Midrash su Deuteronomio 32:43

Rabbi (Judah the Prince) and R. Eliezer, while strolling outside the gates of Tiberias, saw a coffin being borne for burial in the land of Israel. Rabbi said to R. Eliezer: How does this one, who died outside the land, benefit from being brought into the land of Israel for burial? I apply to him the verse: Ye made My heritage an abomination (Jer. 2:7). During your lifetime you did not go up to the land, But when ye entered ye defiled My land (ibid.). R. Eliezer replied: Since he is now to be buried in the land of Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, will forgive him, as it is said: The land maketh atonement for His people (Deut. 32:43).

Once upon a time, when R. Qatsra and R. Eleazar were walking by the gates²⁰Gk.: pulai. outside of Tiberias, they saw a coffin of a dead person which had come from abroad to be buried in the land of Israel.²¹Gen. R. 96:5(8); yKil 9:4 (32d); yKet. 12:3 (35b); PR 1:6. R. Qatsra said to R. Eleazar: What is the use when his soul departed outside of the land? I cite over him (Jer. 2:7): YOU MADE MY HERITAGE AN ABOMINATION, in your life; THEN YOU CAME AND DEFILED MY LAND, in your death.²²R. Qatsra has reversed the two clauses. He said to him: Since he is buried in the land of Israel, the Holy One forgives (rt.: KPR) him, as stated (in Deut. 32:43): AND HIS LAND ATONES FOR (KPR) HIS PEOPLE.²³Most translations understand the clause to mean that God atones for the land of his people.

R. Elazar said: "Whoever lives in the land of Israel lives without sin, as it is said (Is. 33, 24) And no inhabitant shall say, 'I am sick; the people that dwell therein, their iniquities shall be forgiven." Said Raba unto R. Assi: "We have explained the above passage in connection with those who suffer sickness." R. Annan said: "Whoever is buried in the land of Israel is considered as if he were buried under the altar; it is written here (Ex. 21, 24) An altar of earth (Adama) shall thou make unto Me; and it is written there (Deut. 32, 43) And forgive his land (Admatho) and his people." Ulla was accustomed to visit the land of Israel, and nevertheless died outside of the land of Israel. When R. Elazar was informed about it he exclaimed: "O thou Ulla! (Amos 7, 17) And thou shall die in an unclean land!" "But his coffin is being brought here," remarked the people to him, whereupon R. Elazar said: "The benefit of having remained in the land of Israel before dying is not like one who was brought after his death." There was a certain man who had a Yabama in Chuzaa, outside of the land of Israel. When he came to R. Chanina and asked him: "What is the law, is one permitted to leave the land of Israel in order to marry a Yebama?" The latter replied: "His brother married a Samaritan and therefore died. Praised be Heaven that He killed him and yet he wishes to go after him." R. Juda said in the name of Samuel; "Just as it is forbidden to leave the land of Israel for Babylon, so is it forbidden to leave Babylonia for any other country." Raba and R. Joseph both said: "It is even forbidden to leave from Pumpaditha to Be-kubi." There was a certain man who left Pumpaditha to live at Be-kubi, and R. Joseph put him under a ban. There was another man who left Pumpaditha for Istonia, where he died. Abaye then remarked: "Had the scholar desired he might have lived." Raba and R. Joseph both say: "The righteous of Babylonia will be admitted in the land of Israel; the righteous of other countries will be admitted only in Babylonia." Concerning what does he say this? Shall I assume it refers to genealogy? Has not the master said that all other countries are like an Issah in comparison with the land of Israel, and the land of Israel is in return an Issah in comparison with Babylon? [Hence we see that Babylon is more purified than the land of Israel.] We must therefore say that it refers to being buried there.