30. The Preeminence of the Holy Land (Continued)
Foundations of Faith / Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
The Shiur was given in 5762
30. The Preeminence of the Holy Land
(Continued)
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
Written by the rabbi
Dedicated to the memory of
Simha bat Hana
In what follows, we will continue illuminating the preeminence of the Land of Israel according
to what the Rabbi said to the King of the Khazars. The Rabbi explained that just as the nation
of Israel is God's Chosen People, so too the Land of Israel is God's Chosen land. This land
was designated as an inheritance for the Jewish people since the time that God established
the respective boarders of the nations of the world. The land of Israel fulfills a Divine role.
Indeed, the patriarch Abraham was only made fit to receive the Divine influence after reaching
the Land of Israel. Only when he was situated in Israel did God enter into a covenant with
him—the Pact Between Halves (see Genesis 15).
The Rabbi said to the King: “Just consider the lengths to which the forefathers went in order to
settle in the Land of Israel, despite the fact that it was then populated by idolaters. Consider
how much they thirsted for the land when they were not there. They even went out of their way
to make sure that their deceased bodies would be brought to Israel and buried there, as we
find with Jacob and Joseph.
“Just look at how Moses himself pleaded with God to allow him to enter the land, and how
difficult it was for him to accept the fact that he would not be granted this privilege. Moses
considered God's allowing him to just look at the land from afar a great act of kindness: 'Climb
up to the top of the mountain and direct your eyes to the east, north, south, and west, and see
with your own eyes.' Just to view the land without entering it was a great privilege for Moses.
“Even the nations of the world are aware of Israel's elevated status. In the past, they would
send sacrifices to be offered up in the Holy Temple on their behalf. They would similarly
request that prayers be recited for their sake in the same Holy Sanctuary. Even today, we find
that people bestow abundant honor upon the land of Israel even though the Divine Presence
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30. The Preeminence of the Holy Land (Continued)
Foundations of Faith / Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
no longer reveals itself there. To this day many religious sects make pilgrimages to Israel and
harbor great affection for the land, as is well known.
“Because of the land's greatness, the Sages taught, 'All ascend to the land of Israel, but not all
descend from it.' Accordingly, they concluded that if a woman does not agree to immigrate to
Israel with her husband, she can be divorced and the husband need not provide her with what
she ought to receive according to their marriage contract. The opposite is also true: if a man
does not agree to immigrate to Israel with his wife, he must allow her to immigrate, present her
with a bill of divorce, and give her whatever she deserves according to their marriage contract.
“They furthermore expressed Israel's superiority in a very emphatic manner, saying, 'Whoever
lives in Israel is akin to one who has a God; whoever lives outside of Israel is akin to one who
has no God.' Indeed, David, when he was forced to flee from the Land of Israel, said 'For they
have exiled me from my attachment to God's inheritance, saying to him, “Worship other gods.”
“Even just dying in the land of Israel is a great privilege. The Sages say that, 'Whoever is
buried in the Land of Israel is considered as if he were buried under the altar [of the Holy
Temple].' When Rabbi Haninah was asked if it is permissible to go abroad in order to fulfill the
commandment of marrying a deceased brother's widow, he responded bitingly, 'His brother
married a gentile? Blessed is He Who struck him down! Now he wants to leave Israel in his
brothers footsteps?!'
“In other words, the behavior of the brother who left Israel and got married abroad was so
inexcusable that he was seen to have married a gentile. It was thus inconceivable that his
brother should leave Israel in order to marry his widow.
“In addition, the Sages forbade selling land in Israel to a gentile. They also taught that 'the air
in Israel makes one wise,' and that whoever walks four cubits in the land of Israel is
guaranteed a place in the World to Come.”
These, then, are more of the positive traits that the Rabbi related to the King of the Khazars
regarding the Land of Israel.
E-mail : beitel@yeshiva.org.il
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