Thursday, November 12, 2009

Hevron Matters

Normally this blog offers insight to political issues but the improtance of Hevron in the Jewish consciousness makes placing this Dvar Torah here. Each evening the declaration of faith contained in recitation of Shema is prefaced by stating that “ . . . they [the words of Torah] are our life and the measure of our days . . .” The Ba’al Haturim ZT’L ZY’A among his observations on Bereshith 1:1 notes Bereshith is an acrostic for From the beginning G-D saw that Israel will accept the Torah. Therefore, these and other sources imply a powerful connection between Israel’s connection to Torah and creation itself. Consequently, words of Torah on a particular matter have the effect of intensifying the concentration of D-vine energy associated with that particular thing. As Hillel taught (Avot 2:7) “ . . . the more Torah, the more life . . . .”

Therefore even though Chaye Sara touches on topics as fundamental as marriage or injecting spirituality in the midst of the workday, it is particularly important to dedicate words of Torah about Avraham Our Father A’H acquiring the Machpelah field and cave.

23:17-18,20 gives detail about the conveyance of Efron’s property to Avraham. The property is identified in detail, both the cave and field. Further the forum before which the land was purchased is also recorded. Rabbi Moshe Alshich ZT’L ZY’A commenting on 23:20 emphasizes that the transaction was not private between Avraham and Efron. Avraham was concerned the right to own burial property was restricted to residents and transients Therefore Avraham could have paid Efron the 400 shekels mentioned in 23:16 and the transfer could blocked by the Bene Chet council. Avraham wanted nothing to be left for chance this deal was to be unassailable. Additionally, Rabbi Meir Yechiel HaLevi of Ostrovitza ZT’L ZY’A in Ohr Torah calculates how the price paid by the progenitor of the Jewish people secured a place for each Jewish soul from the settling of Eretz Yisrael till the year 6000, by which Mashiach shall arrive.

Certainly, the notion that our father Avraham secured for each Jew a place in Eretz Yisrael is profound in of itself. However, the open question remains why Hevron?
Rashi ZT’L ZY’A (12:2) explains based on the Midrash Hevron was called karat Arba because four couples were buried there, Adam and Chava, Avraham and Sara, Yitzchak and Rivkah and Ya’akov and Leah . The original city was founded during the generation of dispersion according to Sefer Chibat Yerushalim (pg 194). The original city served as a Levite city and as a city of refuge, consequently the cave of the Machpelah was outside the city where the residents would observe the laws of ritual purity in a very carefully. However when the present city of Hevron was built it began with the cave of Machpelah as its center. The Ohr HaChaim ZT’L ZY’A comments on 23:2 contrast the two names Kiryat Arba and Hevron as how those buried there were truly unique. These righteous personages had departed a place made from the four primordial elements, fire, air , water and earth to join together (in Hebrew, Chibur) the physical and spiritual worlds first while alive in a body and then afterwards when the body is left behind but the soul connects between Heaven and Earth. Rabbi Nathan of Breslov ZT’L ZY’A observes concerning 23:17 that the property changed hands between Efron and Avraham. Both the Seller and Buyer are connected to dust, Earth. Efron is symbolic of the aspect of dust , dirt as a lifeless, lethargic indulgent clod whereas Avraham who declared himself as nothing more than “: . . Ashes and Dust . . . .” (18:27). Avraham emulated the aspect of humility present within dust and dirt Instead of indulgence Avraham’s dustiness left his heart open to others’ needs and to faith. Further Rabbi Nathan notes this was Kiryat Arba where the four couples represent both masculine and feminine aspects of spirituality. The person buried and to be buried in the Machpelah were tireless persons dedicated to seeking an ever closer relationship with G-D. Those persons interred were humble and open and actively seeking growth.

The example set by the founding families symbolizes the sea change made by Avaraham in the human condition. As Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook ZT’L ZY’A declared just six months after the Arab riots and massacre of 5689/1929 why Hevron matters and must remain settled by Jews;

“The memory of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs as well as the cave of the Machpelah connects us, the present generation with Adam. Such a connection casts Jewish nationalism in an eternal context with strong ties to the roots of creation itself is all dependant on Hevron, ”

(R’YAH HaOriot, V’HaAvoth pg 104 )

Hevron and the Machpelah convey the fundamental notions of what Judaism’s core values this why Hevron Matters till today and throughout time.

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