This week’s parshah starts off discussing the death of our matriarch Sarah, and the process that Abraham went through in order to find her an appropriate gravesite. Because it was in the city of Chevron where Sarah had passed away (this was where she and Abraham had been living for many years), Abraham chose to meet with the children of Heth, the other inhabitants of that region, in order to discuss the acquisition of a burial place. The Torah portrays Abrahams opening words as follows:
“Abraham rose up…and spoke to the children of Heth, saying: ‘I am a stranger and a resident among you; grant me an estate for a burial site…” [Genesis: 23: 3-4]
Many commentators jump on the obvious question: How is it possible to be both a stranger (a non-resident) and a resident at once!? Either you live there or you don’t! What did Abraham mean by this apparent dichotomy?
