Three Places the Nations Cannot Call Stolen

"And he bought the parcel of the field" (Genesis 33:19-20). This is one of three places concerning which the nations of the world cannot taunt Israel and say, They are stolen in your hands. And these are they: the Cave of Machpelah, the burial place of Joseph, and the Temple. The Cave of Machpelah, for "Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver" (Genesis 23:16). The Temple, for "David gave to Ornan for the place" (1 Chronicles 21:25), and so forth. And the burial place of Joseph, "and he bought the parcel of the field." For a hundred kesitah: for a hundred ounces, for a hundred lambs, for a hundred selas. Rabbi Simon said: a hundred camels [kamilaya], sixty [shin] selas, nine [tet] coins; and what does yod and heh do here? These are the ornaments and beard-pieces and emeralds that are customarily set in nose-rings. And who writes the deed? Rabbi Berekhiah said: Yah writes the deed. And who testifies to the deed? Yah testifies, as it is written, "to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, a testimony to Israel" (Psalms 122:4); Yah testifies concerning them that they are the children of their fathers.