{"id":5179,"date":"2010-02-04T01:00:58","date_gmt":"2010-02-03T23:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=5179"},"modified":"2010-02-04T01:00:58","modified_gmt":"2010-02-03T23:00:58","slug":"05-04-01","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-04-01\/","title":{"rendered":"1 \u2013 The Mitzvah of Settling the Land of Israel"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the State of Israel was established, on the fifth of Iyar<\/em>, 5708, the Jewish people as a whole were privileged to fulfill the mitzvah<\/em> of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael<\/em> (settling the Land of Israel). Even before the declaration of statehood, every Jew who lived in the Land fulfilled this mitzvah<\/em>. The Sages even said, \u201cA person should always dwell in Eretz Yisrael<\/em>, even in a city inhabited mostly by heathens, and he should not dwell outside the Land, even in a city inhabited mostly by Jews, for anyone who dwells in Eretz Yisrael<\/em> is like one who has a God, and anyone who dwells outside the Land is like one who has no God\u201d (Ketuvot<\/em> 110b). Nonetheless, the mitzvah<\/em> is mainly incumbent upon Klal Yisrael<\/em> (the entire Jewish community) \u2013 to take control of the Land. The mitzvah<\/em> to dwell in the Land, which applies to every individual Jew, is an offshoot of the general mitzvah<\/em> that is incumbent upon Klal Yisrael <\/em>as a whole.<\/p>\n

This is the meaning of the verse \u201cYou shall possess the Land and dwell in it, for to you have I given the Land to possess it\u201d<\/em>(Bamidbar,<\/em> 33:53). \u201cYou shall possess<\/em>\u201d denotes conquest and sovereignty, while \u201cyou shall dwell<\/em>\u201d implies settling the Land so that it not remain desolate. Similarly, the Torah states, \u201cYou shall possess it and you shall dwell therein\u201d<\/em>(Devarim,<\/em> 11:31). Accordingly, the Ramban<\/em> defines the mitzvah<\/em> as follows: \u201cWe were commanded to take possession of the Land that God, may He be blessed, gave to our forefathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov; and we must not leave it in the hands of any other nation or let it remain desolate\u201d (Addendum to Rambam\u2019s<\/em>Sefer HaMitzvot<\/em>, Positive Commandment 4).<\/p>\n

This mitzvah<\/em> is incumbent upon the Jewish people in every generation. For a long time, however, we lacked the means by which to fulfill it. We were forced to neglect it, because we did not have an army or weapons with which to conquer and settle the Land. A few generations ago, God showed kindness to His nation and a spirit of nationalism began to stir, causing Jews to go forth and gather in the Land. They planted trees, developed the country\u2019s economy, established an organized defense force, and struggled against the foreign power that controlled the Land, so that when the British Mandate expired, the Jews in Israel were able to declare the establishment of Medinat Yisrael. On that day, the Jewish people began fulfilling the mitzvah<\/em> of Yishuv HaAretz<\/em>. Granted, we are not yet in control of the entire Land, and we are partially dependent on the nations of the world, but we are actually fulfilling, once again, the mitzvah<\/em> of Yishuv HaAretz<\/em>.<\/p>\n

We find in halachah<\/em>, as well, that Jewish sovereignty over the Land is a significant factor], for the laws of mourning over Eretz Yisrael<\/em>\u2019s destruction depend on sovereignty. Our Sages prescribed that one who sees the cities of Judea in ruins should say, \u201cYour holy cities have become a wilderness\u201d<\/em>(Yeshayah<\/em> 64:9), and tear his garments. The poskim<\/em> explain that the definition of \u201cin ruins\u201d depends on who is in control. If Gentiles rule the Land, its cities are considered ruined, even if most of the inhabitants are Jewish, and one must tear his garment upon seeing them. But if the Jews are in control, the cities are not considered ruined, even if Gentiles constitute the majority, and no tearing is required (Beit Yosef<\/em> and Bach<\/em>O.C.<\/em> 561; Magen Avraham<\/em> 1, and Mishna Berura<\/em> 2).<\/p>\n

In addition, Chazal<\/em> lavished praise upon the mitzvah<\/em> of Yishuv HaAretz<\/em>, going so far as to say that it is equal to all the mitzvot<\/em> of the Torah (Sifrei<\/em>, Re\u2019eh<\/em> 53)1<\/a><\/sup>.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

[1]<\/a> The Ramban<\/em> lays down the foundations of the mitzvah<\/em> of settling the Land in his Addendum to Sefer HaMitzvot<\/em>, Positive Commandment 4, and our master and teacher, Rav Tzvi Yehuda HaKohen Kook zt\u201dl<\/em>, expands upon them in his work L\u2019Netivot Yisrael<\/em> (Vol. 1, LeTokef Kedushato Shel Yom HaAtzmaut<\/em>, Beit El Publications, pp. 246-50, see also pp. 160-62; Vol. 2, Mizmor Yud Tet shel Medinat Yisrael<\/em>, pp. 357-68). The mitzvah<\/em> of Yishuv HaAretz<\/em> applies in every generation, as the Ramban <\/em>(loc. cit.) and Rivash<\/em> (387) write. Therefore, the halachah<\/em> that a husband and wife can force each other to make aliyah<\/em> (Ketuvot<\/em> 110b) is applicable at all times, as the Shulchan Aruch<\/em> determines (Even HaEzer<\/em> 75:3-5). This is also the consensus of the Rishonim<\/em> and Acharonim<\/em>, as the Pitchei Teshuvah<\/em> cites there (6). True, Tosafot<\/em> in Ketuvot<\/em> (110b) quote Rabbeinu Chayim\u2019s<\/em> opinion that the mitzvah<\/em> \u201cdoes not apply today,\u201d but the greatest Rishonim<\/em> and Acharonim<\/em> disregard this opinion, claiming that a mistaken student authored it (Maharit<\/em>, Yoreh Deah<\/em> 28; many of the greatest Acharonim<\/em> agree; see also Gilyon Maharsha<\/em>, Ketuvot<\/em> 110b; Responsa Chatam Sofer<\/em>, Y.D.<\/em> 234). The fact that the mitzvah<\/em> is mainly fulfilled by way of Jewish sovereignty is elucidated in Yeshu\u2019ot Malko<\/em>, Y.D.<\/em> 66, Avnei Neizer<\/em>, Y.D.<\/em> 455, and elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Chazal<\/em> comment on several other mitzvot<\/em> that they are equal to all the rest (circumcision \u2013 Nedarim<\/em> 32a; charity \u2013 Bava Batra<\/em> 9a; tzitzit<\/em> \u2013 Shevuot<\/em> 29a; tefillin<\/em> \u2013 Menachot<\/em> 43b; Shabbat<\/em> \u2013 Yerushalmi Nedarim<\/em> 3:9; Torah study \u2013 Peah<\/em> 1:1; acts of kindness \u2013 ibid.). Nonetheless, from a halachic standpoint, Yishuv HaAretz<\/em> takes precedence over them all, for it is the only one that overrides a rabbinic injunction relating to the Sabbath (a \u201cshevut<\/em>\u201d). If someone needs to violate a shevut<\/em> in order to perform a brit milah<\/em> (circumcision) on Shabbat<\/em>, we postpone the brit<\/em> instead of violating the shevut<\/em>. For the sake of Yishuv HaAretz<\/em>, however, the Rabbis allow one to purchase a home in Eretz Yisrael<\/em> on the Sabbath, if necessary, even if this entails violating the shevut<\/em> of amirah le\u2019nachri<\/em> (telling a non-Jew to do work for you on Shabbat<\/em>), as the Talmud states in Gittin<\/em> 8b and Bava Kama<\/em> 80b (with Tosafot<\/em>). We are not talking about the redemption of the entire Land, just the purchase of one house, and it still overrides a shevut<\/em>! Furthermore, in order to make a protective \u201cfence\u201d around the Sabbath, our Sages abrogate the biblical commandments of shofar<\/em> and lulav<\/em>, when Rosh HaShanah<\/em> and the first day of Sukkot<\/em> coincide with Shabbat. When it comes to Yishuv HaAretz<\/em>, however, the Sages revoke their words and permit the violation of a shevut<\/em>, which is a serious offense, as it is supported by a scriptural text (and the Smag <\/em>apparently considers it a biblical prohibition).<\/p>\n

We are commanded to sacrifice our lives for the mitzvah<\/em> of Yishuv HaAretz<\/em>. After all, the Torah commands us to take possession of the Land, i.e. to conquer it; and soldiers are called upon to endanger their lives in war. See Minchat Chinuch<\/em> 425.<\/p>\n

The reason the Rambam <\/em>does not include this mitzvah<\/em> in his count of the 613 is that it is beyond the regular \u201cvalue\u201d of mitzvot<\/em>; therefore, it is not included in their detailed enumeration. This coincides with the rules the Rambam<\/em> lays down at the beginning of Sefer HaMitzvot<\/em>, stating it is inappropriate to reckon commandments that encompass the entire Torah, as he writes in Mitzvah #153 [that settling the Land of Israel is all-inclusive]. Besides which, it is implausible to say that the mitzvah<\/em> of Yishuv HaAretz<\/em> is only rabbinically ordained today [and that that is why the Rambam<\/em> leaves it out of the count]. After all, Chazal<\/em>\u2019s statement that settling the Land is equal to all the mitzvot<\/em> of the Torah was made after the destruction of the Second Temple. Now, it is unlikely that they would say such a thing about a rabbinic mitzvah<\/em>. Moreover, it is improbable that the Rabbis would dismantle a family (see above regarding divorce), and allow one to violate a shevut<\/em>, merely for the sake of a rabbinic mitzvah<\/em> (see Rabbi Zisberg\u2019s Nachalat Ya\u2019akov<\/em>, Vol. 1, pp. 201-249).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the State of Israel was established, on the fifth of Iyar, 5708, the Jewish people as a whole were privileged to fulfill the mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael (settling the Land of Israel). Even before the declaration of statehood, every Jew who lived in the Land fulfilled this mitzvah. The Sages even said, \u201cA […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-05-04"],"yoast_head":"\n1 \u2013 The Mitzvah of Settling the Land of Israel - Peninei Halakha<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-04-01\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"1 \u2013 The Mitzvah of Settling the Land of Israel - Peninei Halakha\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"When the State of Israel was established, on the fifth of Iyar, 5708, the Jewish people as a whole were privileged to fulfill the mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael (settling the Land of Israel). Even before the declaration of statehood, every Jew who lived in the Land fulfilled this mitzvah. The Sages even said, \u201cA […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-04-01\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Peninei Halakha\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2010-02-03T23:00:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/05-04-01\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/05-04-01\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8822293bfa4f7cd35b44a3c311851b63\"},\"headline\":\"1 \u2013 The Mitzvah of Settling the Land of Israel\",\"datePublished\":\"2010-02-03T23:00:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/05-04-01\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1306,\"articleSection\":[\"4 - Yom HaAtzmaut, Yom Yerushalayim, Yom HaZikaron\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/05-04-01\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/05-04-01\\\/\",\"name\":\"1 \u2013 The Mitzvah of Settling the Land of Israel - Peninei Halakha\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2010-02-03T23:00:58+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8822293bfa4f7cd35b44a3c311851b63\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/05-04-01\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/05-04-01\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/05-04-01\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"\u05d3\u05e3 \u05d4\u05d1\u05d9\u05ea\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"1 \u2013 The Mitzvah of Settling the Land of Israel\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"Peninei Halakha\",\"description\":\"HaRav Eliezer Melamed\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8822293bfa4f7cd35b44a3c311851b63\",\"name\":\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4839847e1f630d0e0f5d54879b51b427c551b51611b74d6558e54ff6e69ce498?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4839847e1f630d0e0f5d54879b51b427c551b51611b74d6558e54ff6e69ce498?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/4839847e1f630d0e0f5d54879b51b427c551b51611b74d6558e54ff6e69ce498?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ph.yhb.org.il\\\/en\\\/author\\\/shlomit12\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"1 \u2013 The Mitzvah of Settling the Land of Israel - Peninei Halakha","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-04-01\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"1 \u2013 The Mitzvah of Settling the Land of Israel - Peninei Halakha","og_description":"When the State of Israel was established, on the fifth of Iyar, 5708, the Jewish people as a whole were privileged to fulfill the mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael (settling the Land of Israel). Even before the declaration of statehood, every Jew who lived in the Land fulfilled this mitzvah. The Sages even said, \u201cA […]","og_url":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-04-01\/","og_site_name":"Peninei Halakha","article_published_time":"2010-02-03T23:00:58+00:00","author":"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-04-01\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-04-01\/"},"author":{"name":"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8","@id":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/8822293bfa4f7cd35b44a3c311851b63"},"headline":"1 \u2013 The Mitzvah of Settling the Land of Israel","datePublished":"2010-02-03T23:00:58+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-04-01\/"},"wordCount":1306,"articleSection":["4 - Yom HaAtzmaut, Yom Yerushalayim, Yom HaZikaron"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-04-01\/","url":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-04-01\/","name":"1 \u2013 The Mitzvah of Settling the Land of Israel - Peninei Halakha","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/#website"},"datePublished":"2010-02-03T23:00:58+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/8822293bfa4f7cd35b44a3c311851b63"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-04-01\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-04-01\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/05-04-01\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"\u05d3\u05e3 \u05d4\u05d1\u05d9\u05ea","item":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"1 \u2013 The Mitzvah of Settling the Land of Israel"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/","name":"Peninei Halakha","description":"HaRav Eliezer Melamed","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/8822293bfa4f7cd35b44a3c311851b63","name":"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4839847e1f630d0e0f5d54879b51b427c551b51611b74d6558e54ff6e69ce498?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4839847e1f630d0e0f5d54879b51b427c551b51611b74d6558e54ff6e69ce498?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4839847e1f630d0e0f5d54879b51b427c551b51611b74d6558e54ff6e69ce498?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"\u05e6\u05d5\u05d5\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05ea\u05e8"},"url":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/author\/shlomit12\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5179"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5179\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}