November 23, 2024

Updated May 18, 2025

In Florida for the third week. Friday night davened at Chabad of Boynton Beach and ate by Shoshana and Danny, my kids.  Shabbos morning davened at Netzach Israel.  

I learned the following Torah

#1  Ramban:

I went through the first Ramban in the Sedra.  The Ramban argues with Rashi and says that Sarah did not die because of the Akedah,  However, he finishes by bringing the Medresh that says that Sarah did die because of the Akedah.

#2  Sharing with others:

The question that is asked is in last week’s Parsha it says that Avrohom went back to Beer Sheva.  Sarah was in Chevron so why did Avrohom go back to Beer Sheva. There are a number of answers. One answer is that Avrohom lived in Chevron, but still had the Eishel – the inn which fed the world –  in Beer Sheva.  He wanted to go first to Beer Sheva to visit his people there and share with them the excitement of the Akedah, the test of Avrohom.  This is a lesson to people that they should also share good news with their family, friends, and everyone. Bring others into your Simcha.  

#3  A stranger and a resident:

Verse 23:4 says 

גֵּר־וְתוֹשָׁ֥ב אָנֹכִ֖י עִמָּכֶ֑ם תְּנ֨וּ לִ֤י אֲחֻזַּת־קֶ֙בֶר֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה מֵתִ֖י מִלְּפָנָֽי׃

“I am a stranger and a resident alien among you;  grant me a burial estate from you that I may bury my dead from  before me.

Rashi has two explanations of “a stranger and resident alien” – גר ותושב אנכי עמכם. גֵּר מֵאֶרֶץ אַחֶרֶת וְנִתְיַשַּׁבְתִּי עִמָּכֶם. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה אִם תִּרְצוּ הֲרֵינִי גֵּר, וְאִם לָאו אֶהְיֶה תּוֹשָׁב וְאֶטְּלֶנָּה מִן הַדִּין, שֶׁאָמַר לִי הַקָּבָּ”ה לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת:

A stranger having come from another land, but I have settled down amongst you. A Midrashic explanation is: if you agree to sell me the land then I will regard myself as a stranger and will pay for it, but if not, I shall claim it as a settler and will take it as my legal right, because the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me, (12:7) “Unto thy seed I give this land” (Genesis Rabbah 58:6).

According to the second explanation you have to say that the people of Ches knew of what God said and if Avrohom took them to court Avrohom would get the land.  Perhaps Avrohom was threatening them that I will take all of your land.

Rabbi Meir Yakovv Soloveichik in Parsha and Politics on Chaya Sarah from 2023 brings down the Rov that Avrohom was saying that I am both a stranger and resident alien at the same time. Anyone who grew up in America understands this:

Abraham defines himself as both stranger and resident, or, as one might also render it, as stranger and neighbor, or stranger and citizen. As Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik has noted, these two descriptions seem contradictory: The first patriarch, Abraham, introduced himself to the inhabitants of Canaan with the words, “I am a stranger and a resident among you” (Genesis 23:4). Are not these two terms mutually exclusive? But the truth is that Jews have forever believed that these two terms are not mutually exclusive. We might have expected Abraham to ignore the pagan Canaanites around him, but he does not; as Genesis tells us, he constantly proclaims his faith to the populace, and, as we saw last week, he may have interrupted an encounter with God in order to minister to three strangers who suddenly showed up at his tent. 

Rabbi Soloveitchik argues that Abraham is indeed engaged with the land in which he lives, but on his own covenantal terms: Abraham’s definition of his dual status, we believe, describes with profound accuracy the historical position of the Jew who resides in a predominantly non-Jewish society. He was the resident, like other inhabitants of Canaan, sharing with them a concern for the welfare of society, digging wells and contributing to the progress of the country in loyalty to its government and institutions. Here, Abraham was clearly a fellow citizen, a patriot among compatriots, joining others in advancing the common welfare. However, there was another aspect, the spiritual, in which Abraham regarded himself as a stranger. His identification and solidarity with his fellow citizens in the secular realm did not imply his readiness to relinquish any aspects of his religious uniqueness. His was a different faith and he was governed by perceptions, truths, and observances which set him apart from the larger faith community. Rabbi Soloveitchik further argues that when welcomed as equals in a democratic polity, Jews should seek to make Abraham’s example their own: As a citizen of a pluralistic society, the Jew assumes the social and political obligation to contribute to the general welfare and to combat such common dangers as famine, corruption, disease, and foreign enemies [in order to maintain] freedom, dignity, and security of human life..The Jew, however, has another identity which he does not share with the rest of mankind: the covenant with God which was established at Mt. Sinai over 3,000 years ago.

#4 – Be a smart negotiator.  Read the room, read your opponent:

Verse 23:16 says:  וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אַבְרָהָם֮ אֶל־עֶפְרוֹן֒ וַיִּשְׁקֹ֤ל אַבְרָהָם֙ לְעֶפְרֹ֔ן אֶת־הַכֶּ֕סֶף אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י בְנֵי־חֵ֑ת אַרְבַּ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ שֶׁ֣קֶל כֶּ֔סֶף עֹבֵ֖ר לַסֹּחֵֽר׃

Artscroll:

Avrohom heeded Ephron, and Avrohom weighted out to Ephron the price which he head mentioned in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred silver Shekels in negotiable currency,.

The question is why does the verse say that Avrohom heeded Epron, just say that Avrohom weighed out 400 silver Shekalim and gave it to Ephron.    

The Rashbam says – וישמע אברהם – די לחכימא ברמיזא.

Sefaria translates as וישמע אברהם, he understood what Ephron really wanted, what he was hinting at and Avrohim had to buy the land without embarrassing Ephron.   I think that the Rashbam is saying that throughout the entire negotiation Avrohom knew how to read Ephron.  This is the wisdom that Avrohom used.  He understood what Ephron wanted and needed. He played to it.

Rabbi Chas. Kahana translates like the Rashbam:

But Abraham understood Ephron’s meaning; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had specified in the council of the children of Heth: four hundred shekels of silver, of a quality accepted by every merchant.