The Land and Liberty

… and proclaim liberty (dror) throughout the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof …   Leviticus 25:10

Our sages understood the simple meaning of our verse to be that Yovel is in force only when all Israel lives in its Land:

Once the Tribe of Reuven and the Tribe of Gad and half the Tribe of Menashe were exiled, the practice of Yovel was canceled, as the verse says, “and proclaim liberty throughout the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof” only when all the inhabitants are within her.              

                          Babylonian Talmud, Arachin 32b

My father commented that the lesson is that Israel cannot experience full liberty when some of its tribes are in exile. When part of the People is in exile and suffering, even those who remain in the Land are not fully free. They too suffer with their brethren in exile. Complete freedom and liberty can be achieved by the Nation of Israel only when all of its people dwell in unity within its Land.