The Zohar on this portion (page 34, Sulam edition) writes as follows: Rabbi Shimon said that when Abraham entered the cave of Machpela to bury Sarah, Adam and Eve arose as they did not want to remain buried in there. They complained that they had suffered sufficient disgrace in the world beyond the grave where they were now having to face G‑d because they had been guilty of bringing sin into the world. Now they should suffer additional shame when constantly having to face a pair of people so much better than they? Abraham…was prepared to pray to G‑d on Adam's behalf…

Abraham replied that he was prepared to pray to G‑d on Adam's behalf so that he would cease to suffer embarrassment before G‑d in the future and that G‑d would forgive Adam his sin. "After that, Abraham buried Sarah [in Hebrew, 'kavar et Sarah'] his wife." (Gen. 23:19) What is the meaning of the words, "after that"? It means that Abraham proceeded to bury Sarah as soon as the dialogue between him and Adam was over. The Torah writes that Abraham "kavar et Sarah", instead of Abraham "kavar l'Sarah"; this means that he also reburied Eve. After that, the minds of Adam and Eve were put at rest.

This is the meaning of "and these are the generations of heaven and earth when they were created [in Hebrew, 'bi'hi'baram']" (Gen. 2:4), meaning that those created as a mixture of heaven and earth endure only by the grace of "Abraham" (spelled with the letters in the word "bi'hi'baram"). Adam and Eve, of course, were not descendants of man; they were created by G‑d. Their continuity was assured through Abraham; their descendants are through Abraham. We have further proof from Gen. 23:20 which describes the field of Machpelah "vayakam" - as a hereditary possession for Abraham. Until that time, as is apparent, Adam and Eve had not had a firm hold on the world beyond the grave. The word vayakam is derived from kiyum, a permanent existence. Thus far the Zohar. Abraham assured Adam's permanent status in the hereafter…

Abraham assured Adam's permanent status in the hereafter; Sarah did the same for Eve. The fact that Isaac's features reflected those of his father Abraham is noted by Rashi on Gen. 25:19. Rebecca's features were like those of Sarah, as the Zohar points out on Gen. 24:67: "Isaac brought her (Rebecca) into the tent [in Hebrew, "ha'ohelah"] of his mother Sarah." Rabbi Yossi questioned why the Torah did not say "l'ohel". He explains that the letter hei at the beginning of a word indicates that this was a special tent, the one that contained the Divine Presence. As long as Sarah had been alive, G‑d's Presence had never departed from that tent. Sarah had kept a light burning from one Shabbat Eve to the next and this light went out when Sarah died; now that Rebecca entered it began burning again. The reason that the verse mentions Sarah by name [after all, we all know that Isaac's mother was Sarah! Ed.] is to tell us that Rebecca was like Sarah in all respects.

Rabbi Yehuda adds that just as Isaac's features resembled those of his father so much that he was frequently mistaken for Abraham, so Rebecca's features resembled those of Sarah to such an amazing degree that this had to be emphasized. The Torah points out that Isaac was comforted so as to show us that this was because he had found such a perfect replacement for his mother. The Torah deliberately avoids saying that Isaac was consoled over Sarah's death, mentioning only "after his mother" to show that he found continuity. Thus far the Zohar.

Translation and commentary by Eliyahu Munk.