בס”ד
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
Hebron is mentioned for the first time in the Torah in this parsha. In the Hebron scene in this painting we see Maarat Hamachpela with six blue buildings within it. These six blue-white buildings may hint to the six hundred thousand of Israel, which Kabbalistically are associated with the talis which is supposed to have white and blue fringes. The idea of these buildings within the Maaarat Hamachpela building may hint to Israel’s deep connection to this building, which represents Israel’s first acquisition in the Holy Land. Indeed, we also see twelve columns/crevices in the building of Maarat Hamachpela, which may
hint to the twelve tribes, united through the common ancestrial roots buried at Maarat Hamachpela. This is also the message of Hebron in general, standing for the unity of Israel – “hibur”, and their unification with the Holy Land, as the verse says “one nation in the Land.” We see eight blackish olive trees, which may hint at the eight figures buried at Maarat Hamachpela. The connection to olive trees may be that olive trees are known to last many years, some being even ancient, and the merit of these eight figures is ancient, continuing on to this day.