## Sforno on Genesis Chapter 23

###### Sforno on Genesis 23:2:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:2:1)

**וַתָּמָת שָׂרָה.** אַחַר שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה רִבְקָה הָרְאוּיָה לְמַלֵּאת מְקוֹם שָׂרָה, וְשֶׁנּוֹדַע זֶה לְאַבְרָהָם, מֵתָה שָׂרָה. כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (יומא לח.) שֶׁאֵין צַדִּיק נִפְטָר מִן הָעוֹלָם אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן נוֹלַד צַדִּיק כְּמוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (קהלת א:ה) "וְזָרַח הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וּבָא הַשָּׁמֶשׁ".

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**Sarah died.** She did not die until a fitting successor was born and Avraham was apprised of the fact.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:2:2
[Sforno on Genesis 23:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:2:2)

**לִסְפֹּד לְשָׂרָה.** בִּשְׁבִיל שָׂרָה וְלִכְבוֹדָהּ, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סַנְהֶדְרִין מו:) הֶסְפֵּידָא יְקָרָא דְּשָׁכְבֵי.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**To eulogize Sarah.** Literally, “to eulogize *for* Sarah” — a eulogy is for the honor of the deceased.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:3:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:3:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:3:1)

**מֵעַל פְּנֵי מֵתוֹ וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי חֵת.** שֶׁלֹּא חָל עָלָיו אֲבֵלוּת עֲדַיִן, וְהָיָה יָכוֹל לָצֵאת וּלְדַבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי חֵת.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
מעל פני מתו, וידבר אל בני חת. As long as he had not buried Sarah he was not yet a mourner in the technical meaning of the word. He was therefore able to leave his house and assemble the people of the town.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:4:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:4:1)

**גֵּר וְתוֹשָׁב.** וּבִשְׁבִיל הֱיוֹתִי גֵּר אֵין לִי פֹּה קֶבֶר, כְּאָמְרוֹ "וּמִי לְךָ פֹה כִּי חָצַבְתָּ לְּךָ פֹּה קָבֶר" (ישעיהו כב:טז), וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁאֲנִי מְבַקֵּשׁ לִקְנוֹתוֹ הוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֲנִי תוֹשָׁב עִמָּכֶם, שֶׁבָּאתִי לְהִשְׁתַּקֵּעַ לֹא לָגוּר בִּלְבָד:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
גר ותושב, because I used to be a stranger here, I do not possess an ancestral burial ground. The word is used in this sense by Isaiah 22,16 ומי לך פה כי חצבת לך פה קבר, “whom have you here that you have hewn out a tomb for yourself here?”


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:4:2
[Sforno on Genesis 23:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:4:2)

**תְּנוּ לִי אֲחֻזַּת קֶבֶר.** הִסְכִּימוּ שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לִי אֲחֻזַּת קֶבֶר, כְּאָמְרוֹ **לְאַבְרָהָם לַאֲחֻזַּת קָבֶר מֵאֵת בְּנֵי חֵת**.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
תנו לי אחוזת קבר, “be agreeable to that I should possess a burial plot among you.”


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:6:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:6:1)

**בְּמִבְחַר קְבָרֵינוּ קְבוֹר.** וְאַל תַּשְׁהֶה מֵתְךָ עַד שֶׁתִּקְנֶה, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (מועד קטן כב.) כָּל הַמֵּתִים כֻּלָּם כָּל הַמַּדְחֶה מִטָּתָם הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
במבחר קברנו קבור, “do not wait until the formalities of the purchase have been completed, but go ahead and bury Sarah.” This corresponds to a statement by our sages in Moed Katan 22 על כל המתים כולן מדחה מטתו, “it behooves us to bury all the dead with dispatch, without undue delay.”


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:7:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:7:1)

**וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ לְעַם הָאָרֶץ לִבְנֵי חֵת.** הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה לְאוֹתָם רָאשֵׁי הָעָם הַנּוֹעָדִים, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם הָיוּ בִּמְקוֹם כָּל הַצִּבּוּר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
וישתחו לעם הארץ לבני חת. He bowed to the notables present, seeing they represented the whole population.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:8:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:8:1)

**אִם יֵשׁ אֶת נַפְשְׁכֶם לִקְבּוֹר.** אִם רְצוֹנְכֶם לִקְבּוֹר אֶת הַמֵּת מְהֵרָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֶרְאֵיתֶם בְּאָמְרְכֶם **בְּמִבְחַר קְבָרֵינוּ קְבוֹר**, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא אַשְׁהֶא:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אם יש את נפשכם לקבור, if you want that I shall bury the dead without delay, as you have indicated when you said: במבחר קברנו קבור!" (verse 6) i.e. that I would not need to wait.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:8:2
[Sforno on Genesis 23:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:8:2)

**שְׁמָעוּנִי.** לְהַסְכִּים שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לִי **אֲחֻזַּת קֶבֶר**:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
שמעוני, agree with me that I shall receive an inalienable burial plot.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:8:3
[Sforno on Genesis 23:8:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:8:3)

**וּפִגְעוּ לִי בְּעֶפְרוֹן.** שֶׁיִּמְכּוֹר אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ נָאוֹת לְאִישׁ נִכְבָּד לִמְכּוֹר מֵאֲחֻזָּתוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהֵעִיד נָבוֹת כְּאָמְרוֹ (מלכים א כא:ג): "חָלִילָה לִי מִתִּתִּי אֶת נַחֲלַת אֲבוֹתַי לָךְ".

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ופגעו לי בעפרון, that he will sell me this cave even though it is not an agreeable thing for a highly placed person to sell any portion of his land-holdings. We know this from Navot (Kings I 21,3) who had been aghast at the suggestion of selling his vineyard to the king. His precise words were: חלילה לי מתתי את נחלת אבותי לך, “far be it from me to give you any part of my ancestral heritage.”


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:9:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:9:1)

**מְעָרַת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה.** מָקוֹם שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ מַכְפֵּלָה, כְּאָמְרוֹ **וַיָּקָם שְׂדֵה עֶפְרוֹן אֲשֶׁר בַּמַּכְפֵּלָה**.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
מערת המכפלה, a place known as machpela.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:9:2
[Sforno on Genesis 23:9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:9:2)

**אֲשֶׁר בִּקְצֵה שָׂדֵהוּ.** וְלֹא בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה יַשְׁחִית נַחֲלָתוֹ.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Compare verse 17 ויקם שדה עפרון אשר במכפלה אשר בקצה שדהו, “Efron’s field which is situated in machpela at the edge of his field, stood, etc.” The details provided by the Torah are intended to prove to us, the reader, that by selling the cave to Avraham Efron did not suffer any loss of face, he had no reason to feel embarrassed about what he had done.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:9:3
[Sforno on Genesis 23:9:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:9:3)

**בְּכֶסֶף מָלֵא.** שֶׁאֵין חֶפְצוֹ שֶׁיִּגְרַע מֵעֶרְכּוֹ לִכְבוֹדְכֶם.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
בכסף מלא, I do not want that he grant me a reduction from its real worth as a gesture to you.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:9:4
[Sforno on Genesis 23:9:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:9:4)

**בְּתוֹכְכֶם.** בְּמַעֲמַד כֻּלְּכֶם, שֶׁאֵינִי מְבַקֵּשׁ שׁוּם זְמַן לִפְרֹעַ אֵלָיו הַמָּעוֹת, וְכֵן עָשָׂה כְּאָמְרוֹ **וַיִּשְׁקֹל אַבְרָהָם לְעֶפְרוֹן אֶת הַכֶּסֶף כּוּ' לְעֵינֵי בְנֵי חֵת**.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
בתוככם, in the presence of all of you. I do not ask for time to come up with the payment but am willing to pay cash at once. Compare verse 16 where Avraham does in fact pay cash immediately.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:9:5
[Sforno on Genesis 23:9:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:9:5)

**לַאֲחֻזַּת קָבֶר.** שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיִּמְכֹּר, אוּלַי יְעַרְעֵר שֶׁלֹּא אֶקְבּוֹר אֵצֶל גְּבוּלוֹ, לָכֵן אֲנִי שׁוֹאֵל שֶׁיִּמְכְּרֶנָּה לַאֲחֻזַּת קֶבֶר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לאחוזת קבר, Avraham wanted complete freedom to do what he wanted to in the property once he had acquired it. This is the privilege granted to anyone owning an ancestral heritage. Avraham wanted it understood that as a result of the sale Efron would not be able to dictate to him how close to his own property Sarah or other members of his family could be buried.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:11:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:11:1)

**לֹא אֲדֹנִי.** אֵין צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּפְגְּעוּ בִּי רָאשֵׁי הָעָם הַנּוֹעָדִים:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**No, my master, hear me.** There is no need for the leaders of the community to intercede with me.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:11:2
[Sforno on Genesis 23:11:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:11:2)

**שְׁמָעֵנִי.** אַתָּה בִּלְתִּי שׁוּם אֶמְצָעִי:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
Listen to me;


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:11:3
[Sforno on Genesis 23:11:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:11:3)

**הַשָּׂדֶה נָתַתִּי לָךְ.** בְּמַחֲשַׁבְתִּי מֵאָז שֶׁדִּבַּרְתָּ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**I have given you the field.** In my mind I gave it to you the moment you spoke.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:11:4
[Sforno on Genesis 23:11:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:11:4)

**וְהַמְּעָרָה אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ.** שֶׁאֵין רָאוּי שֶׁתַּעֲבוֹר בְּשָׂדֶה אֲחֵרִים כְּשֶׁתִּרְצֶה לִקְבּוֹר:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
והמערה אשר בו, “and the cave which is in it, since it is not proper that you should have to cross someone else’s property in order to get to the grave of your wife. Therefore,


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:11:5
[Sforno on Genesis 23:11:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:11:5)

**לְעֵינֵי בְנֵי עַמִּי נְתַתִּיהָ לָּךְ קְבֹר מֵתֶךָ.** לְעֵינֵיהֶם אֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁאֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ עַל מְנָת שֶׁתּוּכַל לִקְבּוֹר שָׁם מֵתְךָ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁאַלְתָּ בְּאָמְרְךָ **לַאֲחֻזַּת קֶבֶר**:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
לעיני בני עמי נתתיה לך קבור מתך, I am telling you in the presence of all my people that I have given it to you in order that you may bury your dead there, just as you asked when you referred to אחוזת קבר.”


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:12:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:12:1)

**וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ אַבְרָהָם לִפְנֵי עַם הָאָרֶץ.** הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה לָתֵת לָהֶם הוֹדָאָה, כְּמוֹדֶה שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹדָם הִסְכִּים עֶפְרוֹן לָתֵת אֶת שְׁאֵלָתוֹ, כְּאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (קדושין לא.) הַנִּשְׁמָע בִּדְבַר אָבִיו לַמָּקוֹם, לֹא יֹאמַר מַהֲרוּנִי בִּשְׁבִיל עַצְמִי אֶלָּא מַהֲרוּנִי בִּשְׁבִיל אַבָּא, פָּטְרוּנִי בִּשְׁבִיל אַבָּא:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
**Avraham bowed.** He bowed to them to acknowledge that it was in their honor that Ephron consented.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:13:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:13:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:13:1)

**אַךְ אִם כּוּ' נָתַתִּי כֶּסֶף הַשָּׂדֶה.** אָנֹכִי אֶעֱשֶׂה כִּדְבָרְךָ לִקְבּוֹר שָׁם הַמֵּת, אַךְ אִם נָתַתִּי כֶּסֶף הַשָּׂדֶה, וְלֹא אֶקְבּוֹר בּוֹ בְּאוֹפֶן אַחֵר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אך אם ...נתתי בסף השדה, I will comply with what you said, namely to bury my dead there only if I can hand over the money for the field. I will not bury Sarah there as a result of any other kind of arrangement.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:13:2
[Sforno on Genesis 23:13:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:13:2)

**אַתָּה לוּ שְׁמָעֵנִי.** אַתָּה בְּבַקָּשָׁה שְׁמָעֵנִי, קַח מִמֶּנִּי **וְאֶקְבְּרָה** אַחַר כָּךְ:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
אך אם אתה לו שמעני, “if only you would be good enough to listen to me! Please accept the money from me so that I can proceed with the burial.”


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:15:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:15:1)

**מַה הִיא.** הֲלֹא מִצְעָר הוּא, וּמַסְפִּיק הַדִּבּוּר לְהַקְנוֹת לְךָ מֵעַכְשָׁיו, בְּאֹפֶן שֶׁתִּהְיֶה קוֹבֵר בְּתוֹךְ שֶׁלְּךָ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נָתַתָּ הַמָּעוֹת עֲדַיִן:

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
?מה היא, “after all it is a very minor transaction! It is so insignificant a matter that the acquisition can be made by a mere declaration without being recorded in a document. As soon as you have handed over the money you may consider yourself as burying Sarah in your property.”


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:16:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:16:1)

**וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָהָם לְעֶפְרוֹן.** הִסְכִּים לְדַעְתּוֹ בְּעֵרֶךְ הַשָּׂדֶה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
(1) AVRAHAM HEARKENED TO EFRON. He accepted his view of the value of the field.


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:16:2
[Sforno on Genesis 23:16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:16:2)

**וַיִּשְׁקֹל.** פָּרַע כְּמוֹ "אוֹ כִּכַּר כֶּסֶף תִּשְׁקוֹל" (מלכים א כ:לט).

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
(2) AND HE WEIGHED OUT [JPS: PAID]. He paid off, as (I Kings 20:39), "or you will have to pay a talent of silver."


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:17:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:17:1)

**וַיָּקָם הַשָּׂדֶה לְאַבְרָהָם לְמִקְנָה.** נִתְקַיֵּם בְּחוֹתָמָיו שֶׁל סֵפֶר הַמִּקְנָה.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
ויקם השדה לאברהם למקנה, the word ויקם teaches that the purchase was confirmed by a sealed document


###### Sforno on Genesis 23:20:1
[Sforno on Genesis 23:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sforno%20on%20Genesis/r/23:20:1)

**מֵאֵת בְּנֵי חֵת.** שֶׁהִסְכִּים כָּל הַצִּבּוּר שֶׁתִּהְיֶה לוֹ לַאֲחֻזַּת קֶבֶר.

**Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009:**
מאת בני חת ויקם השדה, these people all agreed to the transaction.