Origins of Our Faith The Hebrew Roots of Christianity

This Week's Pasha
(November 22, 2008)

Parshah 5: Chayei Sarah (The life of Sarah)

1^st Portion

Bereishit 23:1-16

1. And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years; [these were] the years of the life of Sarah. 2. And Sarah died in Kiryat-Arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Kena’an, and Avraham came to mourn Sarah and to grieve for her. 3. And Avraham arose from before his dead, and he spoke to the sons of Het, saying, 4. "I am a stranger and an inhabitant with you. Give me burial property with you, so that I may bury my dead from before me." 5. And the sons of Het answered Avraham, saying to him, 6. "Listen to us, my lord; you are a prince of God in our midst; in the choicest of our graves bury your dead. None of us will withhold his grave from you to bury your dead." 7. And Avraham arose and prostrated himself to the people of the land, to the sons of Het. 8. And he spoke with them, saying, "If it is your will that I bury my dead from before me, listen to me and entreat for me to Efron the son of Tzochar. 9. That he may give me the Machpelah (double) Cave, which belongs to him, which is at the end of his field; for a full price let him give it to me in your midst for burial property." 10. Now Efron was sitting in the midst of the sons of Het, and Efron the Hitti answered Avraham in the hearing of the sons of Het, of all those who had come into the gate of his city, saying, 11. "No, my lord, listen to me. I have given you the field, and the cave that is in it, I have given it to you. Before the eyes of the sons of my people, I have given it to you; bury your dead." 12. And Avraham prostrated himself before the people of the land. 13. And he spoke to Efron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "But, if only you would listen to me. I am giving the money for the field; take [it] from me, and I will bury my dead there." 14. And Efron replied to Avraham, saying to him, 15. "My lord, listen to me; a [piece of] land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is it between me and you? Bury your dead." 16. And Avraham listened to Efron, and Avraham weighed out to Efron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the sons of Het, four hundred shekels of silver, accepted by the merchant.

2^nd Portion

Bereishit 23:17-24:9

17. And so the field of Efron which was in Machpelah, facing Mamre, was established (as Avraham's possession). [This included] the field and the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within its entire border around. 18. [It was] to Avraham as a possession before the eyes of the sons of Het, in the presence of all who had come within the gate of his city. 19. And afterwards, Avraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, facing Mamre, which is Hebron, in the land of Kena’an. 20. And the field and the cave within it were established to Avraham as burial property, [purchased] from the sons of Het.

Chapter 24

1. And Avraham was old, advanced in days, and ADONAI had blessed Avraham with everything. 2. And Avraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that was his, "Please place your hand under my thigh. 3. And I will adjure you by ADONAI, the God of the heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Kena’ani, in whose midst I dwell. 4. But you shall go to my land and to my birthplace, and you shall take a wife for my son, for Yitzchak." 5. And the servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman will not wish to go after me to this land. Shall I return your son to the land from which you came?" 6. And Avraham said to him, "Beware, lest you return my son back there. 7. ADONAI, God of the heavens, Who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and Who spoke about me, and Who swore to me, saying, 'To your seed will I give this land' He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. 8. And if the woman will not wish to go after you, you will be absolved of this, my oath; only do not return my son back there." 9. And the servant placed his hand under the thigh of Avraham his master, and he swore to him concerning this matter.

3^rd Portion

Bereishit 24:10-25

10. And the servant took ten camels of his master's camels, and he went, and all the best of his master was in his hand; and he arose, and he went to Aram-Naharaim, to the city of Nachor. 11. And he made the camels kneel outside the city beside the well of water, at eventide, at the time the maidens go out to draw water. 12. And he said, "ADONAI, the God of my master Avraham, please cause to happen to me today, and perform loving kindness with my master, Avraham. 13. Behold, I am standing by the water fountain, and the daughters of the people of the city are coming out to draw water. 14. And it will be, [that] the maiden to whom I will say, 'Lower your pitcher and I will drink,' and she will say, 'Drink, and I will also water your camels,' her have You designated for Your servant, for Yitzchak, and through her may I know that You have performed loving kindness with my master." 15. Now he had not yet finished speaking, and behold, Rivka came out, who had been born to Betuel the son of Milkah, the wife of Nachor, Avraham's brother, and her pitcher was on her shoulder. 16. Now the maiden was of very comely appearance, a virgin, and no man had been intimate with her, and she went down to the fountain, and she filled her pitcher and went up. 17. And the servant ran toward her, and he said, "Please let me sip a little water from your pitcher." 18. And she said, "Drink, my lord." And she hastened and lowered her pitcher to her hand, and she gave him to drink. 19. And she finished giving him to drink, and she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they will have finished drinking." 20. And she hastened, and she emptied her pitcher into the trough, and she ran again to the well to draw water, and she drew for all his camels. 21. And the man was astonished at her, standing silent, [waiting] to know whether ADONAI had caused his way to prosper or not. 22. Now it came about, when the camels had finished drinking, [that] the man took a golden nose ring, weighing half [a shekel], and two bracelets for her hands, weighing ten gold [shekels]. 23. And he said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me. Is there place for us for lodging in your father's house?" 24. And she said to him, "I am the daughter of Betuel, the son of Milkah, whom she bore to Nachor." 25. And she said to him, "Both straw and fodder are plentiful with us; [there is] also a place to lodge." 26. And the man kneeled and prostrated himself to ADONAI.

4^th Portion

Bereishit 24:27-52

27. And he said, "Blessed is ADONAI, the God of my master, Avraham, Who has not forsaken His loving kindness and His truth from my master. As for me, ADONAI led me on the road to the house of my master's kinsmen." 28. And the maiden ran, and she told her mother's house what had happened. 29. Now Rivka had a brother whose name was Lavan, and Lavan ran to the man outside, to the fountain. 30. And it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of his sister Rivka, saying, "So did the man speak to me, " that he came to the man, and behold, he was standing over the camels at the fountain. 31. And he said, "Come, you who are blessed of ADONAI. Why should you stand outside, when I have cleared the house, and a place for the camels?" 32. So the man came to the house and unmuzzled the camels, and he gave straw and fodder to the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33. And [food] was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have spoken my words." And he said, "Speak." 34. And he said, "I am Avraham's servant. 35. And ADONAI blessed my master exceedingly, and he became great, and He gave him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, man servants and maid servants, camels and donkeys. 36. And Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master after she had become old, and he gave him all that he possesses. 37. And my master adjured me, saying, 'You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Kena’ani, in whose land I dwell. 38. Instead, you must go to my father's house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.' 39. And I said to my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?' 40. And he said to me, 'ADONAI, before Whom I walked, will send His angel with you and make your way prosper, and you shall take a wife for my son from my family and from my father's house. 41. You will then be absolved from my oath, when you come to my family, and if they do not give [her] to you, you will be absolved from my oath.' 42. So I came today to the fountain, and I said, ADONAI, God of my master Avraham, if You desire to prosper my way upon which I am going 43. Behold, I am standing by the water fountain. When a maiden comes out to draw [water], I will say to her, 'Please, give me a little water to drink from your pitcher.' 44. And [if] she will say to me, 'You too may drink, and I will also draw water for your camels,' she is the woman whom ADONAI has designated for my master's son.' 45. I had not yet finished speaking thus in my heart, and behold, Rivka came out with her pitcher on her shoulder, and she went down to the fountain and drew water, and I said to her, 'Please give me to drink.' 46. And she hastened and lowered her pitcher from upon her, and she said, 'Drink, and I will also water your camels.' So I drank, and she also watered the camels. 47. And I asked her, and I said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she replied, 'The daughter of Betuel the son of Nachor, whom Milkah bore to him.' And I placed the nose ring on her nose and the bracelets on her hands. 48. And I kneeled and prostrated myself to ADONAI, and I blessed ADONAI, the God of my master Avraham, Who led me on the true path, to take the daughter of my master's brother for his son. 49. And now, if you will do loving kindness and truth with my master, tell me, and if not, tell me, and I will turn to the right or to the left." 50. And Lavan and Betuel answered and said, "The matter has emanated from ADONAI. We cannot speak to you either bad or good. 51. Behold Rivka is before you, take [her] and go, and let her be a wife for your master's son, as ADONAI has spoken." 52. Now it came to pass when Avraham's servant heard their words, that he prostrated himself on the ground to ADONAI.

5^th Portion

Bereishit 24:53-67

53. And the servant took out silver articles and golden articles and garments, and he gave [them] to Rivka, and he gave delicacies to her brother and to her mother. 54. And they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him, and they lodged, and they arose in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master." 55. And her brother and her mother said, "Let the maiden stay with us a year or ten [months]; afterwards she will go." 56. But he said to them, "Do not delay me, since ADONAI has made my way prosper. Send me away, and I will go to my master." 57. And they said, "Let us call the maiden and ask her." 58. And they summoned Rivka, and they said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she said, "I will go." 59. So they sent away Rivka their sister and her nurse and Avraham's servant and his men. 60. And they blessed Rivka and said to her, "Our sister, may you become thousands of myriads, and may your seed inherit the cities of their enemies." 61. And Rivka and her maidens arose and rode on the camels, and they followed the man; and the servant took Rivka and left. 62. Now Yitzchak was on his way, coming from Be'er Lachai Ro'i, and he dwelt in the land of the south. 63. And Yitzchak went forth to pray in the field towards evening, and he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, camels were approaching. 64. And Rivka lifted her eyes, and saw Yitzchak, and she let herself down from the camel. 65. And she said to the servant, "Who is that man walking in the field towards us?" And the servant said, "He is my master." And she took the veil and covered herself. 66. And the servant told Yitzchak all the things that he had done. 67. And Yitzchak brought her to the tent of Sarah his mother, and he took Rivka, and she became his wife, and he loved her. And Yitzchak was comforted for [the loss of] his mother.

6^th Portion

Bereishit 25:1-11

1. And Avraham took another wife and her name was Keturah. 2. And she bore him Zimran and Yokshan and Medan and Midian and Yishbak and Shuah. 3. And Yokshan begot Sheba and Dedan, and the sons of Dedan were Ashurim, Letushim, and Leumim. 4. And the sons of Midian [were] Efah and Efer and Enoch and Abida and Elda'ah; all these were the sons of Keturah. 5. And Avraham gave all that he possessed to Yitzchak. 6. And to the sons of Avraham's concubines, Avraham gave gifts, and he sent them away from his son Yitzchak while he [Avraham] was still alive, eastward to the land of the East. 7. And these are the days of the years of Avraham's life that he lived: one hundred years and seventy years and five years. 8. And Avraham expired and died in a good old age, old and satisfied, and he was gathered to his people. 9. And Yitzchak and Ishmael his sons buried him in the Cave of Machpelah in the field of Efron the son of Tzochar the Hitti, which faces Mamre, 10. The field that Avraham had bought from the sons of Het there Avraham and his wife Sarah were buried. 11. Now it came to pass after Avraham's death, that God blessed his son Yitzchak, and Yitzchak dwelt near Be'er Lachai Ro'i.

7^th Portion

Bereishit 25:12-18

12. Now these are the generations of Ishmael the son of Avraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, the maidservant of Sarah, bore to Avraham. 13. And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael by their names, according to their births: the firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaiot, and Kedar and Adbe'el and Mibsam, 14. And Mishma and Dumah and Massa, 15. Hadad and Tema, Yetur, Nafish, and Kedmah. 16. These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names in their open cities and in their walled cities, twelve princes to their nations. 17. And these are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred years and thirty years and seven years; and he expired and died and was gathered to his people. 18. And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur, which borders on Egypt, going towards Asshur; before all his brothers he dwelt.

Maftir for Chayei Sarah (Parshah 5)

Bereishit 25:16-18

16. These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names in their open cities and in their walled cities, twelve princes to their nations. 17. And these are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred years and thirty years and seven years; and he expired and died and was gathered to his people. 18. And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur, which borders on Egypt, going towards Asshur; before all his brothers he dwelt.

Haftarah

Melachim 1

Chapter 1

1. And king David was old, he came into his old age, and they covered him with clothes, but he was not warmed. 2. And his servants said to him, "Let them seek for my lord the king a young girl, a virgin, and she shall stand before the king, and she shall be to him a warmer, and she shall lie in your lap, and it shall be warm for my lord the king." 3. And they sought a beautiful young girl throughout the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunemit and brought her to the king. 4. And the young girl was very beautiful, and she was a warmer to the king, and she ministered to him, but the king did not know her. 5. And Adoniahu the son of Haggit exalted himself saying: 'I will be king,' and he made for himself chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run before him. 6. And his father had not angered him all his days saying, "Why have you done so?" And he too was of very handsome appearance, and she bore him after Absalom. 7. And he conferred with Yoav the son of Zeruiah and with Aviatar the cohen and they helped [by following] after Adoniahu. 8. And Zadok the cohen and B’nayahu the son of Y’hoyada, and Natan the prophet, and Shimei and Rei, and the mighty men, who were with David, were not with Adoniahu. 9. And Adoniahu slew sheep and oxen and fatlings, by the stone of Zohelet which is beside Ein-Rogel, and he called all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Y’hudah, the kings servants. 10. And Natan the prophet and B’nayahu and the mighty men and his brother, Solomon, he did not call. 11. And Natan said to Bat-Sheba, Solomon's mother, saying, "You have surely heard that Adoniahu the son of Haggit has reigned, and our lord, David, did not know [it]. 12. And now come and I shall council you with advice, and you shall save your life and the life of your son Solomon. 13. Go and come to king David, and you shall say to him, 'Surely, you, my lord the king, did swear to your maid saying that, 'Solomon your son will reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne,' Now why did Adoniahu reign?" 14. Behold, you are talking there with the king, and I shall come in after you and I shall complete your words." 15. And Bat-Sheba came in unto the king, into the chamber; and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunemit ministered the king. 16. And Bat-Sheba bowed her head, and prostrated herself unto the king, and the king said, "What is your [wish]?" 17. And she said to him, "My lord, you swore by Adonai your God to your maid, that, 'Solomon, your son, shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.' 18. And now, behold Adoniahu has reigned, and now my lord the king, you did not know. 19. And he has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance and he called all the king's sons and Aviatar the cohen and Yoav the general of the army, but Solomon, your servant, he did not call. 20. And you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, that you should tell them, who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21. And [otherwise] when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, and I and my son Solomon shall be [considered] offenders." 22. And behold, she was still speaking with the king, and Natan the prophet came. 23. And they told the king saying, "Behold, Natan the prophet." And he came in before the king and he prostrated himself unto the king upon his face, to the ground. 24. And Natan said, "My lord the king, did you say 'Adoniahu shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne?'" 25. For he has gone down this day and has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and he called all the King's sons, and the officers of the army, and Aviatar the cohen, and behold they eat and drink before him, and they said, "Long live King Adoniahu." 26. And me, [even] me your servant, and Zadok the cohen and B’nayahu the son of Y’hoyada and Solomon, your servant, he did not call. 27. If this matter stems from my lord the king, [I wonder that] you have not informed your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 28. And king David answered and said, "Call Bath Sheba to me. And she came before the king and stood before the king. 29. And he swore and said, "[I swear as] God lives who redeemed my soul from all distress. 30. Indeed, as I swore to you by Adonai God of Israel saying, 'Surely Solomon, your son, shall reign after me and he shall sit on my throne in my stead,' surely, so will I do this day." 31. And Bat-Sheba bowed [her] face to the earth, and she prostrated herself to the king and said, "Let my lord King David live forever."