Page 23 - HaMizrachi #26 Tu Bishvat USA 2021

GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Rabbi Yaakov Ariel Rabbi Hershel Schachter

One Aspect of

Kedushat HaAretz

he Sifrei Zuta, in its first gloss to merely outlining the special kedusha Bechorot 53a, Temurah 21b). Simi-
Sefer Bamidbar (5:2), discusses of Eretz Yisrael per se. Of course, there larly, the Mechilta (Petichta, Parashat
Tthe mitzvah to send the temei’im exists a concept of kedushat Eretz Yis- Bo; see Kli Chemdah, Parashat
outside the Mishkan and the areas sur- rael, which gives rise to the long list Chukat, siman 4) holds that the allow-
rounding it, by level of sanctity. The of ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָּ ב תֹויּול ְּ ת ַ ה תֹוו ְ צ ִ מ. In this context, ance, during certain periods in history,
mishnayot in Masechet Keilim (1:6-10) however, Chazal express the notion to offer a korban on a bama (miz-
similarly list these 10 levels in ascend- that there are 10 levels of kedushat beach outside of the Beit HaMikdash)
ing order of kedusha, starting with Eretz haMikdash. The core of kedushat Beit was likewise only applicable in Eretz
Yisrael and concluding with the Kodesh HaMikdash, its most intense degree, Yisrael.
HaKodashim. is found in the Kodesh HaKodashim. The Mishnah added a third din to
Rav Soloveitchik was fond of discuss- The kedusha then spills over to the demonstrate that Eretz Yisrael con-
ing the first level of kedusha listed in other areas in descending levels, until tains an element of kedushat haMik-
the Mishnah – that of Eretz Yisrael: it fills the boundaries of Eretz Yisrael dash – that only the fruits of Eretz
itself, which possesses the tenth level
“Eretz Yisrael is holier than all other Yisrael are obligated in bikkurim. The
lands. And what constitutes its holi- of kedushat haMikdash. Chazal seek Mishnah must hold that bikkurim
ness? That we bring from it the [barley to prove that Eretz Yisrael, apart from is not one of the ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָּ ב תֹויּול ְּ ת ַ ה תֹוו ְ צ ִ מ,
used for the] omer-offering, the [first its own kedushat haAretz, is endowed but rather part of the avodah of the
fruits offered as] bikkurim, and the with a lower level of kedushat haMik- Beit HaMikdash, and the fruits must
dash. This cannot be demonstrated
[wheat used for the] shtei halechem therefore grow on land that possesses
[two loaves on Shavuot], which we do from the group of ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָּ ב תֹויּול ְּ ת ַ ה תֹוו ְ צ ִ מ, kedushat Beit HaMikdash. This is the
not bring from all other lands.” for they are dependent solely upon point of dispute between the Mishnah
kedushat haAretz. The two dinim and some versions of the Sifrei Zuta,
It seems strange that of all the dinim that can demonstrate a kedusha in which do not include the din of bik-
that make Eretz Yisrael unique – the the form of kedushat haMikdash are kurim along with the omer and shtei
ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָּ ב תֹויּול ְּ ת ַ ה תֹוו ְ צ ִ מ, agricultural mitzvot those regarding the omer and the halechem. The latter maintain that
dependent upon the Land (teruma, shtei halechem. These dinim indi- bikkurim is one of the תֹויּול ְּ ת ַ ה תֹוו ְ צ ִ מ
ma’aser, shmita, yovel, leket, shichecha, cate that there is a requirement for ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָּ ב. Therefore, while it is true that
pe’ah, challah) – these three obscure the barley for the omer and the wheat the fruits of bikkurim may only come
dinim are the ones specifically chosen for the shtei halechem to have grown from produce grown in Eretz Yis-
to express the uniqueness of Eretz Yis- within the “Beit HaMikdash.” The Beit rael, this din does not prove anything
rael. Furthermore, although one of the HaMikdash proper, of course, is not regarding the kedushat haMikdash
Mishnah’s examples of Eretz Yisrael’s used for agricultural purposes; this aspect of Eretz Yisrael. This aspect of
kedusha is that the fruits of bikkurim requirement is fulfilled by using items the kedusha of Eretz Yisrael can only
may only come from the produce of grown in Eretz Yisrael, which contains, be proven through the dinim regard-
Eretz Yisrael, certain versions of the on some level, an element of kedushat ing the omer and the shtei halechem. 1
text of the Sifrei Zuta neglect to men- Beit HaMikdash.
tion this third example. What accounts Another din that reflects the kedushat
for this apparent discrepancy, whether haMikdash aspect of Eretz Yisrael is 1 See Nefesh HaRav, pp. 77–78; Eretz HaTzvi,
p. 97.
to list the din of bikkurim amongst the that ma’aser beheima (animal tithes)
dinim that demonstrate Eretz Yisrael’s and bechor beheima tehora (firstborn Adapted from “Rav Schachter on the Parsha.”
distinctiveness?
kosher animals) are not offered as kor- Rabbi Hershel Schachter is Rosh Yeshiva
Rav Soloveitchik explained that the banot if they come from outside Eretz and Rosh Kollel at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan
Sifrei Zuta and Mishnah are not Yisrael (according to Rabbi Akiva, Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University.

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