Rabbi Sam Thurgood
Rabbi of Beit Midrash Morasha @ Arthur’s Road in Sea Point
Our sages explain by putting this in context with Hashem’s promise to Avraham: G-d has already said that He would give the entire Land of Israel to Avraham, and now Avraham is purchasing space for Sarah’s burial.
The Midrash (Shmot Rabba 1:4) quotes this incident as an example of Avraham’s faith in Hashem. Although Hashem promised him a great deal and he finds himself owning no land whatsoever, Avraham’s trust in G-d was so great that he never complained, but accepted it with love.
The fact that our relationship with Hashem is sometimes difficult, that we don’t always see Hashem’s loving hand in our lives in the way that we expect, but that nonetheless the relationship is a deep and special one – is a point so important that it is appropriate to devote many verses of the Torah to it.
Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra (Bereishit :19) sees it differently. This, he says, is the fulfilment of Hashem’s promise to Avraham. G-d had said that the land would become Avraham’s possession, and here we see that promise being fulfilled before our eyes! Certainly the Torah should tell us every detail of this beloved acquisition – the first time that a Jew owned property in the Promised Land.
Rabbi David Stav points out that, in a sense, these are two diametrically opposed approaches to the promises of Hashem. Once G-d has told us that He will give us something – how is that to materialise? Are we expected to play a role in bringing it to fruition, or is it now up to Hashem?
Ibn Ezra tells us that G-d’s promise is not, now, an invitation to become a passive witness. Our role is not to simply observe as our Creator does wonders, but to become an active participant in bringing those wonders to be. G-d promised us Israel would be ours? Good, let’s make it ours!
At the culmination of a difficult and expensive negotiation, where Avraham has invested time, effort, energy and money – he sees that this is in fact what G-d has promised him.
The Midrash takes a different view, that one day all that G-d has promised us will come to pass; that until then we must be hopeful and patient and never give up because of the interminable challenges that we experience until then.
Nevertheless, even in the Midrash’s view, Avraham does not sit passively by and wait for the burial plot. Although he has not seen the ultimate fulfilment of G-d’s gift of the land, he purchases a plot for himself.
Today we are still faced with the same challenges – and not in an abstract way, but in Israel itself! With all of the challenges and troubles and difficulties, is our role in the drama to be strong, to keep faith, to do what is right while we wait for Hashem’s promise to come through – or to actively engage in the process of redemption, and see Hashem’s hand within our handiwork? The answer, of course, is both.
