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When Avraham goes to the Bnei Chet to ask for the land of Chevron in order to bury Sarah – he describes himself as a Ger VeToshav – a Stranger and a Resident. The description needs explanation since it seems contradictory – A ger is someone who does not belong, someone who stands apart from those around him. A Toshav on the other hand belongs to the people around him, he fits in and feels comfortable within the society he has chosen to live in – So why does Avraham use this contradictory description of himself?

Rashi explains he was trying to get a message across to the Bnei Chet If you want treat me like a ger – treat me well, welcome me in, listen to my offer – but if not remember I am a Toshav – I can take this land away from you “BaDin” because Hashem promised me the entire land.

But there is another way to look at the description – Avraham wasn’t concerned with the Bnei Chet – but he was really giving a lesson to the future generations of the Jewish people. He was describing himself so that his children and their children could see how a Jew should feel. He was saying that he was a Ger and a Toshav in the world. Avraham who was so active with all those around him, who invited the non- Jews into his house, who fought for them and helped them – this Avraham was saying to all generations we need to feel like a ger and a Toshav – we need to on the one hand feel like we are citizens of the world – we need to feel like what goes on the world concerns us and where we can add or help, where we can be involved - we should. We are partially Adam – and therefore we have a responsibility to all other “Adams” we are a toshav of the world around us and therefore have a responsibility towards it.

But on the other hand we are also a ger - we are not only “Adam” but we are Bnei Yisrael and therefore there are times where we need to be separate – where the morals of the world, the values sometimes do not fit with us being Bnei Avraham – at those times we need to be a ger – distinct and separate – never giving up on our specialness, on our values – on what makes us who we are.

Both points are important – we see many Jews who always feel like a ger – they never want to get involved with the society around them – and therefore they never can contribute to the growth of the world. But we also have Jews who always feel like a Tosahv and they are willing to give in on what sets them apart – to the detriment of the Jewish people.

Avraham is telling us we need to be both – we need to balance between them – and when that happens we follow in Avraham’s footsteps – we have a great impact on the world making it a better place while at the same time remaining true to the tradition of Avraham HaIvri.