birth and spoke concerning<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:7"/> him and swore to him during the Bris Bein Habisarim<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:7"/> that He would give the Land of Canaan to his son, He will send His angel before Eliezer, and he should take a wife for Yitzchak from there. When Hashem first took Avraham from his father's home, he was not yet recognized amongst the people, therefore Avraham referenced Hashem only as G-D of the Heavens. Now at the time of the oath due to Avraham's great outreach efforts amongst the people who learned to recognize Hashem, he was able to reference Him as the G-D of both Heaven and Earth.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:7"/> If despite this; the woman would not agree to go with Eliezer, he will be absolved of this oath and he may select a wife for Yitzchak from the daughters of Aner, Eshkol and Mamre.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:8">Rashi Berashis 24:8</ref> Eliezer only should do not bring Yitzchak back to Aram Naharaim, although his grandson Yackov is destined to go back.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:8"/>

Eliezer placed his hand under the thigh of Avraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.

===Trip to Aram Naharaim===
Eliezer took ten of his master's camels and went to Aram Naharaim to the city of Nachor. Avraham's camels were distinguishable from other camels, since they were muzzled to prevent them from grazing in strangers’ fields, which is a form of stealing.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:10">Rashi Berashis 24:10</ref> Eliezer took in his hand a gift contract bequeathing to Yitzchak<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:10"/> the best of Avraham's assets and everything he owned.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:10"/> This was done to expedite Besuel to send his daughter.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:10"/> Aram Naharaim was located between two rivers.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:10"/>

===The Well===
When Eliezer arrived, he made the camels kneel<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:11">Rashi Berashis 24:11</ref> outside the city beside the well of water towards evening. This was the time when the women of the city would come to draw water. 

===Eliezer's Prayer===
Eliezer prayed to Hashem, calling him the G-D of his master Avraham and asking Him to perform a favor for Avraham and have his objectives transpire that day. Since he was standing by the water well and the girls of the city were coming out to draw water, he would do the following test; the girl to whom he will ask to lower her pitcher and allow him to drink water, that will not only allow him to drink but also offer water for his camels, this will clarify<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:14"/> that she must be the one designated by Hashem to marry Yitzchak. If she will perform such acts of kindness, she is was worthy for Yitzchok and fit to enter the house of Avraham.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:14">Rashi Berashis 24:14</ref>

Eliezer begged<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:14"/> that through her, Hashem will let him know<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:14"/> that He performed an act of kindness with Avraham, if she ended up being from Avraham's family and worth for Yitzchok.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:14"/>

===Arrival of Rivka===
Before Eliezer finished speaking his prayer, Rivka arrived, with her pitcher on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Besuel, the son of Milka and Nachor, Avraham's brother. She had a nice appearance and never had any form<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:16">Rashi Berashis 24:16</ref> of physical relationships. Unlike the other locals, she was completely clean.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:16"/> Rivka wend down to the well, filed her pitcher and went up.

After seeing the waters of the well rise towards Rivka,<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:17">Rashi Berashis 24:17</ref> Eliezer the servant ran toward her, and aske to please allow him to swallow<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:17"/> a little water from her pitcher. Rivka replied that he should drink and quickly lowered the pitcher from her shoulder to her hand and gave Eliezer to drink.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:18">Rashi Berashis 24:18</ref> 

When she finished giving him to drink, Rivka announced that she would also draw water for all his camels until they had enough, were full<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:19">Rashi Berashis 24:19</ref> and done drinking. She quickly emptied<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:20">Rashi Berashis 24:20</ref> her pitcher into the hollowed stone trench, from which the camels drank<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:20"/> and ran again to the well to draw more water. Rivka continued until she drew water for all his camels.

Eliezer was astonished, desolated,<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:21">Rashi Berashis 24:21</ref> lost in his thoughts<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:21"/> and startled<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:21"/> about<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:21"/>  her. He saw his attempt looked like it was succeeding but did not yet know if the girl was from the family of Avraham.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:21"/> He stood silently in his place,<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:21"/> waiting<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:21"/> to know whether or not Hashem had made his mission successful.

When the camels finished drinking, Eliezer took a gold nose ring, weighing half a shekel and two bracelets for her hands, weighing ten gold shekels. These gifts expressed much symbolism;
 
* Half shekel (בקע) nose ring = Alluded to the Jewish Machtzis Hashekel collections (בקע) per each head.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:22">Rashi Berashis 24:22</ref>
* Two bracelets (צמידים) = Alluded to the two Luchos Tablets that were closely (מצומדות) paired together.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:22"/> Their 10 shekel weight, alluded to the Ten Commandments inscribed on the Luchos.<ref name="Rashi Berashis 24:22"/>

==References==
<references/>


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