Rabbi Akiva was once sitting and lecturing and the audience began to doze off. He sought to rouse them. He said: ‘Why was Esther seen fit to reign over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces?8See Esther 1:1. The explanation is: Let Esther, who was a descendant of Sarah, who lived one hundred and twenty-seven years, come and reign over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces.’
“Sarah died in Kiryat Arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan; Abraham came to lament for Sarah, and to weep for her” (Genesis 23:2). “Sarah died in Kiryat Arba” – it was called by four names: Eshkol,9See Numbers 13:22–24. Mamre,10See Genesis 13:18. Kiryat Arba, Hebron. Why does it [the Torah] call it Kiryat Arba? It is because four [arba’a] righteous men resided there: Aner, Eshkol and Mamre, and Abraham, and four righteous men were circumcised there: Abraham, Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre. Alternatively, it is because four righteous men, patriarchs of the world, were buried there: Adam the first man, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Alternatively, it is because four matriarchs are buried there: Eve, Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah. And [it is called this also] after its lords, who numbered four, the giant and his three sons.11See Joshua 15:14. Rabbi Azarya said: It is [so named] because it was from there that our patriarch Abraham departed when he pursued [the armies of] the four kingdoms, who were world leaders.12See Genesis chapter 14. It is [so named also] because it fell by lottery to four parties: Initially to Judah, then to Caleb, then to the Levites, and then to the priests.13See Joshua 15:13, 21:10–11, 21:13. Also, it is one of the four undesirable places in the Land of Israel. What were they? Rabbi Yitzḥak and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Dor, the Dor District, Timnat Seraḥ, and Hebron. The Rabbis say: Dana, Kiryat Sana, Timnat Seraḥ, and Hebron.