Sarah, the Enabler
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Description: Contemporary Jewish discussion of the matriarch's death and why it is connected in rabbinic tradition with Isaac's sacrifice.
Sarah, the Enabler: From the Binding of Isaac to the First Israelite Land Purchase in the Promised Land Schulamith C. Halevy Chapter xxiii of Genesis begins with a brief report of Sarah's death at age 127 and a rather protracted and seemingly overly detailed account of Abraham's negotiations for the purchase of a burial site. Isaac is completely absent from this chronicle of his mother's passing, his sorrow only alluded to later, where we are informed that he overcame it. Abraham's reaction to the loss of his wife is expressed in five succinct Hebrew words: ``And-Abraham came to-mourn for-Sarah and-to-weep-for-her.'' The rest of the chapter deals with the business side of things. What significance does this very detailed account of Abraham's purchase of the Cave of Machpelah hold? Abraham wished to bury Sarah in the crypt, and, having learned that it belonged to Ephron the Hittite, offers to buy it from him. In verse 9, he asks explicitly for the cave at the edge of Ephron' s field, making it clear that the cave was all he wanted. Ephron in response offers to give Abraham both the field and the cave, meaning that he would not sell one without the other. He then proceeds to remind Abraham of his poor bargaining position, having to bury his dead, and sets a hefty asking price (verse 15). Abraham graciously overpays and is now the owner of both the cave he had wanted and the field which he had expressed no interest in, but the importance of which the Torah amply emphasizes ``... and the field of Ephron... and the cave... and all the trees... in the presence of all the people of Heth...'' (verses 17-18). Afterall this, we are at last told that Abraham buried his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, then reminded again in the last verse of our chapter that the field (mentioned first), and the cave, were now Abraham's. Throughout the book of Genesis, we are continually reminded of this businesstransaction and the importance of this field: In xxv, 9-10, follo
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