Site & Source - Maarat Hamachpelah

Maarat Hamachpelah, (The Cave of the Patriarchs)

Sedei Hamachpelah ( The Field of the Patriarchs),

Beit Hamachpelah(The House of the Patriarchs).

What does the "Machpelah" mean and what is hidden there?

Maarat Hamachpelah is located inside the City of Fathers and Mothers - Hevron.

It was chosen and purchased by Avraham, the Father of the Jewish, nation to serve as the eternal place of rest for the patriarchal couples, hence the name Machpelah, which literally translates "double".

אֲדֹנִי שְׁמָעֵנִי אֶרֶץ אַרְבַּע מֵאֹת שֶׁקֶל כֶּסֶף בֵּינִי וּבֵינְךָ מַה הִוא וְאֶת מֵתְךָ קְבֹר: וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָהָם אֶל עֶפְרוֹן וַיִּשְׁקֹל אַבְרָהָם לְעֶפְרֹן אֶת הַכֶּסֶף אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר בְּאָזְנֵי בְנֵי חֵת אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שֶׁקֶל כֶּסֶף עֹבֵר לַסֹּחֵר: וַיָּ֣קָם | שְׂדֵ֣ה עֶפְר֗וֹן אֲשֶׁר֙ בַּמַּכְפֵּלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י מַמְרֵ֑א הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְהַמְּעָרָ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֔וֹ וְכָל־הָעֵץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּכָל־גְּבֻל֖וֹ סָבִֽיב: (בראשית פרק כג פסוקים טו-יז)

"My lord, listen to me; a [piece of] land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is it between me and you? Bury your dead."

And Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, accepted by the merchant.

And so the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, facing Mamre, was established (as Abraham's possession). [This included] the field and the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within its entire border around

Bereishit 23: 15-17

Many scholars have researched this site and many articles have been written. It has been proven that this is where the most important and influential real estate deal of our nation took place.

In the Zohar Hadash (Rut, 113) it is written that Rabbi Kasma Amer says that the cave, serves as the entrance to Heaven.

Calev Ben Yefuneh, one of the 12 spies representating the tribe of Judah, visited Maarat Hamachpelah while carrying out the mission sent by Moshe Rabbeinu.

King Herod built a huge and powerful structure over the burial cave and despite all the earthquakes that struck the land, the structure was not damaged since it stands on a stable and strong bedrock.

The Rambam (Maimonides), Ramban (Nachmanides), and many others went to great pains, when they visited the Land of Israel , to go specifically to Hevron, to pour out their hearts in prayer before God and ask the Patriarchs and Matriarchs to beseech the Creator of the world in their behalf.

Fifty four years ago, the late Rabbi Goren hoisted the Israeli flag on the roof of the building and a Torah scroll was brought into the building and the site was declared a worthy and dignified place of prayer.

Maarat Hamachpelah, The Cave of the Patriarchs, is a site visited by hundreds of thousands of worshipers all year round.

Near the Maarat Hamachpelah is a building called the "Beit Hamachpelah" (House of Machpelah), where several Jewish families live in a pioneering style and with endless dedication and devotion.

Beit Hamachpelah gives the visitor a sense of connection and belonging, mixed with Jewish courage and heroism.