And Avraham Arose

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The story of Sara’s burial which opens our Parsha and the detailed description therein, invites us take a closer look at Sara’s status during the past few Torah portions. It seems that Avraham operates in regard to three main themes, being: The land (of Israel); Avraham’s descendents; The nations around him. We find the main expression of “the land” theme throughout the story in which we are told of Avraham for the first time and which revolves solely around the land (the word ‘land’, eretz is mentioned seven times). Later on, the land is mentioned mainly regarding Avraham’s travels - wandering down south, choosing a place to settle, the quarrel with Lot, and twice when Avraham must leave the land, moving to Egypt and Grar.

“The nations” theme is intertwined with “the land” theme, beginning with the first stories of Avraham that deal with the land, and where we also learn that “the Canaanites were then in the land”, perhaps as a hint that Avraham will eventually settle in Canaanite territory. In the following stories as well, there is a compelling connection between the place of Avraham’s dwelling and his relationships with the surrounding nations, for instance, during the battle of the four and five kings:

And he was living in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshkol and the brother of Aner, who were Abram’s confederates.[1]

Standing out in Avraham’s two journeys within and out of the land, are the immediate complex relations that are created between Avraham and the kings, Pharaoh of Egypt and Avimelech of Grar.

The theme of Avraham’s descendants is a prominent part of Avraham’s life story. In the early stages of Hagar’s story - her expulsion and the birth of Yishmael, and later on in the long stories dealing with Yitzchak: the revelation and the story of his birth, his relationship with Yishmael, the Akeda and the story of his marriage.

These themes are reflected in God’s promise to Avraham, which generally deal with one of the three:

1. The first time God speaks to Avraham-“and I will make you into a great nation… and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you.” - The theme of the nations..[2]
2. Gods second promise to Avraham- “For all the land that you see I will give to you”- the theme of the land.^[3]
3. “And I will make your seed like the dust of the earth” - the theme of descendants.^[4]

Likewise, also in “Brit Bein HaBetarim” and the promises that come in the follow-up of the Akeda - all three are mentioned.

What is the meaning of these three themes of blessings? Possibly, they symbolize the farthest extent of security that can be obtained by man; sitting securely on his own land, surrounded by his descendents that he knows will carry on his name after him and at peace and friendship with all his neighbors (perhaps this provides him with economical security, like in Avraham’s case) - this is a person with a sense of secure existence just as Avraham is described:

But you will come to your forefathers in peace; you will be buried in a good old age.[5]

And so Avraham, who abandoned all his security, embarking on a journey to the unknown, receives his reward in the form of vast security.

In order to understand the place and order of these three forms of blessing, an additional explanation is required.

Based on these assumptions, we will try to understand Sarah’s place in relation to these blessings.

It seems that Sarah acts as a sort of vessel containing the abundance and blessing for Avraham. This is extremely visible in the blessing of descendents and the nations. At one of the most dramatic of all occasions, at “Brit Bein HaBetarim”, God’s promises to Avraham regarding the nations include also the changing of Avraham’s name -

“And your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations”.[6]

The verse goes on to command the changing of Sarah’s name:

“Your wife Sarai - you shall not call her name Sarai, for Sarah is her name”‘

And the reasoning:

“And I will bless her, and I will give you a son from her, and I will bless her, and she will become [a mother of] nations; kings of nations will be from her”

This is true not only for the promises themselves but also for when they are fulfilled. Both times that Avraham leaves the land and establishes his relations with the nations around him; Sarah is taken into the king’s house.

With Pharaoh - “And he benefited Abram for her sake”.[7]

And Avimelech - “And Avimelech took flocks and cattle and menservants and maidservants, and he gave [them] to Abraham, and he restored to him his wife Sarah”.^[8]

Sarah’s importance in the blessing of the descendents is clear. In the promise: “Indeed, your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac, and I will establish My covenant with him”.^[9]

And the words of the angels: “your wife Sarah will have a son”.^[10]

And when the blessing is fulfilled - initially Sarah presents Hagar to Avraham, who gives birth to Yishmael; and eventually - the birth of Yitzhak, after the process of Sarah’s laughter and the criticism she receives for it for it. The birth itself is described as a process shared by Avraham and Sarah:

“And Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age”, as well as: “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children, for I have borne a son to his old age!”

Perhaps the story of buying Mearat Hamachpela in our Parsha completes Sarah’s role in regards to the blessing of the land.

Avraham ask the sons of Chet: “Give me burial property with you”.^[11]

This expression, achuza “property” or “possession” has previously appeared in God’s promise to Avraham: “And I will give you …for an everlasting possession”.^[12]

This expression throughout the Torah is used in context of an eternal heritage:

“Why should our father’s name be eliminated from his … Give us a portion along with our father’s brothers”.^[13]

Tzlophchad did not merit entrance to the land. Had he entered, he would have been given a place of burial, and that would have been the estate which he would have passed on to his descendents for generations. His death and burial in the dessert symbolize the cutting off of his name and descendents from the heritage of his father’s brothers forever. Thus, when Avraham asks the sons of Chet for an estate of burial, he is initiating the fulfillment of God’s promise of the land, and Sarah - in her death - acts as the vessel for the transference of the blessing.

In this vision we may explain the expression vayakom (literally ascent or establish) that appears twice in relation to the field. This ‘ascent’ is mentioned in regards to continuance of descendants:

“…the eldest she [can] bear will establish the name of his deceased brother, so that his [the deceased brother’s] name shall not be obliterated from Israel”.^[14]

This can help us explain the apparent duplication in the verses:

“And so the field of Ephron … was … to Abraham as a possession” - initially Avraham “establishes” the field for himself, perhaps finally taking hold of territories in the land after his many years of wandering.

“And afterwards, Abraham buried Sarah his wife… And the field and the cave within it were established to Abraham… as burial property.” - Sarah’s burial symbolizes the purchasing of the land for generations.

Finally, I would like to ponder on the meaning of this form of receiving blessings. It seems that the Torah demands stability of Avraham’s family in order for him to receive his blessings. This family stability testifies perhaps, to an inner stability that is demanded of Avraham, as the one who is destined to establish the life of the nation of Israel. This stability however, is achieved by way of deconstruction and reconstruction. So it is in the stories of Sarah being taken into the house of the king, the process of saying “she is my sister” and returning her to Avraham; so it is in the long and hard process of Sarah’s being barren, that ends with Yitzchak’s birth; and so in Sarah’s death which moves Avraham to mourn her, to cry, and to rise: ” And Avraham arose from before his dead”.

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[1] Bereshit 14,13

[2] 12.2

[3] 13,15

[4] 13,16

[5] 15,15

[6] 17,5.

[7] 12,17.

[8] 20,14

[9] 17,19

[10] 18,10

[11] 23,4

[12] 17, 8

[13] Bamidbar 27,4

[14] Devarim 25,6