כִּי לֹא־בָאתֶם עַד־עָתָה אֶל־הַמְּנוּחָה...
”Because you did not arrive yet to the Menucha...” -- Devorim 12:9
From this verse, which appears in this week’s parsha, we see that Eretz Yisroel is called “Menucha”.
Why is this one of the names for our Land?
Based on a discussion in the Gemora Nedarim, Rav Chaim Shmulevitz zt”l explains that Eretz Yisroel possesses a unique quality - it helps those who live in the Land to have menucha - to be calm and serene.
Ask Around Your Shabbos Table
שְׁמֹר וְׁשָׁמַעְׁתָׁ אֵת כָל הַדְׁבָׁרִ ים הָׁאֵלֶּה אֲשֶּר אָׁנֹכִי מְׁצַוֶּךָׁ לְׁמַעַן יִיטַב לְׁךָ ולְׁבָׁנֶּיךָ אַחֲרֶּיךָ עַד עוֹלָׁם... דברים יב:כח
Ask Around Your Table: Since it is obvious that Hashem needs us to fulfill every mitzva that He commanded us, why does the Torah go out of its way in this verse to tell us that we need to guard and accept all mitzvos?
Answer: Rashi’s comment to this part of the verse answers our question. Rashi says, שתהא חביבה עליך מצוה קלה כמצוה חמורה – [This is teaching us] that a small mitzva should be dear to you just like a great mitzva is dear to you.] As we know, being passionate about doing mitzvos is an integral part of a Jewish life. In this verse, Hashem is telling us that this applies to absolutely all mitzvos.
