M'nuchat HaNefesh–Equanimity: Calming the Soul Amid the Storms of Life

(1) Sarah’s lifetime—the span of Sarah’s life—came to one hundred and twenty-seven years.(2) Sarah died in Kiriath-arba—now Hebron—in the land of Canaan; and Abraham proceeded to mourn for Sarah and to bewail her.(3) Then Abraham rose from beside his dead, and spoke to the Hittites, saying,(4) “I am a resident alien among you; sell me a burial site among you, that I may remove my dead for burial.”(5) And the Hittites replied to Abraham, saying to him,(6) “Hear us, my lord: you are the elect of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold his burial place from you for burying your dead.”

(63) And Isaac went out walking*walking Meaning of Heb. lasuaḥ uncertain; others “to meditate.” in the field toward evening and, looking up, he saw camels approaching.(64) Raising her eyes, Rebekah saw Isaac. She alighted from the camel

(8) And Abraham breathed his last, dying at a good ripe age, old and contented; and he was gathered to his kin.*kin (So NJPS.) See the Dictionary under “predecessors.”(9) His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre,(10) the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites; there Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife.(11) After the death of Abraham, God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac settled near Beer-lahai-roi.

(63) And Isaac went out walking*walking Meaning of Heb. lasuaḥ uncertain; others “to meditate.” in the field toward evening and, looking up, he saw camels approaching.

(1) לשוח TO MEDITATE — this means “to pray” (Genesis Rabbah 60:14), as we find (Psalms 102:1) “[A prayer of the afflicted …] when he poureth forth his plaint.

(1) ויצא יצחק לשוח, he had detoured from his regular path to the field in order to pour out his heart to G’d in prayer. He did not want to be interrupted in his devotion by passing travelers whom he would have to greet. This was in spite of the fact that he had already prayed in Beer lachay Ro-i. His prayer had been answered already, in accordance with Daniel 10,12 מן היום אשר נתת את לבך להבין ולהענות...נשמעו דבריך, “for from the first day you set your mind to get understanding, practicing abstinence before your G’d, your prayer was heard and I have come because of your prayer.”