Vayera: Chapter 22

"A land in which you shall eat bread without scarceness"

Synopsis

The power emanating from the Land of Israel is the source of all spiritual energy for the entire world. Whenever we pray, our thoughts and consciousness should be directed towards the Land of Israel so that we connect ourselves to this fountainhead of spiritual nourishment.

Relevance

There are many regions on the planet that emit powerful spiritual forces. These geographical locations are the portals through which the Light of the Upper Worlds enters into the physical dimension. The Land of Israel is the energy centre and source for the entire world and, for this reason, it has remained front and center on the world stage for millennia. This passage creates a powerful conduit, connecting our souls to the Land of Israel and ultimately, the Creator, the source of all spiritual nourishment.

Angels Bread

289. Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosi were standing one day and discussing this passage. Rabbi Elazar said, It is written, "A land in which (lit. 'which in it') you shall eat bread without scarceness; you shall not lack anything in it..." (Devarim 8:9). Why are the words "in it" repeated twice? It has already been stated that the Holy One, blessed be He, divided all the peoples and the lands according to appointed Messengers. But the land of Yisrael has no angel or Governor controlling it, only THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE alone. This is why He brought the people over whom no one rules, EXCEPT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, to the land over which no one rules, EXCEPT THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE.

289. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי, הֲווֹ קָיְימֵי יוֹמָא חַד, וְעָסְקֵי בְּהַאי קְרָא, אֲמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, כְּתִיב אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לֹא בְמִסְכֵּנוּת תֹּאכַל בָּהּ לֶחֶם לֹא תֶחְסַר כֹּל בָּהּ. הַאי בָּהּ בָּהּ, תְּרֵי זִמְנֵי, אַמַּאי. אֶלָּא הָא אִתְּמָר, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, פָּלִיג כָּל עַמִּין וְאַרְעָאן לִמְמַנָּן שְׁלִיחָן, וְאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל, לָא שַׁלִּיט בָּהּ מַלְאָכָא, וְלָא מְמַנָּא אָחֳרָא, אֶלָּא אִיהוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, בְּגִין כָּךְ אָעֵיל לְעַמָּא דְּלָא שַׁלִּיט בְּהוֹ אָחֳרָא, לְאַרְעָא דְּלָא שָׁלִיט בָּהּ אָחֳרָא.

Astrology Constellation Food Planets

290. Come and behold, the Holy One, blessed be He, supplied THE LAND OF YISRAEL with provisions and food first, and then to the rest of the world. So all the other nations that worship planets and constellations "eat in scarceness," while in the land of Yisrael it is not so - because the land of Yisrael is nourished first and only then the rest of the world, WHICH FEEDS ON THE LEFTOVERS.

290. תָּא חֲזֵי, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, יְהֵיב מְזוֹנָא תַּמָּן בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וּלְבָתַר לְכָל עָלְמָא. כָּל שְׁאָר עַמִּין עכו"ם בְּמִסְכֵּנוּת, וְאַרְעָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לָאו הָכֵי, אֶלָּא אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתְּזָן בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וּלְבָתַר כָּל עָלְמָא.

Blessing Bread Faith Holiness (Kedushah) Kedushah (Holiness)

291. This is why IT IS WRITTEN, "A land which in it you shall eat bread without scarceness," in which you shall eat in abundance. Thus, "in it you shall eat," but only "in it," and not in any other place. Thus, "in it" ALLUDES TO the holiness of the land; "in it" the supernal Faith resides, "in it" rests the blessing from above, but only "in it" and in no other place. HENCE, THE VERSE MENTIONS "IN IT" TWICE, ALLUDING TO ALL THAT IS DESCRIBED ABOVE.

291. וּבְגִין כָּךְ אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר לֹא בְמִסְכֵּנוּת תֹּאכַל בָּהּ לֶחֶם. אֶלָּא בַּעֲתִירוּ, בְּסִפּוּקָא דְּכֹלָּא. תֹּאכַל בָּהּ, וְלָא בַּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא. בָּהּ בִּקְדִּישׁוּ דְּאַרְעָא. בָּהּ שַׁרְיָא מְהֵימְנוּתָא עִלָּאָה. בָּהּ שַׁרְיָא בִּרְכְּתָא דִּלְעֵילָא, וְלָא בַּאֲתַר אָחֳרָא.

Eden Egypt Garden of Eden Nile Rivers Sodom and Amorah (Gomorrah)

292. Come and behold, it is written, "As the garden of Hashem, like the land of Egypt, AS YOU COME TO TZOAR" (Beresheet 13:10). AND HE SAYS, It is still not clear FROM THE VERSE if Egypt or Sodom is "as the garden of Hashem," or if the "garden of Hashem" is the garden that is called the Garden of Eden. AND HE REPLIES, Actually, THE PHRASE "as the garden of Hashem," WHICH IS THE GARDEN OF EDEN AND which is full of abundance and pleasure for all, refers to Sodom and Egypt. Just as the garden of Hashem did not require irrigation, neither did Egypt, which was irrigated by the river Nile.

292. תָּא חֲזֵי כְּתִיב כְּגַן יי' כְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם. עַד הָכָא לָא אִתְיְדַע, גַּן יי' אִי הוּא אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, וְאִי אִיהוּ אֶרֶץ סְדוֹם, וְאִי אִיהוּ גַּן יי', דְּאִקְרֵי גַּן עֵדֶן. אֶלָּא, כְּגַן יי' דְּאִית בֵּיהּ סִפּוּקָא, וְעִדּוּנָא דְּכֹלָּא, הָכֵי נָמֵי הֲוָה סְדוֹם, וְהָכֵי נָמֵי מִצְרַיִם. מַה גַּן יי', לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ בַּר נָשׁ לְאַשְׁקָאָה לֵיהּ, אוֹף מִצְרַיִם לָא אִצְטְרִיךְ אָחֳרָא לְאַשְׁקָאָה לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּנִילוּס אִיהוּ אַסֵּיק, וְאַשְׁקֵי לְכָל אַרְעָא דְמִצְרַיִם.

Earth Egypt Egyptians Jerusalem Plagues Punishment Rain Sodom and Amorah (Gomorrah)

293. Come and behold, it is written, "And whosoever does not come up of all the families of the earth to Jerusalem..." (Zecharyah 14:17) - would be punished by having rain withheld. But, "if the family of Egypt does not go up, and does not come Jerusalem" (Ibid. 18), it is not written that "upon them shall be no rain," because it usually does not rain in Egypt, and the people there are in no need of it. So what is their punishment? It is as the verse continues, "this shall be the plague, with which Hashem will smite the nations..." (Ibid.), since the Egyptians don't need rain. Sodom, as well, was "well watered everywhere..." (Beresheet 13:10) WHICH MEANS THAT it had all the worldly pleasures and delights. Since they did not want any other person to share these delights or receive these pleasures there, THE PEOPLE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY GUESTS.

293. תָּא חֲזֵי מַה כְּתִיב וְהָיָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא יַעֲלֶה מֵאֵת מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הָאָרֶץ אֶל יְרוּשָׁלֵם וגו'. דָּא הוּא עוֹנָשָׁא דִלְהוֹן, דְּאִתְמְנַע מִנְּהוֹן מִטְרָא, מַה כְּתִיב, וְאִם מִשְׁפַּחַת מִצְרַיִם לֹא תַעֲלֶה וְלֹא בָאָה וגו'. חָמֵי דְּלָא כְתִיב, וְלֹא עֲלֵיהֶם יִהְיֶה הַגֶּשֶׁם, בְּגִין דְּלָא נָחֵית מִטְרָא לְמִצְרַיִם, וְלָא אִצְטַרְכָן לֵיהּ, אֶלָּא עוֹנָשָׁא דִּלְהוֹן מַה הוּא, דִּכְתִיב וְזֹאת תִּהְיֶה הַמַּגֵּפָה אֲשֶׁר יִגּוֹף ה' אֶת כָּל הַגּוֹיִם וגו'. בְּגִין דְּמִצְרַיִם לָא צְרִיכִין לְמִטְרָא, אוֹף סְדוֹם, מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ, כִּי כֻלָּהּ מַשְׁקֶה, כָּל עִדּוּנִין דְּעָלְמָא הֲווֹ בָהּ, וְעַל דָּא לָא בָעָאן דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא אָחֳרָנִין יִתְעַדְּנוּן בָּהּ.

Merit Poor Sodom and Amorah (Gomorrah) Wicked Wickedness World to Come, The

294. Rabbi Chiya said, THE PEOPLE OF SODOM were wicked because of themselves and their possessions AND NOT BECAUSE OF THEIR FERTILE LAND. THIS IS TRUE, BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO GIVE CHARITY. A person who is stingy with the poor is not worthy of continued existence in the world. In addition, he has no life in the World to Come. But whoever is goodhearted towards the needy is worthy of existence in the world, and the world exists because of his merit. He shall have life and longevity in the World to Come.

294. רַבִּי חִיָּיא אֲמַר, אִינוּן הֲווֹ חַיָּיבִין מִגַּרְמַיְיהוּ, וּמָּמוֹנְהוֹן, דְּכָל בַּר נָשׁ דְּאִיהוּ צָר עֵינָא לְגַבֵּי מִסְכֵּנָא, יָאוֹת הוּא דְּלָא יִתְקַיַּים בְּעָלְמָא. וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא דְּלֵית לֵיהּ חַיִּים לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי. וְכָל מַאן דְּאִיהוּ וַותְּרָן לְגַבֵּי מִסְכֵּנָא יָאוֹת הוּא דְּיִתְקַיַּים בְּעָלְמָא, וְיִתְקַיַּים עָלְמָא בְּגִינֵיהּ, וְאִית לֵיהּ חַיִּים וְאוֹרְכָּא דְחַיֵּי לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.

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