Embracing the Sanctity of the Land of Israel
The land embraces us only when we recognize its sanctity as a dwelling of divinity, allowing us to reside there only if we uphold its holiness.
- יהוסף יעבץ
- פורסם כ' אייר התשפ"ד
(Photo: Shutterstock) #VALUE!
Parashat Bechukotai begins with the prohibition of creating an altar or sacred pillar, continues with the laws of Shemitah and Jubilee, and then presents the dire consequences if the people of Israel sin. How are these three segments connected? And why do they feature at the conclusion of the Book of Leviticus?
The Book of Leviticus teaches us about the commandments of holiness. Beyond the need to be kind, honest, and obedient to Hashem, there is also the importance of sanctifying the material, controlling human desires, and not exploiting all physical possibilities. This is how a person becomes holy.
However, at the end of the book, the Torah teaches us an even higher level: the sanctity of the land. Just as a holy person influences their surroundings, elevating their home with their holiness, so too is the Land of Israel, the home of the Jewish people, inherently holy. It must be free of anything that blemishes its holiness. This means not only driving out Canaanites and their idols but also eliminating anything flawed. Even the altar built for Hashem (similar to those erected by our forefathers) is considered a blemish because other nations also did this. The land must be purged of such flaws, as must the stone used for bowing to Hashem.
The Shemitah and Jubilee laws also assist the poor and weak: debts are forgiven, slaves are released, fruits are shared with all. However, there is a deeper principle at work—"for the land is Mine." The land is not truly ours; Hashem allows us to live in it, but it is wholly a sanctuary, "a place made by Your hands, Hashem, as a dwelling." It is a sacred place, and we must not behave there as if we are its owners.
Therefore, if the people of Israel do not observe Shemitah, the land expels us. This is not a punishment but a consequence. One cannot remain in a sacred place without knowing how to conduct oneself there. The land embraces us only when we recognize its sanctity as a dwelling of the divine, and we can live there only if we maintain its holiness.
