Pisqa’ 80¹

1

“When HASHEM your God cuts down the nations” (Dt.12:29)—

accept upon yourselves

the commandment stated in this context,

in reward for which²

“HASHEM your God cuts down the nations

upon whom you are about to come, to disinherit from before you” (Dt.12:29)—

as a reward for coming you will dispossess them.

“And you shall disinherit them and settle in their land” (Dt.12:29)—

inferring from what is stated elsewhere:

“And you shall disinherit them and settle in their cities and houses” (Dt.19:1),

is it possible to say that

you may not add to the [existing] structures?

The Teaching states:

“And you shall disinherit them and settle in their land” (Dt.12:29)—

any place you wish to build, build!

2

“And you shall disinherit them and settle in their land” (Dt.12:29).

The story is told:

R. Judah b. Betyra and R. Matya b. Heresh,

R. Hananiah b. Ahi, R. Joshua, and R. Jonathan,

were leaving [to journey beyond] the Land.

When they reached Poltos,³

they recalled the Land of Israel.

They lifted up their eyes

and their tears flowed.

They tore their garments,

and recited this verse:

“And you shall dispossess them and settle there, and take care to preserve all these laws” ( Dt.11:31-32).

They said: settling the Land of Israel

outweighs all the commandments of the Torah!

The story is told:

R. Elazar b. Shammua and R. Yohanan the Sandler ,

were going to Nisibis,⁴

to the home of R. Judah b. Betyra,

to learn Torah from him.

When they reached Sidon,⁵

they recalled the Land of Israel.

They lifted up their eyes

and their tears flowed.

They tore their garments,

and recited this verse:

“And you shall dispossess them and settle there and take care to preserve all these laws” ( Dt.11:31-32).

They said: settling the Land of Israel

outweighs all the commandments of the Torah!

So they turned around

and returned to the Land of Israel.⁶

1. H:134-135; JN1:227.
2. This common-place appears also at Pisqa’ 55.1. 263.2
3. Following F:146, n.4, Hammer renders the name to Paltana. I am unable to locate the reference. Presumably it is at or just beyond the border to the Land of Israel.
4. A city on the Parthian-Roman frontier.
5. A city on the coast of Lebanon.
6. F:146, n.3 doubts that the two stories before us are original to Sifre.