This week is the last two Torah portions before the nation of Israel entered into the Promised Land. While reading through the Torah, what is the most important commandment the Lord gave to the Children of Israel they are to do when enter to take possession of the Land? Following the definition of the boarders of the Land of Canaan, the land they are to inherit, Moshe gives instructions on how to possess the land. The Torah states the following, Bamidbar / Numbers 33:52 וְה֨וֹרַשְׁתֶּ֜ם אֶת־כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֤י הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם וְאִ֨בַּדְתֶּ֔ם אֵ֖ת כָּל־מַשְׂכִּיֹּתָ֑ם וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־צַלְמֵ֤י מַסֵּֽכֹתָם֙ תְּאַבֵּ֔דוּ וְאֵ֥ת כָּל־בָּמֹתָ֖ם תַּשְׁמִֽידוּ׃ 33:52 you shall dispossess all the inhabitants of the land; you shall destroy all their figured objects; you shall destroy all their molten images, and you shall demolish all their cult places. (NASB) The Lord commands the people as they dispossess all the inhabitants of the Land they are to destroy all of the peoples figures (מַשְׂכִּית) and graven images (צַלְמֵ֤י מַסֵּֽכֹתָם֙). Moshe goes on to say in Bamidbar / Numbers 33:55, וְאִם־לֹ֨א תוֹרִ֜ישׁוּ אֶת־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָרֶץ֮ מִפְּנֵיכֶם֒ וְהָיָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תּוֹתִ֣ירוּ מֵהֶ֔ם לְשִׂכִּים֙ בְּעֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וְלִצְנִינִ֖ם בְּצִדֵּיכֶ֑ם וְצָרֲר֣וּ אֶתְכֶ֔ם עַל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַתֶּ֖ם יֹשְׁבִ֥ים בָּֽהּ׃ 33:55 But if you do not dispossess the inhabitants of the land, those whom you allow to remain shall be stings in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land in which you live; (NASB) Moshe speaks of the importance of dispossessing the inhabitants of the Land due to their sin and most importantly to destroy their way of worship. These verses presents us with one of the most morally challenging statements in the Torah which contain very contemporary overtones for us today. The text is explicitly clear here, Israel must uproot the seven nations that are currently in possession of the land. Based upon what Moshe is writing here in the Torah, no compromise is possible. Compromise would consist of moving into the Land and living along side of the peoples at peace…
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