Full Price

When the news reached Sarah that Isaac was almost sacrificed, the shock of his near loss, coupled with the relief of his life being spared, was too much for her to bear, and she died. Abraham purchased the Machpelah Cave and the surrounding field in Hebron from Ephron, a local Hittite, for her burial grounds. Ephron offered to give the site to Abraham for free, but Abraham insisted on paying for it.

He spoke to Ephron so that all the local people could hear, in these words: “If only you would listen to me!
I am giving you the money for the field. Take it from me so that I may bury my dead there.” 

Genesis 23:13

Holy things cannot be acquired “for free,” that is, without proper effort. This is why Abraham insisted on paying for the transfer of the property, thereby elevating it into the realm of holiness.

Similarly, each one of us has been assigned a portion of the world that we are responsible to make holy. We must do this at “full price,” with hard work and effort.

Even those of us who find it easy to study the Torah and observe the commandments must push ourselves beyond the boundaries of our natural inclinations.

Only in this way can we achieve our purpose in the world.

—From Daily Wisdom 3