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Why does the Torah (תורה) detail Avrohom's purchase of Maaras HaMachpela so extensively? The shiur distinguishes between ordinary land acquisition and sovereign acquisition. Avrohom didn't just buy property within Ches—he secured sovereignty, creating the first territory of Eretz Yisrael itself. This explains why the three lands we purchased (Chevron, Shechem, Yerushalayim) are precisely where we face the strongest opposition today.
The shiur addresses the Ibn Ezra's statement that Parshas Chayei Sarah's detailed account of the purchase of Maaras HaMachpela demonstrates the value of Eretz Yisrael for burial and fulfills Hashem (ה׳)'s promise to Avrohom. The Ramban (רמב"ן) questions this: if someone dies in Eretz Yisrael, why is it significant that they remain there rather than being moved? Furthermore, Hashem's promise was for Avrohom's children, not for Avrohom himself. The Midrash states that "Bnei Ches" appears ten times in the parsha, corresponding to the Aseres HaDibros, teaching that whoever clarifies the acquisition of a tzaddik fulfills the Ten Commandments. Another Midrash identifies three lands purchased by our forefathers—Maaras HaMachpela, Shechem, and Yerushalayim—claiming the nations have no legitimate grievance against us regarding these territories. This seems paradoxical: these three locations are precisely where we face the most intense conflict with the nations.
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Bereishis 23 (Parshas Chayei Sarah)
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