The Land Divided by Lot and Urim and Redivided in the World to Come

Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 29:1

It is taught: the Land of Israel is destined to be divided among thirteen tribes, whereas at first it was divided only among twelve tribes. And it was divided only with money [to equalize values], as it is written, "between many and few" (Numbers 26:56). Rabbi Judah said: a se'ah in Judah was worth five se'ah in Galilee. And it was divided only by lot, as it is written, "only by lot shall the Land be divided" (Numbers 26:55), and only by the Urim and Thummim. How so? Elazar was clothed in the Urim and Thummim, and Joshua and all Israel stood before him, and an urn of the borders lay before him; he would be directed by the Holy Spirit and say: if Zebulun comes up, the border of Akko comes up with it. He drew the tribes from the urn and Zebulun came up in his hand; he drew the borders from the urn and Akko came up in his hand. And again he was directed by the Holy Spirit and said: if Naphtali comes up, the border of Ginnosar comes up with it - and so for each and every tribe. The division of the World to Come will not be like the division of this world. In this world a man who has a field of orchard has no field of grain, and one with a field of grain has no orchard; but in the division of the World to Come there will be no man of Israel who does not have a portion in the lowland, in the hill country, and in the Negev, as it is written, "the gate of Reuben one, the gate of Simeon one" (Ezekiel 48:31). And the Holy One, blessed be He, divides it Himself, as it says, "and these are their divisions, says the LORD" (Ezekiel 48:29). The master said: the Land of Israel is destined to be divided among thirteen tribes. The other portion is for whom? Rav Chisda said: for the prince, as it is written, "and they who serve the city, out of all the tribes of Israel, shall serve it" (Ezekiel 48:19). Rav Pappa said to Abaye: say it is merely for a common laborer. He said to him: concerning you the verse says, "and the remainder shall be for the prince, on this side and on that side of the holy offering and of the possession of the city" (Ezekiel 48:21).

Themes