Parshat Chayei Sarah SUMMARY • Abraham purchases the cave of Machpelah in order to bury his wife Sarah. (23:1-20) • Abraham sends his servant to find a bride for Isaac. (24:1-9) • Rebekah shows her kindness by offering to draw water for the servant's camels at the well. (24:15-20) • The servant meets Rebekah's family and then takes Rebekah to Isaac, who marries her. (24:23-67) • Abraham takes another wife, named Keturah. At the age of one hundred and seventy-five years, Abraham dies, and Isaac and Ishmael bury him in the cave of Machpelah. (25:1- 11) 1 Gen 24:10-20 (10) Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and set out, taking with him all the bounty of his master; and he made his way to Aram-naharaim, to the city of Nahor. (11) He made the camels kneel down by the well outside the city, at evening time, the time when women come out to draw water. (12) And he said, “O LORD, God of my master Abraham, grant me good fortune this day, and deal graciously with my master Abraham: (13) Here I stand by the spring as the daughters of the townsmen come out to draw water; (14) let the maiden to whom I say, ‘Please, lower your jar that I may drink,’ and who replies, ‘Drink, and I will also water your camels’—let her be the one whom You have decreed for Your servant Isaac. Thereby shall I know that You have dealt graciously with my master.” (15) He had scarcely finished speaking, when Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milcah the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder. (16) The maiden was very beautiful, a virgin whom no man had known. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up. (17) The servant ran toward her and said, “Please, let me sip a little water from your jar.” (18) “Drink, my lord,” she said, and she quickly lowered her jar upon her hand and let him drink. (19) When she had let him drink his fill, she said, “I will also draw for your camels, until they finish drinking.” (20) Quickly emptying her jar into the trough, she ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. Rashi 10 Of his master’s camels. They were indistinguishable from the other camels UNe they were always muzzled to prevent them from grazing in other people's fields. All the bounty of his master. He had written a deed of gift transferring all he had to Isaac so they would jump at the opportunity to send him their daughter. 2 11 He made the camels kneel. This is how camels lie down. 14 Let her be the one whom You have decreed. Her kindness would make her worthy of him, and deserving to enter the household of Abraham. But the Verb means not "decreed" but "appointed” More precisely. her selection was "clarified." Thereby shall I know. Rather, “let me know thereby." It is a prayer, not a statement. That You have dealt graciously with my master. If she is of his family and appropriate for him, I will know that You have been gracious. 17 The servant ran toward her. He had seen the water rise up to her on its own. 18 She quickly lowered her jar. From her shoulder. 20 Emptying her jar. The verb is common with this meaning in Mishnaic Hebrew. In Biblical Hebrew it more often refers to being naked, but see the idiom of "emptying out" one's soul in Isa. 53:12 and Ps. 141:8. The trough. A stone trench where the camels drink. Rashbam 11 He made the camels kneel down Camels actually have two knees on each leg, one above the other so one must make them “kneel" twice in order for them to drink because they are so tall. Thus the “joint that is clearly distinguishable in the camel” that our Sages mention on B. Hul. 76a. Kimhi 11 He made the camels kneel down. To rest them and water them. While doing this, he prayed. 14 Let her be the one. He would obviously not give the test to a maiden who was lame or blind. But she still might turm out to be a servant girl or an illegitimate child or simply not from Abraham’s family. That is why he was praying. Thereby shall I know that You have dealt graciously with my master. Thereby-if she turns out to be a good woman, from a good home, and of my master's family. 15 He had scarcely finished speaking. His prayer was answered immediately, "before he had done speaking” – while the words were still on his lips, or in his heart. 17 The servant ran toward her. Seeing that she was so beautiful. As for what he had about such things. requested, he trusted in God. 18 Drink, my lord. This demonstrated that she was a well-bred woman. she had no idea who he was but addressed him politely and hurried to offer him a drink, holding jar with her own hand. 3 Nachmanides 14 Thereby shall I know that You have dealt graciously with my master. It is a little difficult to make the Hebrew here correspond with Rashi’s explanation. In fact, the translations are correct. That is how I shall know that You have dealt graciously with my master-if she turns out to be from his family, intelligent, beautiful." 17 The servant ran toward her. Rashi's comment, like the more extensive verslon in Genesis Rabbah, appears to stem from the fact that we are not she "drew" the water. But this miracle was done for her only the first time, since in v. 20 she does have to draw the water. And in v, 45 the servant tells them that she drew water this first time As well. Perhaps he thought they would not believe him. Rashi 36 He has assigned to him everything he owns. He showed them the deed of gift. 37 You shall not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites. Unless you first go to my father's house and she refuses to follow you. 4 Rashbam 33 Until I have told my take. Having seen that the Holy One approved what he had suggested, he had no business eating or drinking first. 35 The Lord has greatly blessed my master. This is why we were told that “the lord had blessed Abraham in all things” And he has become rich. So everyone in the kingdom wants to be related to him by marriage but he himself does not want this. 36 He has assigned to him everything he owns. His brothers will not get any share of it. Kimhi 34 I am Abraham's servant. Don't think all this wealth belongs to me. 35 The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. So much so that even I, his servant. can travel with all the wealth you see. 37 Now my master made me swear. In case you are wondering why I have come all the way here. For he could easily have found his son a wife from among the daughters of the great men of that land, but he wanted one from his own family. Ibn Ezra 34 I am Abraham's servant. Some think he is explaining why he would not eat: "There are some foods that are forbidden to us." But he himself explained why he does not want to eat yet. 5 HAFTORAH: I Kings 1:1-31 Chapter 1 1 King David was now old, advanced in years; and though they covered him with bedclothes, he never felt warm. 2 His courtiers said to him, "Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, to wait upon Your Majesty and be his attendant; and let her lie in your bosom, and my lord the king will be warm." 3 So they looked for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel. They found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. 4 The girl was exceedingly beautiful. She became the king's attendant and waited upon him; but the king was not intimate with her. 5 Now Adonijah son of Haggith went about boasting, "I will be king!" He provided himself with chariots and horses, and an escort of fifty outrunners. 6 His father had never scolded him: "Why did you do that?" He was the one born after Absalom and, like him, was very handsome. 7 He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiathar, and they supported Adonijah; 8 but the priest Zadok, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the prophet Nathan, Shimei and Rei, and David's own fighting men did not side with Adonijah. 9 Adonijah made a sacrificial feast of sheep, oxen, and fatlings at the Zoheleth stone which is near En-rogel; he invited all his brother princes and all the king's courtiers of the tribe of Judah; 10 but he did not invite the prophet Nathan, or Benaiah, or the fighting men, or his brother Solomon. 11 Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "You must have heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has assumed the kingship without the knowledge of our lord David. 12 Now take my advice, so that you may save your life and the life of your son Solomon.