Sara's Name Disappears in Torah Text
Analysis of Parshat Chayei Sara reveals the matriarch is mentioned nine times while her servant Eliezer appears without a name, relying entirely on titles.
By Tomas Gonzalez ·
Jewish tradition emphasizes the power of names in biblical narratives, yet this week’s Torah portion, Chayei Sara, presents a notable exception regarding the matriarch Sara and the servant Eliezer. A detailed count of proper nouns within the text reveals a specific hierarchy of mentions that reflects the roles of the characters in the story.
The name Avraham appears 37 times in the section, which constitutes 21 percent of the total 175 occurrences of that name in the entire Tanach. Yitzchak and Rivka follow with 13 mentions each. Sara is referenced nine times, equal to the count for Efron, the Hittite merchant involved in the purchase of the cave of Machpelah.
Other figures receive fewer citations. Yishmael is mentioned six times, while Nachor and Betu’el are each named four times. Lavan and Milka appear three times each. Ketura is cited twice, and Hagar once. The text also lists 25 sons and grandsons of Avraham from Ketura and descendants of Yishmael, most of whom appear only once or twice.
Eliezer, the servant sent to find a wife for Yitzchak, is the most prominent figure in the narrative who lacks a proper name in the text. He is referred to by titles rather than his identity. The term 'eved Avraham,' meaning Avraham's servant, appears three times.
The text uses the phrase 'Ha-eved,' the servant, nine times. It also uses 'Ha-ish,' the man, nine times. The usage of these titles shifts based on Eliezer's interaction with different parties. When dealing with Avraham and Yitzchak, he is identified as the servant. When interacting with Betu’el, Lavan, and Rivka, he is identified as the man.
A specific verse illustrates this shift. In Genesis 24:61, Rivka and her maidens follow the man. At that moment, Eliezer is still 'Ha-ish' to Rivka. Once she agrees to go with him, the text switches to 'Ha-eved' as she becomes part of Avraham's family. Later, Rivka asks the servant who the man approaching them is, and he identifies Yitzchak.
The section covers the immediate aftermath of Sara's death and Avraham's age of 127 years. Avraham purchases a burial site and then dispatches Eliezer to his hometown to find a bride for Yitzchak. The mission succeeds, bringing Rivka into the family. Some commentaries place Avraham's subsequent marriage to Ketura and the birth of six children at this stage, interpreting it as a fulfillment of the promise to become the father of many nations.
Other commentaries suggest the marriage to Ketura occurred earlier, during Sara's lifetime, to resolve chronological questions regarding Avraham's age. The portion also contains the verse where Yitzchak goes out to the field to commune, a passage the Gemara links to the origin of the Mincha prayer. This daily prayer is often seen as requiring greater dedication because it interrupts the normal workday.
The narrative concludes with Eliezer thanking God for his success. The gematria of this verse matches the gematria of a verse from Proverbs describing a woman who rises early to provide for her household. This numerical parallel is often used to draw a connection between Rivka's actions and the virtues described in the Eishet Chayil passage.
