Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Sforno · Torah
Sforno on Genesis 23:9/ספורנו על בראשית כ״ג:ט׳
אמְעָרַת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה. מָקוֹם שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ מַכְפֵּלָה, כְּאָמְרוֹ וַיָּקָם שְׂדֵה עֶפְרוֹן אֲשֶׁר בַּמַּכְפֵּלָה.
1מערת המכפלה, a place known as machpela.
באֲשֶׁר בִּקְצֵה שָׂדֵהוּ. וְלֹא בִּשְׁבִיל זֶה יַשְׁחִית נַחֲלָתוֹ.
2Compare verse 17 ויקם שדה עפרון אשר במכפלה אשר בקצה שדהו, “Efron’s field which is situated in machpela at the edge of his field, stood, etc.” The details provided by the Torah are intended to prove to us, the reader, that by selling the cave to Avraham Efron did not suffer any loss of face, he had no reason to feel embarrassed about what he had done.
גבְּכֶסֶף מָלֵא. שֶׁאֵין חֶפְצוֹ שֶׁיִּגְרַע מֵעֶרְכּוֹ לִכְבוֹדְכֶם.
3בכסף מלא, I do not want that he grant me a reduction from its real worth as a gesture to you.
דבְּתוֹכְכֶם. בְּמַעֲמַד כֻּלְּכֶם, שֶׁאֵינִי מְבַקֵּשׁ שׁוּם זְמַן לִפְרֹעַ אֵלָיו הַמָּעוֹת, וְכֵן עָשָׂה כְּאָמְרוֹ וַיִּשְׁקֹל אַבְרָהָם לְעֶפְרוֹן אֶת הַכֶּסֶף כּוּ' לְעֵינֵי בְנֵי חֵת.
4בתוככם, in the presence of all of you. I do not ask for time to come up with the payment but am willing to pay cash at once. Compare verse 16 where Avraham does in fact pay cash immediately.
הלַאֲחֻזַּת קָבֶר. שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיִּמְכֹּר, אוּלַי יְעַרְעֵר שֶׁלֹּא אֶקְבּוֹר אֵצֶל גְּבוּלוֹ, לָכֵן אֲנִי שׁוֹאֵל שֶׁיִּמְכְּרֶנָּה לַאֲחֻזַּת קֶבֶר.
5לאחוזת קבר, Avraham wanted complete freedom to do what he wanted to in the property once he had acquired it. This is the privilege granted to anyone owning an ancestral heritage. Avraham wanted it understood that as a result of the sale Efron would not be able to dictate to him how close to his own property Sarah or other members of his family could be buried.