בס”ד
By Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
The end of this parsha describes Avraham’s attempt to ascend to the Holy Land, where he would be
destined to settle and later be buried in Hebron, Beacon of the Holy Land. This painting which depicts the
beautiful landscape of the Holy Land, along with settlement houses with Maarat Hamachpela. Settlement
can be perceived as a unison between the heavenly soul of man and the the earth. The heaven/sky can be
depicted in the painting by the blue sky, while the earh here is primarily green due to the vegetation that
grows upon it. Then, we see ten apertures in this painting that have blue and green together. The aperture
is a symbol of man’s entrance, I.e connection to the earthly building, and therefore it is so befitting that
this aperture is painted blue, symbolizing the heaven, and green, symbolizing the earth. The number ten is
also special, alluding to the power of sanctity found in the ten sefirot, and the resting of the Holy Presence
with the settlement of Israel in the Land, as ten men are needed to form a minyan and make the Holy
Presence rest in their midst. Hebro, which means unity, also stands for such unity between heaven and
earth!