Living and Staying in the Land

 

The Lord appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt. Live (sh'chon) in the Land that I tell you about; stay (gur) in this Land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these Lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham."                Genesis 26:2-3

            The above translation accurately conveys the difference in the verse's use of verbs: "sh'chon" and "gur." The classical commentators [Kli Yakar, Gaon of Vilna, Malbim, among others] note that the former implies permanence, while the latter refers to temporary dwelling.

            The verses refer to three geographic areas: Egypt, the land of Gerar ("this Land") and the land of Canaan ("the Land I will tell you about"). According to Rashi's comments, the status of the land of Gerar is neither that of the lands outside the Holy Land [comments on verse 2] nor that of the Land of the seven (Canaanite) nations; the land of Canaan proper. [Verse 12]

            Based upon the above, Rabbi Moshe Shternbuch notes that the verses use the different verbs meaningfully. In referring to the Land of the seven nations, the Land of Israel proper, God commanded Isaac that he is to live within it; he is to establish his permanent dwelling within this area, which has the full sanctity of the Land. However, in the land of the Philistines, the land of Gerar, which lacks the full sanctity of the Land of Israel, Isaac is to merely "stay as a foreigner," to dwell temporarily.

            We are taught that the events of the fathers are indicative of the experiences of the sons. Thus, what was true for our Father Isaac is true for us, his descendants who are enjoined to follow his path, as well. Rabbi Shternbuch writes "This instructs that Jews living in the diaspora must feel themselves as foreigners, realizing that their true permanent place is within the Land of Israel which has been sanctified for the Nation of Israel, and which is located opposite the Heavenly Land of Israel."

            Given that the above refers to the distinction between the Land of the seven nations and the remainder of the Promised Land, we may note that a fortiori it applies to the distinction between the Land of Israel and all other lands.