Parsha:

Chayei Sara 

Description

Once when Rabbi Akiva was teaching his students, they appeared to be lethargic, almost as if dozing. Rabbi Akiva roused his students by referring to Parshat Chayei Sarah which begins by relating that Sarah Imeinu lived one hundred years and twenty years and seven years. He then said that Queen Esther merited later ruling over 127 lands of the Persian Empire because of her ancestress Sarah. Aside from the bloodline, what other connection can we establish that would explain why Esther merited such greatness?