The Shorashim Torah Study and Overview Guide.
Chayei Sarah (Genesis 23:1–25:18) — Sarah dies at age 127. The text describes the age that she dies in an unusual way: ” And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years; [these were] the years of the life of Sarah….”.
why?( Rashi)
She is buried in the Machpelah Cave in Hebron.
Why is it called Machpela, which comes from the word Kaful (doubled)?
The Biblical text goes thru a long description regarding how Abraham purchases from Ephron the Hittite the cave for four hundred shekels of silver.
Why all that text?
Why did he not accept it as a gift?
Abraham’s servant, Eliezer, is sent to Charan laden with gifts to find a wife for Isaac. Eliezer prays that G-d will send the right one and devises a test to determine which one is the right one.
What is the basis of that test and how do we see rebecca surpassing his expectations?
Rebecca returns with Eliezer to the land of Canaan, despite the wishes of her brother Laban and she sees Isaac in the field and is stricken and falls off the camel.
What is it that she saw?
Abraham takes a new wife, Keturah (Hagar) and fathers six additional sons which he send off to “the East” with gifts.
What type of gifts were they and how has it impacted Eastern culture?
Abraham dies at age 175 and is buried beside Sarah by his two eldest sons, Isaac and Ishmael.
What does that tells us about the political reality of our day?
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