וַיָּ֣קָם ׀ שְׂדֵ֣ה עֶפְר֗וֹן אֲשֶׁר֙ בַּמַּכְפֵּלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י מַמְרֵ֑א הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְהַמְּעָרָ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֔וֹ וְכָל־הָעֵץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּכָל־גְּבֻל֖וֹ סָבִֽיב׃
Kaya ang bukid ni Efron na nasa Macpela, na nasa tapat ng Mamre, ang bukid at ang yungib na naroon, at ang lahat ng punungkahoy na nasa bukid, na nasa buong hangganan nito sa palibot, ay napagtibay
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
R. Juda the Nasi, taxed the Rabbis with the expense of the fortified wall of the city. Resh Lakish said to him: "The Rabhis did not need any guard, for it is written (Ps. 139, 18) Should I count them, they would be more numerous than the sand. Shall we assume that this refers to the righteous, since concerning all Israel it is written (Gen. 23, 17) As the sand ichich are upon the sea-shore. How can it be possible that the righteous should be more than the sands? We must therefore say that it refers to the deeds of the righteous which, if counted, would be more numerous than the sand. Now, if the little sands guard the sea, howmuch more should the acts of the upright, which are more than the sands, guard their performers?" Wiien Resh Lakish came before R. Jochanan, the latter said: "Why not say from the following (Songs 8, 10) I am a wall, and my breasts like the towers thereof; i.e., I am a wall, refers to the Torah. And my breast like the towers thereof, (Fol. 8) refers to the scholars." Resh Lakish, however, explains the last passage as Raba did, namely: "I am a wall, refers to the congregation of Israel; And my breasts like the towers thereof, refers to the house of prayer and the houses of learning." R. Huna b. R. Chisda taxed the Rabbis. R. Nachman b. Isaac said to him: "By this act you have transgressed the Pentateuch, the Prophets, and the Hagiographa. The Pentateuch (Deut. 33, 3) Yea, Thou also lovest the tribes; all their saints were in Thy hand: and they prostrate before Thy feet, received Thy words. Thus said Moses before the Holy One, praised be He: 'Sovereign of the Universe, even when Thou lovest the heathens, the saints of Israel shall be in Thy hand;' (i.e., they shall be guarded by Thee). The prophets (Hos. 8, 10) But even though they should be given among the nations, now will I gather them up; and they shall be humbled by reason of the burden of king and princes. And Raba said: 'This verse was written in the Aramaic language, [the expression vitnu (given) should be read yishnu (to study)]; i.e., if all the Israelites who are in exile should occupy themselves with the study of the Torah, the gathering of them would be at hand soon; but if only a few of them study, then they should be exempt merely from the burdens imposed by kings or princes.' And the Hagiographa (Ezra 7, 24) No one shall be empowered to impose any tax, tribute, or toil, etc. And R. Juda said: 'This refers to all kinds of taxes.' "
Bereshit Rabbah
“The field of Ephron that was in Makhpela that was before Mamre, the field and the cave that was in it, and every tree that was in the field, that was within its border all around, were established” (Genesis 23:17).
“As possession for Abraham before the children of Ḥet, of all coming to his city gate” (Genesis 23:18).
“The field of Ephron…were established [vayakam]” – it had been lowly and was now elevated [vekamat], as it had belonged to an insignificant person and now it became that of a great person.
“The field of Ephron that was in Makhpela” – this teaches that it doubled [nikhpelu] in value in the eyes of everyone,32After Abraham acquired it. and that anyone who is buried in it can be certain that his reward is doubled [kaful].33Due to its great sanctity. Rabbi Abahu said: It is because the Holy One blessed be He folded up [kafaf] the [great] height of Adam the first man34See Bereshit Rabba 12:6. and buried him in it [the Cave of Makhpela].
“The field and the cave that was in it…” – Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] said: From where is it derived what we learned: One who sells his field must write down the field and its [specific] border markers? It is from here: “The field and the cave that was in it, and every tree that was in the field that was within its border all around, as possession for Abraham before the children of Ḥet.”
Rabbi Elazar said: How many inkwells are emptied, how many quills are broken in order to write “the sons of Ḥet”?35It is repeated so frequently that it must use a good deal of ink and many pens to write it when a scribe writes a Torah. “The sons of Ḥet” is repeated ten times, corresponding to the Ten Commandments, to teach you that anyone who endorses the transaction of a righteous man, it is as though he fulfilled the Ten Commandments.
Rabbi Yudan said: “The sons of Barzilai” is written five times,36In I Kings chapter 2. corresponding to the five books of the Torah, to teach you that anyone who feeds a slice of bread to a righteous man,37As Barzilai fed David (see II Samuel 17:27). it is as though he fulfilled the five books of the Torah.
“As possession for Abraham before the children of Ḥet, of all coming to his city gate” (Genesis 23:18).
“The field of Ephron…were established [vayakam]” – it had been lowly and was now elevated [vekamat], as it had belonged to an insignificant person and now it became that of a great person.
“The field of Ephron that was in Makhpela” – this teaches that it doubled [nikhpelu] in value in the eyes of everyone,32After Abraham acquired it. and that anyone who is buried in it can be certain that his reward is doubled [kaful].33Due to its great sanctity. Rabbi Abahu said: It is because the Holy One blessed be He folded up [kafaf] the [great] height of Adam the first man34See Bereshit Rabba 12:6. and buried him in it [the Cave of Makhpela].
“The field and the cave that was in it…” – Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] said: From where is it derived what we learned: One who sells his field must write down the field and its [specific] border markers? It is from here: “The field and the cave that was in it, and every tree that was in the field that was within its border all around, as possession for Abraham before the children of Ḥet.”
Rabbi Elazar said: How many inkwells are emptied, how many quills are broken in order to write “the sons of Ḥet”?35It is repeated so frequently that it must use a good deal of ink and many pens to write it when a scribe writes a Torah. “The sons of Ḥet” is repeated ten times, corresponding to the Ten Commandments, to teach you that anyone who endorses the transaction of a righteous man, it is as though he fulfilled the Ten Commandments.
Rabbi Yudan said: “The sons of Barzilai” is written five times,36In I Kings chapter 2. corresponding to the five books of the Torah, to teach you that anyone who feeds a slice of bread to a righteous man,37As Barzilai fed David (see II Samuel 17:27). it is as though he fulfilled the five books of the Torah.