Chayei Sarah: Chapter 14

The cave of Machpelah (Part one)

Synopsis

Rabbi Yehuda tells us how it was that Abraham recognized the significance of the cave of Machpelah, and that he deserved to be buried there. We learn that an ordinary man sees Adam at the moment of death. Yet Abraham saw him, along with a vision of the Garden of Eden, and still lived. This was because Abraham had been in Eden during his own lifetime, and thus looked upon something he had already merited to see while he was alive. He acquires the cave through spiritual wisdom, not through any form of self-centered desire.

Relevance

Our egocentric desires compel us to covet possessions that provide temporary satisfaction. But there is a downside, chaos and darkness appear when the thrill has ended. The soul, however, is in search of permanent fulfillment, and people who achieve that fulfillment are willing and able to forsake short-term, ego-based pleasures. Abraham exemplifies this principle in the story of the cave of Machpelah. By remaining true to a spiritual path, Abraham sought out the cave through his wisdom, not his ego, and therefore merited the greatest possible fulfillment, the Light of the Garden of Eden. The mystical words of the Zohar allow us to glimpse shards of Light gleaming in the Garden. During our lives, this Light helps us to fulfill the needs of our soul, instead of foolishly catering to our ego.

Abraham Adam Cave of Machpelah Caves Door Eden Eve Garden of Eden Gates Heart

88. Rabbi Yehuda said, Abraham recognized a sign in that cave, NAMELY THE CAVE OF MACHPELAH, and his heart and desire were there. For he had entered it before and seen Adam and Eve interred there. HE ASKS, How did he know it was they, FOR HE DID NOT KNOW THEM? HE ANSWERS, He saw the form OF ADAM and looked at it. Then a door to the Garden of Eden opened before him AND HE UNDERSTOOD that this was the form of Adam before him. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HE DESERVED TO BE BURIED IN THE GATE OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN DURING HIS LIFETIME.

88. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אֲמַר, אַבְרָהָם יָדַע, בְּהַהִיא מְעַרְתָּא סִימָנָא, וְלִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ תַּמָּן הֲוָה, בְּגִין דְּמִקַדְּמַת דְּנָא עָאל לְתַמָּן, וְחָמָא לְאָדָם וְחַוָּה, טְמִירִין תַּמָּן. וּמְנָא הֲוָה יָדַע, דְּאִינוּן הֲווֹ. אֶלָּא חָמָא דְּיוֹקְנֵיהּ, וְאִסְתַּכַּל וְאִתְפַּתַּח לֵיהּ, חַד פִּתְחָא דְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן תַּמָּן, וְהַהוּא דְּיוֹקְנָא דְּאָדָם, הֲוָה קָאֵים לְגַבֵּיהּ.

Abraham Adam Candles Caves Death Death and the Afterlife Heart Light

89. Come and behold, Whoever beholds the form of Adam cannot escape death. THAT PERSON HAS TO DIE THAT INSTANT, for man sees Adam the moment that he dies and passes from the world. But Abraham looked at him, saw his form, and lived. He saw a light shining from within the cave and a candle burning. Then he wanted to dwell in that cave, and his heart and desire were always there.

89. וְתָא חֲזֵי, כָּל מַאן דְּאִסְתַּכַּל, בִּדְיוֹקְנָא דְּאָדָם, לָא אִשְׁתְּזֵיב לְעָלְמִין מִמִּיתָה, בְּגִין דְּהָא בְּשַׁעְתָּא דְּבַר נָשׁ אִסְתַּלַּק מֵעַלְמָא, חָמֵי לֵיהּ לְאָדָם, וּבְהַהוּא זִמְנָא מִית. אֲבָל אַבְרָהָם אִסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ, וְחָמָא דְיוֹקְנֵיהּ, וְאִתְקַיַּים, וְחָמָא נְהוֹרָא דְּנָהֵיר בִּמְעַרְתָּא, וְחַד שְׁרַגָּא דָּלֵיק, כְּדֵין תָּאֵיב אַבְרָהָם, דִּיּוּרֵיהּ בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר וְלִבֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ הֲוָה תָּדִיר בִּמְעַרְתָּא.

Abraham Caves Efron Grave

90. Come and behold, Abraham behaved wisely when he asks for a grave for Sarah, for he did not ask for the cave immediately or say that he wanted to be separated from them. Instead, he said, "Give me a possession of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight" (Beresheet 23:3). HE DID NOT MENTION EITHER EFRON OR THE CAVE. If you say that Efron was not there, IT IS NOT SO. INDEED he was present, as it is written, "And Efron dwelt among the children of Chet" (Ibid. 9). NEVERTHELESS, Abraham said nothing to him for the time being.

90. תָּא חֲזֵי, הַשְׁתָּא אַבְרָהָם בְּחָכְמְתָא עֲבַד בְּזִמְנָא דְּתָבַע קִבְרָא לְשָׂרָה, דְּהָא כַּד תָּבַע, לָא תָבַע לִמְעַרְתָּא בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא, וְלָא אֲמַר דְּבָעֵי לְאִתְפָּרְשָׁא מִנַּיְיהוּ, אֶלָּא אֲמַר, תְּנוּ לִי אֲחוּזַת קֶבֶר עִמָּכֶם וְאֶקְבְּרָה מֵתִי מִלְּפָנַי. וְאִי תֵימָא דְלָא הֲוָה עֶפְרוֹן תַּמָּן, תַּמָּן הֲוָה, דִּכְתִיב וְעֶפְרוֹן יוֹשֵׁב בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי חֵת, וְאַבְרָהָם לָא אֲמַר לֵיהּ בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא כְּלוּם.

Abraham

91. He spoke with them further, as it is written, "And spoke to the sons of Chet" (Ibid. 3). Could you conceive that Abraham wanted to be buried among the defiled or that he wanted to join them, when he said, "Give me a possession of a burying place with you?" Nevertheless, he behaved wisely.

91. אֶלָּא מַה דַּאֲמַר לוֹן, אֲמַר כְּמָה דִכְתִיב וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי חֵת וגו'. וְכִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ דְּאַבְרָהָם בָּעָא לְאִתְקְבְרָא בֵּינַיְיהוּ בֵּין מְסָאֳבִין, אוֹ דִּתְאוּבְתֵּיהּ הֲוָה עִמְּהוֹן, אֶלָּא בְּחָכְמָה עֲבַד.

Abraham Caves Efron

92. And we learn proper conduct from the way Abraham acted, because he desired and wished for that cave. Although Efron was there, he did not want to ask him immediately. He did not ask for the cave but rather for what he did not want, and asks another, not Efron, AS HE SAID TO THE SONS OF CHET, "GIVE ME A POSSESSION OF A BURYING PLACE WITH YOU..."

92. וְיַלְפִינָן אוֹרַח אַרְעָא הָכָא, בַּמֶּה דַעֲבַד אַבְרָהָם, דְּהָא בְּגִין דִּתְאוּבְתֵּיהּ וּרְעוּתֵיהּ הֲוָה בְּהַהִיא מְעַרְעתָּא, אַף עַל גָּב דַּהֲוָה תַּמָּן, לָא בְּעָא לְמִשְׁאַל לֵיהּ מִיָּד, הַהוּא רְעוּתָא דַּהֲוָה לֵיהּ בִּמְעַרְתָּא, וְשָׁאֵיל בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, מַה דְּלָא אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ, לְאִינוּן אָחֳרָנִין, וְלָא לְעֶפְרוֹן.

Abraham Cave of Machpelah Caves Efron Machpelah

93. Once the sons of Chet said to him in the presence of Efron, "Hear us, my Lord, you are a mighty prince among us" (Beresheet 23:5), it is written, "And Efron dwelt (lit. 'dwells') among the children of Chet." 'Dwells' is written without vowels and can be conjugated as 'dwelt,' which would mean that Efron was already there as they started talking. Then Abraham said, "Hear me, and entreat for me to Efron, the son of Tzochar, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has" (Ibid. 8). If you say that, since my honor is greater than yours, I ASK FOR THE CAVE OF THE MACHPELAH FROM EFRON, because I do not want to dwell among you, THIS IS NOT TRUE. But "with you" AND "AMONGST YOU" (IBID. 10) - IN OTHER WORDS, to be interred among you. THIS IS WHAT I MEANT, because I want you, so that I shall not be separated from you.

93. כֵּיוָן דַּאֲמָרוּ לֵיהּ, קַמֵּי עֶפְרוֹן, שְׁמָעֵנוּ אֲדֹנִי נְשִׂיא אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה בְּתוֹכֵנוּ וגו', מַה כְּתִיב וְעֶפְרוֹן יֹשֵׁב בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי חֵת, יָשַׁב כְּתִיב, מִשֵּׁירוּתָא דְּמִלִּין דַּאֲמַר אַבְרָהָם, תַּמָּן הֲוָה, כְּדֵין אֲמַר שְׁמָעוּנִי וּפִגְעוּ לִי בְּעֶפְרוֹן בֶּן צֹחַר וְיִתֶּן לִי אֶת מְעָרַת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה אֲשֶׁר לוֹ וגו'. וְאִי תֵימָא בְּגִין יְקָרָא דִּילִי יַתִּיר מִנַּיְיכוּ, אֲנָא עָבֵיד, דְּלָא רָעֵינָא בְּכוֹ, בְּתוֹכְכֶם, בְּגִין לְאִתְקְבָרָא בֵּינַיְיכוּ, דְּרָעֵינוּ בְּכוֹ, בְּגִין דְּלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנַּיְיכוּ.

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