My feeling is that Sarah was beside herself when she learned of her
husband's intention to offer her son, Yitzchok (Isaac)as a sacrafice. She
may not have fully believed Avraham that he had a direct command from G-D
to offer up their son, and could not countenance living with someone who
could actually commit such a heartless, destructive, and irrational act.
She left her home to stay with her friends from their earlier stay in
Hebron. But, the arduousness of the travel and her grief over the
anticipated killing of her son, caused her death.
The ancient Medrash Rabbah on Genesis supports this view by assuming that
Sarah died from worry or grief over the Akedah. This view is also supported
by the fact that her son, Yitzchok, was still grieving over his aged mother
at the time of his marriage to Rivkah, three years later. This view does
not seek to discredit the piety of Sarah. She had not heard what Avraham
had been commanded. If she showed some lack of faith, it was in Avraham,
not in G-D. The powerful emotions of a mother on this question can best be
left to the imagination. The death of Sarah in Hebron had lasting
consequences. Had she not died there, then Avraham would not have bought
the Machpela cave as the family burial place. Then Avraham-Sarah,
Yitzchok-Rivkah, and Ya'akov-Leah would have been buried elsewhere, and
Jews would not have had a particular reason to settle Hebron. Hebron would
today be an all Arab city, and their would be no need for negotiations to
help insure the safety of the current Jewish settlers there. The Oslo
agreeement may yet be derailed if the controversy over Hebron is not
settled - all because of an event that happened over 3600 years ago.
Shabbat Shalom, and peace in Israel.
Yitzchok Zlochower