************************************************************* THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org] In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag ************************************************************* Yehoshua - chapter 18 "Nachalat Binyamin" In our previous shiur, we discussed the first half of chapter 18, where Yehoshua transfers the Mishkan from the Gilgal to Shilo - in the hope that this move would encourage the seven remaining tribes to make a serious effort to complete the inheritance of their respective portions (see 18:1-9). In the following shiur, we return to the second half of chapter 18 - in an attempt to understand why Sefer Yehoshua provides such minute detail in its description of the borders destined for the tribe of Binyamin. INTRODUCTION The "nachala" section of Sefer Yehoshua - i.e. chapters 13 thru 21 - neatly divides into three sections: A) Chapters 13-17 - The five tribes with initiative: A detailed discussion of how the tribes of Reuven, Gad, Yehuda, Ephraim and Menashe made a rather serious effort to settle their assigned inheritance. B) Chapters 18-19: The remaining seven tribes How Yehousha gathers the nation in Shilo - to encourage the tribes of Binyamin,Yisachar, Zevulun, Naftali, Asher, Dan and Shimon to take a more serious effort in settling their assigned portions. C) Chapters 20-21 - The cities of the Levites In our study of chapters 18-19, we noted how Sefer Yehoshua pays much less attention to the 'seven tribes' in Section B, as they took very little initiative - in contrast to the lengthy detail in Section A of the conquests and settlement of the five tribes (who took an initiative). However, the tribe of Binyamin appears to be an exception, as its borders are described in extraordinary detail in the second half of chapter 18. In the following shiur, we attempt to understand why. A GEOGRAPHIC 'SHOULDER' When we read the detailed border of Binyamin in chapter 18, it is hard not to notice a several very conspicuous phrases, each beginning with word "katef" [lit. a 'shoulder' in Hebrew]. Take for example: KETEF YERICHO (in 18:12) KETEF LUZAH (in 18:13) KETEF HA’YVUSI (in 18:16) KETEF MUL HA’ARAVA (in 18:18), and KETEF BEIT CHOGLA (in 18:19) Technically speaking, the word "katef" in this context refers to a steep cliff at the beginning of a mountain range (like a 'shoulder' of that mountain range). For example, "ketef Yericho" refers to the steep drop from the mountain range in the Judean desert just to the west of Yericho. For those of you familiar with the drive through the Jordan Vallley near Jericho, you most probably have seen this. You have also seen it if you have visited the yishuv of Mitzpeh Yericho, situated above that cliff. Similarly, the phrase "ketef Yevusi" refers to the southern ridge of today’s Mount Zion, just outside the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City. This "katef" is easily discernable when viewed from the neighborhood of Abu-Tor, or from near the Ariel Hotel – where Derech Hevron meets the train station. However, this sort of phrase is unique to the tribe of Binyamin, as no other tribe’s borders are described in this manner, with the single exception of the border of Yehuda (15:8-10). But there also, it is only used in relation to the border between Yehuda and BINYAMIM! "YEDID HASHEM" The reason for Sefer Yehoshua's special use of this word "katef" in this border most probably relates directly back to the blessing that the tribe of Binyamin received from Moshe Rabeinu in Parshat v'Zot ha'bracha. Let's review that blessing, noting how (and why) it includes the word "katef": "And to Binyamin [Moshe] said: Y’did Hashem - Beloved of the Lord yishkon lavetach alav - The SHECHINA shall dwell above him chofef alav kol ha’yom - Ever does He protect him u’vein kteifav shacheyn - and he will rest between His shoulders." (see Devarim 33:12) Clearly, this blessing indicated that God’s Presence was destined to dwell somewhere within the borders of Binyamin, and hence the Rabbi's conclude that the Bet Ha’Mikdash was destined to be built in Binyamin's portion. However, at point in Jewish history, i.e. when the conquest was only partially complete and it was not yet time to build the permanent Temple, Sefer Yehoshua would like to allude to the hope that the prophecy of Moshe will soon be fulfilled, and the Bet-ha'Mikdash will soon be built somewhere within the portion of Binyamin. To express this hope, it uses the word "katef" in its description of the border of Binyamin. This takes on additional significance, considering the fact that Yehoshua had just moved the Mishkan to Shilo, located in the portion of Efraim. As we explained in our previous shiur, the time was not yet ripe for the establishment of a permanent Mikdash, as the process of "kibush and nachala" was still far from complete (see Yehoshua 13:1-3, Devarim 12:5-12 and the TSC shiur on Parshat Re’eh). Furthermore, it was not practical to move the Mishkan to the portion of Binyamin at this time, as the conquest of their "nachala" was far from complete. Recall that many areas within the proposed borders of Binyamin itself were still under Canaanite (and Jebusite) rule. [See Shoftim 1:21, regarding the fact that Yerushalayim had not yet been captured, and that Yerushalayim itself was only captured several hundred years later during the time of King David, as detailed in Shmuel II 5:1-12.] Even though Yehoshua was not able to build the permanent Mikdash in the portion of Binyamin, opting instead to establish a temporary Mishkan in Shiloh; Sefer Yehoshua alludes to this ultimate aspiration by describing the borders of Binyamin (see 18:10-28), immediately after it describes how the Mishkan was established 'temporarily' in Shiloh (see 18:1). [Note also the mention of Yerushalayim itself in last line of that border's description in 18:28!] JUST LIKE THE DESERT We will now show how the special status of this tribe is also reflected in the geographic location of Binyamin’s "nachala" among the other tribes. Recall from the opening section of Sefer Bamidbar (Chapter 2) how God commanded Bnei Yisrael to organize their camp in such a manner that the Mishkan would be located at its center. This served as a constant sign to the people that God dwells within their midst. Now, in Sefer Yehoshua, when the shvatim received their "nachalot" (Chapters 13-19), we amazingly find a very similar configuration! The following table illustrates this comparison: IN THE DESERT IN ERETZ YISRAEL ============= ================ Dan Efraim | | Efraim-[Mishkan]-Yehuda Dan-[Binyamin]-Reuven | | Reuven Yehuda In both cases, the site representing the SHECHINA (which in the desert was the "Camp of the Mishkan", and in Eretz Yisrael was to be Nachalat Binyamin) is surrounded by the same four "leadership" shvatim! (The directions have simply rotated 90 degrees, and inverted. See TSC Shiur on Parshat V’zot HaBracha.) This explains why Chazal refer to the nachala of Binyamin as "nachalat shechina". A PEACEFUL LOCATION In conclusion, it is also worth noting the special phrase that Sefer Yehoshua employs to introduce the general location of shevet Binyamin: "And the lot of Binyamin...the borders of their inheritance are located BETWEEN the tribe of YEHUDA and the tribes of YOSEF." (Yehoshua 18:11) Note the emphasis on Binyamin’s location between YEHUDA and YOSEF (not just Efraim). Recall as well from Sefer Bereishit that YEHUDA and YOSEF emerged as leaders among the brothers, and how in Parshat Va’yigash YOSEF finally reunited with his brothers when YEHUDA approached him regarding BINYAMIN!! Unfortunately, too often in Jewish history, the 'personalities' of YOSEF and YEHUDA remain in conflict. (Take, for example, the "pilug ha’mamalacha" - the split among the tribes during the time of Yerovam ben Nevat - between Yehuda and theTen tribes - led by B’nei Yosef.) However, when Yosef and Yehuda do finally unite, it becomes thematically significant that the Bet Ha’Mikdash can then be established within the borders of "nachalat Binyamin", bridging the way between the tribe of Yehuda and the tribe of Yosef. As the navi Yechezkel later invisions in regard to the final redemption: "Behold, I will take the stick of Yoseph, which is in the hand of Efraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and I will put them unto him together with the stick of Yehudah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand... thus I will take the children of Israel from among the nations ... and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land... and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all" (see Yechezkel 37:15-22) In our next shiur, we'll complete our study of the "nachala" section with a discussion of the importance of the 'scattering' of the tribe of Levi among the other tribes.