Sara Imeinu
Me'oros Hatzaddikim | September 26, 2024
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Sara Imeinu

Me'oros Hatzaddikim | June 27, 2025

Chazal on Bereishis 23:1-2 teach us that when Sarah heard about Akeidas Yitzchok she passed away:

When Avraham returned from Mount Moriah, the Satan became infuriated. He had not achieved what he had desired, which was to thwart the sacrifice of Avraham. What did he do? He went to Sarah and asked: “Did you hear (any news) of what has happened in the world?” She replied, “No.” He said, “Avaham took Yitzchok his son and slaughtered him, offering him up on the altar as a sacrifice.” Sarah began to cry, and moan the sound of three wails which correspond to the three blasts of the shofar, and her soul burst forth from her and she died. Avraham came only to find that she had died. From where had he come? From Mount Moriah. — Midrash Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer, Chapter 31-32

See also Rashi "The story of the death of Sarah immediately follows that of the Binding of Isaac, because through the announcement of the Akeidah — that her son had been prepared for sacrifice and had almost been sacrificed — she received a great shock (literally, her soul departed and left her) and she died."

Midrash VaYikra Rabbah

Yitzchok came back to his mother and she said to him: ‘Where have you been, my son?’ He replied to her: ‘My father took me and led me up mountains and down hills,’ etc. ‘Woe,’ she said, ‘for the son of a hapless woman! If not for the angel you would by now have been slain!’ ‘Yes,’ he said to her. She uttered six cries, corresponding to six blasts of the shofar. She had scarcely finished talking when she died. As it says, And Avraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her (Bereishis 23:2). Where did he come from? Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Shimon said: He came from Mount Moriah.

See also Midrash Tanchuma:

At that very moment the Satan went to Sarah and disguised himself as Yitzchok. When she saw him, she asked: “My son, what has your father done to you?” He answered, “My father took me and made me climb up mountains and go down into valleys and he made me climb up a certain mountain, and built an altar. He set up the altar and arranged the kindling and bound me on the altar. He then took the knife to slaughter me. If Hashem, the Holy One had not called out, ‘Do not lay your hand on this boy,’ I would have been slaughtered.” He did not finish his sentence when Sarah’s soul had already departed. As it is written, “And Avraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.” Where did he come from? From Mount Moriah.

Chazal on Bereishis 23:1-2 teach us that when Sarah heard about Akeidas Yitzchok she passed away:

When Avraham returned from Mount Moriah, the Satan became infuriated. He had not achieved what he had desired, which was to thwart the sacrifice of Avraham. What did he do? He went to Sarah and asked: “Did you hear (any news) of what has happened in the world?” She replied, “No.” He said, “Avaham took Yitzchok his son and slaughtered him, offering him up on the altar as a sacrifice.” Sarah began to cry, and moan the sound of three wails which correspond to the three blasts of the shofar, and her soul burst forth from her and she died. Avraham came only to find that she had died. From where had he come? From Mount Moriah. — Midrash Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer, Chapter 31-32

See also Rashi "The story of the death of Sarah immediately follows that of the Binding of Isaac, because through the announcement of the Akeidah — that her son had been prepared for sacrifice and had almost been sacrificed — she received a great shock (literally, her soul departed and left her) and she died."

Midrash VaYikra Rabbah

Yitzchok came back to his mother and she said to him: ‘Where have you been, my son?’ He replied to her: ‘My father took me and led me up mountains and down hills,’ etc. ‘Woe,’ she said, ‘for the son of a hapless woman! If not for the angel you would by now have been slain!’ ‘Yes,’ he said to her. She uttered six cries, corresponding to six blasts of the shofar. She had scarcely finished talking when she died. As it says, And Avraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her (Bereishis 23:2). Where did he come from? Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Shimon said: He came from Mount Moriah.

See also Midrash Tanchuma:

At that very moment the Satan went to Sarah and disguised himself as Yitzchok. When she saw him, she asked: “My son, what has your father done to you?” He answered, “My father took me and made me climb up mountains and go down into valleys and he made me climb up a certain mountain, and built an altar. He set up the altar and arranged the kindling and bound me on the altar. He then took the knife to slaughter me. If Hashem, the Holy One had not called out, ‘Do not lay your hand on this boy,’ I would have been slaughtered.” He did not finish his sentence when Sarah’s soul had already departed. As it is written, “And Avraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.” Where did he come from? From Mount Moriah.

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