“לא אדני שמעני השדה נתתי לך והמערה אשר בו לך נתתיה לעיני בני עמי נתתיה
לך קבר מתך: וישתחו אברהם לפני עם הארץ: וידבר אל עפרון באזני עם הארץ לאמר
אך אם אתה לו שמעני נתתי כסף השדה קח ממני ואקברה את מתי שמה.”
“ צדיקים אומרים מעט ועושים הרבה רשעים אומרים הרבה ואפילו מעט אינם עושים.”
בבא מציעא פז.
“The Righteous say little and do much, while the Wicked say much and do not do even a little.” (Bava Metzia 87a)
Ironically, the distinction between Avraham and Efron is best illustrated where they actually say the same thing. Both use the identical word, “נתתי ” — I have given. Efron does not merely tell Avraham that he will give him the field, but uses the past tense, “ השדה נתתי ” — I have [already] given the field. And Avraham replies in kind, “ נתתי כסף השדה ” — I have given the money for the field. This manner of speech expresses a complete willingness to give; as far as the speaker is concerned, the field or money has already been given. Yet we know that it was Avraham who stood by his word, while Efron is remembered for posterity as one who “said much, and did not do even a little”.
This was not simply a matter of sincerity; Rashi hints at a deeper understanding. He explains Avraham’s intention, “ מוכן הוא אצלי והלואי נתתי לך כבר ” — The money is ready by me, if only I had already given it to you. What is meant by “the money is ready by me”?
We are familiar with the all-too-common experience of making what seems to be a genuine commitment in Avodas Hashem, just for nothing to come of it. Even the “wicked” enjoy moments of clarity and inspiration, only their resolutions never last. The secret of “ מוכן הוא אצלי ” — The money is ready by me — is that for Avraham, the initial inspiration was not only a lofty feeling; he was prepared, emotionally and mentally, to give the money. “The money is ready by me.” The main reason why our commitments in Avodas Hashem ‘fizzle out’ so quickly is not because we did not “really mean it”. Rather, it is because they exist only as abstract desires and feelings. We don’t devote the time and thought necessary to develop our good intentions into a practical readiness to actually follow through.
Compare Avraham’s careful, pragmatic “נתתי ” to Efron’s. Regarding Efron’s statement, Rashi explains: “ נתתי, הרי הוא כמו שנתתיה לך ” — Behold it is as if I have given it to you” — a brave and inspired declaration, yet disconnected from reality and ultimately ineffective. We see now an additional
meaning of the words of Chazal quoted above. “The Righteous say little” and therefore “do much“. “The Wicked say much” and therefore “do not do even a little”. The righteous limit their words, because a commitment needs to be solid and grounded, and that requires self-preparation. But when they do commit, they ready themselves accordingly, and that leads to tremendous results. The wicked can say much, as they express their every desire. But those desires are not based in reality, and ultimately lead nowhere.
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Our entire religious experience today is built around inspiration and feeling. As such, we often make commitments not dissimilar to the resolutions of the “wicked”: inspired but ungrounded. How can we direct our good intentions toward reality? Every commitment should be accompanied by a concrete step towards its fulfillment. If you decide to be a more caring parent, do not just leave your desire “floating”. Take a step in that direction by freeing up time in the evening when your children are home. Similarly, if you want to learn more, go out and buy a sefer, or schedule a chavrusa. Even before you actually learn, something has changed within you. By taking action, you are “preparing” yourself as Avraham did: “The money is ready by me.”