Chayei Sara

📜 The Story

Parshat Chayei Sara tells us that our mother Sarah passed away at the age of one hundred twenty seven, in the city of Hebron. Abraham cried for her deeply, because he loved her so much, and he wanted to find her a proper, honorable burial place.

Abraham bought the Cave of Machpelah in Hebron from Ephron the Hittite, paying four hundred silver shekels, the full price, so the burial place would belong to him and his descendants forever. This was the first time a Jew purchased land in the Land of Israel, and there Sarah was buried.

Afterward, Abraham called Eliezer, his faithful servant, and made him swear to find a wife for his son Isaac. But not from the daughters of Canaan, only from Abraham's own family, in the city of Charan. Eliezer took ten camels and set out on the journey.

Eliezer arrived at a well in the city and prayed to Hashem for a sign. The girl who would offer water to him and to all his camels would be the right wife for Isaac. Rebecca arrived at the well and gave water to Eliezer and to all ten of his camels, without even being asked. Eliezer immediately understood this was the answer from Heaven.

Rebecca agreed to travel with Eliezer to the land of Canaan. Isaac met her in the field, where he had gone to pray, and he loved her right away and married her, and she comforted him after his mother's passing. Abraham later married Keturah and had more children, but he gave everything he owned to Isaac. Abraham passed away at one hundred seventy five, and Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the Cave of Machpelah, beside Sarah.