The Zohar · Chayei Sara
זוהר, חיי שרה ג׳Zohar, Chayei Sara 3
Section 3 of 27 in Chayei Sara — 8 segments
Segment 1א׳
וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה. מַאי שְׁנָא הָכָא שָׂרָה דִּכְתִיב מִיתָתָה בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא מִכָּל נְשֵׁי דְעַלְמָא דְּלָא כְּתִיב הָכִי מִיתַתְהוֹן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָיא וְלָאו, וְהָכְתִיב (בראשית ל״ה:י״ט) וַתָּמָת רָחֵל וַתִּקָּבֵר בְּדֶרֶךְ אֶפְרָתָה. וּכְּתִיב, (במדבר כ׳:א׳) וַתָּמָת שָׁם מִרְיָם וְגו'. וּכְתִיב, (בראשית ל״ה:י״ט) וַתָּמָת דְּבוֹרָה מֵינֶקֶת רִבְקָה. וּכְתִיב, (בראשית ל״ח:י״ב) וַתָּמָת בַּת שׁוּעַ אֵשֶׁת יְהוּדָה.
AND THE LIFE OF SARAH WAS, ETC. How is it that the death of Sarah alone, among all women mentioned in the Bible, is recorded? R. Hiya said: ‘Is that so? Do we not find it written, “And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrah” (Gen. 35, 19), and again, “and Miriam died there, etc.” (Num. 20, 1), also, “and Deborah and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress” (Prov. 30, 21-2-3).
Segment 2ב׳
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּכֻלְּהוּ לָא כְּתִיב כְּמָה דִכְתִיב בְּשָׂרָה דְּאִתְּמָר וַיִּהְיוּ חַיֵּי שָׂרָה מֵאָה שָׁנָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שְׁנֵי חַיֵּי שָׂרָה. דְּהָא בְּכֻלְּהוּ לָא אִתְמָנוּן יוֹמִין וּשְׁנִין כְּמוֹ לְשָׂרָה. בְּכֻלְּהוּ לָא כְּתִיב פָּרְשָׁתָא חָדָא בִּלְחוּדָהָא כְּמוֹ לְשָׂרָה. אֶלָּא רָזָא אִיהוּ בְּגִין הַהוּא דַרְגָּא דְּכָל יוֹמִין וּשְׁנִין דְּבַר נָשׁ בֵּיהּ תַּלְיָין (דדא היא ה"א בתראה).
Rabbi Yosi responded, But it is not written of them as it is written of Sarah, of whom it is said, "And Sarah's life was a hundred and twenty seven years old, these were the years of Sarah's life" (Gen. 23:1). No other woman's days and years were specified as they were for Sarah. Furthermore, none of them has a portion of the scriptures devoted to them, as does Sarah. There is an esoteric reason for this. (The Torah tells us the amount of years she lived) but the secret is that the days and years of all men depend on this grade. From this, the life span of man is also drawn.
Segment 3ג׳
פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (קהלת ה׳:ח׳) וְיִתְרוֹן אֶרֶץ בַּכֹּל הִיא מֶלֶךְ לְשָׂדֶה נֶעֱבָד. וְיִתְרוֹן אֶרֶץ בַּכֹּל הִיא וַדַּאי דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן נָפְקִין רוּחִין וְנִשְׁמָתִין וְתוֹעַלְתָּא לְעַלְמָא. מֶלֶךְ לְשָׂדֶה נֶעֱבָד, מַאן מֶלֶךְ דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. לְשָׂדֶה נֶעֱבָד כַּד אִיהוּ (עז ב אתתקן כדקא יאות. ומלך, דא, מלך עלאה דאתחבר לשדה כד איהו נעבד. מאן שדה, דא שדה אשר ברכו יי. דכתיב, (בראשית כ״ז:כ״ז)) כְּרִיחַ שָׂדֶה אֲשֶׁר בֵּרַכוֹ יְיָ. דְּכַד אִיהוּ (אתעבד) נֶעֱבַד וְאִתְתַּקַּן בְּכָל מַה דְּאִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת, כְּדֵין מֶלֶךְ עִלָּאָה אִתְחַבַּר עִמֵּיהּ.
He opened with the verse, "Moreover, land has an advantage for everyone, he who tills a field is a king" (Kohelet 5:8). "Moreover, land has an advantage" (is the Nukvah) "for everyone." Certainly, "All" (Heb. כֹּל). Because (from Yesod) emanate spirits and souls and goods to the world. Of the verse, "He who tills a field is a king," who is the king? He is the Holy One, blessed be He, who "tills a field" when it is properly cultivated. The King is the supernal King (Zeir Anpin) who is joined to the field when it is tilled. What is the field? This is a field which Hashem has blessed (Nukvah), "Like the smell of a field which Hashem has blessed" (Gen. 27:27). For when it is tilled and cultivated properly, the supernal King unites with it.
Zohar — Vocalized Zohar, Israel 2013, via Sefaria
English: The Zohar — Soncino Press, London 1933 (public domain)
English: Sefaria Community Translation (CC0)