Vayechi 50:5 · unit 2

Parashas Vayechi · Passuk 50:5

The Complete Passuk

אָבִ֞י הִשְׁבִּיעַ֣נִי לֵאמֹ֗ר הִנֵּ֣ה אָנֹכִי֮ מֵת֒ בְּקִבְרִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר כָּרִ֤יתִי לִי֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן שָׁ֖מָּה תִּקְבְּרֵ֑נִי וְעַתָּ֗ה אֶֽעֱלֶה־נָּ֛א וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה אֶת־אָבִ֖י וְאָשֽׁוּבָה׃

My father made me swear, saying: Lo, I die; in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come back.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sotah 13a.

Sefaria — Sotah 13a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק: ״בְּקִבְרִי אֲשֶׁר כָּרִיתִי לִי״ — אֵין ״כִּירָה״ אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן מְכִירָה, שֶׁכֵּן בְּכַרְכֵי הַיָּם קוֹרִין לִמְכִירָה ״כִּירָה״.

English: R’ Yochanan said in the name of R’ Shimon ben Yehotzadak: “In my grave which I have digged (kariti) for me” — the word “kirah” means nothing other than sale, for in the coastal cities they call a sale “kirah.”

On the daf / in context: The same sugya that recounts Esav’s challenge at the cave uses this linguistic note to support the claim that Yaakov had purchased the burial place.

Type of Learning

Linguistic derash supporting the transfer of the burial right.

What Is Learned

The verb “kariti” is understood as a term of purchase, confirming that Yaakov had acquired the right to the grave.