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GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Rabbi Hershel Schachter
R abbi Hershel Schachter

One Aspect of

Kedushat HaAretz

he Sifrei Zuta, in its first gloss to merely outlining the special kedu- Similarly, the Mechilta (Petichta,
Sefer Bamidbar (5:2), discusses sha of Eretz Yisrael per se. Of course, Parashat Bo; see Kli Chemdah,
Tthe mitzvah to send the temei’im there exists a concept of kedushat Parashat Chukat, siman 4) holds that
outside the Mishkan and the areas sur- Eretz Yisrael, which gives rise to the the allowance, during certain periods
rounding it, by level of sanctity. The long list of ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָּ ב תֹויּול ְּ ת ַ ה תֹוו ְ צ ִ מ. In this in history, to offer a korban on a bama
mishnayot in Masechet Keilim (1:6-10) context, however, Chazal express (mizbeach outside of the Beit HaMik-
similarly list these 10 levels in ascending the notion that there are 10 levels of dash) was likewise only applicable in
order of kedusha, starting with Eretz kedushat haMikdash. The core of Eretz Yisrael.
Yisrael and concluding with the Kodesh kedushat Beit HaMikdash, its most
HaKodashim. intense degree, is found in the Kodesh The Mishnah added a third din to
Rav Soloveitchik was fond of discuss- HaKodashim. The kedusha then spills demonstrate that Eretz Yisrael con-
tains an element of kedushat haMik-
ing the first level of kedusha listed over to the other areas in descending dash – that only the fruits of Eretz
in the Mishnah – that of Eretz Yis- levels, until it fills the boundaries of Yisrael are obligated in bikkurim. The
rael: “Eretz Yisrael is holier than all Eretz Yisrael itself, which possesses
other lands. And what constitutes its the tenth level of kedushat haMik- Mishnah must hold that bikkurim
holiness? That we bring from it the dash. Chazal seek to prove that Eretz is not one of the ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָּ ב תֹויּול ְּ ת ַ ה תֹוו ְ צ ִ מ,
[barley used for the] omer-offering, Yisrael, apart from its own kedushat but rather part of the avodah of the
the [first fruits offered as] bikkurim, haAretz, is endowed with a lower level Beit HaMikdash, and the fruits must
and the [wheat used for the] shtei of kedushat haMikdash. This cannot therefore grow on land that possesses
halechem [two loaves on Shavuot], be demonstrated from the group of kedushat Beit HaMikdash. This is the
which we do not bring from all other ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָּ ב תֹויּול ְּ ת ַ ה תֹוו ְ צ ִ מ, for they are depen- point of dispute between the Mishnah
lands.” dent solely upon kedushat haAretz. and some versions of the Sifrei Zuta,

It seems strange that of all the dinim The two dinim that can demonstrate which do not include the din of bik-
kurim along with the omer and shtei
that make Eretz Yisrael unique – a kedusha in the form of kedushat halechem. The latter maintain that
the ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָּ ב תֹויּול ְּ ת ַ ה תֹוו ְ צ ִ מ, agricultural haMikdash are those regarding the
mitzvot dependent upon the Land omer and the shtei halechem. These bikkurim is one of the תֹויּול ְּ ת ַ ה תֹוו ְ צ ִ מ
ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָּ ב. Therefore, while it is true that
(teruma, ma’aser, shmita, yovel, leket, dinim indicate that there is a require-
shichecha, pe’ah, challah) – these ment for the barley for the omer and the fruits of bikkurim may only come
three obscure dinim are the ones the wheat for the shtei halechem to from produce grown in Eretz Yis-
specifically chosen to express the have grown within the “Beit HaMik- rael, this din does not prove anything
uniqueness of Eretz Yisrael. Further- dash.” The Beit HaMikdash proper, regarding the kedushat haMikdash
more, although one of the Mishnah’s of course, is not used for agricultural aspect of Eretz Yisrael. This aspect of
examples of Eretz Yisrael’s kedusha purposes; this requirement is fulfilled the kedusha of Eretz Yisrael can only
is that the fruits of bikkurim may by using items grown in Eretz Yisrael, be proven through the dinim regard-
only come from the produce of Eretz which contains, on some level, an ele- ing the omer and the shtei halechem. 1
Yisrael, certain versions of the text ment of kedushat Beit HaMikdash.
of the Sifrei Zuta neglect to mention Another din that reflects the kedushat
this third example. What accounts for haMikdash aspect of Eretz Yisrael is 1 See Nefesh HaRav, pp. 77–78; Eretz HaTzvi,
p. 97.
this apparent discrepancy, whether to that ma’aser beheima (animal tithes)
list the din of bikkurim amongst the and bechor beheima tehora (firstborn Adapted from “Rav Schachter on the Parsha.”
dinim that demonstrate Eretz Yisrael’s kosher animals) are not offered as
distinctiveness? Rabbi Hershel Schachter is Rosh
korbanot if they come from outside Yeshiva and Rosh Kollel at Rabbi Isaac
Rav Soloveitchik explained that the Eretz Yisrael (according to Rabbi Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva
Sifrei Zuta and Mishnah are not Akiva, Bechorot 53a, Temurah 21b). University.

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