The Reciprocal Relation between the Land and Torah

The book of Devarim constitutes Moses’ farewell address to the Children of Israel, as they stood on the verge of entering the Promised Land (which they actually entered one month and three days after Moses’ death).

Moses began his remarks to his congregation by stressing God’s instructions to journey from Mt. Sinai to the Land of Israel [Deuteronomy 1:6-7]. The lesson is that Torah is not an academic pursuit. Rather, Torah was given to be applied in all aspects of life, and most especially to be practiced in the Land of Israel.

My father noted the “flip side”: not only was Torah given to be practiced in Israel, but it was presented at Sinai as the constitution for the Jewish homeland. As the Israelites prepared to enter their land, it was necessary for them to have a system of laws and rules in order to build their nation. Moses taught the people that their nation must be built on a completely different basis than other nations. For the Children of Israel, national life must be based upon spiritual values. They must strive to unite the physical and the spiritual.

For other peoples, nationhood depends upon land. It is territory which makes the nation. The Jewish people are different and unique. Territory (the Holy Land) is important, but it is not what makes us a nation. Israel became a nation when we stood at Sinai and received the Torah. It is Torah which unifies the Jews into a single nation.

Before ending his leadership of the People of Israel, Moses tried to impress upon them that they must build their homeland upon the solid foundation of Sinai.

There is a reciprocal relationship between the Land of Israel and Torah. Ideally, Torah was given to be fulfilled within the Land and the Land was given to be established on the basis of Torah.