(from Kisei Rachamim on Masekhet Sofrim 18)
Land of Iron, Men of Iron
Among the praises of the land of Israel mentioned in this week’s parsha appears (Devarim 8:9), “It is a land whose stones are iron and from its mountains copper can be hewn.” In Hebrew: “Eretz asher avaneha barzel umeiharareha tachtzov nechoshet.”
The Chida, inspired by a number of midrashic passages, sees this verse as hinting to the unique sages, the unique talmidei chakhamim of the land of Israel.
A land whose stones are iron — these are the sages of the land of Israel who are referred to (Taanit 23b and elsewhere) as the powerful ones (takifi) of the land of Israel. Their special qualities draw on the special qualities of the land of Israel, for the very air of the land of Israel brings wisdom (“Avira d’Eretz Yisrael machkim” — Bava Batra 158b).
Asher avaneha barzel (its stones are iron) — They learn Torah and bring the Divine Presence in the merit of the four matriarchs — Bilhah, Rachel, Zilpa, and Leah — whose acronym spells out “barzel”,
Umeiharareha (and from its mountains) — and in the merit of the three patriarchs — Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov — who are referred to as “the mountains” (Shemot Rabba 15:4, and Vayikra Rabba 36:6),
Tachtzov nechoshet (you can hew copper) — Through their merit the forces of good in the world can overcome evil, represented by the snake — “the nachash” — and his band of four-hundred powers — represented by the letter “tav”, whose numerical value is four-hundred and recalls Eisav’s four-hundred men.
Through learning Torah for its own sake in the land of Israel, following the path of the matriarchs and patriarchs, the world’s evil forces can be overcome.
[prepared by Eliezer Kwass]
