Bereishis
Book 1: Genesis


CHAYEI SARAH - NOTES ON RASHI COMMENTARY


Chapter 23 - Text Notes

1 Would it not be sufficient to write {Hebrew Ref} ?

2 Punishment meted out from Heaven applies only to those twenty years or older. See Rashi Shabbos 89b {Hebrew Ref} .

3 Ber. Rab. 58, 1.

4 After {Hebrew Ref} , then {Hebrew Ref} seems redundant.

5 Ber. Rab. 58, 4.

6 Since that was the last residence mentioned. See above 22, 19. (G.A.)

7 Ber. Rab. 58, 5.

8 How could he be both a {Hebrew Ref} and a {Hebrew Ref} ?

9 Ber. Rab. 58, 6.

10 To sell me the land.

11 Above 12, 7.

12 Tehillim 40, 12.

13 Above 8, 2.

14 Ruth 1, 16.

15 {Hebrew Ref} is from the root {Hebrew Ref} ---double. Why was it so called?

16 I.e., there are four couples buried there. See Rashi v. 2 {Hebrew Ref} .

17 Eruvin 53a.

18 I Divrei Hayamim 21, 24.

19 So that Avraham might negotiate with an equal rather than an inferior.

20 Ber. Rab. 58, 7.

21 Why were all the people there?

22 Ibid.

23 Why did Ephron use the past tense?

24 What is the meaning of the word {Hebrew Ref} ?

25 {Hebrew Ref} , here, is not to be explained as in verse 11.

26 In the present tense.

27 And not "Consider it as if I have already given it to you" as in verse 11. (L.S.R.)

28 To denote deficiencies in Ephron.

29 V. 16.


Chapter 24 - Text Notes

30 I.e., G-d blessed Avraham with a son.

31 As the object upon which to take an oath.

32 Ber. Rab. 59, 8.

33 V. 3.

34 "And I will have you swear by Ad-noy G-d of heaven and G-d of earth."

35 I.e., "I have familiarized the people with G-d."

36 And this verse deals with when Avraham left his father's house.

37 Ur Kasdim was Avraham's birthplace. Haran was where his father and brother resided.

38 I Melachim 2, 4.

39 Ber. Rab. 58, 9.

40 Kidushin 61a.

41 Ber. Rab. 59, 10.

42 But isn't it obvious that they were his master's camels?

43 Ber. Rab. 59, 11.

44 How could all the possessions of his master be in his hand?

45 Ber. Rab. 59, 11.

46 {Hebrew Ref} and {Hebrew Ref} seems redundant!

47 Ber. Rab. 60, 5.

48 What made Eliezer certain that she was the one?

49 Though {Hebrew Ref} means they finished.

50 Avodah Zarah 72a.

51 Tehillim 141, 8.

52 Yeshaiyahu 53, 12.

53 Ibid. 6, 11.

54 I.e., since the root is {Hebrew Ref} , then why is a {Hebrew Ref} inserted?

55 Yeshaiyahu 59, 15.

56 Ibid 16.

57 Michah 6, 16.

58 From the root {Hebrew Ref} ---empty and desolate.

59 Iyov 18, 20.

60 Yirmiyahu 2, 12.

61 Daniel 4, 16.

62 From the root {Hebrew Ref} .

63 Above 20, 13, where {Hebrew Ref} ---to me is used to mean about me.

64 Below 26, 7, where {Hebrew Ref} means about his wife.

65 Ber. Rab. 60, 6.

66 Why did Eliezer give the gifts to her before he knew who she was?

67 Why is there a {Hebrew Ref} under the {Hebrew Ref} of {Hebrew Ref} rather than a {Hebrew Ref} ?

68 Ber. Rab. 60, 7. Otherwise Rivkah should have gone to her father for he was the relative of Avraham and not her mother. (N.Y.)

69 {Hebrew Ref} sometimes means "for the purpose of.. ."

70 Above 18, 8.

71 Ber. Rab. 60, 7. {Hebrew Ref} could not mean simply that he made room for Eliezer, for Rivkah had already told him (v. 25) that there is room for him. (Y.T.)

72 Ber. Rab. 60, 8.

73 Below 49, 10.

74 I.e., though here {Hebrew Ref} is used to mean {Hebrew Ref} [that] which is not in the list of the four, nevertheless, {Hebrew Ref} is represented by {Hebrew Ref} (since we find {Hebrew Ref} as having the meaning of {Hebrew Ref} ) which is one of the four.

75 And not {Hebrew Ref} (with a {Hebrew Ref} ) and can therefore be read {Hebrew Ref} ---to me.

76 Eliezer was a descendant of Canaan who was cursed by Noach (see above 9, 25). (S.C.)

77 Ber. Rab. 59, 9.

78 I.e., his trip was miraculously shortened.

79 First as a narrative of the Torah and later when Eliezer relates it to Rivkah's family.

80 Ber. Rab. 60, 8.

81 I.e., she offered water to Eliezer's entourage, as well as to Eliezer.

82 Iyov 1, 5.

83 Ibid.

84 Ibid.

85 Yishmael resided in Midbar Paran (above 21, 21) which is south of Chevron, where Avraham resided. "The right" is a reference to the south. See Tehillim 89, 13. (L.S.R.)

86 Ber. Rab. 60, 9.

87 I.e., {Hebrew Ref} does not refer to consent or refusal, but rather, to the quality of the response. (M.)

88 Ber. Rab. 60, 6. Eliezer bowed in a gesture of thanksgiving to G-d.

89 Ber. Rab. 60, 11.

90 Ber. Rab. 60, 12.

91 Vayik. 28, 29. One who sells a house in a walled city, retains the right to buy it back for one year.

92 Ber. Rab. 60, 12.

93 I.e., if {Hebrew Ref} means a year then they first asked for a year, and if Eliezer refused they asked for 10 months. But, if {Hebrew Ref} means "days" then they would have been asking for a few days first. It would then not follow to ask for 10 months if he refused.

94 K'suvos 57, 2.

95 Why did she not simply answer, "yes"?

96 Ber. Rab. 60, 12.

97 Above 22, 17. After Yitzchok's Akeidah the angel gave Avraham two blessings: 1) that his children multiply as the stars, 2) that his children possess the cities of his enemies. Here, they give Rivkah the two identical blessings.

98 {Hebrew Ref} seems redundant.

99 Rashi interprets {Hebrew Ref} as {Hebrew Ref} ---bring.

100 Ber. Rab. 60, 14.

101 Above 20, 1.

102 Tehillim 102, 1.

103 Ber. Rab. 60, 15.

104 Though {Hebrew Ref} generally means to fall , here it has the meaning of tilting or leaning.

105 II Shmuel 22, 10.

106 Tehillim 37, 24.

107 Below 35, 8.

108 I Shmuel 4, 18.

109 Ber. Rab. 60, 15.

110 The syntax would have been smoother if read {Hebrew Ref} . Therefore, Rashi breaks {Hebrew Ref} from {Hebrew Ref} .

111 Miraculously.

112 I.e., there was a miraculous increase in its quantity.

113 As a sign of Divine protection.

114 Ber. Rab. 60, 16.

115 Pirkei d'R. Eliezer 32.


Chapter 25 - Text Notes

116 {Hebrew Ref} and {Hebrew Ref} having a common root.

117 Ber. Rab. 61, 5.

118 {Hebrew Ref} also having the root {Hebrew Ref} --- aramaic for "knot" (or tie).

119 Pirkei d'R. Eliezer 30.

120 I.e., descendant nations who traced their lineage to them.

121 The bracketed section does not appear in early prints and manuscripts of Rashi. It is obvious from a reading of the Ramban on this verse, that his version of Rashi did not contain this section.

122 Of the word {Hebrew Ref} it would, therefore, be incorrect to translate {Hebrew Ref} (with an {Hebrew Ref} ) as "camps." This claim is not valid.

123 Amos 7, 7.

124 II Shmuel 4, 4.

125 {Hebrew Ref} having the same root as {Hebrew Ref} , but with the added {Hebrew Ref} .

126 II Melachim 4, 2.

127 Ruth 3, 3.

128 {Hebrew Ref} having the same root as {Hebrew Ref} but with the added {Hebrew Ref} .

129 Which Onkelos translates {Hebrew Ref} ---dwellers.

130 {Hebrew Ref} literally means "In the tents of his palace" (Daniel 11, 45).

131 Though, here it is spelled {Hebrew Ref} rather than {Hebrew Ref} .

132 I Shmuel 30, 16.

133 Rashi, here, combines two different opinions cited in Ber. Rab. (61, 6) as to what {Hebrew Ref} refers.

134 Above 12, 2.

135 Our Sifrei Torah, however, do contain the {Hebrew Ref} .

136 Ber. Rab. 61, 4.

137 A marriage contract.

138 21a.

139 Why are the gifts not enumerated?

140 With which they could practice sorcery.

141 Sanhedrin 91a. Gur Aryeh explains that {Hebrew Ref} could not possibly mean any possessions for he had given everything to Yitzchok.

142 According to the first explanation the Torah does not wish to mention the sorcerous character of the gifts. According to the second explanation {Hebrew Ref} --- gifts refers to the gifts that Avraham had himself received. It was those gifts that he gave to the {Hebrew Ref} . (L.S.R.)

143 Why is {Hebrew Ref} repeated at each digit? See Rashi above 23, 1.

144 Yishmael was the older, then why is Yitzchok mentioned first? (S.C.)

145 Above 15, 15.

146 Ber. Rab. 38, 12.

147 Why is the fact that it was after the death of Avraham significant? (S.C.)

148 Sotah 14a. Accordingly, {Hebrew Ref} here has the same meaning as {Hebrew Ref} (below 47, 10) where Yaakov inquired of the welfare of Pharoah.

149 Which explains why this occurred after Avraham's death.

150 Tanchuma, Lech Lecha 4.

151 Unlike {Hebrew Ref} (above 10, 1) who are not listed in order of birth. (M.)

152 Tehillim 98, 4. See Rashi, Vayikra 25, 33 {Hebrew Ref} .

153 Yevamos 64a, Megillah 17a.

154 I.e., so that we may discern the age at which Yaakov experienced major milestones.

155 I.e., his age at his birth.

156 Below 28, 9.

157 Megillah 17a. From "Eisav saw that Yitzchok blessed Yaakov, etc." (below 28, 6) the Talmud (ibid.) derives that Yishmael died at about the time that Yaakov left Canaan for Lavan. Yaakov was then 63. 53 years passed before Yaakov stood before Pharaoh (below 47, 8), i.e., 14 years after Yaakov came to Lavan, Yoseif was born. Yoseif was 30 when he stood before Pharaoh (below 41, 46), 9 more years passed before Yaakov went down to Egypt. Thus, (63+14+30+9=116) Yaakov should have been 116 when he faced Pharaoh. But, actually, he was 130 (below 47, 8) so that 14 years are unaccounted for. These were the 14 years that Yaakov spent studying at the House of Eiver. (Megillah 17a)

158 Shoftim 7, 12.

159 Ber. 16, 12.

160 Ber. Rab. 62, 5. Unlike {Hebrew Ref} connotes dwelling in confidence.


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