What Makes the Land of Israel Unique Among All the Countries in the World?

Boaz Asks:

"Hello. I wanted to understand what materially differentiates the Land of Israel from other countries. The Torah praises Israel and its fruits, but fruits and vegetables also grow in abundance elsewhere, and are even imported into the country. Some countries have a much more comfortable climate (unfortunately, I've encountered Jews who drool over the landscapes of other countries)... So, I'd appreciate if you could write about the special physical advantages of our holy land. Thank you."

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Hello Boaz, and thank you for your question.

The Land of Israel boasts many wonders, which are also reflected in its material wealth.

The Agriculture of Israel:

In 2015, the agricultural output of Israel was estimated at about 29.5 billion shekels. Despite its small size, agriculture in Israel is among the most advanced in the modern world, and it's no secret that its fruits are considered some of the finest globally:

"Israel is one of the leading producers and exporters of citrus fruit in the world," source:

(Milind Ladaniya, Milind S. Ladaniya, Citrus Fruit: Biology, Technology and Evaluation, Academic, 2008-01-01).

Luxurious and prestigious hotels abroad order fruits and vegetables from Israel. Many of Israel's finest fruits are sent abroad, where they are sold at high prices. Conversely, cheaper fruits and vegetables are imported to Israel from neighboring countries. Farmers note that in Israel, second-grade fruits (often export surplus if any remain) are sold locally, whereas first-grade fruits are sold abroad.

In a report published in Yedioth Ahronoth:

"A Land Flowing with Milk and Honey: The Fruits and Vegetables You Won't Taste: Israelis love fruits and vegetables more than any other nation in the world, but there are excellent varieties that are marketed first and sometimes only abroad. Some are not marketed throughout the country. Who has heard of low-sugar Medjool, Orri, Admonia, seedless pepper, and flavored potatoes?

...For years we suspected that the best fruits and vegetables were sent for export. It turns out this is true, including fruits and vegetables we don't even know exist in the country... Why are there fruits and vegetables not sold throughout the entire country, or some only designated for export? And why, for example, is the organic market mainly for export? Farmers say a good price and a huge market make 'abroad' a much more attractive market than the local one. There are clear export-oriented sectors, such as avocados, mangoes, peppers, and persimmons, while others, like cucumbers and apples, are not exported at all" (Merav Crystal, 14.09.12, Ynet).

It turns out that many of Israel's delicious fruits can only be tasted abroad, at inflated prices. Yet, despite existing corruption, the land offers a rich variety of some of the finest fruits and vegetables in the world.

The Geography of Israel:

The Land of Israel is mountainous but also full of plains and fields, a fact that greatly enhances the diversity of its soils and allows for the cultivation of many and varied types of fruits and vegetables:

"Due to the diversity of soil and climate throughout the country, Israel is capable of growing a wide variety of crops. Field crops in the country include wheat, sorghum, and corn. Of its 215,000 dunams of land, 156,000 dunams are winter crops. Types of fruits and vegetables grown in the country include citrus varieties, avocados, kiwis, guavas and mangoes, grapes from vineyards located on the coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and squash growing across the country, and melons growing in the winter months in the valleys. Subtropical fruits in the country include bananas and dates, while the northern hills grow apples, pears, and cherries. Furthermore, vineyards in Israel are found throughout the country, with the wine industry, which includes wines from old wineries, large and small commercial wineries, and boutique wineries now exporting worldwide".

(Photo: shutterstock)

(Wikipedia, Agriculture in Israel - Agricultural Produce).

"Citrus fruits in Israel include oranges, grapefruits, clementines, and Pomelit, a hybrid of grapefruit and pomelo developed in the country. More than forty types of fruits grow in Israel. Besides citrus, they include avocados, bananas, apples, cherries, plums, nectarines, grapes, dates, cacti varieties, persimmons, loquats, and pomegranates. Israel is the leading producer of loquats after Japan. The amount of tomatoes for consumption produced in the country annually exceeds 140,000 tons, and the amount of tomatoes for industry is double that" (Wikipedia, ibid).

The fact that the land is mountainous allows for the growth of different fruits, as stated in the Midrash: "The fruits of the mountain are light, and the fruits of the plain are rich" (Sifrei, Parasha Gimmel) - the word 'plains' refers to the wide plains of fields where fine fruits are easily grown.

In most countries, geography and climate limit their agricultural possibilities. For this reason, many countries rely on trade - import and export - without which they would be impoverished and limited in the nutritional level of their residents. The uniqueness of the Land of Israel also lies in the fact that it can sustain itself abundantly.

The Rain of the Land of Israel:

Moreover, the climate of the Land of Israel is based on rainfall - a blessing from the heavens. This is a surprising and not at all simple fact when we consider its proximity to barren desert countries. Saudi Arabia is predominantly a barren desert, with only one percent of its entire area suitable for settlement! North Africa suffers from similar dryness.

Egypt, for example, is located in North Africa and exists artificially by pumping water from the Nile and transporting it to the fields, similar to garden care. The Torah emphasizes this difference: "For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, like a vegetable garden. But the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven" (Deuteronomy 11, 10).

Rashi explains: "And watered it by foot - In the land of Egypt you had to fetch water from the Nile by foot, and water it; you had to labor and toil, and the lower drank but not the higher, and you raised the water from the low to the high, but this (the Land of Israel) drinks rainwater from the heavens, you sleep on your bed and Hashem waters both low and high, revealed and not revealed alike".

The fact that the Land of Israel receives rain and is not barren like a desert should surprise us. Add to this the fact that a country so small can produce such a diverse and superbly fine array of fruits and vegetables, and it is indeed one of the wonders of providence.

The Climate of the Land of Israel:

If we look at the world map, we'll find that the Land of Israel is located in the Middle East, facing a gulf of the sea, surrounded above and below by markedly different countries.

Israel's region is called the Fertile Crescent, and its location is quite interesting: below our land lie the desert countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and African states where the climate is hot and dry, and there is a shortage of rain, while above the Land of Israel, above Turkey, Ukraine and cold Russia are located, and to their left, the countries of Europe, where the climate is extreme, evolving rapidly from a pleasant day to a freezing day. In winter - their water reserves freeze over - compelling them to bunker in due to severe cold (even on warm days, their day and water reserves are often cold as ice). During these countries' long winters, people might die from cold, and the homeless freeze to death in the snowy streets.

Frozen countries on one side, and hot dry ones on the other. And the Land of Israel? Right in the middle, seemingly a desert oasis between frost and desert.

Geographically, the Land of Israel is positioned in a perfect climate location between warmth and cold. It is a summer land, where the heat is moderately comfortable in summer days (-as opposed to the dry Arabia and North Africa), yet its winters are bearable, with rainy autumns and winters, and free from the chilling cold of European countries.

Many complain of the summer heat, yet do not appreciate the mild weather of the Land of Israel - compared to neighboring countries swinging between one temperature extreme to another.

The Landscapes of the Land of Israel: A Whole World

Have you noticed that most countries worldwide have landscapes that repeat endlessly over hundreds of kilometers?

Someone who travels in the United States, for instance, will find the same landscapes spanning hundreds of kilometers of cities. One who travels throughout Switzerland will see it has similar mountainous landscapes.

One of the fascinating phenomena of the Land of Israel are its unique landscapes that differ greatly from one another, as if countless mini-countries exist, all within driving distance.

Visit the south, visit the Kinneret, visit the Dead Sea, visit the Banias, visit the beaches of Haifa and Tel Aviv, visit Ben Shemen Forest, visit the Soreq Cave, visit Mount Hermon, visit the Galilee, visit Safed, visit Jerusalem, visit the Negev - and you'll find each place has its unique scenery, as if the Land of Israel is a miniature whole world.

One reason for this is despite its small area, the Land of Israel is located in the Middle East - between different climates: the cold European countries above it, and the hot desert countries below it. Therefore, it has a very special blend of different landscapes; its geographical structure, comprising both mountains and large plains, contributes to this, creating a rich agricultural abundance as well as visual wealth.

"To a land which I have searched for them, a land flowing with milk and honey - it is an ornament to all the lands" (Ezekiel 20, 6).

Some of my friends who enjoy traveling through the country have shown me photo albums they've made and landscapes they've photographed, yet I always found it hard to believe that such visually distinct pictures were taken in one country. The diverse landscapes and even the sunrises and sunsets looked so different in each area, it seemed as if they had traveled the whole world.

I've heard of tourists from abroad who come to visit the Land of Israel and are amazed by so many landscapes within driving distance, while in their homeland they have to travel countless kilometers to find a new scene. Furthermore, our land is rich with historical buildings and sites from all periods and times, making it an intriguing land from any perspective. It is the land of the greatest prophets and righteous ones the world has ever known, with a prophetic history of 3300 years, and here are buried the greatest of the prophets, Tannaim, and Amoraim of the people of Israel throughout the generations. This is the land longed for and desired by all the righteous from then till today.

But the most important aspect of the land is, of course, its sanctity. It was given to the chosen people to engage in Torah and mitzvot there, hence many mitzvot are dependent on it. From this spiritual connection, the land blossoms and tangibly reveals divine providence to the people dwelling in Zion; if, Heaven forbid, they rebel against their Maker - the land will spew out its inhabitants, but if they uphold the Torah - they will be blessed with exceptional climate and riches (Leviticus 26).

Therefore, let us bless with greater intention in the Grace After Meals: "...for the good land which He gave you, blessed are You, Hashem, for the land and for the food."