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Why did Ephron offer Avrohom the burial site for free, then demand 400 silver pieces? The offer was genuine but motivated by kavod rather than kindness - Ephron wanted his name associated with the Jewish patriarch's burial site. True chesed (חסד), like Avrohom's hosting of the angels, seeks the recipient's benefit rather than the giver's recognition.
This shiur examines the intriguing narrative of Avrohom's purchase of the Cave of Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite in Parshas Chayei Sarah. The lecture begins by questioning the puzzling behavior of Ephron, who initially offers the burial plot as a gift in front of the entire community, but then suddenly demands an outrageous price of 400 pieces of silver when Avrohom insists on paying. Rabbi Zweig explains that this wasn't a case of deception or fraud, but rather reveals a fundamental aspect of human psychology regarding motivation in giving. The Bnei Ches and Ephron genuinely offered the land for free, but their motivation wasn't pure altruism - they sought recognition and honor in return. They wanted their names associated with this significant burial site for the Jewish patriarch, understanding that such recognition could be worth more than money itself.
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Parshas Chayei Sarah 23:1-20
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