For the week ending 23 October 2010 / 14 Heshvan 5771
Greater Eretz Yisrael
"To your descendants I have given the land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates; the Kennite, the Kennizite and the Kadmonite; the Hittite, the Perizzite and the Rephaim; the Emorite, the Canaanite, the Girgashite and the Jebusite."
(Bereishet 15:18-21)
This promise given by G-d to Avraham that we recall in this week’s Torah portion mentions ten nations whose lands would be inherited by the descendants of Avraham. Although ten nations are here mentioned, we were given only the land of seven of them. The other three lands – Edom, Ammon and Moab – will be inherited only with the arrival of Mashiach to become part of the truly "Greater Eretz Yisrael".