Now You Know!

In Parshas Beraishis, Rashi mentions the idea that the world belongs to Hashem, Who created it, and He can give the land to whomever He chooses. He can then take it away and give it to someone else.

This week, we find more on this topic. When the shepherds of Avraham fought with the shepherds of Lot, it was over grazing rights. Lot’s men felt that since Hashem had promised the land to Avraham, and Lot was his only heir, it was already available for them to use.

Avraham’s shepherds felt it was not theirs to use as Hashem had not yet returned the land to the children of Shem, from whom it was stolen by the Canaanites and other descendants of Cham. This was Avraham’s opinion too.

Later, we find mention of the Chori, whose land was Mount Seir, and further on in history, we find this land given by Hashem to Esav and his descendants. There is clear precedent for this changing of ownership of land, away from indigenous peoples to new owners.

However, Avraham would never presume to take the land until it was given to him by Hashem. He didn’t attack anyone or try to claim it by force. He knew that when Hashem was ready, Eretz Yisrael would be his, and his children’s and not before.