Komentarz do Kapłańska 18:25

AND THE LAND WAS DEFILED, THEREFORE DID I VISIT THE INIQUITY THEREOF UPON IT, AND THE LAND VOMITED OUT HER INHABITANTS. Scripture was very strict in forbidding these sexual relationships on account of the Land which becomes defiled by them, and which in turn will vomit out the people that do [these abominations]. Now forbidden sexual relationships are matters affecting personal conduct, and do not depend on the Land, [so why should the Land be affected by these personal immoral acts]? But the secret of the matter is in the verse which states, When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the children of men, He set the borders of the people, etc. For the portion of the Eternal is His people etc.³⁸⁰Deuteronomy 32:8-9. The meaning thereof is as follows: The Glorious Name³⁸¹Ibid., 28:58. created everything and He placed the power of the lower creatures in the higher beings, giving over each and every nation in their lands, after their nations³⁸²Genesis 10:31. some known star or constellation, as is known by means of astrological speculation. It is with reference to this that it is said, which the Eternal thy G-d hath allotted unto all the people,³⁸³Deuteronomy 4:19. for He allotted to all nations constellations in the heavens, and higher above them are the angels of the Supreme One whom He placed as lords over them, as it is written, But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me,³⁸⁴Daniel 10:13. and it is written, lo, the prince of Greece shall come.³⁸⁵Ibid., Verse 20. They are called “kings,” as it is written [there], and I was left over there beside the kings of Persia.³⁸⁴Daniel 10:13. Now the Glorious Name³⁸¹Ibid., 28:58. is G-d of gods, and Lord of lords³⁸⁶Deuteronomy 10:17. over the whole world. But the Land of Israel, which is in the middle of the inhabited earth,³⁸⁷Aware of the fact that the earth is spherical [and not flat, as believed by most people in the Medieval Ages], Jewish sources being mindful of this fact speak of the Land of Israel as being in the middle of the “inhabited” earth, and not just “of the earth,” as there is no middle point in a spherical body. is the inheritance of the Eternal designated to His Name. He has placed none of the angels as chief, observer, or ruler³⁸⁸Proverbs 6:7. over it, since He gave it as a heritage to His people who declare the Unity of His Name, the seed of His beloved ones [i.e., the patriarchs]. It is with reference to this that He said, and ye shall be Mine own treasure from among all peoples; for all the earth is Mine,³⁸⁹Exodus 19:5. and it is further written, so shall ye be My people, and I will be your G-d,³⁹⁰Jeremiah 11:4. and you will not be subject to other powers at all. Now He [also] sanctified the people who dwell in His Land with the sanctity of observing the laws against forbidden sexual relationships, and with the abundant commandments, so that they [His people] would be dedicated to His Name. It is for this reason that He said, And ye shall keep all My statutes, and all Mine ordinances, and do them, that the Land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, vomit you not out,³⁹¹Further, 20:22. and it is further written, But I have said unto you: ‘Ye shall inherit their Land, and I will give it unto you to possess it’ … I am the Eternal your G-d, Who have set you apart from the peoples,³⁹²Ibid., Verse 24. meaning to say, that He has set us apart from all the nations over whom He appointed princes and other celestial powers, by giving us the Land [of Israel] so that He, blessed be He, will be our G-d, and we will be dedicated to His Name. Thus the Land which is the inheritance of the Glorious Name, will vomit out all those who defile it and will not tolerate worshippers of idols, nor those who practise immorality. Now this section mentioned the Molech,³⁹³Above, Verse 21. which is a form of idolatry, together with the forbidden sexual relationships, and with reference to all of them He said, Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things; for in all of these the nations are defiled,³⁹⁴Verse 24. and the Land vomited out her inhabitants³⁹⁵In Verse 25 before us. [thus showing that the Land is unable to contain idol worshippers or those who practise immorality]. And so also did He say in the second section [i.e., in Seder Kedoshim], and I have set you apart from the peoples, that ye should be Mine,³⁹⁶Further, 20:26. which is [the basis for] the strict prohibition against idolatry. Therefore He stated that it is because they are dedicated to His Name that He gave them the Land, as it is said, And I have said unto you: ‘Ye shall inherit their Land, and I will give it unto you to possess it’ … I am the Eternal your G-d, Who have set you apart from the peoples.³⁹²Ibid., Verse 24.
Now outside the Land of Israel, although it all belongs to the Glorious Name,³⁸¹Ibid., 28:58. yet its purity is not perfect, because of “the servants” who hold sway there, and the nations go astray after their princes to worship them as well. It is for this reason that Scripture states, the G-d of the whole earth shall He be called,³⁹⁷Isaiah 54:5. since He is the G-d of gods Who rules over all, and He will in the end punish the host of the high heaven on high,³⁹⁸Ibid., 24:21. removing the celestial powers and demolishing the array of “the servants,” and afterwards He will punish the kings of the earth upon the earth.³⁹⁸Ibid., 24:21. This is the meaning of the verse stating, The matter is by the decree of ‘irin’ (the wakeful ones), and ‘sh’elta’ (the sentence) by the word of the holy ones,³⁹⁹Daniel 4:14. meaning, the matter that was decreed on Nebuchadnezzar [that he be driven from men and eat grass as oxen etc.] is the pronouncement of the guarding angels and the sentence of the word of the holy ones, who have ordained on the powers emanating from them that it be so. They [the angels] are called irin [literally: “the wakeful ones”], because from their emanations proceed all the powers that stir all activities, similar to that which it says, and behold ‘ir’ (a wakeful one) and a holy one came down from heaven. He cried aloud, and said thus: ‘Hew down the tree etc.⁴⁰⁰Ibid., Verse 10-11. — [In the verse] And ‘sh’elta’ (the sentence) is by word of the holy ones,³⁹⁹Daniel 4:14. [the word sh’elta] is like sha’alu, meaning first “they ask” what is the will of the Supreme One about it, and afterwards they decree that it be so done. It is with reference to this that Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar, it is the decree of the Most High,⁴⁰¹Ibid., Verse 21. for everything is from Him, blessed be He.
Thus the Glorious Name,³⁸¹Ibid., 28:58. blessed be He, is G-d of gods,³⁸⁶Deuteronomy 10:17. in the whole world, and G-d of the Land of Israel which is the inheritance of the Eternal.⁴⁰²I Samuel 26:19. This is the meaning of the expression, and he will go astray after the foreign gods of the Land,⁴⁰³Deuteronomy 31:16. for the gods are foreign to the Land of G-d and His inheritance. This is what Scripture means when it states [of the Cutheans who were settled by the king of Assyria in the cities of the kingdom of Israel], they knew not the manner of the G-d of the Land; therefore He hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the G-d of the Land.⁴⁰⁴II Kings 17:26. The verse is thus stating that they did not live in the Land in a way befitting its special characteristic as G-d’s inheritance — hence the phrase “the G-d of the Land.” Now the Cutheans were not punished in their own land when they worshipped their gods, by G-d sending lions among them, but only when they came into the Land of G-d and conducted themselves as before, did He send lions among them who slew them. And so the Rabbis taught in the Sifra:⁴⁰⁵Sifra Kedoshim 11:14. “And the Land vomit not you out also etc.⁴⁰⁶Verse 28. The Land of Israel is unlike other lands; it is unable to contain sinners.” And in the Sifre we find that the Rabbis taught:⁴⁰⁷Sifre Ha’azinu, 315. “And there was no strange god with Him⁴⁰⁸Deuteronomy 32:12. [when He took Israel out of Egypt, and protected them during their wandering through the wilderness], so that none of the princes of the nations should have power to come and exercise authority over you, something like that which it is said, and when I go forth, lo, the prince of Greece shall come, etc.”³⁸⁵Ibid., Verse 20. This is the meaning of the saying of the Rabbis:⁴⁰⁹Kethuboth 110 b. “Whoever lives outside the Land, is as if he had no G-d, for it is said, I am the Eternal your G-d, Who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your G-d,⁴¹⁰Further, 25:38. and it is further said, for they have driven me [David] out this day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of the Eternal, saying: Go, serve other gods.”⁴¹¹I Samuel 26:19. “And who told David, ‘Go, serve other gods?’ This can only mean to teach you that he who lives outside the Land is like etc.’” (Kethuboth). Having been forced to leave the Land, David was thus justified in saying that those responsible for it had, as it were, said to him, “Go, etc.” And in the Tosephta of Tractate Abodah Zarah the Rabbis have said:⁴¹²Tosephta, Abodah Zarah 5:5. On the name Tosephta, see in Seder Tazria Note 124. “Now it is said, And I [Jacob] will come back to my father’s house in peace, then shall the Eternal be my G-d,⁴¹³Genesis 28:21. and it is further said, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your G-d.⁴¹⁰Further, 25:38. When you are in the land of Canaan I am your G-d. When you are not in the land of Canaan, I am not your G-d if it were at all possible to say so [for He is our G-d under all circumstances and in all places]. Similarly it is said, about forty thousand ready armed for war passed on in the presence of the Eternal unto battle,⁴¹⁴Joshua 4:13. and it is further said, and the Land is subdued before the Eternal, and before His people.⁴¹⁵I Chronicles 22:18. But how could it enter one’s mind that Israel subdued the Land before the Eternal [as if to say that they captured it for His sake]? But [this teaches that] as long as they are upon the Land, it is as if it were subdued [before Him, since He is their G-d, as explained above], but when they are not upon it, it is not subdued.”
It is on the basis of this matter that the Rabbis have said in the Sifre:⁴¹⁶Sifre Eikev, 43. “And ye perish quickly from off the good Land.⁴¹⁷Deuteronomy 11:17. The following verse continues: And ye shall lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul etc. This clearly indicates even as the Sifre teaches, that after banishment from the Land they are to continue the observance of the commandments. Although I banish you from the Land to outside the Land, make yourselves distinctive by the commandments, so that when you return they shall not be novelties to you. This can be compared to a master who was angry with his wife, and sent her back to her father’s house and told her, ‘Adorn yourself with precious things, so that when you come back they will not be novelties to you.’ And so did the prophet Jeremiah say [to the people in exile in Babylon], Set thee up waymarks.⁴¹⁸Jeremiah 31:20. These are the commandments, by which Israel is made distinctive.” Now the verses which state, and ye perish quickly … and ye shall lay up these My words etc.⁴¹⁹Deuteronomy 11:17-18. only make obligatory in the exile [the observance of those commandments] affecting personal conduct, such as the [wearing of] phylacteries and [placing of] Mezuzoth⁴²⁰A parchment on which is written Deuteronomy 6:4-9, and 11:13-21, and which is fastened to the right door-post. See further in Vol. II, p. 173. [these being specifically mentioned there in the following words of Scripture], and concerning them the Rabbis [in the above text of the Sifre] explained [that we must observe them] so that they shall not be novelties to us when we return to the Land, for the main [fulfillment] of the commandments is [to be kept] when dwelling in the Land of G-d. Therefore the Rabbis have said in the Sifre:⁴²¹Sifre R’eih, 80. “And ye shall possess it, and dwell therein. And ye shall observe to do all the statutes etc.⁴²²Deuteronomy 11:31-32. Dwelling in the Land of Israel is of equal importance to all the commandments of the Torah.” A similar statement is also found in the Tosephta of Tractate Abodah Zarah.⁴²³Tosephta, Abodah Zarah 5:3. This in fact was the thought of the wicked ones who [misusing the intention of the above statement], said to the prophet Ezekiel [whose prophetic activity was in the Babylonian exile]:⁴²⁴Sanhedrin 105 a. “Our master Ezekiel, if a servant is sold by his master, does the master still have any claim to him?”⁴²⁵In other words, “since G-d sold them to Nebuchadnezzar and banished them from before Him, does He still have any claim upon them?” (Rashi ibid.). The answer was that they were never “sold” since the exile was merely a form of temporary punishment for their sins, and therefore, and that which cometh into your mind etc. (see text). For it is said, and that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all; in that ye say: We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.⁴²⁶Ezekiel 20:32. And this was the command of our patriarch Jacob to his household, and to all that were with him, at the time that they came into the Land, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and purify yourselves.⁴²⁷Genesis 35:2. And G-d, by Whom alone actions are weighed,⁴²⁸See I Samuel 2:3. [brought it about] that Rachel died on the way when they started coming into the Land,⁴²⁹Genesis 35:16-19. See in Vol. I, pp. 330-332, where Ramban refers briefly to this problem, namely why Jacob married two sisters in their lifetime, and then concludes that “he married them only outside the Land.” Here Ramban completes the thought, by explaining that G-d, by Whom events are decided, therefore brought about the death of one of the sisters as soon as they came into the Land. The reason why Rachel had to die and not Leah, is explained in the text. for on account of her own merit she did not die outside the Land, and for Jacob’s merit, he could not dwell in the Land with two sisters [in their lifetime, since this is forbidden in the Torah, and the laws of the Torah were observed by our ancestors in the Land of Israel even before the Torah was given on Sinai], and she [Rachel] was the one by whose marriage the prohibition against two sisters took effect [since Jacob was already married to Leah]. It would appear that Rachel became pregnant with Benjamin before they came to Shechem, and while in the Land Jacob did not touch her at all, for the reason that we have mentioned. And the prophet states, And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have profaned My Land; they have filled Mine inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable things and their abominations.⁴³⁰Jeremiah 16:18. This matter [i.e., that the Land of Israel is the inheritance of the Eternal and thus cannot tolerate sinners] is found in many places in the Scriptures, and you will see it clearly after I have opened your eyes to it.
Now Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra commented in the section of Vayeilech:⁴³¹Deuteronomy 31:16. “We know that G-d is One, and changes arise because of those who receive [His beneficent deeds], but G-d does not change His deeds, as they are all done in wisdom. And included in the worship of G-d is to guard the ability to receive [His beneficence] according to the place [so that if a particular place is holier than others, one must observe there more strictly the laws of holiness]. Therefore it is written [of the Cutheans, that they did not know] the manner of the G-d of the Land,⁴³²II Kings 17:26. The Cutheans were thus punished for not being heedful of the holiness of the Land of Israel which is unable to retain worshippers of idols. and of Jacob it is said [when he came into the Land he told his household], put away the strange gods,⁴²⁷Genesis 35:2. and the extreme opposite of [the sanctity of] the place [i.e., the Land of Israel] is indulging in forbidden sexual relationships, as they are [sins of the] flesh. The student versed [in the mysteries of the Torah] will understand.” Thus are the words [of Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra] of blessed memory.
Now do not refute me [in what I have written above, that Israel is under the direct guidance of G-d alone, and no celestial power determines their fate], by citing the verse, Michael your prince,⁴³³Daniel 10:21. for he is only a ministering angel who implores mercy for Israel, but is in no way a prince exercising any royalty or power. So was also the captain of the host⁴³⁴Joshua 5:14. who appeared to Joshua at Jericho, showing him that G-d had sent him to fight their battles, similar to [that which happened in the days of] Hezekiah.⁴³⁵II Kings 19:35: And it came to pass at that night, that the angel of the Eternal went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians etc. Besides, this matter [of Michael imploring mercy for Israel] was when we were already outside the Land of Israel.
Now I do not have permission to explain on the subject of ha’aretz (“the earth” or “the Land”) more than this.⁴³⁶Ramban is alluding to the word ha’aretz, which is mentioned here repeatedly: vatitma ha’aretz … vataki ha’aretz (literally: “and the earth was defiled … and the earth vomited out”). This hints at the first ha’aretz, mentioned in the first verse of Creation, which Ramban has already explained in many places as referring to “the higher earth,” to which the souls finally return after their sojourn on the lower earth. But if you will merit to understand the first “earth” mentioned in the verse of Bereshith (In the beginning G-d created the heaven and the earth), and also the one mentioned in the section of Im Bechukothai,⁴³⁷Further, 26:42. v’ha’aretz ezkor (literally: “and the earth I will remember”). you will know a profound and sublime secret, and you will further understand what our Rabbis have said:⁴³⁸Tanchuma, Vayakheil 7. “The Sanctuary on high is exactly opposite the Sanctuary below.” I have already alluded to this on the verse, for all the earth is Mine.⁴³⁹Exodus 19:5. Now Scripture mentions that the people of the land of Canaan were punished on account of their immoral [sexual] deeds. And our Rabbis have said that they were warned about these matters from the time of creation, when these laws were declared to Adam⁴⁴⁰Sanhedrin 56 b. Rambam in the Mishneh Torah, Hilchoth Melachim 9:1, puts it as follows: “The first man was commanded concerning six matters: idolatry, blasphemy, bloodshed, incest, robbery, etc.” and to Noah,⁴⁴¹Incest is counted among the Seven Laws of the Noachides (see Vol. I, p. 417, Note 148). for He does not punish unless He admonishes first. Scripture, however, did not state the admonition, but instead said that the Land would vomit them out, for the Land abhors all these abominations.⁴⁴²Verse 27. Now the Canaanites were not the only ones who were admonished about these matters [for since these laws were declared to Adam and Noah, they applied to all mankind], and the Scriptural section mentions specifically, After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do,⁴⁴³Above, Verse 3. which proves that the Egyptians also did all these abominations, and yet the land of Egypt did not vomit them out, nor did the lands of other nations vomit them out! Rather, this whole subject shows the distinction of the Land [of Israel] and its holiness [so that it alone is unable to retain sinners]. Scripture states, and the Land vomited out [using a past tense, although the Canaanites were still living there], for from the time that He was to punish [them] for the sins committed upon her [i.e. the Land], having decreed destruction upon the Canaanites, it is as if the Land had already vomited them out. Or it may be that the expression, and the Land vomited out is a reference to above, similar to what is said, their defense is removed from over them.⁴⁴⁴Numbers 14:9. See Ramban there.

ותטמא הארץ, the next step was that the earth became contaminated by actual incestuous sexual relations between such partners.

ותטמא הארץ, and the land became defiled, etc. The Torah here intends to tell us something similar to what we have read in the Zohar volume 3 page 53 that the actions of Israel determine the amount of spirituality in our world both positively and negatively. Our sages in Avot 4,11 say that a spiritually positive force is created with the performance of every commandment, whereas a spiritually negative force is created due to a sin being committed. The Torah alludes to this concept when it wrote ואפקוד עונה עליה, "I punished it for its iniquity, etc." This is in line with Jeremiah 2,19 that "your wickedness caused you to be disciplined." Performance of sinful deeds keeps strengthening the accuser against us at the celestial court. Man will be paid in accordance with his deeds. Tomer Devorah chapter 1 describes this payment as the creation of a destructive "angel" who will in due course repay the sinner who had created him. This "angel" loses potency in direct proportion to the afflictions experienced by its victim, so that once the victim has experienced sufficient pain the "angel" expires by itself. G'd deals with everyone absolutely fairly, treating each person individually. The meaning of ואפקד עונה is that the sin itself and its effect is visited upon the sinner. I have already explained why the Torah uses the singular. According to our approach it is possible that the various destructive "angels" man creates due to his sins are activated one at a time and not simultaneously and that this is why the Torah describes the sin in the singular.

ותטמא הארץ ואפקוד עונה, “the land became contaminated and I recalled its inequity upon it.” Nachmanides writes that the extremely harsh attitude of the Torah to people violating the laws of incest and sexual perversions is due to the fact that the very earth of the land of Israel is revolted by such behaviour and will seek ways and means to eject people from it that so abuse their virility. The commandments involving incest and sexual perversions are commandments involving one’s body, and apply universally, wherever we are, so that we may wonder why the Torah linked non-observance to the Canaanites being ejected by that land, and the Torah threatening a similar rejection by the land to the Jewish people if they did not observe higher moral standards? We must understand this in terms of the concept that what goes on in our world has parallels in the celestial regions. When the Creator created the universe, He imbued certain celestial forces with the ability to strongly affect the affairs in the terrestrial universe. Thus He appointed a “שר,” minister, for each of the nations of the earth who represented their interests in the celestial spheres. In our parlance this is part of the discipline known as astrology. Celestial bodies, their constellations, the times at which each appears in the sky and where in the sky, all play a role in the fates of these nations. All this occurs under the guidance of the Supreme Authority, Hashem, seeing that these bodies are not free to vary their orbits. In Daniel 10,13 we read as follows: ושר מלכות פרס עמד לנגדי עשרים ואחד יום, והנה מיכאל אחד השרים הראשונים בא לעזרני, “but the heavenly prince of the Persian kingdom stood opposed to me for twenty one days; when behold! Michael one of the foremost heavenly princes came to my aid.” Daniel describes a confrontation between the heavenly forces appointed on behalf of the Persian Kingdom and the people of Israel, and describes that if not for the intervention of Michael, an angel appointed to look after the special interests of Israel, the opposing forces might have prevailed. The representatives of these various nations are described as מלכים kings, G’d by comparison being known as מלך מלכי המלכים, the King who is the supreme King,” just as we have the term אלוקי האלוקים, “the Supreme Divinity,” indicating that there are forces that are also perceived as divine but on a much lower level. When Avraham in his prayer for the good people of Sodom, if any, speaks of השופט כל הארץ לא יעשה משפט?, “is the One Who is in charge of Justice in the whole universe not going to perform justice?” He implies that there are forces, divinely appointed, to dispense justice in their narrow domain. The important thing to remember is that above all these “kings”: or “ministers” appointed by G’d as His agents to look after the affairs of the nations of the earth, exclude Israel. There is a Supreme Being from whom all the others receive the parameters of their authority. The Land of Israel, in this respect, has always had rules of its own, as we know best from when the King of Assyria transplanted nations to that land to fill the void created through the exile of the Ten Tribes, and these nations fell victim to lions, etc., until they learned by experience that in order to survive on that land they had to adopt different mores. (Compare Baba Kamma 38 based on Kings II 17, 24-34) In short, seeing that the land of Canaan, even before the land was occupied by the Canaanites, was נחלת ה', a special land set aside for the Jewish people, this land tolerated deviant behaviour much less than other lands not predestined for G’d’s personal supervision. [I have condensed and rephrased some of this in the interest of brevity. Ed.] If we needed further proof of the above, consider the fact that our matriarch Rachel died a premature death immediately after crossing the boundary of this land. Yaakov’s having married two sisters while both were alive, something forbidden by the Torah (after it was revealed to the Jewish people) did not apparently bother G’d while Yaakov had not yet crossed the boundary into the Land of Israel. The moment he did, G’d applied stricter yardsticks to the mode of conduct expected of him and her. Apparently she had become pregnant with Binyamin before they had reached Shechem, otherwise who knows if Binyamin would have not have died with her. Consider also, that once in that land, Yaakov ordered his servants to dispose totally of any objects that had ever been used as objects of idolatry. (Genesis 35,2) The fact that the Torah while speaking of the punishment of the Canaanites did not list where they had been warned about their sexual depravity, is proof that all of mankind had been warned about this ever since first man was given the 7 basic commandments of conduct on G’d’s earth. The very fact that the Torah testifies to the Egyptians having been guilty of similar excesses but they were never expelled from their country, proves that different rules of tolerance apply on the soil of Eretz Yisrael Further proof of the special status of the soil of the Holy Land, is the fact that the כותים whom the Assyrian King had transplanted to the land formerly occupied by the Ten Tribes had never been punished by G’d when they had worshipped the same deities in the country of their origin. We should also consider the statements of our sages Ketuvot 110 that anyone residing permanently outside the Land of Israel is considered as not having a “G’d,” i.e. Divine protection. Gentiles, especially while in their own countries, are allowed to co-opt deities such as horoscopes as long as they recognise Hashem as the Supreme G’d and Creator. When the sages said: “as if they had no G’d,” they meant that the fates of such people were not presided over by Hashem personally, but that they were subject to mazzolot, astrological constellations, etc., something that is not the case for people living in Eretz Yisrael of which G’d has said that He has His eyes on it from the beginning of the year till the end of the year (Deut. 11,12). You must not counter that the verse from Daniel we quoted before in which Michael is described as the שר ישראל, the angel appointed by G’d as especially in charge of protecting the Jewish people, proves that they were not under the direct guidance of Hashem. First of all, the function of that angel is to implore Hashem to use His mercy on behalf of His people; secondly, the Jewish people with whom Daniel associated were all in exile, most of them in voluntary exile, at least after Cyrus ascended the Persian throne having defeated the Babylonians, and having enabled the return to Zion under Zerubavel. 52 years after the destruction of the Temple. [Jews who chose to remain in Persia, even under the premiership of Mordechai were a primary target of the statement we quoted from Ketuvot 110 that “Jews who live outside the Holy Land are considered as if they had no G’d.” Ed.]

ותקיא הארץ “The land spewed out;” anything a person vomits becomes repugnant to him, and he does not want to have a second look at it. [In other words, he does not even long to return to his former homeland. Ed.]

ותקיא, “it spit out, etc.” Once the measure of their sin which G’d was prepared to tolerate if they would repent, had become full, the fact that G’d decreed their destruction is considered by the Torah as if that decree had already been carried out. Alternately, the word ותקיא in the past tense, applies to the parallel phenomenon in the celestial regions. We have a similar statement in Numbers 14,9 when the impression by the majority of the spies that the land consumes its inhabitants was interpreted by Joshua and Calev as evidence that the protection of that nation’s guardian angel, described as צלם, had already abandoned this people so that they would fall into the hands of the Israelites like ripe plums.