Page 6 - HaMizrachi #6 TuBishvat 5779

Rabbi Hershel Schachter

TEN LEVELS OF Sanctity

T he Sifrei Zuta, in its first gloss Eretz Yisrael itself, which possesses the The Mishna added a third din to

(5:2),
10th level of kedushat haMikdash.
Bamidbar
to
demonstrate that Eretz Yisrael contains
Sefer
discusses the mitzvah to send
that only the fruits of Eretz Yisrael are
the temei’im (impure) outside the various Upon the dedication of the first Beit an element of kedushat haMikdash –
machanot (camps), stating ת ֹו ׁש ֹוד ְ ק ר ֶ ׂש ֶ ע HaMikdash, Shlomo HaMelech offered obligated in bikkurim. The Mishna must
ן ֵ ה – “There are 10 levels of sanctity.” the tefilla, “And they shall pray to You hold that bikkurim is not one of the
The Mishna similarly lists these 10 by way of their Land You gave to their ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָּ ב ת ֹויּול ְּ ת ַ ה ת ֹוו ְ צ ִ מ, but is rather part of
levels in ascending order of kedushah forefathers, and [by way of] the city the avodah of the Beit HaMikdash, and
(sanctity), starting with Eretz Yisrael You have chosen, and [through] the Beit the fruits must therefore grow on land
and concluding with the Holy of Holies. 1 HaMikdash I built for Your Name.” 2 that possesses kedushat Beit HaMikdash.
There are slight discrepancies between The requirement to face Eretz Yisrael
these two presentations, and Rav during tefilla, which then ascends to This is the point of dispute between
Menachem Ziemba Hy”d examines them G-d “by way of the Land,” is based on the Mishna and some versions of the
in his Otzar HaSifrei. Sifrei Zuta, which do not include the
the fact that the entirety of Eretz Yisrael din of bikkurim along with the omer and
Rav Soloveitchik was fond of discussing contains an element of kedushat Beit shetei haLechem. The latter maintain that
the first level of kedushah listed in the HaMikdash. The Rambam (Hilchot bikkurim is one of the ת ֹויּול ְּ ת ַ ה ת ֹוו ְ צ ִ מ
Mishna – that of Eretz Yisrael: “Eretz Tefilla 5:3) seems to hold that it is a ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָּ ב. Therefore, while it is true that the
Yisrael is holier than all other lands. And Torah requirement for one outside the fruits of bikkurim may only come from
what constitutes its holiness? That we Land to face Eretz Yisrael when praying. produce grown in Eretz Yisrael, this
bring from it the [barley used for the] Similarly, the Gemara in Ketubot din does not prove anything regarding
omer-offering, the [first fruits offered as] (111a) teaches, based on the pasuk, the kedushat haMikdash aspect of Eretz
bikkurim, and the [wheat used for the] ֹו ּ מ ִ ע ֹות ָ מ ְ ד ַ א ר ֶּ פ ִ כ ְ ו – “and His land shall Yisrael. This aspect of the kedusha of
shetei haLechem [two loaves on Shavuot], Eretz Yisrael can only be proven through
which we do not bring from all other atone for His Nation” (Devarim 32:43), the dinim regarding the omer and the
lands.” that whoever is buried in Eretz Yisrael shetei haLechem. [See Nefesh HaRav, pp.
achieves kappara (atonement) as if he 77-78; Eretz HaTzvi, p. 97.]
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It seems strange that of all the dinim were buried under the mizbe’ach (altar).
that make Eretz Yisrael unique – the Kappara is achieved specifically through
ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָּ ב ת ֹויּול ְּ ת ַ ה ת ֹוו ְ צ ִ מ, agricultural mitzvot Eretz Yisrael’s relationship with the Beit 1 Keilim 1:6-10.
dependent upon the land (teruma, HaMikdash, just as the Beit HaMikdash 2 Melachim 1, 8:48.
ma’aser, shemitta, yovel, leket, shikecha, is where one brings korbanot (sacrifices) 3 According to Rabbi Akiva, Bechorot 53a, Temura
pe’ah, challa) – specifically these three for kappara. 21b.
obscure dinim are the ones chosen to 4 Pesichta, Parashat Bo; see Kli Chemda, Parashat
express the uniqueness of Eretz Yisrael. Another din (law) that reflects the Chukat, siman 4.
kedushat haMikdash aspect of Eretz 5
This essay can be seen in a more expanded form
Rav Ziemba and Rav Soloveitchik Yisrael is that ma’aser beheima (animal in the sefer Rav Schachter on the Parsha.
explained that the Sifrei Zuta and tithes) and bechor beheima tehora
Mishna are not merely outlining the (firstborn kosher animals) are not
special kedushah of Eretz Yisrael per offered as korbanot if they come from
se. In this context, Chazal express the outside Eretz Yisrael. Similarly, the
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notion that there are 10 levels of kedushat Mechilta holds that the allowance,
haMikdash. Its most intense level is in the during certain periods in history, to Rabbi Hershel Schachter is Rosh
Kodesh HaKodashim (Holy of Holies). offer a korban on a bama (altar outside of Yeshiva and Rosh Kollel at Rabbi Isaac
The kedusha then spills over to the other the Beit HaMikdash) was likewise only Elchanan Theological Seminary of
areas, until it fills the boundaries of applicable in Eretz Yisrael. Yeshiva University
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