Rabbi's Corner

The Rambam (also known as Maimonides) once had a debate with a group of philosophers who claimed that the nature of a cat could be changed to become like that of a human being.  The Rambam countered with the statement: "An animal will always be an animal."  Because the philosophers disagreed with him, they spent weeks training a cat to prove him wrong.  At last the day had arrived for them to prove their point.  People gathered to see what would happen: would the Rambam be proven correct or would he have to "eat his words?"  The cat walked in the room where everyone was gathered dressed as a waiter carrying a tray with wine and glasses.  Everyone was astounded and assumed that the philosophers had proven their point.  Standing on the opposite side of the room, the Rambam took a bag out of his pocket, opened it, and released a mouse.  As soon as the cat saw it, it dropped the tray spilling the wine and smashing the glasses.  It then dashed across the room in an attempt to catch the mouse.  It was at that point that everyone gathered to watch this spectacle agreed with the Rambam: while you can definitely train a cat, you cannot change its nature.

In this week's parashah, Parashat Chayyei Sarah, we read the following: "And Avraham rose from before his dead (Sarah), and he spoke to B'Nei Chait (the Children of Chait) saying, 'A stranger and an inhabitant I am with you.  Give me a holding of a grave with you and I will bury my dead from before me.'" (Bereshit 23:4)  The text goes on to say how Avraham offered to buy the Me'arat HaMachpeilah (the Cave of Machpeilah) and the surrounding field from Ephron the Hittite.  Efron first replies that he will give it to Avraham as a gift.  But no sooner said than done, Ephron chages his mind an willingly accepts the 400 sh'kalim (silver shekels) that Avraham was offering in order to purchase the cave and the field.  Why the change of mind on Ephron's part?

When Avraham asked Ephron for the cave and the field, the discussion was carried out in front of all the B'nei Chait.  Ephron, in his attempt to appear magnanimous, replied: "No, my master, hearken to me.  The field I have given to you; and the cave that is in it, I have given it (also).  Before the eyes of the members of my people, I have given it to you; bury your dead!" (Bereshit 23:11)  So what changed his mind?  Why did Ephron accept the money offered by Avraham?  Simply stated, his greed over took him.  His true nature shown forth.  Because Ephron was, by nature, a shallow and greedy person, he not only took the money but he ended up "overcharging" Avraham for the burial place of his beloved Sarah.

Thus, the words of another person with a similar name (Abraham Lincoln) rang true, and continue to do so today: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time."