Torah from Rabbi Saunders

This week we read of the death of Sarah and Avraham's purchasing of Meoras Hamachpeila - the cave in which he buried her in Chevron. 

It is essential to understand the emotional and spiritual context of this event. Sarah's passing occurred shortly after the Akedah, where he was tasked to slaughter his son Isaac, an episode that already tested Avraham's dedication and faith to their conceivable limits. At this point, Avraham had faced numerous trials: leaving his homeland, navigating through famine, and coping with family tensions, among others. The loss of Sarah, his beloved partner and supporter through all these tribulations, added a deeply personal dimension to his challenges.

Moreover, the burial of Sarah brought Avraham face-to-face with the practical and societal hurdles of owning land in Canaan. Despite the divine promise that this land would belong to him and his descendants, Avraham found himself a stranger negotiating over a burial site for his wife. The purchase of the cave of Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite was not merely a transaction but a tangible, immediate test of his faith in Hashem’s promises. It required patience, humility, and perseverance, as Avraham navigated the cultural norms and potential hostilities of the local inhabitants to secure a proper resting place for Sarah.