DISTRIBUTION OF ERETZ YISRAEL
The conclusion of the distribution of the land of Israel occurred in the year 2502, fourteen years after the Jews entered the land in the year 2488. The procedure for the distribution is provided in BeMidbar chapter 26, verses 53-55. The distribution occurred according to a Divine selection by means of lots (על פי הגורל). The actual distribution is described in the book of Yehoshua, Chapters 13-21.
במדבר פרק כו
נג לָאֵלֶּה תֵחָלֵק הָאָרֶּץ בְנַחֲלָה בְמִסְפַר שֵמוֹת :
נד לָרַב תַרְ בֶה נַחֲלָתוֹ וְלַמְעַט תַמְעִיט נַחֲלָתוֹ אִיש לְפִי פְקֻדָיו יֻתַן נַחֲלָתוֹ :
נה אַךְ-בְגוֹרָל יֵחָלֵק אֶת-הָאָרֶץ לִשְׁמוֹת מַטּוֹת-אֲבֹתָם יִנְׁחָלוּ :
To whom was the land distributed?
Was the land distributed according to the men (between 20 and 60 years old) who left Egypt in the year 2448? Or was the land distributed to those (between 20 and 60 years old) that entered Eretz Yisrael in the year 2488?
The Gemara (Bava Basra 117) brings three opinions:
Rabbi YoshiyahRabbi YonasanRabbi ShimonNumber of portions: 603,550601,7301,205,280Land apportioned to whom: Those that left Egypt לשמות ... ינחלוThose that entered the Land לאלה תחלק הארץBoth those that left Egypt and those that entered the LandExample: Yaacov dies in Egypt; Reuven and Shimon (his sons) were over 20 when leaving Egypt and they also die in the desert; Reuven had 10 sons and Shimon has one son all whom turn 20 in the desert and enter Eretz YisraelHow apportioned: Two portions Reuven’s 10 sons divide one portion; Shimon’s son has one portionEleven portions Portions revert to grandfather to be distributed; Reuven’s 10 sons divide 5 ½ portions; Shimon’s son receives 5 ½ portionsThirteen portions Reuven’s 10 sons each receive one portion plus 1/10 portion of their father’s; Shimon’s son receives two portionsPossible reason for each Rabbi’s opinion: The Land was given as a compensation for the servitude in EgyptThe Land was given for the sake of the Mitzvos to be doneThe Land was given for both reasonsBeMidbar 1,46 provides a count of those that had recently left Egypt as 603,550. BeMidbar 26,51 provides a count of those that were ready to enter Eretz Yisrael as 601,730.
Division of Eretz Yisrael
במדבר כו 53': "לָאֵלֶּה תֵחָלֵק הָאָרֶּץ בְּנַחֲלָה, בְּמִסְּפַר שֵמוֹת"
במדבר כו 54: "לָרַב תַרְּ בֶּה נַחֲלָתוֹ וְּלַמְּעַט תַמְּעִיט נַחֲלָתוֹ, אִיש לְּפִי פְּקֻדָיו יֻתַן נַחֲלָתוֹ"
במדבר כו 55: "אַךְ בְּגוֹרָל יֵחָלֵק אֶּת הָאָרֶּץ, לִשְּמוֹת מַטּוֹת אֲבֹתָם יִנְּחָלוּ"
במדבר כו 56: "עַל פִי הַגּוֹרָל תֵחָלֵק נַחֲ לָתוֹ, בֵין רַב לִמְּעָט"
Kiddushim 61a Eretz Gilad
QUESTIONS: THE GORAL
- How did the Goral work, if some tribes were already destined for specified parts of Eretz Yisrael (blessing of Yaakov, promise of Hebron to Kailev Nasi of Yehudah and other sources)?
- If the division was not equal parts, then what part did the Goral play?
- If all divisions were according to the Goral, what about the last tribe, which has the last lot?
- Was there a second Goral to divide the land within each tribe for each family?
- The Goral was used in other places (Achan, two goats, selection of the Kohanim for service in the Mikdash). Do they all follow the same pattern?
- Who receives the inheritance?
- Which person established the inheritance for their ancestors?
- How and What is Divided?
- If some tribes were closer to the Mishkan/Mikdash, then did they have to compensate the others who were further away? If the compensation occurred when the Mishkan was in Shilo, then when the Mikdash was set up in Yerushalayim was there another revised compensation?
- If divided to accommodate the larger tribes and/or according to the quality of the land, what happens later in time when the value of the land changed due to unforeseen circumstances?
- What about Eretz Gilead
- Was there an original plan described in Parsha Pinchas for division of Eretz Yisrael by the Goral for 12 tribes? Was the original plan changed when the 2 and ½ tribes “opted out” and selected Ever haYarden?
- Division by Yehoshua: Was the division in the time of Yehoshua according to the original plan even though only 10 (or less) tribes were involved?
- How did the tribe of Yosef complain after the Goral (Yehoshua 17,14)?
How do the Commentators explain the verses?
The verse says the apportionment of the Land went to לָאֵלֶה. To whom does this mean?
Two major principals which the commentators express their opinions:
- Was the division according to the inheritors of those that went out of Egypt (Rabbi Yoshiyah), or according to those that entered the Land 40 years later (Rabbi Yonasan) or to a combination of both (Rabbi Shimon ben Elezer)?
- Was the land divided into 12(?) equal parts and given to each Shevet. Then each Shevet distributed the land according to the population count; or was the Land divided according to the population count?
