This week’s parsha presents a fundamental mitzvah d’oraisa (from the Torah) instructing us to possess and dwell in Eretz Yisrael. The verse, “וְהוֹרֵשׁתֶּם אֶת־הָאָרֶץ וְיָשַׁבְתָּם בָּהּ כִּי לָכֶם נָתַתִּי” —“You shall possess the Land and dwell in it, for to you have I given the Land to possess it” [Numbers 33:53], highlights this divine commandment.
The Ramban (Nachmanides) comments on this verse, emphasizing that it is a positive commandment for the Jewish people to both conquer and inhabit the Land. He argues that since God gave the Land to the Jewish people, they should not disdain His inheritance. The Ramban asserts that any attempt to settle elsewhere—such as in Shinar, Ashur or any other land—would be a transgression of this commandment. This mitzvah is also reiterated in other sections of the Torah, such as in Deuteronomy 1:8, which states, “Come and possess the land.”
In his addendum to the Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvot (Book of Commandments), the Ramban elaborates on the two aspects of this mitzvah: conquering and settling the Land. He writes that we must not leave it in the hands of other nations or let it remain desolate. The Ramban concludes that this mitzvah is a positive commandment for all generations, obligating every Jew—even during exile. It does not require the coming of the Messiah or the rebuilding of the Beit HaMikdash (Temple).
This mitzvah comprises four components:
- Establishing Jewish sovereignty over Eretz Yisrael.
- Not leaving the Land desolate but ensuring it is used productively.
- Maintaining a psychological imperative to regard Eretz Yisrael as the Jewish homeland, regardless of where one resides.
- The mitzvah of physically living in Eretz Yisrael, which involves making it one’s residence.
In the previous parsha, Matos, we encounter the request of the tribes of Reuven and Gad to remain in Transjordan rather than crossing the Jordan River. They expressed their desire to stay in the land they had already conquered due to their extensive livestock. Moshe Rabbeinu’s response was initially harsh. He accused them of shirking their communal responsibilities and compared their request to the sin of the Spies who discouraged the Israelites from entering the Land. Ultimately, after clarifications and conditions, Moshe agreed to their request.
The commentators seek to identify the “sin” of the tribes of Reuven and Gad. According to Rabbi Yehudah Nachshoni, their perceived errors included exaggerated materialism, an attempt to escape communal obligations, a secular attitude towards Eretz Yisrael, isolation from the rest of Israel and a lack of appreciation for the Land. The Midrash even compares them to Korach and Haman, highlighting their severe misjudgment.
The lesson from their actions is clear: We must prioritize the future of Am Yisrael in Eretz Yisrael over our own physical comfort. As Tish’a B’Av approaches, it is pertinent to recall the Yerushalmi’s additional reason for the Second Temple’s destruction: “…because they loved money and hated one another for no reason” (Yoma 1:1), in addition to the well-known reason of baseless hatred.
An interesting perspective comes from the Rambam (Maimonides) who does not include dwelling in Eretz Yisrael as one of the 613 mitzvot in his Sefer HaMitzvot.This does not mean it is not a mitzvah, but that it is not included in his list of 613. However, he does reference its significance as explained in the Gemara in Kesuvos and other sources, emphasizing the spiritual importance of living in Eretz Yisrael. Statements in Kesuvos, such as, living in Eretz Yisrael, even in a city of idolaters, is preferable to living in a city of righteous Jews outside Eretz Yisrael, underscore its importance. Statements, such as “He who lives in Eretz Yisrael has a God, and He who lives outside of Eretz Israel is comparable to one who does not have a God.” Performing mitzvos, like tefillin and Shabbos, in Chutz L’Aretz are only practice so you can perform them properly when you come to Eretz Yisrael.
The commentary, Megillat Esther, the primary commentator on Sefer Hamitzvos, explains that the mitzvah of dwelling in Eretz Yisrael specifically applies to Joshua’s generation who settled the Land, not necessarily to all generations. Therefore, it is not included in the Rambam’s list of 613 mitzvot. However, some commentators claim the Rambam views it as a “super mitzvah,” reflecting its elevated status.
Let me explain. The Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvot is divided into three parts: the positive commandments (part 2), the negative commandments (part 3) and the criteria for defining what constitutes a mitzvah (part 1). Part one, which is totally original and unique, is a a listing and explanation of the 14 criteria that the Rambam used in defining what is a mitzvah and what is not a mitzvah. These are called the shorashim, or roots. The problem is, if you look at every imperative sentence in the Torah, every time God said to do something you’ll get a lot more than 613; you’ll get over 5,000. So the Rambam tried to give us scientific principles of classification. For example, Shabbat has 39 melachos you’re not allowed to do. We don’t count “Thou shalt not cook,” “Thou shalt not carry,” etc. as separate mitzvot, but there is one mitzvah not to do melacha on Shabbat that has 39 parts. The Rambam manages to reduce the number, so in the fifth of the shorashim, the Rambam lays down a certain rule about Mitzvot: We don’t count as a mitzvah general commandments, such as to keep the whole Torah. He establishes that general commands to keep the Torah or dwell in Israel are not counted among the 613 mitzvot, as they are overarching principles rather than specific commands.They do not add any additional actions to do, but they reinforce other commandments that are part of the 613.
According to the Chofetz Chaim, there are 77 positive mitzvot and 194 negative mitzvot which can be observed outside of Eretz Yisrael today. The remainder of the 613 can only be done in Eretz Yisrael. So one can see the importance of living in Eretz Yisrael according to the Rambam.
Thus, while dwelling in Eretz Yisrael may not be included in the Rambam’s formal list of 613 mitzvot, it is still regarded as a highly significant mitzvah. Every Jew should reflect on their personal reasons for not making aliyah and consider whether these reasons still hold true in contemporary circumstances. The mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisrael can be viewed either as a mitzvah d’oraisa or a super mitzvah, making it a critical consideration for all Jews.
Sources for this article come from several divrei Torah from Rabbi Berel Wein, Rabbi Yitzchak Breitowitz and Rabbi Moshe Lichtman.
Rabbi Paul Bloom lives in Jerusalem and Edison, New Jersey with his wife, Ettie. He is a retired IBM executive and is currently the CEO of PDB Futurecom International. He is on the Board of Directors of NY/ Israel Chamber of Commerce, Dollar a Day of Raritan Valley and the Israel Inspiration Initiative.
