)
All the divine revelations experienced by our forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob included the promise that their descendants would multiply, inherit the Land of Israel, and put divine values into practice there, thus bringing blessing to all the nations. When Abraham was in Bethel, he was told, “I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, then your offspring too can be counted. Get up, walk about the Land through its length and its breadth, for I will give it to you” (Genesis 13:16-17). As a result, “All the families of the earth shall be blessed through you” (ibid. 12:3). A similar promise was made to Isaac: “Reside in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I will assign all these lands to you and to your offspring . . . I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven, and give your descendants all these lands, so that all the nations of the earth shall be blessed through your offspring” (ibid. 26:3-4). Jacob received his promise in the famous dream of the ladder: “The ground on which you are lying – I will assign to you and your offspring. Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth shall be blessed through you and your descendants” (ibid. 28:13-14).
The Land of Israel plays a central role in the Jewish vision and in the expression of monotheism. A binary worldview imagines a chasm between heaven and earth, in which heaven is so holy that it is alienated from everyday earthly matters. However, God created the Holy Land of Israel which is conducive to the revelation of faith, Torah, and mitzvot, and was given to the Jewish nation. When Jews dwell in their Land and observe the Torah and its mitzvot, heaven is not estranged from earth, and earth is not sealed off from heaven. Rather, they undergo a unique synergy which fosters the expression of divine values in all areas of life. This results in holiness and blessing bestowed upon the whole world.
The Jewish nation's reward and punishment are also connected to the Land of Israel, as stated many times in the Torah and Prophets. When the Jews follow in God’s ways, divine blessing is revealed in the Land, which flows with milk and honey. When the Jews sin, they are exiled from the Land, which becomes desolate. This continues until either the Jewish people repent, or they are cleansed of their sins through suffering, at which point the exile will end. God will gather the Jews from all over the world and return them to their Land, which will once again be fertile and fruitful.
