Why is the word "ve'Efron Yoshev be'Soch B?nei Ches" written without a ?Vav??
Rashi: Because without a ?Vav? it implies that until now, Efron was dwelling among the B?nei Cheis, but not1 now - to teach us that until now, he was an ordinary citizen, but that they had now appointed him judge 1 in honor of Avraham, who needed him.
Malbim: He was their judge, and sat in the judge's chair. This is why he himself answered Avraham ? and not the people.
Gur Aryeh: How is this derived from the Pasuk? The spelling indicates past tense, while the pronunciation indicates the present. Together, they indicate a state that has just now begun. Refer also to 18:1:3.1:1 & 19:1:151:1.
Why does it say "l'Chol Ba'ei Sha'ar Iro"?
Rashi: This teaches that they all abandoned their work and came to bestow Chesed to Sarah.
Malbim: Efron explained, I would explain the enactment like you want (refer to 23:8:1.1:3* and the note there), but Chevron is a great city, and all the surrounding people come. One cannot change the enactment unless the entire region joins, and this is impossible!
Avraham asked Bnei Ches to speak to Efron. We do not find that they did!
Rosh: The Torah did not record it, but surely they did, for he agreed to sell to Avraham.
Here the Pasuk says that they spoke in front of "all who enter the gate." Why does it say regarding Dinah, "all people of their city" (34:20)?
Rosh: Here it includes people who do not live in the city, but come for business. 1
Why does it say "b'Oznei Bnei Ches"?
Ha'amek Davar: Bnei Ches, i.e. his family, hearkened to and understood his words. "In the ears" always implies like this. The others saw and heard, but did not understand.
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'To all who would enter the gates of his city' - They all stopped their work, and came to bestow kindness for Sarah."How is this derived?
Gur Aryeh: The words "to all who would enter the gates" (l'Chol Ba'ei Sha'ar) imply that everyone who would often come to Chevron was present, and listening to Efron. Could they all just happen to be there at the same time? Rather, they had all come to attend for Sarah's sake.
