This week’s Torah reading describes how a grieving Abraham approached Ephron, a Hebron landowner, to buy a burial plot for his deceased wife, Sarah. It’s a classic exchange between Honest Abe and the greedy Ephron.
Kabbalistic writings take it deeper, describing this as a confrontation between enthusiasm/humility (Abraham) and lethargy/arrogance (Ephron). In other words, each of these Biblical figures represents a pair of attitudes. But, how? What is the correlation between the two attitudes within each set, and what is the relationship that each set has with its respective Biblical figure?
Spiritual writings point out that in Hebrew the name Ephron reflects the word ‘Aphar’, which means dust. Interestingly, this also reflects Abraham, who referred to himself as ‘dust (aphar) and ashes’ (in contrast to G-d).
What is dust? On the one hand, it is insignificant; we tread upon dust without regard. Psycho-spiritually, this reflects a lack of self-esteem, the joyless feeling of leading an insignificant life.
But there’s another type of dust. The Kabbalah speaks of ‘holy dust’, reflected in the Scripture’s description of the Tabernacle’s flooring as being ‘dust’ (the word ‘Epher’ again). This holy ‘dust’ represents healthy humility.
If I’m wrapped up in what I would have wanted out of life, what I have failed to achieve, what I don’t have and apparently can’t attain, I’ll have a problem holding on to my zest for life. It’s overwhelming to see myself as ultimately being alone with my burden of climbing life’s mountain and reaching its peak. This is the ‘unholy dust’ attitude.
And, paradoxically, this ‘feeling insignificant’ attitude often comes from self-absorption and distorted self-importance.
Conversely, healthy humility is when I recognize that I’m created by G-d for a purpose that transcends my immediate desires. I’m not flying solo in life; to the contrary, I’m part of G-d’s team of humanity, working together to bring meaning to this world. If I focus on my Divine objective, being productive, performing Mitzvot, and touching other’s lives in simple but meaningful ways, I’m leading a meaningful life. And I’ll be happier.
Perhaps counter-intuitively, my surrender to Higher leads to my self-actualization.
So when Abraham purchased a family burial plot, a place where he, his wife and children would “return to dust” (Job 34:15), he first transitioned the land into ‘holy dust’, dust fit for a holy resting place.
Because everything else is just dust in the wind.