The fifth weekly Torah portion (פָּרָשָׁה, parasha) in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading is called Chaye Sara (חַיֵּי שָׂרָה; Hebrew for “life of Sarah,” the opening words in the parasha). Genesis 23:1-25:18 are made up of it. The parasha narrates the tales of Abraham’s negotiations to pay for Sarah’s burial plot and his servant’s quest to find Isaac a wife.
Sarah passes away at the age of 127 and is buried in the Machpelah Cave in Hebron, which Abraham buys from Ephron the Hittite for 400 shekels of silver.
In order to locate Isaac a wife, Abraham’s servant Eliezer is dispatched to Charan with a gift-filled sleigh. Eliezer prays to God for a sign at the village well: when the maidens arrive, he will ask for some water to drink; the woman who offers to give his camels water as well shall be the one intended for his master’s son.
The the daughter of Abraham’s nephew Bethuel, Rebecca, emerges at the well and succeeds in the “test.” They invite Eliezer over, and he recounts the day’s happenings there. Eliezer and Rebecca travel back to Canaan, where they come across Isaac in the field praying. Isaac marries Rebecca because he adores her and finds solace in her at his mother’s passing.
Although Abraham had six more sons with Keturah (Hagar), Isaac is the only one who will inherit from him. Isaac and Ishmael, Abraham’s two eldest sons, attend his burial next to Sarah after his death at the age of 175 years.
A Torah Scroll (סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה, Sefer Torah) has 105 verses and 171 lines of the parasha, which is composed of 5,314 Hebrew letters, 1,402 Hebrew words, and 105 verses. Usually in November but occasionally in late October, we recite it on the fifth Sabbath following Simchat Torah.
