The Uniqueness of the Land of Israel

Tazria-Metzora describes three types of tza’raat afflictions: on one’s body, on one’s clothing and on one’s house. The tzara’at on one’s home is unique in that it only applies to homes in Eretz Yisrael (Vayikra 14:34): “When you come to the land of Canaan, which I give to you as a possession, and I put the plague of tzara'at upon a house in the land of your possession.” The Sifra offers a pragmatic explanation and suggests that house tzara’at only afflicts wood and stones. It does not afflict the materials used for tents by the Jews while they were traveling through the wilderness. The Sifra’s point does not explain why tzara’at does not afflict houses made of wood or stone outside of Israel.

Kli Yakar notes that in the above referenced pasuk it first refers to Eretz Yisrael as the land that “I (Hashem) gave to you” and then states that the tzara’at will afflict houses in the “land of your possession”. Kli Yakar suggests that house tzara’at occurs due to the character trait of stinginess. One major cause of stinginess is when a person starts to think that they are the source of their possessions, and they forget that Hashem is the Ultimate Source of all blessings.

The Ibn Ezra writes that tzara’at only afflicts houses in Eretz Yisrael due to the unique holiness that exists in that land. A location with elevated sanctity is unable to tolerate spiritual or moral corruption. Israel’s unique kedusha brings with it a unique inability to tolerate corruption.

As we prepare to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut on Tuesday night and Wednesday, the lessons of house tzaraat and the uniqueness of the Land of Israel are especially important to review and internalize. As per Kli Yakar we must always remember that the creation of the modern State of Israel 75 years ago was due to the dedication, sacrifice and hard work of many individuals. Many of those people are remembered and many more have been forgotten. As we celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut we remember that Hashem is the Ultimate Owner of the Land. As the opening Rashi on Chumash teaches us, God created the world, He gave the Land of Israel to the Canaanites and other nations for a while, and then he gave it to Bnei Yisrael to conquer in the times of Joshua. Similarly, it was God’s decision to exile the Jewish People from Israel after the destruction of the Second Temple, He enabled Christians and then Muslims to control it, and 75 years ago God decided to allow the creation of what many have called the Third Jewish Commonwealth. On Yom Ha’atzmaut we celebrate. As per the Ibn Ezra we appreciate the unique sanctity that only exists in Eretz Yisrael. While we strive to live lives of kedusha everywhere, especially in Hollywood, we understand that there is a special kedusha to Eretz Yisrael and it is only there that a Jew can live a fully integrated and maximally Jewish life. It is this combination of gratitude to Hashem and appreciation of the gift that is Israel that we celebrate on Yom Ha’atzmaut.