We begin the parsha of Chayei Sara with the petirah of our mother Sarah Imeinu at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven years. Avraham Avinu is faced with the immediate, painful task of finding a fitting place to bury his beloved wife in the land of Canaan, specifically in Kiryas Arba, which is Chevron. This sets the stage for a major negotiation with the local inhabitants, the Bnei Ches, as Avraham seeks to acquire a permanent estate for a burial plot.
Lichoira, Avraham is a stranger in their midst, yet he is highly respected as a prince of Elokim. He focuses his efforts on acquiring the Cave of Machpelah from Ephron ben Zohar. We will see the back-and-forth negotiation between Avraham and Ephron, where Avraham insists on paying the full price in order to secure an absolute, undisputed possession for his family.
The aliyah details the petirah of Sarah Imeinu in Chevron and Avraham Avinu's subsequent negotiation with the Bnei Ches to purchase a burial plot. Although the locals offer him the choice of their best graves for free, Avraham insists on buying the Cave of Machpelah from Ephron ben Zohar at full price. Ephron initially makes a show of offering the field and the cave as a gift, but quickly names a steep price of four hundred shekels of silver. Avraham immediately accepts these terms and weighs out the silver at the going merchants' rate, successfully securing the property.
The Torah is coming to be mechadesh a tremendous yesod in how a Yid conducts himself in the world, even when he is dealing with the most difficult, painful situations. Look at Avraham Avinu. He just lost his partner in life, the holy Sarah Imeinu. He is broken, mourning, and trying to secure a place to bury her. Yet, when he stands before the Bnei Cheis, he doesn't demand anything, nor does he act with a sense of entitlement. He bows, he speaks with utmost respect, and he refers to himself as a "ger v'toshav", a stranger and a resident. Even when Ephron tries to play games, offering the land for free but hinting at a massive price tag of four hundred shekels, Avraham doesn't argue or complain. He simply pays the full price, "over lasocher," in the most honorable way.
Lichoira, we would have thought that a person in such deep pain has a right to be demanding, or at least a bit impatient. But the Tanna is telling us that a Yid's middos and his mentchlichkeit are never on vacation. Avraham Avinu was a "nesi Elokim," a prince of Hashem, and he showed it davka by how he treated the people around him during his darkest hour. He didn't use his spiritual stature as an excuse to bypass the normal, respectful ways of the world. Mimeila, we see that true yiras Shamayim and greatness in Torah must express themselves in how we speak to others, how we do business, and how we carry ourselves when things are hard.
When you are under pressure, or when things are not going your way, the yetzer hara wants you to throw away your refinement and act with entitlement. The avodah of a Yid is to remember Avraham Avinu. Whether you are dealing with family, coworkers, or a storekeeper, your speech should be soft, your transactions honest, and your respect for others absolute.
Today, make a point to speak with extra gentleness and respect to everyone you encounter, especially if you find yourself in a stressful or frustrating situation.