The Sifrei Devarim, a commentary on the Book of Deuteronomy, paints a fascinating picture – one filled with divine preparation and perhaps, a little bit of ancient real estate maneuvering.
The verse in Deuteronomy (6:11) describes what the Israelites would find upon entering the land: "And (you will find) houses full of all good that you did not fill, and hewn cisterns, which you did not hew…" Sounds pretty sweet. Ready-made homes, water ready to drink! But the Sifrei Devarim digs deeper. It's not just about the stuff they found, but why it was there.
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a prominent sage often associated with the mystical tradition, asks a pointed question. If the Torah already says "houses full" and "hewn cisterns," why does it need to add "which you did not fill," "which you did not plant?" His answer? It’s not just about the houses and cisterns themselves, but about the source of the abundance. It wasn't the Israelites' own labor that created this bounty. It was their merit.
Now, here's where it gets really interesting. The Sifrei Devarim continues with a somewhat startling claim: For the entire forty years that the Israelites wandered in the desert, the people of Eretz Yisrael were busy preparing for their arrival! They built houses, dug cisterns, and planted fruit trees, all so that when our ancestors finally arrived, they would find a land "full of blessing." Imagine that – decades of preparation by the Canaanites to set the stage for the Israelite arrival!
But why would they do that? Was it some act of selfless hospitality? Not exactly. The text explains that the original inhabitants had to abstain from enjoying all their own labor, so as to leave it for the Israelites. In other words, they wouldn't eat all of the produce or drink all of the water.
The text further suggests that, because of the impending arrival of the Israelites, the existing inhabitants of the land were cautious about fully enjoying its bounty, ensuring that everything was "full of blessing" for the newcomers. That's quite a thought, isn't it?
The Sifrei Devarim then references Deuteronomy 11:10, "from which you went forth," implying that the land was blessed specifically because of the Israelites' presence, and that this blessing was absent without them. That is to say, the Israelites brought the blessing.
So, what does all this mean? It's more than just a historical account. It speaks to the idea of divine providence, of a world carefully orchestrated to provide for those who are deserving. It also raises complex questions about the relationship between the Israelites and the land they inherited, and about the blessings that can arise from unexpected sources. It encourages us to consider: What are we preparing for those who will come after us? And what blessings might we be overlooking in the present moment?