Parsha Chayei Sara - B'reshit
(Gen.) 23:1 - 25:18
Mark R. Ensign, Adot Adonai, Amarillo, Texas
Introductory questions -- Brief answers, not for extended discussion:
1. At what point in history does this parsha
unfold?
2. Where does this parsha take place
geographically? What are the setting and environment?
3. Who are the primary actors in the parsha and
what role or roles does each play? What is the
significance of each role? Who are the secondary
actors and what roles do they play? What is the
significance of their roles?
4. What is the overall theme of this parsha? What
are the subdivisions, if any?
Parsha Specific Questions -- for extended discussion:
1. In relation to the events of the previous
portion, when did Sarah die, where, and at what age?
What does the Midrash, the commentary on Torah,
report as the cause of her death? Why does the
Scripture say that Avraham "came to eulogize
Sarah”? Where did he come from and why? What do you
believe was most significant about the life of
Sarah and why?
2. What was the response of the citizens of Chevron
(Hebron) to Avraham's attempt to purchase a
burial site for his wife? What did they call him?
What was the initial statement of the owner of the land?
Was he sincere? How did Avraham and the owner
complete the transaction? Who were the witnesses?
According to tradition, who else was already buried
in this cave? Why is this transaction significant, both
as to this particular property and the future claims
of ownership of the land of Yisrael? What other
locations also support this claim and why? Describe
the significance of Chevron from this time to the
present day.
3. Who did Avraham ask to go find a wife for his
son, Yitzchak? Where did he send him? What
oath did Avraham require of him and what gesture
sealed the oath? What is the significance of that
gesture? What prohibition did he put upon his
servant and why? What were the spiritual conditions of the
surrounding nations and what religion did they practice?
What lessons can we learn from this and also from
the writers of the Brit Chadashah? What requirement
did Avraham place upon his servant regarding the
prospective bride? Who else was described as a
faithful servant sent to take a bride for himself by his
father? What requirements were placed upon him and
into what environment did he come?
4. What was the most important thing that the
servant did upon arriving in the city of Avraham's
relatives? What was the key character trait he
sought and why was that important? How soon was his
request answered and how? Compare the details of
his request with the fulfillment. Upon completion of
the maiden's task, what did the servant do? Where
was he taken?
5. What was the ancestral relationship between
Rivka (Rebecca) and Yitzchak? How did Rivka's
brother become involved and what was his
motivation? What was the response of her father and brother
to the report of Avraham's servant? What did he do
in response? How long did the family want Rivka to
remain with them and what was her final decision?
What blessing did her family pronounce over Rivka at
her departure and why is it significant? What two
important Hebrew words did the servant use to describe
Rivka and what is their messianic significance?
6. Put yourself in the position of Yitzchak and
Rivka and describe the emotions that you would have
felt at the time you first met. Consider and
discuss the implications of verse 67 and the order of events in
which Yitzchak took Rivka to be his wife. What do
the writers of the Brit Chadashah add to our
understanding about the relationship between
husbands and wives and the Messiah and his community?
7. How many years elapsed from the close of chapter
24 to the beginning of chapter 25? How does
the Torah summarize these years and close them? Who
was the new wife of Avraham? How were their
descendants treated by Avraham before he died? How
is the focus narrowed to Yitzchak and his
descendants?
8. Put yourself in the shoes of Yitzchak and
Yishmael as they met for the funeral of their father.
Describe the feelings that you would have felt
during this process for each other, their descendants, and the
other descendants of Avraham with his new wife.
What does the Scripture say about the blessing on
Yitzchak and his descendants? Distinguish this from
what the Torah says about the descendants of
Yishma’el and explain the differences?
9. How does the writer of the letter to the
Messianic Jews (Hebrews) describe the life of Avraham?
What is the most significant lesson we learn from
his life that we can apply in ours?
Closing Questions: For Personal Introspection
Why do you believe our loving Father provided us
with this particular portion of his words? What was his
purpose and objective in preserving this portion of
the Scriptures to this day? What benefit do they have
for Torah observant believers today?
What other insights has the Ruach HaKodesh given
you in your study of this portion that you would like
to share with the group?
What questions from this portion have you had that
have not been answered by the study?
What impact do you think the study of the words
from your Father in this portion will have on your life?
How do you plan to implement his instructions in
this parsha in your life?
Silently pray for the Ruach HaKodesh to implant his
words like seeds, to nurture their growth in your heart,
and to enable you to respond fully as they do.