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THE CAVE OF MACHPELA
IN BIBLICAL TIMES
I. ADAM AND EVE
According to Jewish sources, Adam was the first to choose the Cave of the Machpela as his burial place “under and inside of the cave.” The Midrash reports:
Adam sat and pondered and he said :”For I know that You will return me to die and at meeting place of all living” (Job 30:23). “As long as I am still alive I will build a house outside of Mt. Moria. He dug and built himself a house. Then he thought, these tablets (the Ten Commandments) which will be written by the hand of G-d will chase away the waters of the Jordan river; my body-made by G-d’s own hands and given a soul by Him. After my death my body and my bones will be taken and be made into idolatry. So, therefore, I will bury my casket deep under and inside the cave. Therefore, the Cave is called the Cave of the Machpela-The Multiple Cave and there is where they are: Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sara, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah. And therefore it is called Kiryat Arba -the city of the four- because four couples were buried there.
II. ABRAHAM AND SARAH
Rabbi Rehumai said: G-d Himself created Adam and He Himself took care of Adam at his death. No one knew of Adam’s burial place until Abraham came, entered the cave and saw him. As Abraham entered, the place was filled with the scent of the Garden of Eden and the voice of the ministering angels saying: ”Adam is buried here. Abraham and Isaac will be prepared for this place. Abraham saw the lit candle and went out. At that moment he developed a desire for the place. (New Zohar: Ruth: 79, 4)
Rabbi Huna said: ”Prior to Abraham, there were many who wanted to be buried there but could not enter the place because of a fire emanating from it. The fire was put there by the ministering angels who were guarding the place. When Abraham came, he entered and bought the place.(Pirkei Derabi Elazar Chap. 36)
The first time Abraham entered The Machpela Cave he saw a light and two graves were revealed to him. At that time Adam looked at Abraham and his expression was that of happiness. Hence Abraham knew that he was destined to be buried there.
Said Abraham to Adam: ”Is there an opening here (for the light)?
Answered Adam: ”The All-Mighty has buried me here and since that time I have been hidden from human eyes-like the roots in the ground- until you came to world. From now on, the covenant for me and for humanity will exist because of you. (Zohar Chaye Sarah. 128:1)
According to our sages, even the Matriarch Sarah had a very special connection to the Cave of the Machpela; unfortunately, her hopes about the Cave did not materialize during her lifetime:
“She planned of the field and took it” (Prov. 31:7)-as long as she was alive she had planned to take the field: ”and she took it” (Prov. 31:7)-she took the cave and there she was buried.
Indeed, during her lifetime Sara did not actualize her wish regarding the Cave of Machpela. Only upon her death could Abraham turn to Ephron and seek to purchase it: “And when Sarah died and it became necessary. He (Abraham) said: ‘It is time to claim it (the Cave)’” (Zohar Chaye Sara 128).
III. ISAAC AND REBECCA
During his lifetime, Isaac recognized and knew the value of the Machpela Cave. And this is how our sages comment on the verse related to the blessings given to Jacob: ” And he (Jacob) approached him (Isaac), and he felt the scent of his garments, and he blessed him and said: Behold my son’s scent equals the scent of the field blessed by G-d.” (Gen. 27:27).
Our sages ask: ”How did Isaac know the scent of “the field blessed by G-d”? However, explains the Zohar:
”These are two which are one”. It says in one place:” And Isaac went out in the evening “(Gen. 24:63). Didn’t Isaac have a house or another place in which to pray? But that field was the field of the Machpela which Abraham purchased next to the Cave. When Isaac went to the field he saw the Divine Presence and the field became filled with sacred and supreme scents (from Garden of Eden). That is why he designated it for a his prayer site . And this is, in essence, what Isaac referred to when he said: “behold my son’s scent is that of the field blessed by G-d.”(Gen. 27:27).
Our sages explain why the purchase of the Cave was not mentioned in connection with Isaac’s death:
“...and why was the purchase of the land mentioned in connection with both Abraham’s and Jacob’s burial and NOT with Isaac’s burial? To teach you that when the purchase was disputed -the ownership had to be proved and the deed had to be shown. At the time of Isaac’s burial there was no dispute and therefore there was no need to discuss or mention the purchase. (Gen. Rabati ,50:1; pp. 184 Albek ed. pp. 259)
IIII. JACOB AND LEAH
Jacob’s deep connection to the Cave of Machpela is widely elaborated upon and greatly emphasized in the Torah. Feeling death approach, he forces an oath upon his son, Joseph, the Egyptian Pharoah’s deputy, to bring his body back to Israel to be buried with his ancestors.
“And you shall make a truthful loving kindness with me, do not bury me in Egypt; and I shall lie with my fathers. And you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place” (Gen. 47:29-30)
Even his last will and testament to all his sons and their tribes reiterated and details his plea to be buried in Hebron. In his will, he repeats the history and location of the Machpela Cave:
“And he commanded them and said to them: I am being gathered unto my people. Bury me with my fathers, at the cave which is in the field of Ephron the Hittite. In the cave of the field of the Machpela, which is in front of Mamre, in the land of Cana’an, the field which Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hittite to be an undisputed property. There is where they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah, there is where they buried Isaac and his wife Rebecca...” (Gen. 49:29-32)
Jacob’s deep rooted connection to the Machpela Cave is also expressed in many scholarly sources. They tell us that even Jacob purchased his part in the cave for a fantastic fortune:
“When Isaac passed away, Jacob and Esau, his children, came to divide everything between them. Jacob said to himself: If we divide everything equally, why should this wicked man (Esau) be entitled to be buried in the cave together with the righteous people there? What did he do? He (Jacob) took his share of the silver and gold which he put into a bundle. He came to his brother Esau and said to him : ”Brother! would you want your share in the cave or this bundle of silver and gold instead?
Answered Esau: ”I can find a burial place anywhere. Why should I loose all this money for this particular burial site? “ He than took all the money and gave Jacob his share in the grave. And this is what Jacob said to Joseph before his death:” In my grave which I had dug for myself. It does not say: ”purchased” but rather dug.”
This word “dug” in Hebrew has a double meaning
1)dug
2) bundle.
He said to them: “A bundle of Dinars (currency) I gave Esau [for it].” (Shemot Rabba 31,17)
Esau’s disengagement from the cave expressed his dislike and detachment from any connection to the Land designated to his father and grandfather, as well as any values of holiness and faith. After Isaac’s death, Esau took his leave. Torah sources describe:
“And Esau took his wives and his sons and his daughters and all the souls of his house...and went into a land away from of his brother Jacob” (Gen. 36:6).
Meaning that he left Jacob the principal and profit, the [future] bondage in Egypt and the land (of Israel) and gave him his share of the Multiple Cave, and that he had forsaken the land, his belief and his share and left it all. (Zohar Gen. Vayishlah 177a)
The purchase of the Cave of the Machpela by Jacob is brought by our sages as a central motivating feature of redemption . The Midrash relates the following:
In what merit do the people of Israel deserve this honor (the redemption)?
Answer: Because of living in the Land of Israel and being afflicted by the nations of the world. And so you find with the founding fathers of the world (the Patriarchs) with their endless suffering just to be buried in the Land of Israel. Abraham -for a land of four hundred shekels he gave four hundred silver Kantarins (the heaviest currency). Jacob gave all of the gold for which he worked, all the money that he earned. He bundled it so he could give it to Esau before his death in order to prevent being buried with Esau. As it is said: “In the grave which I had dug for myself.” (Gen. 50:5, Pesikta Rabati Vienna Ed. ,Parsha 1, page 2b).
In spite of the fact that Jacob purchased his lot in the cave for a veritable fortune his children had to reclaim the Cave of the Machpela again, this time with a fight. This event appears in a few Midrashic commentaries as well:
As they arrived at the Machpela Cave, Esau came and prevented their entry. He said: “At Mamre which is Kiryat Arba, there are four couples destined to be buried. Jacob buried Leah in his portion and the one remaining is mine!”
They said to him: ”You sold it!”
He said: “Indeed I sold my birthright, I did not sell my rights on the land!”
They said: “Yes you did, since it is said (by Jacob) the land which I had dug (purchased) (Gen. 50:5) and “digging” in this context means purchase.
Esau: “Bring me the deed!”
“It is in Egypt and who is going to get it? Let Naphtali go for he is as light as a gazelle, as it is said:’Naphtali is an antelope let loose who gives good words’ ” (Gen. 49:21) .
Hushim the son of Dan was there and he was hard of hearing and he said: “What is this?”
“He (Esau) is preventing the burial until Naphtali returns from Egypt,” answered the brothers.
“And until he returns my grandfather will lie here disgracefully,”concluded Hushim.
Hushim then took a big sword and hit Esau on the head; he died and his head rolled by Jacob’s feet. At that moment Jacob opened his eyes and smiled . As it is said: ”The righteous will rejoice when he sees revenge; his feet will bathe in the blood of the wicked.” (Psalms 58:11). (Bab. Talmud 13b).
Commonly, our sage elaborate on Jacob’s connection to the Cave of the Machpela from another perspective: The Cave’s effect on the completion of the world and the return of the light to the Cave after Jacob’s burial. It also serves as a gateway for the righteous who have departed this world and are going to the next. So we find in the Zohar:
When Jacob entered the cave all of the Garden of Eden’s scents filled it, the cave illuminated and one candle lit up. And when the [souls of the] Patriarchs went down to Egypt, to be with Jacob, the candle extinguished. When Jacob came back, the candle lit up and the Cave’s glory was restored. And never did or will the Cave accept anyone else (other than the four couples). And the souls of the righteous people pass in front of them in the cave so that they (Adam and Eve and the other three couples) would see their descendants and rejoice in front of G-d blessed be He.
V. CALEB PRAYING AT
THE CAVE OF THE MACHPELA
Moshe sent 12 Israelites to spy the land of Israel, following the exodus from Egypt. Ten of the spys betrayed their faith and declared their desire to remain in the desert rather than attempt to conquer the Land of Israel. Only two, Joshua and Caleb, remained faithful to the edicts of G-d and Torah.
Caleb’s prayer in the Cave of Machpela carries a very clear message about the importance and significance of the cave:
“And they ascended in the Negev and he came to Hebron” (Num. 13:22)
It should have said: ”And they came” ?! Ravah explains: It (the grammar form) teaches us that Caleb separated from the counsel of the spies and went to pray in the Cave. He said to them:” Fathers, beg for me that I be saved from the spies’ counsel”. (Bab. Sotah 34b)
VI. KING DAVID AND THE PATRIARCHS IN HEBRON
Our sages emphasize the comparison between Abraham -The first Hebrew and King David. This comparison connects them to the same place-Hebron. As Abraham was commanded by G-d to go to the land of Israel where only there could he attain the necessary degree of saintliness, David could not be given the royal appointment until after he developed the needed bond with the Forefathers in Hebron. (Zohar , Gen. Lech Lecha 79b).
The Zohar continues:
Everything that G-d made on earth is all done with the secret of Divinely inspired wisdom and since Abraham could not adhere to G-d in the required degree, he was therefore commanded to “Go forth”. There was the place where Abraham could come closer to G-d. That was the first stage where such closeness can take place and that is why it is said: ”Go forth”.
Similar to this it is written: ” And David asked G-d saying...” Why did not David become king over Israel immediately after Saul’s death? But since all is done through the secret of Divinely inspired wisdom, David could not be king until after he developed a bond with the Fathers in Hebron and only then, he could assume royalty. Therefore, he had to stay in Hebron for seven years so that he would receive the kingship properly and with Divinely inspired wisdom establish his kingdom in Jerusalem. Similarly, Abraham did not completely reach his lofty spiritual level until after he entered the Land of Israel.
This idea is corroborated further by the answer given to David when he asked G-d: ”Do I ascend to one of Judea’s cities?” G-d’s first answer: “Ascend!” “To which city?”... “To Hebron.”
VII. MOSES LINKS WITH THE
FOREFATHERS IN THE CAVE OF MACHPELA.
Prior to Moses’ death, G-d showed him the entire land of Israel. Scholars emphasize the fact the Moses was shown the Cave of the Machpela: “And G-d showed him the entire land and the Negev (southern region).” (. 34:1,3) This verse teaches us that He showed him the Machpela Cave where the patriarchs are buried. How do we know? Since it says “...The Negev” and earlier it says: ”And they went up to the Negev and they came to Hebron.” (Num. 13:22) The usage of the word Negev in connection to Hebron indicates that Moses was shown the Cave. (Sifri Deut. 357).
Even after his death, Moses unknown burial site remains connected to the Cave of the Machpela and therefore, through it, to the people of Israel -forever:
“And Moses died there” (Deut. 35:5) Samalion says: ”How do we know-a tunnel connects between both Moses’ and the patriarchs’ burial sites Is says here: ”And Moses died there, and it says: ”There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife” (Gen. 49:31).
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