| 1Sarah’s lifetime was 127 years; the years of Sarah’s life were all equally good. |
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אוַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ חַיֵּ֣י שָׂרָ֔ה מֵאָ֥ה שָׁנָ֛ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים שְׁנֵ֖י חַיֵּ֥י שָׂרָֽה: |
| וַיִּֽהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים - Sarah’s lifetime was (lit.) one hundred years, twenty years and seven years. For this reason the word שָׁנָה (years) is written with every unit of her age: to tell you that each unit is expounded individually. When she was 100 years old she was like a woman of 20 with regard to sin; just as a 20-year-old is considered as not having sinned, for she is not yet subject to Divine punishment, so, too, she was without sin at the age of 100; and at the age of 20 she was as beautiful as a seven-year-old. |
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וַיִּֽהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים.
לְכָךְ נִכְתַּב שָׁנָה בְּכָל כְּלָל וּכְלָל, לוֹמַר לְךָ שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד נִדְרָשׁ לְעַצְמוֹ, בַּת ק' כְּבַת כ' לְחֵטְא, מַה בַּת כ' לֹא חָטְאָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵינָהּ בַּת עֳנָשִׁין, אַף בַּת ק' בְּלֹא חֵטְא, וּבַת כ' כְּבַת ז' לְיֹפִי:
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| שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה - The years of Sarah’s life. This repetition teaches us that they were all equal in being good. |
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שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה.
כֻּלָּן שָׁוִין לְטוֹבָה:
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| 2Sarah died in Kiryat Arba, which is Hebron, in Canaan. Abraham came to eulogize Sarah and to weep for her. |
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בוַתָּ֣מָת שָׂרָ֗ה בְּקִרְיַ֥ת אַרְבַּ֛ע הִ֥וא חֶבְר֖וֹן בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיָּבֹא֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם לִסְפֹּ֥ד לְשָׂרָ֖ה וְלִבְכֹּתָֽהּ: |
| בְּקִרְיַת אַרְבַּע - In Kiryat Arba. (lit., “the town of four”). It was so called on account of the four giants who later lived there: Achiman, Sheshai, Talmai, and their father. Another explanation why it was called “the town of four”: On account of the four couples, husband and wife, who were to be buried there: Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah. |
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בְּקִרְיַת אַרְבַּע.
עַל שֵׁם אַרְבַּע עֲנָקִים שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם, אֲחִימָן שֵׁשַׁי וְתַלְמַי וַאֲבִיהֶם. דָּבָר אַחֵר עַל שֵׁם אַרְבַּע זוּגוֹת שֶׁנִקְבְּרוּ שָׁם אִישׁ וְאִשְׁתּוֹ, אָדָם וְחַוָּה, אַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה, יִצְחָק וְרִבְקָה, יַעֲקֹב וְלֵאָה (בראשית רבה):
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| וַיָּבֹא אַבְרָהָם - And Abraham came - from Beersheba. |
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וַיָּבֹא אַבְרָהָם.
מִבְּאֵר שֶׁבַע:
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| לספוד לְשָׂרָה וְלִבְכֹּתָֽהּ - To eulogize Sarah and to weep for her. Sarah’s death is written immediately following the binding of Isaac because through her hearing about the binding – that her son had been designated to be slaughtered and was indeed almost sacrificed – her soul departed from her and she died. |
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לספוד לְשָׂרָה וְלִבְכֹּתָֽהּ.
וְנִסְמְכָה מִיתַת שָׂרָה לַעֲקֵדַת יִצְחָק לְפִי שֶׁעַל יְדֵי בְּשׂוֹרַת הָעֲקֵדָה, שֶׁנִּזְדַּמֵּן בְּנָהּ לִשְׁחִיטָה וְכִמְעַט שֶׁלֹּא נִשְׁחַט, פָּרְחָה נִשְׁמָתָהּ מִמֶּנָּה וּמֵתָה:
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| 3Abraham rose from the presence of his dead wife, and he spoke to the Hittites in these words: |
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גוַיָּ֨קָם֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֣י מֵת֑וֹ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־בְּנֵי־חֵ֖ת לֵאמֹֽר: |
| 4“I am a foreigner, and only a sojourner among you. Allow me to purchase a piece of property that I can make into a family burial ground within the territory you control, so that I can bury my dead wife from my presence.” |
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דגֵּֽר־וְתוֹשָׁ֥ב אָֽנֹכִ֖י עִמָּכֶ֑ם תְּנ֨וּ לִ֤י אֲחֻזַּת־קֶ֨בֶר֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה מֵתִ֖י מִלְּפָנָֽי: |
| גֵּֽר־וְתוֹשָׁב אָֽנֹכִי עִמָּכֶם - I am a foreigner and a sojourner among you - i.e., I am a stranger who came from a foreign land and I have now settled among you. But the aggadic explanation is: If you agree to sell me the land I will act as a stranger and buy it from you, but if not, I will act as a citizen and take it by right, for the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me, “I will give this land to your offspring.” |
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גֵּֽר־וְתוֹשָׁב אָֽנֹכִי עִמָּכֶם.
גֵּר מֵאֶרֶץ אַחֶרֶת וְנִתְיַשַּׁבְתִּי עִמָּכֶם. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה אִם תִּרְצוּ הֲרֵינִי גֵּר, וְאִם לָאו אֶהְיֶה תּוֹשָׁב וְאֶטְּלֶנָּה מִן הַדִּין, שֶׁאָמַר לִי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת:
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| אחוזת קֶבֶר - Burial ground - i.e., a possession (אֲחֻזָּה) of land as a cemetery. |
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אחוזת קֶבֶר.
אֲחֻזַּת קַרְקַע לְבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת:
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| 5The Hittites replied to Abraham, saying to him: |
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הוַיַּֽעֲנ֧וּ בְנֵי־חֵ֛ת אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֥ר לֽוֹ: |
| 6“Listen to us, my lord. You are a prince of God in our midst; honor us, therefore, and bury your dead in the choicest of our burial sites. No one among us will deny you his burial site to bury your dead.” |
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ושְׁמָעֵ֣נוּ | אֲדֹנִ֗י נְשִׂ֨יא אֱלֹהִ֤ים אַתָּה֙ בְּתוֹכֵ֔נוּ בְּמִבְחַ֣ר קְבָרֵ֔ינוּ קְבֹ֖ר אֶת־מֵתֶ֑ךָ אִ֣ישׁ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ אֶת־קִבְר֛וֹ לֹֽא־יִכְלֶ֥ה מִמְּךָ֖ מִקְּבֹ֥ר מֵתֶֽךָ: |
| לֹֽא־יִכְלֶה - means “will not withhold,” as in: “Do not withhold (תִכְלָא) Your mercies,” and as in: “the rain was held back (וַיִּכָּלֵא).” |
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לֹֽא־יִכְלֶה.
לֹא יִמְנַע כְּמוֹ לֹא תִכְלָא רַחֲמֶיךָ (תהילים מ') וּכְמוֹ וַיִּכָּלֵא הַגֶּשֶׁם (בראשית ח'):
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| 7Abraham rose, and he bowed down to the people of that region, the Hittites. |
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זוַיָּ֧קָם אַבְרָהָ֛ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ לְעַם־הָאָ֖רֶץ לִבְנֵי־חֵֽת: |
| 8He spoke to them, saying, “If it is really your will that I bury my dead from my presence, listen to me and entreat Ephron son of Tzochar on my behalf. |
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חוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתָּ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־יֵ֣שׁ אֶת־נַפְשְׁכֶ֗ם לִקְבֹּ֤ר אֶת־מֵתִי֙ מִלְּפָנַ֔י שְׁמָע֕וּנִי וּפִגְעוּ־לִ֖י בְּעֶפְר֥וֹן בֶּן־צֹֽחַר: |
| נַפְשְׁכֶם - means “your will.” |
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נַפְשְׁכֶם.
רְצוֹנְכֶם:
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| וּפִגְעוּ־לִי - And entreat on my behalf. This is an expression of request, as in: “Do not press (תִּפְגְּעִי) me.” |
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וּפִגְעוּ־לִי.
לְשוֹן בַּקָּשָׁה כְּמוֹ: אַל תִּפְגְּעִי בִּי (רות א'):
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| 9Let him grant me the Cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is located at the edge of his field. Let him sell it to me for its full price, in your presence, so I can make it into a family burial ground.” |
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טוְיִתֶּן־לִ֗י אֶת־מְעָרַ֤ת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה֙ אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בִּקְצֵ֣ה שָׂדֵ֑הוּ בְּכֶ֨סֶף מָלֵ֜א יִתְּנֶ֥נָּה לִּ֛י בְּתֽוֹכְכֶ֖ם לַֽאֲחֻזַּת־קָֽבֶר: |
| הַמַּכְפֵּלָה - Machpelah - from the root כֶּפֶל meaning “double.” It was so called because the field contained a house with an upper level above it. Another explanation: Because the cave had the characteristic of being double through the couples who were buried there. |
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הַמַּכְפֵּלָה.
בַּית וַעֲלִיָּה עַל גַּבָּיו. דָּבָר אַחֵר שֶׁכְּפוּלָה בְּזוּגוֹת (עירובין נ"ג):
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| בְּכֶסֶף מָלֵא - For its full price (lit., “for full silver”). the expression refers to the complete price (and not the quality of the silver); I will pay its entire worth. Similarly, David said to Aravnah (Ornan), “for the full price (בְּכֶסֶף מָלֵא).” |
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בְּכֶסֶף מָלֵא.
שָׁלֵם, כָּל שָׁוְיָהּ; וְכֵן דָּוִד אָמַר לַאֲרַוְנָה בְּכֶסֶף מָלֵא (דברי הימים א כ"א):
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| 10Ephron was then seated among the Hittites. Ephron the Hittite replied to Abraham in the presence of the Hittites, so that all who came to the city gate could hear: |
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יוְעֶפְר֥וֹן ישֵׁ֖ב בְּת֣וֹךְ בְּנֵי־חֵ֑ת וַיַּ֩עַן֩ עֶפְר֨וֹן הַֽחִתִּ֤י אֶת־אַבְרָהָם֨ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י בְנֵי־חֵ֔ת לְכֹ֛ל בָּאֵ֥י שַֽׁעַר־עִיר֖וֹ לֵאמֹֽר: |
| וְעֶפְרוֹן ישֵׁב - Ephron was then seated. יֹשֵׁב, meaning here “was seated,” is written without the ו, suggesting a deficiency in Ephron’s position. This indicates that it was only on that very day that they appointed him to be an officer over them. On account of the high standing of Abraham who needed him, he was promoted to an important position. |
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וְעֶפְרוֹן ישֵׁב.
כְּתִיב חָסֵר, אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם מִנּוּהוּ שׁוֹטֵר עֲלֵיהֶם; מִפְּנֵי חֲשִׁיבוּתוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹ, עָלָה לִגְדֻלָּה:
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| לְכֹל בָּאֵי שַֽׁעַר־עִירוֹ - So that all who came to the city gate could hear. They were all there for they had all stopped their work and come to pay their last respects to Sarah. |
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לְכֹל בָּאֵי שַֽׁעַר־עִירוֹ.
שֶׁכֻּלָּן בָּטְלוּ מִמְּלָאכְתָּן וּבָאוּ לִגְמֹל חֶסֶד לְשָׂרָה:
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| 11“No, my lord, listen to me: As far as I am concerned, I have already given you the entire field. As for the cave within it, I have already given it, too, to you; and I have given it to you in full view of my compatriots. Bury your dead.” |
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יאלֹֽא־אֲדֹנִ֣י שְׁמָעֵ֔נִי הַשָּׂדֶה֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לָ֔ךְ וְהַמְּעָרָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֖וֹ לְךָ֣ נְתַתִּ֑יהָ לְעֵינֵ֧י בְנֵֽי־עַמִּ֛י נְתַתִּ֥יהָ לָּ֖ךְ קְבֹ֥ר מֵתֶֽךָ: |
| לֹֽא־אֲדֹנִי - No, my lord - do not buy it for money. |
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לֹֽא־אֲדֹנִי.
לֹא תִּקְנֶה אוֹתָהּ בְּדָמִים:
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| נָתַתִּי לָךְ - I have given you [the field] - means: It is as if I have already given it to you. |
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נָתַתִּי לָךְ.
הֲרֵי הוּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁנְּתַתִּיהָ לְךָ:
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| 12Abraham bowed down before the people of that place. |
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יבוַיִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י עַם־הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| 13He spoke to Ephron so that all the local people could hear, in these words: “If only you would listen to me! I am giving you the money for the field. Take it from me so that I may bury my dead there.” |
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יגוַיְדַבֵּ֨ר אֶל־עֶפְר֜וֹן בְּאָזְנֵ֤י עַם־הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַ֛ךְ אִם־אַתָּ֥ה ל֖וּ שְׁמָעֵ֑נִי נָתַ֜תִּי כֶּ֤סֶף הַשָּׂדֶה֙ קַ֣ח מִמֶּ֔נִּי וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה אֶת־מֵתִ֖י שָֽׁמָּה: |
| אַךְ אִם־אַתָּה לוּ שְׁמָעֵנִי - If only you would listen to me! You ask me to listen to you and take it without payment. I do not want this. Rather – אִם אַתָּה לוּ שְׁמָעֵנִי meaning: “if only you would listen to me and do as I ask.” |
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אַךְ אִם־אַתָּה לוּ שְׁמָעֵנִי.
אַתָּה אוֹמֵר לִי לִשְׁמֹעַ לְךָ וְלִקַּח בְּחִנָּם, אֲנִי אִי אֶפְשִׁי בְּכָךְ אַךְ אִם־אַתָּה לוּ שְׁמָעֵנִי הַלְוַאי וְתִשְׁמָעֵנִי:
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| נָתַתִּי - (lit.) I have given - means “donai” in Old French (“I am giving”). The money is ready with me and I wish I had already given it to you. |
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נָתַתִּי.
דני"ש בלע"ז, מוּכָן הוּא אֶצְלִי, וְהַלְוַאי נָתַתִּי לְךָ כְּבָר:
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| 14Ephron replied to Abraham, saying to him: |
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ידוַיַּ֧עַן עֶפְר֛וֹן אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֥ר לֽוֹ: |
| 15“My lord, listen to me. What’s 400 silver shekels’ worth of land between friends like you and me? Forget about the money and bury your dead.” |
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טואֲדֹנִ֣י שְׁמָעֵ֔נִי אֶ֩רֶץ֩ אַרְבַּ֨ע מֵאֹ֧ת שֶֽׁקֶל־כֶּ֛סֶף בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵֽינְךָ֖ מַה־הִ֑וא וְאֶת־מֵֽתְךָ֖ קְבֹֽר: |
| בֵּינִי וּבֵֽינְךָ - Between you and me - i.e., between two such good friends as we are, of what importance is that? None! Leave aside the sale and bury your dead! |
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בֵּינִי וּבֵֽינְךָ.
בֵּין שְׁנֵי אוֹהֲבִים כָּמוֹנוּ מַה הִיא חֲשׁוּבָה לִכְלוּם, אֶלָּא הַנַּח אֶת הַמֶּכֶר וְאֶת מֵתְךָ קְבֹר (בראשית רבה):
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| 16Abraham understood what Ephron really meant. Abraham weighed out for Ephron the amount of silver that he had mentioned in the presence of the Hittites, 400 full-sized shekels, which are universally-negotiable currency. |
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טזוַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָהָם֘ אֶל־עֶפְרוֹן֒ וַיִּשְׁקֹ֤ל אַבְרָהָם֙ לְעֶפְרֹ֔ן אֶת־הַכֶּ֕סֶף אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר בְּאָזְנֵ֣י בְנֵי־חֵ֑ת אַרְבַּ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ שֶׁ֣קֶל כֶּ֔סֶף עֹבֵ֖ר לַסֹּחֵֽר: |
| וַיִּשְׁקֹל אַבְרָהָם לְעֶפְרֹן - Abraham weighed out for Ephron. עֶפְרֹן is written here without a ו, indicating a deficiency in him, because he promised much, but even a little he did not do; for he took from Abraham large shekels, which are centenaria (coins worth a full hundred smaller units) – as it says: עֹבֵר לַסֹּחֵר, meaning: coins that are accepted universally as a full shekel, and there are places where their shekels are large, i.e., centenaria; “centeniers” in Old French. |
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וַיִּשְׁקֹל אַבְרָהָם לְעֶפְרֹן.
חָסֵר וָי"ו; לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר הַרְבֵּה, וַאֲפִלּוּ מְעַט לֹא עָשָׂה (בבא מציעא פ"ז), שֶׁנָּטַל מִמֶּנוּ שְׁקָלִים גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁהֵן קַנְטָרִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עֹבֵר לַסֹּחֵר, שֶׁמִּתְקַבְּלִים בְּשֶׁקֶל בְּכָל מָקוֹם (שם ובכורות נ'), וְיֵשׁ מָקוֹם שֶׁשִּׁקְלֵיהֶן גְּדוֹלִים, שֶׁהֵן קַנְטָרִין צנטינא"רש בלע"ז:
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