| 1And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years; [these were] the years of the life of Sarah. |
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אוַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ חַיֵּ֣י שָׂרָ֔ה מֵאָ֥ה שָׁנָ֛ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים שְׁנֵ֖י חַיֵּ֥י שָׂרָֽה: |
| And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years. The reason that the word “years” was written after every digit is to tell you that every digit is to be expounded upon individually: when she was one hundred years old, she was like a twenty-year-old regarding sin. Just as a twenty-year-old has not sinned, because she is not liable to punishment, so too when she was one hundred years old, she was without sin. And when she was twenty, she was like a seven-year-old as regards to beauty. — from Gen. Rabbah 58:1] |
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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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| the years of the life of Sarah. All of them equally good. |
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שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה.
כֻּלָּן שָׁוִין לְטוֹבָה:
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| 2And Sarah died in Kiriath arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her. |
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בוַתָּ֣מָת שָׂרָ֗ה בְּקִרְיַ֥ת אַרְבַּ֛ע הִ֥וא חֶבְר֖וֹן בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיָּבֹא֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם לִסְפֹּ֥ד לְשָׂרָ֖ה וְלִבְכֹּתָֽהּ: |
| in Kiriath-arba. lit. the city of the four. So named because of the four giants who were there: Ahiman, Sheshai, Talmai, and their father (Gen. Rabbah from Num. 13:23). Another explanation: Because of the four couples that were buried there, man and wife: Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah (Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer , ch. 20). |
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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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| and Abraham came. from Beer-sheba. |
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וַיָּבֹא אַבְרָהָם.
מִבְּאֵר שֶׁבַע:
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| to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her. The account of Sarah’s demise was juxtaposed to the binding of Isaac because as a result of the news of the “binding,” that her son was prepared for slaughter and was almost slaughtered, her soul flew out of her, and she died. — from Gen. Rabbah 58:5] |
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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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| 3And Abraham arose from before his dead, and he spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, |
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גוַיָּ֨קָם֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֣י מֵת֑וֹ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־בְּנֵי־חֵ֖ת לֵאמֹֽר: |
| 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." |
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דגֵּֽר־וְתוֹשָׁ֥ב אָֽנֹכִ֖י עִמָּכֶ֑ם תְּנ֨וּ לִ֤י אֲחֻזַּת־קֶ֨בֶר֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה מֵתִ֖י מִלְּפָנָֽי: |
| I am a stranger and an inhabitant with you. [I am] a stranger from another land, and I have settled among you. [Consequently, I have no ancestral burial plot here (Rashbam, Sforno).] And the Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 58:6) [states]: If you are willing [to sell me burial property], I am a stranger, but if not, I will be as an inhabitant and will take it legally, for the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me, “To your seed I will give this land” (above 12:7). |
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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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| burial property. the possession of land for a burial place. |
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אחוזת קֶבֶר.
אֲחֻזַּת קַרְקַע לְבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת:
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| 5And the sons of Heth answered 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; in the choicest of our graves bury your dead. None of us will withhold his grave from you 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: |
| none…will withhold. Heb. לא יִכְלֶה, will not withhold, as (Ps. 40:12): “You will not withhold (לא תִכְלָא) Your mercies,” and similarly (above 8:2): “and the rain was withheld (וַיִּכָּלֵא).” |
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לֹֽא־יִכְלֶה.
לֹא יִמְנַע כְּמוֹ לֹא תִכְלָא רַחֲמֶיךָ (תהילים מ') וּכְמוֹ וַיִּכָּלֵא הַגֶּשֶׁם (בראשית ח'):
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| 7And Abraham arose and prostrated himself to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth. |
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זוַיָּ֧קָם אַבְרָהָ֛ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ לְעַם־הָאָ֖רֶץ לִבְנֵי־חֵֽת: |
| 8And 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 Ephron the son of Zohar. |
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חוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתָּ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־יֵ֣שׁ אֶת־נַפְשְׁכֶ֗ם לִקְבֹּ֤ר אֶת־מֵתִי֙ מִלְּפָנַ֔י שְׁמָע֕וּנִי וּפִגְעוּ־לִ֖י בְּעֶפְר֥וֹן בֶּן־צֹֽחַר: |
| your will. Heb. נַפְשְׁכֶם, equivalent to רְצוֹנְכֶם, your will. |
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נַפְשְׁכֶם.
רְצוֹנְכֶם:
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| and entreat for me. Heb. וּפִגְעוּ, an expression of entreaty, as in (Ruth 1: 16): “Do not entreat me” . |
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וּפִגְעוּ־לִי.
לְשוֹן בַּקָּשָׁה כְּמוֹ: אַל תִּפְגְּעִי בִּי (רות א'):
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| 9That 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." |
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טוְיִתֶּן־לִ֗י אֶת־מְעָרַ֤ת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה֙ אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בִּקְצֵ֣ה שָׂדֵ֑הוּ בְּכֶ֨סֶף מָלֵ֜א יִתְּנֶ֥נָּה לִּ֛י בְּתֽוֹכְכֶ֖ם לַֽאֲחֻזַּת־קָֽבֶר: |
| double. A structure with an upper story over it. Another interpretation: [It was called so] because it was doubled with couples (Er. 53a). |
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הַמַּכְפֵּלָה.
בַּית וַעֲלִיָּה עַל גַּבָּיו. דָּבָר אַחֵר שֶׁכְּפוּלָה בְּזוּגוֹת (עירובין נ"ג):
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| for a full price. [meaning] its full value. So did David say to Araunah, “for the full price” (I Chron. 21: 24). |
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בְּכֶסֶף מָלֵא.
שָׁלֵם, כָּל שָׁוְיָהּ; וְכֵן דָּוִד אָמַר לַאֲרַוְנָה בְּכֶסֶף מָלֵא (דברי הימים א כ"א):
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| 10Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth, of all those who had come into the gate of his city, saying, |
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יוְעֶפְר֥וֹן ישֵׁ֖ב בְּת֣וֹךְ בְּנֵי־חֵ֑ת וַיַּ֩עַן֩ עֶפְר֨וֹן הַֽחִתִּ֤י אֶת־אַבְרָהָם֨ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י בְנֵי־חֵ֔ת לְכֹ֛ל בָּאֵ֥י שַֽׁעַר־עִיר֖וֹ לֵאמֹֽר: |
| Now Ephron was sitting. It ישֵׁב is spelled defectively, [without a“vav.” It can therefore be read יָשַׁב, in the past tense, meaning that he had just sat (Mizrachi, Be’er Yitzchak).] On that very day they had appointed him as an officer over them. Because of the importance of Abraham, who needed him, he rose to an exalted position. — from Gen. Rabbah 58:7] |
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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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| of all those who had come into the gate of his city. For they all left their work and came to pay their respects to Sarah. — from Gen. Rabbah 58:7] |
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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. 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." |
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יאלֹֽא־אֲדֹנִ֣י שְׁמָעֵ֔נִי הַשָּׂדֶה֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לָ֔ךְ וְהַמְּעָרָ֥ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֖וֹ לְךָ֣ נְתַתִּ֑יהָ לְעֵינֵ֧י בְנֵֽי־עַמִּ֛י נְתַתִּ֥יהָ לָּ֖ךְ קְבֹ֥ר מֵתֶֽךָ: |
| No, my lord. You shall not buy it for money. |
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לֹֽא־אֲדֹנִי.
לֹא תִּקְנֶה אוֹתָהּ בְּדָמִים:
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| I have given you. It is as though I have given it to you. |
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נָתַתִּי לָךְ.
הֲרֵי הוּא כְּמוֹ שֶׁנְּתַתִּיהָ לְךָ:
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| 12And Abraham prostrated himself before the people of the land. |
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יבוַיִּשְׁתַּ֨חוּ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם לִפְנֵ֖י עַם־הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| 13And he spoke to Ephron 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." |
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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: |
| But, if only you would listen to me. You tell me to listen to you and to take it gratis. I do not wish to do that, but “If you would only (לוּ) listen to me,” [meaning] “If only (הַלְוַאי) you would listen to me.” Rashi explains that the word לוּ is equivalent to הַלְוַאי, if only. |
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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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| I am giving. lit. I have given, Donai in Old French. It is ready with me, and I wish that 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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| 14And Ephron replied to Abraham, saying to him, |
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ידוַיַּ֧עַן עֶפְר֛וֹן אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֥ר לֽוֹ: |
| 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." |
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טואֲדֹנִ֣י שְׁמָעֵ֔נִי אֶ֩רֶץ֩ אַרְבַּ֨ע מֵאֹ֧ת שֶֽׁקֶל־כֶּ֛סֶף בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵֽינְךָ֖ מַה־הִ֑וא וְאֶת־מֵֽתְךָ֖ קְבֹֽר: |
| between me and you. Between two friends such as we are, of what importance is it? None! Rather leave 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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| 16And Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, accepted by the merchant. |
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טזוַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָהָם֘ אֶל־עֶפְרוֹן֒ וַיִּשְׁקֹ֤ל אַבְרָהָם֙ לְעֶפְרֹ֔ן אֶת־הַכֶּ֕סֶף אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר בְּאָזְנֵ֣י בְנֵי־חֵ֑ת אַרְבַּ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ שֶׁ֣קֶל כֶּ֔סֶף עֹבֵ֖ר לַסֹּחֵֽר: |
| and Abraham weighed out to Ephron. עֶפְרֹן is spelled without a “vav,” because he promised much but did not do even a little [i.e., he promised the cave as a gift but took a great deal of money for it], for he took from him large shekels, viz. centenaria [worth one hundred smaller shekels], as it is stated: “accepted by the merchant,” i.e., they are accepted as a [full] shekel everywhere, for some places have large shekels, viz. centenaria, centeniers or zenteniyers in Old French, (hundred-unit weights.) - from Gen. Rabbah 58:7, Bech. 50a, B.M. 87a] |
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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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