The dialogue that takes place in Parashat Hayyei Sarah between Avraham and the Hittites and between Avraham and Ephron is made up of repeated calls from all sides begging the other side to “hear me.”
“Hear us, my lord: you are the elect of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold his burial place from you for burying your dead.”
“Hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar.”
“No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field and I give you the cave that is in it.”
“If only you would hear me out! Let me pay the price of the land; accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there.”
“My lord, do hear me! A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between you and me?
“And Avraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver.”
The author of the Toldot Yitzhak asks “Were they all deaf?” Why was it necessary to repeat the request to listen over and over again?
Obviously, they were not deaf. The meaning of the repeated requests to hear and to listen indicate that there is a subtext to the spoken word and that the speaker is asking the listener to pay attention to what is being said between the lines.
Avraham first asks the Hittites to sell him a burial site. One can assume that he already knew exactly what he wanted – the burial cave belonging to Ephron – but he first makes a general appeal before stating his ultimate aim. While speaking with the Hittites he does not begin with his specific request. His conversation is a means to put Ephron into a position where he cannot refuse Avraham’s request – when it comes. Avraham’s plan is to convince the general populace to recognize his legitimate needs and to side with him, rather than with Ephron. The community’s reaction is “Hear us, my lord: you are the elect of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places.” They continue, assuring him that “none of us will withhold his burial place from you for burying your dead.” They appear to open their hearts and their homes to him, even while hinting that they have been forced to do so. This they show by extolling Avraham’s elevated position, making clear that with another they would not have been so generous.
It is only then that Avraham reveals his precise request: “Hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar. Let him sell me the cave of Machpelah that he owns, which is at the edge of his land. Let him sell it to me, at the full price, for a burial site in your midst.”
Avraham does not wish to take advantage of his position to make use of the people’s land without paying. He offers to pay the land’s full value. Avraham’s plan leaves Ephron no choice but to agree. It becomes clear in the coming verses that although Avraham has never spoken to him directly, Ephron has been present throughout the negotiations. Still, by turning to the townspeople and saying “Hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar” Avraham is consciously ignoring the fact that Ephron is there, listening to every word.
Ephron falls in line with the diplomatic conversation taking place, and responds by saying: “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field and I give you the cave that is in it.” He generously offers even more than what was originally requested – not only the cave, but the entire field, as well! By doing so, he puts Avraham in a position that he has no choice but to pay; he cannot possibly accept such a large gift. In response to Ephron's courtesy, Abraham bows low “before the people of the land.” Rather than responding directly to Ephron’s offer, he turns to the Hittite community, and thanks them for playing the role of intermediaries, for now Ephron cannot back away from his offer. Only then does Avraham turn to Ephron – still in earshot of the other people – saying: “If only you would hear me out! Let me pay the price of the land; accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there.” By opening with the words “If only you would hear me out!” Avraham indicates that he understands Ephron very well, and is open to continuing the negotiations in this manner.
Ephron responds: “My lord, do hear me! A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between you and me?” Superficially it appears that Ephron is saying that the land is of little value and that Avraham can keep it as a gift. But by mentioning a specific price, Ephron is hinting that he expects to be paid very well for the land. Avraham understands very well how much the “gift” will cost him, and the Torah relates: “Avraham accepted Ephron’s terms. Abraham paid out to Ephron the money that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites—four hundred shekels of silver at the going merchants’ rate.”
Everyone who was present understood that negotiations were taking place. The negotiations went on without interruption and no one threatened to storm out or to break them up. At no time did Ephron refuse to sell, nor did Avraham complain that the price was set too high, because the discussions were not personal so much as they were political. It might appear that Avraham chose this method because he was involved in an unpleasant task – in the midst of his mourning he was forced to deal with purchasing a burial plot. In truth, however, it appears more likely that this method of negotiation is not a cover-up, for Avraham is not really negotiating for a burial plot for his wife so much as he is purchasing his first stronghold in the Promised Land. This is an historical turning point on a national level – staking the first claim in the Land of Israel.
