Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Sforno · Torah

Sforno on Genesis 23:3/ספורנו על בראשית כ״ג:ג׳

אמֵעַל פְּנֵי מֵתוֹ וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי חֵת. שֶׁלֹּא חָל עָלָיו אֲבֵלוּת עֲדַיִן, וְהָיָה יָכוֹל לָצֵאת וּלְדַבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי חֵת.
1מעל פני מתו, וידבר אל בני חת. As long as he had not buried Sarah he was not yet a mourner in the technical meaning of the word. He was therefore able to leave his house and assemble the people of the town.