Some time ago, I wrote that when Jacob spoke of Rachel dying “on the way to Efrat,” he was speaking of her being on the path to fruitfulness (since Efrat contains “fruit” within the word). Which is why Jacob promoted Ephraim and Menasseh (grandsons of Rachel) to the status of his own sons. Rachel thus was “given” more of the children she desired.
The Torah shares other symbolic geographical references with us as well. For example, we are told to give blessings and curses on two opposing mountains: Mount Gerizim and Mount Eval. It so happens that these mountains are the twin sentries for the primary road into Canaan from the East, from Mesopotamia. Anyone who came in that way would pass between these two mountains and the words plastered onto them. And they would, as the text tells us, “See, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse.” (D. 11:26)
What are they seeing? Something quite similar to the entrance conditions posted at every exclusive club in the world!
The Children of Israel, at G-d’s command, put up an entrance sign for all who come into the land, informing every traveler of The Rules, and the consequences for breaking them. Israel is not a land governed by nature or pagan deities. It is a land where each person has Free Will – and consequences (both positive and negative) for the choices that are made within.
The Torah actually goes well beyond this when it adds the following verse:
Are they [the mountains Gerizim and Eval] not on the other side of the Yarden, by the way where the sun goes down, in the land of the Canaanites, who dwell in the Arava over against Gilgal, beside the terebinths of More?
Isn’t this odd? Why does the Torah contain all this detail? Especially when we consider that the “details” contain nothing valuable by way of actual location! Nobody could use them to find the named mountains. So what is this verse doing here?
I think the answer is simple: Each of the phrases in this verse refers to events earlier in the Torah, telling us of the foundational events of the Jewish people and our relationship with G-d and even with each other! We’ll tackle these in order.
“The other side of the Yarden” is first found when Jacob returns to the land, and prays for deliverance from Esau. (G. 32:11) Lesson: This is the land of engagement with G-d, the transformation of mankind through growth and divine deliverance.
“The Sun Goes Down” is used in Genesis three places: the Covenant Between the Parts, and when Jacob dreams of the ladder connecting heaven and earth and makes a covenant. Lesson: This is the land where G-d can appear to you at any time. Israel is the land of covenants and commitments between man and G-d, of individual connections transforming into national destiny.
“The Land of the Canaanites” and “Terebinths of Moreh” are BOTH found in G. 12:6:
And Avram passed through the land to the place of Shekhem unto the terebinth of More. And the Canaanites were then in the land.
Lesson: When you enter this land, you are literally walking in Avraham’s footsteps, recreating and reliving that foundational experience, following G-d’s commandment to “Go!”
Note the the reference to Shechem, where Simeon and Levi took initiative (G. 34), where Joseph searched for his brothers (and was directed by an angel) (G. 37), the land that Joseph inherited and where he was buried. Joseph took more initiative with less instruction than anyone else in the Torah. Joseph was the quintessential Jewish opportunist – he played the cards he was dealt and then some. Joseph, Shechem, represent the ability of Jews to of the Land of Israel. Israel is the land of Jewish creativity – referenced here!
“בָּעֲרָבָ֑ה מ֚וּל” “in the Aravah against” is a phrase only found in the Torah in one other place: the very first verse of Deuteronomy. Lesson: This is the land that incorporates by reference all of Moshe’s grand speech, with all the commandments, blessings, curses, blandishments and condemnations. Including this book adds to the commandment to plaster the entire text of the Torah on the mountain. (D. 27) Lesson: Israel is the land where the Torah forms the foundational house rules for all within.
The Land of Israel thus forms its own geographical bubble, consistent with the Jewish people as a whole. We are given different rules and responsibilities, as set out in the Torah. Unlike the land given to other people, the Land of Israel is never truly ours. Instead, our presence is always conditional on our behavior, on how well we internalize and live by the Torah and all of its laws, precepts and lessons.
Which in turn explains why we are given this verse, a verse that reads like a riddle. Instead of a signpost, we should understand that at the entrance to the Land of Israel, G-d is telling us of the rules for being in the land: that He sets before us a blessing and a curse, an ever-present set of choices, with all the power, responsibility and consequences that come from Free Will.
P.S. There are a host of secondary symbolic connections as well. To take but one example, discussed here: https://creativejudaism.org/2023/12/12/why-this-specific-word/ the reference to “crossing the Jordan” is first found where Jacob speaks of bringing his rod, his makhel. This word does not refer to a staff, but is instead used to describe the rods that Jacob used when breeding the flocks. Makhel refers to the power of using our divinely-gifted powers to transform ourselves and nature, to achieve things that would ordinarily be impossible. This, too, is within the quality of Jewish People in the Land of Israel.
P.P.S. “When the sun goes down” is also used in the text for commandments when dealing with dependents who rely on us (E. 22:26, D. 24:15, etc.). The Land of Israel comes with requirements not only for how we interact with G-d, but also for how we treat others, especially those whom we hold power over. The national identity of the people requires kindness and interpersonal consideration.
Creativejudaism.org