Rabbi Sacks writes of the interesting quandary Abraham finds himself in: God has promised him land three times yet here he is, bereft of Sarai, and despite his wealth, he has no ownership of land to bury her in. Despite the generosity of the Hittites in offering to give him the land, he insists on purchasing it. Furthermore, Abraham, in maintaining his distance from his neighbors was greatly respected, whereas Lot, who fully assimilated, was not respected.
