Settling the Land of Israel as in the days of King Solomon |
In Parshat Vayikra (Vayikra 4:13-15)
we read: If the entire congregation of Israel
erred and the matter was concealed from the eyes of the community and they did
transgress one of the commandments of God that should not be done, they icur
guilt. When they realize the sin which they committed, the community shall
bring a young bullock as a sin offering and they shall bring it to the front of
Ohel Moed, the Tent of Meeting. The elders of the congregation shall lay their
hands on the bull’s head before God and he shall slaughter the bullock before
God. Rav Assi teaches in the Talmud,
Horayot 3a: In regard to the sacrifice brought
for an erroneous ruling (the communal bull) follow the majority of the
inhabitants of the Land of Israel and do not take account the Jews living in
the Diaspora. For it stated in Melachim I 8:65 “And Shlomo (King Solomon)
instituted at that time the celebration and all of Israel was with him, a huge
congregation from the approach to Chamat until the River of Egypt, before God…” Rav Assi explains that we learn from
here that only those Jews who live within the borders of the Land of Israel are
referred to as the “congregation” but those Jews who live elsewhere are not
referred to as “congregation.” The Rambam states that the people of
Israel are called “congregation” and God called them the entire congregation
even if there were only ten men living there. We see from here the power of those
who settle the Land of Israel. The fact that even small groups of Jews lived in
the Land of Israel throughout the ages still made them count as the entire
congregation. Now that we are living at a time
where the State of Israel is open to immigration we are able to build large and
impressive congregations throughout the Land of Israel from the north to the
south the same way that the land was settled in the days of King Solomon. |