According to the Zohar, Adam dug out Ma'arat HaMachpela:
"What did Adam do? He dug out a cave, and he and his wife were buried there. How did he decide where to dig? He saw a thin ray of light peaking out of that place, coming from the Garden of Eden, and he wanted that place for his grave. That was the place, near the gate to the Garden of Eden. (Zohar Bereshit 57).

"When Seth was born, G-d elevated Adam above all the lands, high up in the universe, directly above the Land of Israel, at Hebron. There Adam dug himself a grave, fashioning a cave within a cave, adjacent to the Garden of Eden. There his burial took place, as well as that of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the matriarchs.
Rabbi Kisma says: "The Cave of Machpela is adjacent to the entranceway to the Garden of Eden. When Eve died, Adam came to bury her there, and there he smelled the scent of Eden, the very scent that was there. He wanted to dig further, but a heavenly voice went forth and said, 'Enough'. Then and there he stopped and dug no further. And who buried him? His son Seth, who was in his exact image and likeness."

Rav Rechumai said: G-d took care of him when he was born, and He took care of him when he died. No one knew he was there until Abraham came along. He went into the cave and saw Adam there…"

When Adam and Eve were buried in the cave, the scent of Eden ceased to emanate from it, and the light was concealed. For many years the secret of the place was well-hidden, until it was uncovered once more - to Abraham:

"Rabbi Yehuda says: 'Abraham had a way of identifying the cave, and his heart and mind were preoccupied with it, since previously he had come there and had seen Adam and Eve buried there. And how did he know that it was them? He saw Adam's visage and he gazed at it, and one entranceway to the Garden of Eden opened up to him there, and that visage of Adam was standing there. He saw light emanating from the cave, and one candle was lit. Then Abraham longed for that spot as his final resting place, and his heart and mind were preoccupied with it."



"Abraham forged a covenant with the inhabitants of the Land. When the angels appeared to him, he thought they were the local visitors. He ran to them and wanted to make them a great feast. He ran to bring a calf, and the calf fled and entered the Machpela Cave. Avraham entered behind him. There he found Adam and Eve lying on beds and sleeping, with candles lit over them, and a fine scent like incense wafted over them. He therefore craved Ma'arat HaMachpela for his burial place."

"After Lot left him, G-d said to Abram, 'Raise your eyes and from the place where you are now standing, look to the north, to the south, to the east and to the west. For all the land that you see, I will give to you and to your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth. If a man will be able to count all the grains of dust in the world, then your offspring also will be countable. Rise, walk the land, through its length and breadth, for I will give it all to you.' Abram moved on. He came and settled in the Plains of Mamre, in Hebron, and there he built an altar to G-d."

"Abraham understood what Ephron meant. He weighed out for Ephron the silver that had been mentioned in the presence of the children of Heth, 400 shekels in negotiable currency. Ephron's field in Machpela adjoining Mamre thus became [Abraham's] uncontested property. [This included] the field, its cave, and every tree within its circumference. It was Abraham's purchase with all the children of Heth who came to the city gate as eyewitnesses. Abraham then buried his wife Sarah in the cave of Machpela Field, which adjoins Mamre (also known as Hebron), in the land of Canaan. This is how the field and its cave became the uncontested property of Abraham as a burial site, purchased from the children of Heth."

"This, then, is the account of Abraham's years. He lived a total of 175 years. Abraham breathed his last and died at a good age, old and satisfied, and he was gathered to his people. His sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried him in Machpela Cave, in the field of Ephron son of Tzohar the Hittite, which borders Mamre. The field that Abraham purchased from the children of Heth is thus where Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried."

Isaac's burial does not appear in its chronological setting, but it is mentioned in passing before the event: "The field that Abraham purchased from the children of Heth is thus where Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried. Isaac lived to be 180 years old. He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, old and in the fullness of his years. His sons, Esau and Jacob, buried him."

"Jacob's sons did as he had instructed them. His sons carried him to Canaan, and they buried him in the cave of Machpela Field, bordering Mamre. This is the field that Abraham bought for burial property from Ephron the Hittite.

"'On the way through the Negev, they came to Hebron'(Numbers 13:22): This teaches that Calev set himself apart from the counsel of the spies, went and prostrated himself at the Patriarchs' graves. He said to them, 'Ancestors! Pray that G-d should be merciful to me and I should be saved from the spies' counsel!'"



The spirit of wisdom that shone in Calev is what led him to forge a path, amongst the giants, to the graves of the Patriarchs and to connect himself to them:
"'The only exception will be My servant Calev, since he showed a different spirit and followed Me wholeheartedly' (Numbers 14:24): What was that 'different spirit'? That he set himself apart from those spies, as it says, 'On the way through the Negev, they came to Hebron.' He parted from those spies and came alone to Hebron, to prostrate himself at the Partriarchs' graves. Hebron was given to him as his portion and inheritance through which to become stronger. In Calev shone a spirit of wisdom, and he came to Hebron to connect himself to the Patriarchs, and then he went on his way. Afterwards Hebron became his, and he inherited it."

"Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Calev ben Yefuneh for an inheritance. Thus Hebron became the inheritance of Calev ben Yefuneh the Kenizzite, unto this day; because he wholly followed the L-rd, G-d of Israel. Now the name of Hebron beforehand was Kiryat Arba, Arba being the greatest man among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war."

"And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the L-rd, saying: 'Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?' And the L-rd said unto him: 'Go up.' And David said: 'Where shall I go?' and G-d answered, 'To Hebron.' 2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. 4 The men of Judah came, and they there anointed David king over the house of Judah."



Once Saul died and David was worthy of the crown, why didn't he immediately receive kingship over all of Israel?
Rather, everything operated in accordance with G-d's hidden wisdom. David could not receive the kingdom until he had attached himself first to the Patriarchs, who were in Hebron. Only then could he receive the kingdom through them. For that reason he was detained in Hebron for seven years, in order to attain the monarchy appropriately. All was in accordance with G-d's hidden wisdom, so that his monarchy would start on a proper footing.
Similarly, Abraham did not achieve proper fulfillment of G-d's will until he entered the Land.

Arabs build "Yusufia", attached to Ma'ara, blocking off the original entranceway.

Jewish pilgrims continue to pray at the Ma'ara. The family of Sa'adya the Hebronite, "Friend of the Patriarchs' Graves," is appointed over the Jewish graves.

The illustrious Ramban [Rabbi Moshe Ben Nachman - "Nachmanides"] remarks in a letter from 1267, that he is about to go to Hebron "to dig himself a grave." He writes as follows:
"I am writing this epistle to you from Jerusalem, where, praised be G-d, my Rock and Salvation, I arrived safely on the Ninth of Elul, and I shall be staying here until the day after Yom Kippur. Then I shall head towards Hebron, city of the graves of our ancestors, to prostrate myself in their presence and to dig myself a grave there, with G-d's help."
Numerous rabbis and mystics identified Ramban's grave "by the seventh step" alongside Ma'arat HaMachpela (although there are other opinions regarding his burial place, Jerusalem or Haifa).

"A convoy of cars left Jerusalem for Hebron. We arrived at the City of the Patriarchs and we became aware that a small number of Jew, from Sephardic families, was still living in this city, even though the anti-Jewish incitement was getting worse and worse there.
"We came to the side entrance of Ma'arat HaMachpela, over which the mosque structures tower, the site being holy to members of the Mohamadan faith. Outside, a British policeman stood watch, with an adjutant Arab policeman. They directed our convoy, with the Rebbe in the lead, to that same external entrance which is the only approach permitted to Jews.
"'You may ascend seven steps, but not one step more,' said the ruddy-faced Arab guard of the mosque. Even after he received generous "bakshish", he did not soften, and he was not ready for any compromise.
"The Rebbe began to ascend the steps, and we, his entourage, continued up behind him. The Arab guard counted each step of the Rebbe:
" 'One, two, three, four, five, six, seven… Stop!' the guard shouted in an angry voice. Yet our master, whose face was lit up with a holy luster, seemed not at all to hear the guard's shouts, and he continued to climb steps. We, his escort, counted the steps that the Rebbe ascended:
"Eight, nine, ten, eleven…"
" 'That's it! Here!' came the excited cry from the Rebbe. Our Master stopped at that spot, totally enveloped in prayer, without emitting a single sound, following the Gerrer custom…"