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<DIV>*************************************************************<BR>
THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]<BR>
In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag<BR> Shiurim in
Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag<BR>*************************************************************</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
PARSHAT
MAS'EI<BR>
The Borders of the Land of
Israel<BR> <BR>
What are the precise borders of the Land of Israel?<BR>
>From the story of Bnei Gad & Reuven in Parshat Matot<BR>(chapter 32), it
seems as though the borders of Israel are<BR>rather 'expandable', while in
Parshat Mas'ei (chapter 33) they<BR>appear to be quite fixed. In the
following shiur, we examine<BR>the biblical roots of this complicated
topic.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>INTRODUCTION<BR> Two clichés, both based on psukim
in Tanach, are commonly<BR>used to describe the expanse of the borders of the
Land of<BR>Israel:<BR> (A) 'from the Nile to the
Euphrate'<BR> (B) 'from Dan to Beer Sheva'</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> The discrepancy between these two borders is
immense!<BR>According to (A), Eretz Yisrael encompasses almost the
entire<BR>Middle East, while according to (B), Israel is a tiny country<BR>not
much bigger than the state of Rhode Island.<BR> So which
cliché is more 'correct'?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>THE BORDERS IN PARSHAT MAS'EI<BR> We begin our
study with chapter 34 in Parshat Mas'ei, for<BR>it contains what appears to be a
very precise description of<BR>the borders of the Land of Israel:<BR> "And
God spoke to Moshe saying: Command Bnei Yisrael and<BR> tell them, when
you enter Eretz Canaan, this is the land<BR> which shall become your
inheritance - Eretz Canaan<BR> according to its borders. Your
southern border, from<BR> Midbar Tzin... " (see 34:1-13).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Over the centuries, many attempts have been made
to<BR>identify each location mentioned in this chapter. In regard<BR>to
the eastern and western borders, i.e. the Mediterranean Sea<BR>(34:6) and the
Jordan River (34:11-12), there really isn't<BR>much to argue about. In
regard to the southern border, most<BR>commentators agree that it follows a line
from the southern<BR>tip of the Dead Sea until El-Arish, i.e. slight south of
the<BR>Beer Sheva-Gaza line in the northern part of the Negev.<BR>
However, in regard to the northern border, we find a variety<BR>of
opinions:<BR> The 'minimalist' opinions identify the
northern border in<BR>the area of today's Southern Lebanon, i.e. along the
Litani<BR>River - until it meets the Metulla area (what used to be<BR>called the
'good fence'). On the other hand, the<BR>'maximalist' opinions
identify the northern border somewhere<BR>up in Turkey and Northern Syria.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>THE EASTERN FRONTIER<BR> To complicate matters, the 'eastern border'
of the Land of<BR>Israel presents us with another problem. Even though
Parshat<BR>Mas'ei states explicitly that the Jordan river forms the<BR>eastern
border of Eretz Canaan, the 'deal' that Moshe Rabbeinu<BR>makes with 'bnei Gad
u-bnei Reuven' (see 31:1-54) clearly<BR>indicates that that it is possible to
expand this eastern<BR>border to include what is known today as
Transjordan.<BR> As you review that story, note how
Moshe Rabbeinu grants<BR>the area of Transjordan to the tribes of Gad, Reuven,
and<BR>Menashe as their official inheritance - even though it's only<BR>on the
condition that they fulfill their vow to help everyone<BR>else conquer the
western bank! [The fact that this area<BR>indeed becomes their 'official
inheritance' can also be proven<BR>from Yehoshua chapters 13->14, and
22.]<BR>
====</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> So why are the borders of Eretz Yisrael so ambiguous?
Are<BR>they vast or small? Are they fixed or expandable?
Are<BR>certain parts of the 'Holy Land' holier than
others?<BR> To answer this question, and to understand
why this topic<BR>is so complicated, we must return to Sefer Breishit
and<BR>carefully examine the psukim that describe the land that God<BR>promised
to the Avot.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>THE LAND PROMISED TO AVRAHAM AVINU<BR> Recall from
Parshat Lech Lecha, that when God first chose<BR>Avraham Avinu to become His
special nation, at that same time<BR>He also promised him a special land.
[See Breishit 12:1-7.<BR>See also Breishit 13:14-17, 15:18, 17:7-8.]<BR>
[If you'd like to see additional sources regarding the<BR> promise of the
Land to our forefathers, see Breishit<BR> 22:17-18, 26:2-5, 28:3-4,
28:13-14, 35:11-12, 46:1-4,<BR> 48:4 & 21.]<BR>
<BR> In God's first three promises to Avraham, note how
He<BR>describes the land in very general terms, without any
precise<BR>borders. For example:<BR> 1) In Ur Kasdim:<BR>
"Go forth from your native land & from your father's<BR> house to the
land which I will show you" (see 12:1).<BR> 2) At
Shchem:<BR> "I will assign this land to your offspring"
(see 12:7).<BR> 3) At Bet-El:<BR> "Raise your eyes and look out
from where you are... for I<BR> give all the land which you see" (see
13:15).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> However, later on in Parshat Lech Lecha, when
Avraham<BR>Avinu enters into two covenants ['britot'] with God concerning<BR>the
future homeland of his progeny, we finally find a more<BR>detailed definition of
the land. However, as we will now<BR>show, each covenant appears to
describe a different set of<BR>borders!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1) At BRIT BEIN HA-BTARIM: / 'HA-ARETZ'<BR>
Let's begin by quoting the pasuk in 'brit bein ha-btarim'<BR>where God promised
the Land to Avraham, noting how it details<BR>the borders:<BR> "On that
day God made a covenant with Avraham, saying: to<BR> your offspring I
assign this land, from the river of<BR> Egypt [the Nile] to the river, the
river Euphrates, the<BR> Kenites, Knizites ...(the ten
nations)" (Breishit<BR> 15:18-20).<BR>
<BR> The land defined by these borders is immense!
It extends<BR>in the northeast from the Euphrates River that flows
from<BR>northern Syria to the Persian Gulf, and in the southwest from<BR>the
sources of the Nile River in Ethiopia down to the port<BR>city of
Alexandria! [Undoubtedly, this covenant is the source<BR>for the popular
phrase 'from the Nile to the Euphrates'.]</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2) At BRIT MILA: / 'ERETZ CANAAN'<BR> Two
chapters later in Sefer Breishit, we find how God<BR>enters yet another covenant
with Avraham, and once again He<BR>mentions the land as part of that covenant,
yet its<BR>description is quite different:<BR> "And I shall establish My
covenant between Me and you,<BR> and your descendants... and I assign the
land in which<BR> you sojourn to you and your offspring to come, all
the<BR> land of Canaan,..., and I shall be for you a God" (see<BR>
17:7-8).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Note how according to this covenant, the 'promised
land'<BR>is much smaller. Although this is the first time in
Chumash<BR>where we find the expression Eretz Canaan, the borders of<BR>Canaan,
son of Cham, have already been described in Parshat<BR>Noach:<BR> "And the
border of the Canaani was from Sidon (the Litani<BR> valley in Lebanon)
down the coastal plain to Grar and<BR> Gaza, [and likewise from Sidon
(down the Syrian African<BR> Rift)] to Sdom, Amora... [area of the Dead
Sea]"<BR>
(see Breishit 10:19).<BR> [Note that this is the only border which is
detailed in<BR> the genealogies of Breishit chapter 10, most
probably<BR> because it is needed as background information to
later<BR> understand Parshat Lech Lecha!]</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> This biblical definition of Eretz Canaan
correlates (more<BR>or less) with the general locale in which the
forefathers<BR>sojourned - 'eretz megurecha' (see 17:8). In the
various<BR>stories in Sefer Breishit, we find how the Avot lived
[and<BR>traveled] in the area bounded by Beer Sheva and Gerar to the<BR>south
(see 21:22-33, 28:10, 46:1), and the area of Shchem and<BR>Dotan (37:12-17) to
the north. Further north, recall as well<BR>how Avraham chased his enemy
as far north as Dan, in his<BR>battle against the Four Kings (see Breishit
14:14)!<BR> [Undoubtedly, this border reflects the popular
phrase:<BR> 'from Dan to Beer Sheva'. This phrase is used
several<BR> times later in Tanach to define the people living in
the<BR> Land of Israel. For example: "And all of Israel,
from<BR> Dan to Beer Sheva, knew that Shmuel was a
trustworthy..."<BR> (See Shmuel Aleph 3:20, see also Shoftim 20:1
and<BR> Melachim Aleph 5:4-5).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>TWO BORDERS / TWO TYPES OF KEDUSHA<BR> In summary,
the source for the conflicting borders of<BR>Eretz Yisrael appears to lie in
these two different<BR>definitions of the Land, one in brit bein ha-btarim and
the<BR>other in brit mila. Therefore, we assume that these
different<BR>borders reflect the different purpose of each covenant.<BR>
To appreciate their difference, we must return to our study<BR>of Sefr Breishit,
and the purpose of those two covenants.<BR> <BR> In our study of
Sefer Breishit, we discussed its theme of<BR>'bechira' - i.e. how God entered a
relationship with Avraham<BR>Avinu in order that his offspring would become a
'model<BR>nation' in a special land, whose purpose would be to bring
the<BR>'Name of God' to all mankind. Towards that goal, God<BR>fortified
that special relationship with two covenants - 'brit<BR>bein ha-btarim' and
'brit mila', each one reflecting a<BR>different aspect of the future
relationship between God and<BR>His nation.<BR> The very
first time that God spoke to Avraham, He had<BR>already 'promised' the concept
of a nation and a land (see<BR>12:1-8, 13:14-17). However, the details of
how that nation<BR>would form and ultimately inherit the land only unfold
several<BR>chapters later.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>BRIT BEIN HA-BTARIM<BR> After Avraham's military
defeat of the Four Kings (and<BR>hence his first conquest of the Land / see
chapter 14),<BR>chapter 15 describes how God initiates a 'covenant' -
better<BR>known as brit bein ha-btarim - that reinforces His original<BR>promise
from chapter 12. However, even though that covenant<BR>reassures Avraham
that his offspring will indeed conquer<BR>('yerusha') the Land one day; God also
informs Avraham at that<BR>time that it won't happen immediately! Instead,
some four<BR>hundred years will pass, during which his offspring must<BR>endure
slavery in a foreign land; and only afterward will they<BR>gain their
independence and conquer the 'promised land'. [See<BR>Breishit 15:1-19,
especially 13-18.]<BR> As you review the psukim that
describe brit bein ha-<BR>btarim, note how the land is consistently referred to
as 'ha-<BR>aretz' (and not Eretz Canaan!), and its borders will extend<BR>from
the 'Nile to the Euphrates' - the land of [then occupied<BR>by] the ten nations
(see 15:18-20).<BR> Hence we conclude that this covenant
reflects the<BR>historical / national aspect of Am Yisrael's relationship
with<BR>God, for it emphasizes that Avraham's children will become
a<BR>sovereign nation at the conclusion of a long historical<BR>process (better
known as Yetziat Mitzrayim).<BR> Finally, note as well that throughout
this covenant, the<BR>word yerusha is consistently used to describe the
future<BR>conquest of the land, and Hashem's Name is 'shem Havaya'.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>BRIT MILA (Breishit chapter 17)<BR> Several years
later, immediately prior to the birth of<BR>his only son from Sarah, God enters
yet another covenant with<BR>Avraham - better know as brit mila. In
preparation for this<BR>covenant, God first changes Avram's name to Avraham and
then<BR>promises that He will enjoy a special relationship with his<BR>offspring
- 'lihyot lachem le-Elokim' - to be 'a close God for<BR>them'. [See
Breishit 17:3-9.]<BR> This covenant seems to reflect a
more 'personal'<BR>relationship between God and His people, not only at
the<BR>national level, but more so at the personal - family level; a<BR>special
intimacy with the Divine. In this covenant, note how<BR>the Promised Land
is referred to as Eretz Canaan", and the<BR>future inheritance of the land is
referred to as 'achuza' (in<BR>contrast to the use of the word 'yerusha' in brit
bein ha-<BR>btarim).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Hence, we can conclude that there are two aspects
in<BR>regard to the 'kedusha' (sanctity) of Eretz Yisrael:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(A) The NATIONAL aspect<BR> The 'kedushat
ha-aretz' of brit bein ha-btarim relates to<BR>the conquest of the land
(yerushat ha-aretz) and the<BR>establishment of a national entity - a sovereign
state. This<BR>kedusha is only realized once Bnei Yisrael attain
sovereignty,<BR>as was the case in the time of Yehoshua. For example,
the<BR>obligation to give tithe from the land (i.e. 'trumot u-<BR>ma'asrot')
only begins once the land is
conquered.<BR>
[See Rambam, Hilchot Trumot, first chapter!]</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(B) The PERSONAL aspect -<BR> The kedushat
Eretz Canaan of brit mila already existed in<BR>the time of the Avot and remains
eternal. This kedusha<BR>reflects God's special Providence over this land
(see Vayikra<BR>chapter 18), no matter who is living in the land.
This<BR>intrinsic kedusha is forever present no matter who is<BR>sovereign over
the Land, be it Persians, Romans, Crusaders,<BR>Turks, British etc. [Let's
hope that there will not be a need<BR>to add any others to this list in our own
generation.]</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> The following table summarizes our analysis thus
far:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> THE VAST
BORDERS THE LIMITED
BORDERS<BR>
================
===================<BR>PHRASE: Nile to the Euphrates
from Dan to Beer Sheva<BR>COVENANT: Brit bein
Ha-btarim Brit
mila<BR>NAME:
ha-aretz
Eretz Canaan<BR>ASPECT:
National
Personal<BR>ACQUIRED BY: yerusha=sovereignty achuza</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>YERUSHA & ACHUZA<BR> To clarify this
distinction, let's take a closer look at<BR>two key words that describe our
acquisition of Eretz Yisrael<BR>in each covenant:<BR>
(A) In brit bein ha-btarim - yerusha
(Br.15:3,4,7,8);<BR> (B) In brit mila - achuza
(Br.17:8).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> In Chumash, the word 'ye-ru-sha' implies conquest,
which<BR>leads to sovereignty, i.e. military control over an area
of<BR>land. [Not to be confused with its popular usage, 'ye-ru-<BR>sheh',
usually referring to an inheritance that one receives<BR>from a
parent.]<BR> This sovereign power can then apportion
that land, or<BR>sell it, to its inhabitants. Once acquired in this
manner,<BR>the purchaser of this land can then sell or give his portion<BR>to
anyone he may choose. Usually, if the owner dies, the land<BR>is
automatically inherited by his next of kin. In Chumash,<BR>this type of
ownership is known as achuza (and/or nachala).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> For example, when Sarah dies Avraham must acquire
an<BR>'achuzat kever' - a family burial plot (see Breishit 23:4).<BR>He must
first purchase the plot from the Hittites, for at that<BR>time they are the
sovereign power. Accordingly:<BR> (A) Brit bein ha-btarim, the
national aspect, uses the<BR> word yerusha for it foresees Am Yisrael's
conquest of the<BR> Land.<BR> (B) Brit mila uses the word
achuza for it emphasizes<BR> one's personal connection to the land.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>AT THE CROSSROADS OF THE MIDDLE EAST<BR> Based on
our understanding of these two covenants, their<BR>conflicting borders can be
reconciled.<BR> Avraham Avinu was chosen to be a nation
that would become<BR>a blessing for all nations (see Br. 12:3). In that
promise,<BR>the special land set aside for that nation is called ha-aretz.<BR>In
brit bein ha-btarim, ha-aretz is defined as the land<BR>between the Nile and
Euphrates. These two rivers don't<BR>necessarily need to be understood as
borders; rather as<BR>'limits' of expansion! Let's explain
why.<BR> Never in the history of mankind have these
rivers marked<BR>the border between two countries. Instead, these rivers
were<BR>the underlying cause for the formation of thohe two centers
of<BR>ancient civilization - i.e. Mesopotamia ('nehar Prat') and<BR>Egypt
('nehar Mitzrayim'). [See 15:18-21.]<BR>
Therefore, as brit bein ha-btarim reflects the national<BR>aspect of our
relationship with God, its borders - or the<BR>'limits of its expansion' -
reflect our nation's destiny to<BR>become a blessing to all mankind. We
are to become a nation<BR>'declaring God's Name' at the crossroads of the two
great<BR>centers of civilization. The location of this land
between<BR>these two rivers enables that goal, and hence reflects this<BR>aspect
of our nation purpose.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>THE 'KERNEL'<BR> The more precise geographic
borders of this special land<BR>are defined in brit mila as Eretz Canaan - 'the
land in which<BR>our forefathers sojourned'. Because this land is destined
to<BR>become the homeland for God's special nation, it possesses<BR>intrinsic
kedusha. It is this sanctity which makes the land<BR>sensitive to the
moral behavior of any of its inhabitants (see<BR>Vayikra
18:1-2,24-28).<BR> Hence, the most basic borders of
Eretz Yisrael are those<BR>of 'Eretz Canaan', i.e. 'from Dan to Beer Sheva', as
promised<BR>in brit mila. These borders constitute a natural
geographic<BR>area; Eretz Canaan is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea on
the<BR>West, the Negev desert on the South, the Syrio-African Rift<BR>(Jordan
River) to the East, and the Lebanon Mountain Range to<BR>the North [the Litani
River valley].<BR> Once this 'kernel' area is conquered,
in potential its<BR>borders can be (but do not have to be) extended. The
limits<BR>of this expansion - from nehar Mitzrayim to nehar Prat (as set<BR>in
brit bein ha-btarim) could be understood as 'limits' rather<BR>than 'borders';
as each river represents a center of
ancient<BR>civilization.<BR> After conquering Eretz
Canaan, Am Yisrael can, if<BR>necessary, expand its borders by continuous
settlement<BR>outward, up until (but not including) the two ancient
centers<BR>of civilization, Egypt and Mesopotamia.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>EXPANDING KEDUSHA<BR> This interpretation explains
why Transjordan does not<BR>acquire kedushat ha-aretz until Eretz Canaan is
conquered.<BR>Bnei Gad & Reuven must first help conquer the 'kernel' area
of<BR>Eretz Canaan. Afterwards, this kedusha can be 'extended'
to<BR>Transjordan. [Note the use of the phrase 'lifnei Hashem'
in<BR>Bamidbar chapter 32, especially in 32:29-30.]<BR>
When Bnei Gad & Reuven follow the terms of their<BR>agreement with Moshe,
not only do they help Bnei Yisrael<BR>conquer Eretz Canaan, they also facilitate
Transjordan<BR>becoming an integral part of Eretz Yisrael ('ha-aretz').</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>THE RAMBAM's DEFINITION OF ERETZ YISRAEL<BR> In his
Yad HaChazaka, the Rambam must provide a<BR>'halachic" definition of Eretz
Yisrael, for many mitzvot apply<BR>only in that Land. He does so in the
first chapter of Hilchot<BR>Trumot & Ma'asrot [in Sefer
Zraim]<BR> As trumot & ma'asrot are laws that apply
only in Eretz<BR>Yisrael, the Rambam must provide a precise definition of
its<BR>borders. Although one would expect a geographical definition,<BR>to
our surprise we find instead a 'political' one!<BR> "Eretz Yisrael -
whenever which is mentioned anywhere (in Yad<BR> Hachazaka) - includes
those lands that are conquered by a<BR> King of Israel or by a 'navi' with
the backing of the<BR> majority of Am Yisrael ..." (see I:1-2).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Note how Rambam defines the borders of Eretz
Yisrael as<BR>the area under Israeli 'conquest' [= yerusha]. Whatever
area<BR>within the Land is under Am Yisrael's sovereignty is<BR>considered
'halachically' as Eretz Yisrael.<BR> Based on the above
shiur, we can understand the reason<BR>for this strange
definition.<BR> Certainly, Jewish sovereignty doesn't
make any geographic<BR>area 'holy'. As Rambam himself explains in the
third halacha,<BR>it is only if this conquest takes place within an area of
'the<BR>land that was promised to Avraham Avinu - i.e. the borders of<BR>Eretz
Canaan as promised to Avraham at brit mila, and defined<BR>in Parshat
Mas'ei. However, this area reaches it fullest<BR>level of kedusha only
once Am Yisrael conquers it.<BR> Then, once this
'kernel' area is conquered, Am Yisrael<BR>can expand its borders up until Bavel
[= nehar Prat] and<BR>Mitzrayim [= nehar Mitzrayim]. However, as Rambam
explains in<BR>the third halacha, this expansion can take place only
after<BR>the 'kernel' area of Eretz Canaan is first
conquered.<BR> Finally, in the fifth halacha, Rambam
uses this to<BR>explain why the kedusha of the Land [= 'kibbush rishon']
was<BR>annulled when the first bet ha-mikdash was destroyed.
Because<BR>the kedusha of the land (in relation to trumot u-ma'asrot) is<BR>a
function of its conquest (yerusha or 'mi-shum kibbush'),<BR>therefore as soon as
Bnei Yisrael lost their sovereignty, the<BR>kedusha of the land was lost as well
['batla kedushatah'].<BR>Similarly, during the second Temple period, because the
land<BR>was not conquered, rather it remained under the sovereignty of<BR>other
nations (e.g. Persia, Greece and Rome), the kedusha<BR>never returned.
Instead, Ezra instituted a rabbinic kedusha<BR>to obligate the produce of the
land with trumot u-ma'asrot,<BR>because the original kedusha did not
return.<BR> I recommend that you review this Rambam
inside (see also<BR>the final halacha of perek aleph), and note how these
laws<BR>relate directly to the primary points of our shiur.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>'LAND FOR PROGRESS'<BR> We have shown that our
relationship to the Land of<BR>Israel, just as our relationship with God, exists
at both the<BR>national and individual level. God chose this special land
in<BR>order that we fulfill our destiny.<BR> While
kedushat Eretz Yisrael at the individual level may<BR>be considered a Divine
gift, its kedusha at the national level<BR>is most definitely a Divine
challenge. To achieve its fullest<BR>borders and to be worthy of them, we
must rise to that<BR>challenge.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
shabbat
shalom,<BR>
menachem</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>======================<BR>FOR FURTHER IYUN</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>A. MITZVAT KIBBUSH ERETZ CANAAN<BR> Our
interpretation enhances our understanding of the<BR>Torah's presentation of the
mitzva to conquer Eretz Yisrael in<BR>Parshat Mas'ei (Bamidbar 33:50-56).
First, Bnei Yisrael are<BR>commanded to conquer the land =
yerusha:<BR> (A) "ve-horashtem et kol yoshvei
ha-aretz mipneichem...<BR> ve-horashtem et ha-aretz
vi-yshavtem bah, ki lachem<BR>natati et ha-aretz lareshet otah."<BR>Only once
the land is conquered, can it then be apportioned to<BR>each family, according
to the tribal households:<BR> (B) "ve-hitnachaltem
et ha-aretz be-goral le-<BR>mishpechoteichem... le-matot avoteichem
titnachalu..."</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> The conquest is referred to as 'ye-ru-sha'', while
the<BR>distribution of the land afterward is referred to
as<BR>'nachala':<BR> Yerusha is achieved by the joint
effort of military<BR>effort by all twelve tribes [Yehoshua chapters
1-12].<BR>Afterwards, nachala is achieved when each tribe settles
and<BR>establishes communities in its portion [Yehoshua chapters
13-<BR>19].<BR> Note that the word nachala could be
considered synonymous<BR>with achuza; achuza is usually used when purchasing a
piece of<BR>land, as when Avraham buys a burial plot and field from
Efron<BR>(see Br. 23:9,16-20), while nachala is usually used in<BR>reference to
a family inheritance.]</DIV></BODY></HTML>