The Mountains of Judah in Jewish Tradition

וַיְהִ֣י הַגּוֹרָ֗ל לְמַטֵּ֛ה בְּנֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם אֶל־גְּב֨וּל אֱד֧וֹם מִדְבַּר־צִ֛ן נֶ֖גְבָּה מִקְצֵ֥ה תֵימָֽן׃ וּגְב֣וּל יָ֔ם הַיָּ֥מָּה הַגָּד֖וֹל וּגְב֑וּל זֶ֠ה גְּב֧וּל בְּנֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֛ה סָבִ֖יב לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃

The portion that fell by lot to the various clans of the tribe of Judah lay farthest south, down to the border of Edom, which is the Wilderness of Zin. And the western boundary was the edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Those were the boundaries of the various clans of the Judahites on all sides.

וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֗ים יִ֠הְיֶ֠ה הַ֣ר בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֤ה נָכוֹן֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הֶהָרִ֔ים וְנִשָּׂ֥א ה֖וּא מִגְּבָע֑וֹת וְנָהֲר֥וּ עָלָ֖יו עַמִּֽים׃ וְֽהָלְכ֞וּ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֗ים וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ לְכ֣וּ ׀ וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה אֶל־הַר־יְהֹוָ֗ה וְאֶל־בֵּית֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיוֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ מִדְּרָכָ֔יו וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּאֹֽרְחֹתָ֑יו כִּ֤י מִצִּיּוֹן֙ תֵּצֵ֣א תוֹרָ֔ה וּדְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

In the days to come, The Mount of GOD’s House shall stand Firm above the mountains; And it shall tower above the hills. The peoples shall gaze on it with joy, And the many nations shall go and shall say: “Come, Let us go up to the Mount of GOD, To the House of the God of Jacob; That we may be instructed in God’s ways, And that we may walk in godly paths.” For instruction shall come forth from Zion, The word of GOD from Jerusalem.

וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֗ים נָכ֨וֹן יִֽהְיֶ֜ה הַ֤ר בֵּית־יְהֹוָה֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הֶהָרִ֔ים וְנִשָּׂ֖א מִגְּבָע֑וֹת וְנָהֲר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ וְֽהָלְכ֞וּ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ לְכ֣וּ ׀ וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה אֶל־הַר־יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶל־בֵּית֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ מִדְּרָכָ֔יו וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּאֹרְחֹתָ֑יו כִּ֤י מִצִּיּוֹן֙ תֵּצֵ֣א תוֹרָ֔ה וּדְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

In the days to come, The Mount of GOD’s House Shall stand firm above the mountains And tower above the hills; And all the nations Shall gaze on it with joy. And the many peoples shall go and say: “Come, Let us go up to the Mount of GOD, To the House of the God of Jacob; That we may be instructed in God’s ways, And that we may walk in God’s paths.” For instruction shall come forth from Zion, The word of GOD from Jerusalem.

וַ֭יִּבְחַר אֶת־שֵׁ֣בֶט יְהוּדָ֑ה אֶֽת־הַ֥ר צִ֝יּ֗וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָהֵֽב׃

[God] did choose the tribe of Judah— Mount Zion, which was beloved—

כָּל מִי שֶׁנִּתְנַבֵּא לֹא נִתְנַבֵּא כִּי אִם בָּהּ אוֹ בַעֲבוּרָהּ. הִנֵּה נִתְנַבֵּא אַבְרָהָם כְּדֵי שֶׁיַעֲבֹר בָּהּ, וִיחֶזְקֵאל וְדָנִיֵּאל בַּעֲבוּרָה, וּכְבָר הָיוּ נִמְצָאִים בְּבַיִת רִאשׁוֹן וְרָאוּ בוֹ הַשְּׁכִינָה אֲשֶׁר בְּהִמָּצְאָהּ הָיָה מַגִּיעַ לִנְבוּאָה כָּל הַמּוּכָן לָהּ מֵהַסְּגֻלָּה.

Abraham in order to reach it, Ezekiel and Daniel on account of it. The two latter had lived during the time of the first Temple, had seen the Shekhinah, through the influence of which each one who was duly prepared became of the elect, and able to prophesy.

"וּמֵאמַר קַדִּישִׁין שְׁאֵלְתָא", כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁשָּׁאֲלוּ מַה הָרָצוֹן הָעֶלְיוֹן עָלָיו, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן גָּזְרוּ לְהֵעָשׂוֹת כֵּן. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ דָּנִיֵּאל (שם פסוק כא) "וּגְזֵרַת עִלָּאָה הִיא", כִּי הַכֹּל מֵאִתּוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ.

But the Land of Israel, which is in the middle of the inhabited earth, is the inheritance of the Eternal designated to His Name. He has placed none of the angels as chief, observer, or ruler 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].

ולכך נקראו ישראל "בני בכורי", כי אי אפשר שיהיה לאחד שני בכורים. אבל כיון שהם נקראים "בני בכורי", והבכור הוא אחד, מורה שיש כאן חבור גמור, לפי שהם מושפעים מאמתת עצמו. ובארו בזה כי לדעת רבי יהודה כיון שבשם "בנים" הצירוף היותר שיש לישראל אל אביהם שבשמים, אם אין עושים מעשה בנים אין ראויים הם לשם הזה, שכבר בטל השם הנכבד הזה. ודבר זה, שרוצה לומר שהם בנים באין חסרון. ולכן אל תתגודדו למת, שהיה דרך שלהם לעשות השחתה בעצמם בשביל ההשחתה שהגיע למת.

It has become clear to you that that which God, may He be blessed, took the Jewish people for Himself is not because of the righteousness of the Jewish people or their deeds. Rather it was a more encompassing choice. And this thing is explained in several places, and the faithful sages [also] came [to discuss] it in several places. Hence it is not fit to say that with the removal of the cause – which is the righteousness of the Jewish people – the result would also be removed, meaning His taking them as a people for Himself. And even though their deeds, good or bad, caused there to be more or less attachment [to God], as this is certainly according to the majority of [their] deeds, such that there would be more or less [of it] – nevertheless, [God's] actual choice was not because of any deed at all.

משנה: כֵּיצַד מַעֲלִין אֶת הַבִּיכּוּרִים. כָּל הָעֲיָרוֹת שֶׁבַּמַּעֲמָד מִתְכַּנְּסוֹת לְעִירוֹ שֶׁלַּמַּעֲמָד וְלָנִין בִּרְחוֹבָהּ שֶׁלָּעִיר וְלֹא הָיוּ נִכְנָסִין לַבָּתִּים וְלַמַּשְׁכִּים הָיָה הַמְמוּנֶּה אוֹמֵר לָהֶם קוּמוּ וְנַעֲלֶה צִיּוֹן אֶל בֵּית יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ.

MISHNAH: How does one bring First Fruits? All villages in the ma‘amad district come to its central city. They stay overnight in the city square and do not enter houses. In the morning, the organizer says to them (Jer. 31:5): “Get up and let us ascend to Zion, to the Eternal’s, our God’s, House.”

״וַיּוֹצִיאוּ אֶת בֶּן הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיִּתְּנוּ עָלָיו אֶת הַנֵּזֶר וְאֶת הָעֵדוּת״, ״נֵזֶר״ — זוֹ כְּלִילָא, ״עֵדוּת״ — אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: עֵדוּת הוּא לְבֵית דָּוִד, שֶׁכׇּל הָרָאוּי לַמַּלְכוּת הוֹלַמְתּוֹ, וְכֹל שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָאוּי לַמַּלְכוּת אֵין הוֹלַמְתּוֹ. ״וַאֲדֹנִיָּה בֶן חַגִּית מִתְנַשֵּׂא לֵאמֹר אֲנִי אֶמְלֹךְ״, אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: שֶׁמִּתְנַשֵּׂא לְהוֹלְמוֹ וְלֹא הוֹלַמְתּוֹ.

Similarly, it is stated with regard to Joash: “Then they brought out the king’s son, and put upon him the crown [hanezer] and the testimony, and made him king” (II Chronicles 23:11). “Nezer” is a crown. What was the “testimony”? Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: It is a testimony for the progeny of house of David that anyone who is fit for kingship, the crown fits him properly; and anyone who is unfit for kingship, the crown does not fit him properly. Similarly, the verse states: “Now Adonijah, son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying: I will be king” (I Kings 1:5). Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: The term “exalted himself” teaches that he sought to have the crown fit him, but it did not fit him.

דָּבָר אַחֵר: ״שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן״ – זֶה דּוֹרוֹ שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ. ״וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי״ – זֶה דּוֹרוֹ שֶׁל חִזְקִיָּה. ״יִרְאַת ה׳ הִיא תִתְהַלָּל״ – זֶה דּוֹרוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי אִילְעַאי. אָמְרוּ עָלָיו עַל רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי אִילְעַאי, שֶׁהָיוּ שִׁשָּׁה תַּלְמִידִים מִתְכַּסִּין בְּטַלִּית אַחַת וְעוֹסְקִין בַּתּוֹרָה.

Alternatively: “Grace is deceitful”; this is a reference to the generation of Moses and Joshua. “And beauty is vain”; this is a reference to the generation of Hezekiah. “Who fears the Lord, she shall be praised”; this is a reference to the generation of Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Ilai, who lived after the decrees of Hadrian, when the people were impoverished and oppressed. It was said about Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Ilai, that six of his students would cover themselves with one garment, due to their poverty, and nevertheless they would engage in Torah study. Although the studying of Torah during the generations of Moses, Joshua, and Hezekiah was commendable, it was “deceitful” and “vain” relative to that of the people in the generation of Rabbi Yehuda, son of Rabbi Ilai, who studied Torah despite their hardships.

״וַיַּכֵּר יְהוּדָה וַיֹּאמֶר צָדְקָה מִמֶּנִּי״. הַיְינוּ דְּאָמַר רַב חָנִין בַּר בִּיזְנָא אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן חֲסִידָא: יוֹסֵף שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם בַּסֵּתֶר — זָכָה וְהוֹסִיפוּ לוֹ אוֹת אַחַת מִשְּׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, דִּכְתִיב: ״עֵדוּת בִּיהוֹסֵף שָׂמוֹ״. יְהוּדָה שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ שֵׁם שָׁמַיִם בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא — זָכָה וְנִקְרָא כּוּלּוֹ עַל שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוֹדָה וְאָמַר ״צָדְקָה מִמֶּנִּי״, יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: אַתָּה הִצַּלְתָּ תָּמָר וּשְׁנֵי בָּנֶיהָ מִן הָאוּר — חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁאֲנִי מַצִּיל בִּזְכוּתְךָ שְׁלֹשָׁה מִבָּנֶיךָ מִן הָאוּר. מַאן נִינְהוּ — חֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה.

The verse states: “And Judah acknowledged them, and said: She is more righteous than I; forasmuch as I gave her not to Shelah my son” (Genesis 38:26). This is the same as Rav Ḥanin bar Bizna says that Rabbi Shimon Ḥasida says: Joseph, who sanctified the name of Heaven in private by not committing adultery with the wife of Potiphar, merited that one letter from the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, was added to his name, as it is written: “He appointed it in Joseph [bihosef ] for a testimony in his name, when He went forth against the land of Egypt” (Psalms 81:6). In this verse the name Joseph is written with an additional letter heh, found in the ineffable name of God. He continues: Judah, who sanctified the name of Heaven in public, merited that his entire name is called by the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, for all the letters of the ineffable name of God are included within the name of Judah, with the addition of the letter dalet. When he confessed and said: “She is more righteous than I,” a Divine Voice went forth and said: You saved Tamar and her two children in her womb from being burned by the fire. By your life, i.e., in your merit, I will save three of your children from the fire. And who are they? Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (see Daniel, chapter 3).

אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינֶנָּהּ דָּבָר חִיצוֹנִי, קִנְיָן חִיצוֹנִי לָאֻמָּה, רַק בְּתוֹר אֶמְצָעִי לַמַּטָּרָה שֶׁל הַהִתְאַגְּדוּת הַכְּלָלִית וְהַחְזָקָת קִיוּמָהּ הֶחָמְרִי אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ הָרוּחָנִי. אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל הִיא חֲטִיבָה עַצְמוּתִית קְשׁוּרָה בְּקֶשֶׁר חַיִּים עִם הָאֻמָּה, חֲבוּקָה בִּסְגֻלוֹת פְּנִימִיּוֹת עִם מְצִיאוּתָהּ.

The land of Israel is not an external thing, an external national acquisition, a means to the goal of general unity and strengthening of the physical or even spiritual. The land of Israel is an intrinsic section of the nation, attached to it with a living bond, entwined with its existence in internal uniqueness.