WikiPortallus: Land of Israel.html

The Land of Israel (Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, Eretz Yisrael,) is the region which, according to the Hebrew Bible, was promised by God to the descendants of Abraham through his son Isaac^[1] and to the Israelites, descendants of Jacob, Abraham's grandson. It constitutes the Promised Land and forms part of the Abrahamic, Jacob and Israel covenants. Mainstream Jewish tradition regards the promise as applying to all Jews, including descendants of converts.

The term should not be confused with the State of Israel, which is a smaller modern political state within the region. The Land of Israel concept is part of the political platform of the Likud and other Israeli political parties.

Etymology and biblical roots

The term "Land of Israel" is a direct translation of the Hebrew phrase "ארץ ישראל" (Eretz Yisrael), which is found in the Hebrew Bible. According to Anita Shapira, the term "Eretz Israel" was a holy term, vague as far as the exact boundaries of the territories are concerned but clearly defining ownership.^[2]

The name "Israel" first appears in the Bible as the name given by God to the patriarch Jacob (Genesis 32:28), which can be translated as "God contended" ^[3]. The name already occurs in Eblaite and Ugaritic texts as a common name^[4]. Commentators differ on the original literal meaning. Some say the name comes from the verb śarar ("to rule, be strong, have authority over"), thereby making the name mean "God rules" or "God judges".^[5] Other possible meanings include "the prince of God" (from the King James Version) or "El fights/struggles".^[6] Regardless of the precise meaning of the name, the biblical nation fathered by Jacob thus became the "Children of Israel" or the "Israelites".

The first definition of the promised land (Genesis 15:13-21) calls it "this land". In Genesis 15, this land is promised to Abraham's "descendants", through his son Isaac, while in Deuteronomy 1:8, it is promised explicitly to the Israelites, Abrahams descendants through Jacob.

A more detailed definition is given in Numbers 34:1-15 for the land explicitly allocated to nine and half of the Israelite tribes after the exodus. In this passage, the land is called "Land of Canaan". The expression "Land of Israel" is first used in a later book, Samuel 13:19. It is used often in the book of Ezekiel and also by Matthew.

Dimensions according to the Bible

Genesis 15

Genesis 15:18-21 is regarded as the full extent of the land promised to the descendants of Abraham through his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. This territory is referred to in Jewish tradition as the Complete Land of Israel (Hebrew: ארץ ישראל השלמה‎, Eretz Yisrael Hashlemah) or Gevulot Ha-aretz ("Borders of the Land").^{citation needed}, and occasionally as Greater Israel ^[7] ^[8] ^[9]. Note however that Greater Israel has other meanings.

Numbers 34

Numbers 34:1-15 describes the land allocated to the Israelite tribes after the Exodus. The tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh received land east of the Jordan as explained in Numbers 34:14-15. Numbers 34:1-13 provides a detailed description of the borders of the land allocated to the remaining tribes. The region is called "the Land of Canaan" (Eretz Kna'an) in Numbers 34:2 and the borders are known in Jewish tradition as the "borders for those coming out of Egypt".

In Jewish tradition, Canaan was the son of Ham who with his descendents had seized the land from the descendents of Shem according to the Book of Jubilees. Jewish tradition thus refers to the region as Canaan during the period between the Flood and the Israelite settlement. Schweid sees Canaan as a geographical name, and Israel the spiritual name of the land: The uniqueness of the Land of Israel is thus "geo-theological" and not merely climatic. This is the land which faces the entrance of the spiritual world, that sphere of existence that lies beyond the physical world known to us through our senses. This is the key to the land's unique status with regard to prophecy and prayer, and also with regard to the commandments ^[10]. Thus, the re-naming of this land marks a change in religious status, the origin of the Holy Land concept. Numbers 34:1-13 uses the term Canaan strictly for the land west of the Jordan but Land of Israel is used in Jewish tradition to denote the entire land of the Israelites. The English expression "Promised Land" can denote either the land promised to Abraham in Genesis or the land of Canaan, although the latter meaning is more common.

Ezekiel 47

Ezekiel 47:13-20 provides a post-exilic definition of borders. The definition in Ezekiel describes the Land of Israel which, according to Ezekiel's prophecy, is a repeat of the promised land with tribal allocations for Israel to return to after their captivity (Ezekiel was during the Babylonian captivity after the fall of Jerusalem in 597 and 586 BCE by Nebuchadnezzar). The definition is a reminder that both God's promise and desire for Israel was not canceled completely by the situation that led to captivity. The borders of the land described by the text in Ezekiel include the northern border of modern Lebanon, eastwards (the way of Hethlon) to Zedad and Hazar-enan in modern Syria; south by southwest to the area of Busra on the Syrian border (area of Hauran in Ezekiel); follows the Jordan River between the West Bank and the land of Gilead to Tamar (Ein Gedi) on the western shore of the Dead Sea; From Tamar to Meribah Kadesh (Kadesh Barnea), then along the Brook of Egypt (see debate below) to the Mediterranean Sea.

Hence, Numbers 34 and Ezekiel 47 define different but similar borders which include the whole of contemporary Lebanon, both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and Israel except for the South Negev and Eilat. Small parts of Syria are also included.

Other passages

From Dan to Beersheba

Points of debate

Brook of Egypt

The border with Egypt is given as the Nachal Mitzrayim (Brook of Egypt) in Numbers and Deuteronomy, as well as in Ezekiel. Some understand the term (as expressed in the commentaries of Rashi and Yehuda Halevi, as well as the Aramaic Targums), as referring to the Nile, more precisely the Pelusian branch of the Nile Delta according to Halevi, a view supported by Egyptian and Assyrian texts. Most contemporary scholars identify it with the Wadi El-Arish, and the Besor has also been suggested in recent times.^[11]

Genesis gives the border with Egypt as Nahar Miztrayim. Whether this refers to the Nile, nahar denoting a large river, or to the wadi is a matter of some dispute.

Southern border

The precise southern and eastern borders of the Land of Israel are also a subject of debate. Only the Red Sea (Exodus 23:31) and Euphrates are mentioned which can be understood to mean that the entire Arabian peninsula is included. ("Red Sea" is translated Erythraean Sea in the Septuagint, which included the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf ^[12].) More reticent interpretations take the southern border to be a line from the mouth of the Euphrates to Eilat or a line of latitude from the mouth of the Gulf of Eilat. Still another view is that the Euphrates forms only a northern border and that the southern and eastern border extends from Eilat to an undetermined point on the Euphrates.

Land of Hittites

Another point of debate for some religious scholars is the consistent reference to the inclusion of "the Land of the Hittites" within the borders. Some view these Biblical Hittites as one of the tribes that had settled in Canaan and was conquered by Joshua, while others refer to a greater empire that encompassed most of what is now central Turkey. The archeologists who rediscovered the Anatolian empire now known as the Hittites in the 19th century initially identified them with these Biblical Hittites, and so gave them this name. However today the identification of the Biblical peoples with either the Hattusa-based empire or the Neo-Hittite kingdoms is a matter of dispute.

Variability of the boundaries

Deuteronomy 19:8 indicates a certain fluidity of the borders of the promised land when it refers to the possibility that God would "enlarge your borders." This expansion of territory means that Israel would receive "all the land he promised to give to your fathers," which implies that the settlement actually fell short of what was promised. According to Jacob Milgrom, Deuteronomy refers to a more utopian map of the promised land, whose eastern border is the wilderness rather than the Jordan.^[13]

Paul R. Williamson notes that a "close examination of the relevant promissory texts" supports a "wider interpretation of the promised land" in which it is not "restricted absolutely to one geographical locale." He argues that "the map of the promised land was never seen permanently fixed, but was subject to at least some degree of expansion and redefinition."^[14]

Land of Israel and historical Kingdoms

Of the many historical kingdoms in the region, the United Monarchy of King David and Solomon is the period when Israelites ruled a land that can be compared to the Genesis 15 definition.

Land of Israel in Jewish law

According to Jewish law (halakha), some religious laws only apply to Jews living in the Land of Israel and some areas in Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria (which are thought to be part of Biblical Israel). These include agricultural laws such as the Shmita (Sabbatical year); tithing laws such as the Maaser Rishon (Levite tithe), Maaser sheni, and Maaser ani (poor tithe); charitable practices during farming, such as pe'ah; and laws regarding taxation. One popular source lists 26 of the 613 mitzvot as contingent upon the Land of Israel.^[15]

Many of the laws which applied in ancient times are applied in the modern State of Israel; others have not been revived, since the State of Israel does not adhere to traditional Jewish law. However, certain parts of the current territory of the State of Israel, such as the Arabah, are considered by some authorities to be outside the Land of Israel for purposes of Jewish law. According to these authorities, the religious laws do not apply there. ^[16]

Additionally according to some Jewish religious authorities, every Jew has an obligation to dwell in the Land of Israel, and may not leave except for specifically permitted reasons (e.g., to get married).^[17] There are also many laws dealing with how to treat the Land itself.

Land of Israel in modern history

Use of the name during the British Mandate

During the British Mandate of Palestine, the name Eretz Yisrael (abbreviated א״י Aleph-Yod), was part of the official name of the territory, when written in Hebrew. The official name "(פלשתינה (א״י" (Palestina E"Y) was also minted on the mandate coins and early stamps (pictured). Some in the government of the British Mandate of Palestine wanted the name to be פלשתינה (Palestina) while the Yishuv wanted ארץ ישראל (Eretz Yisrael). The compromise eventually achieved was that the initials א"י would be written in brackets whenever פלשתינה is written. Consequently, in 20th century political usage, the term "Land of Israel" usually denotes only those parts of the land which came under the British mandate, i.e. the land currently controlled by the State of Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, and sometimes also Transjordan (now the Kingdom of Jordan).

Use of the name in the Declaration of Independence of Israel

The laws of the State of Israel make it the homeland of all people of Jewish faith, regardless of their ancestry.

Use of the concept as a political platform by Israeli parties

Gush Emunim and Herut were amongst the first Israeli political parties basing their land policies on the Bible. They attracted attention following the 1967 Six-Day War, arguing that the West Bank should be permanently annexed to Israel. The Likud party is currently the most prominent party which includes a claim to the Land in its platform :

Books on the subject

Land of Israel.html

Contents