Our Gemara on Amud Beis offers a proof text for the concept of field boundaries within a sale 

from the biblical story of Avraham’s purchase of the Ma’aras Hamachpela cave from Efron (Bereishis 23:17).

וַיָּ֣קׇם  שְׂדֵ֣ה עֶפְר֗וֹן אֲשֶׁר֙ בַּמַּכְפֵּלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י מַמְרֵ֑א הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְהַמְּעָרָ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֔וֹ וְכׇל־הָעֵץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּכׇל־גְּבֻל֖וֹ סָבִֽיב׃

 So Ephron’s land in Machpelah was established, near Mamre, the field with its cave and all the trees anywhere within the confines of that field. 

The Hebrew word for establish is vayakam, which literally means stood up, but metaphorically means to be established or set up. The pashut peshat is that the Ma’aras Hamachpelah became known and ratified as belonging to Avraham. But the word has an implication of standing up and rising, and the Midrashic explanation is that by virtue of becoming attached to Avraham, the entire parcel of land became elevated. Even within that Midrash, there is pashut peshat and derash. It could be referring to the market value, given who the owner was and the esteem people held for him locally. Or, the field would be elevated in value based on the spiritual stature and whom its owner now became.

Taking this one step further, Yismach Moshe (Vayishlach 16) discusses the idea of how possessions of the righteous person become tools of divinity, and therefore fulfill their purpose for which they were designed. It is the kabblastic notion of the Holy Sparks, that is the holy potential, within Physical matter that must be liberated. Efron’s field became elevated because now it served its true purpose; the divine intent for its existence. 

Yismach Moshe explains Yaakov’s choice of gifts to his brother Esav similarly. The verse uses an unusual phrase (Bereishis 32:14):

ויקח מן־הבא בידו מנחה לעשו אחיו

Yaakov selected from what was at hand these presents for his brother Esav

The phrase, “from what was at hand”, begs interpretation. Yismach Moshe says this is based on the idea above, Yakov was able to find the material and possessions that needed redemption through this action. By being open to accepting  “what came to his hand“, quite naturally, the possessions gravitated towards him.

This represents an important theological and mystical idea of how to tap into spiritual currents. We should not try to force things, but somehow or another feel where there is an opening. This idea of a relaxed focus and mindfulness, but not trying to push something, is found in our tradition.  For example, we have this idea of lo mistaye milsa which means that a sage encountered unusual difficulty in accomplishing what he set out to do, and assumed there was a divine message in that difficulty. He did not keep trying, but instead realized that there was resistance that hinted this was not his time or place to focus his energies. (See for example, see Sanhedrin 14a, regarding an incident where Rabbi Yochanan tried to ordain Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Hoshaya, but after several unsuccessful attempts aborted the effort.) This mindful attention without aggressiveness or control, allows for important, spiritual, and emotional pathways to remain open and influential. Because it is so instinctively felt to be true, it is found in many other religious practices as well. 

Chovos Helevavos (Bitachon 3) works with this principle in a similar fashion. He says, that though some people are blessed with easier pathways to economic success, and others more difficult ones, it is all in the hands of God. God decrees that one must try hard, but not too hard. That our efforts yield direct results are illusory. God wants our efforts but only as a condition. The cause is due solely to Him. 

Chovos Halevos says, just as animals have natural intuition to find ways to sustain themselves in the wild, every human being has innate talents and enjoy doing a particular kind of work or craft. When one senses that, that is a sign from God that it is their chosen profession. Of course, Torah study and teaching can be a chosen profession as well, and there are indeed persons who have unusual and political abilities, empathy, and creativity that are all required for dynamic rabbinic leadership.

Translations Courtesy of Sefaria, except when, sometimes, I disagree with the translation

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