Yehoshua - Perek 19 – "Shimon’s Portion and Yehoshua’s Land"
Part 1: Shimon inherits within Yehuda, the portions of Yisachar, Naftali and done are apportioned (19:1-15)
Summary
Points to Ponder
Why does Dan conquer Leshem?
When describing the portion of Dan there is an unusual description. The Tanach describes how Dan went out and conquered a city called Leshem and then named the place Leshem Dan.
There are variant names of this city. Some call it Laish as well. If one looks at the map, this city was not actually in the natural territory Dan. In fact, in the eighteenth chapter of Shoftim we will learn the subtext to this story. Dan did not have a large enough territory for their population. This was partly because they were a numerous tribe, but also because they were not able to conquer the entire assigned territory around them, as the Emorites who were in their territory were too strong for them.
Instead of conquering the local seven nation Canaanites, they went to this place, Laish or Leshem, which was far North, deep in today’s Lebanon and successfully conquered it. In effect, they were searching for an easy way to conquer more land. This is quite revealing about what took place here. Rather than doing the necessary work which lay immediately in front of them, and the accomplishing their required command of the conquest of the seven nations, they found another more vulnerable nation. They specifically chose Leshem because their allegiances were to another country further North and felt that another country would not come to their aid, making them an even softer target.
This set the tone for something to go wrong, and as we will see Dan ran into problems later with a shrine to idolatry.
Part 2: Yehoshua receives Har Ephraim (19:49-51)
Summary
Points to Ponder
What is the significance of Yehoshua’s portion?
Yehoshua himself finally receives his own land in a place called Timnas Serach.[1] Evidently the leader of Israel receives his portion last. Only after everything is said and done is the leader given his own territory. This meant that no-one could ever say that he worked for his own gain.
The Radak suggests that the reason why this place was called Timnas Cheres in Shoftim is because at the beginning it was very dry and infertile land. The word ‘cheres’ means earthenware – dry and hard. This highlights how Yehoshua would not take for himself the best portion of land. Here was a person who clearly prioritized the conquest and division of the land, rather than his leadership and/or himself.
Thinking in more contemporary terms, I once discussed politicians with Dr. Yaakov Shalev. He noted that if you can look at all politicians, certainly in Israel and abroad, one of the most telling things to notice about honest leadership is what did they ended up with. For example, does a person end their career with a two-bedroom apartment or millions stored away in accounts and properties across the world? They say about the first President of Israel, a man by the name of Yitzchak ben Tzvi, that there was a point in time where he earned a lower salary than the driver of his car. When confronted about this, his response was that we are required to fulfill two important commandments: bringing in our brethren and absorbing them here and increasing our security independence. He added, “Given the external threats we face we dare not be dragged into raising our standard of living." In fact, surprisingly enough, he was outvoted by the government to raise his salary against his own will.
In our case here, we are learning about Yehoshua, a person whose single focus was the division of the land of Israel. At the end of the day the children of Israel said to him, “Yehoshua, you need a portion,” and they gave him his own land. This outcome was not his focus or the reason he did what he worked so hard on over many years and demonstrates true leadership.
[1] pronounced in Shoftim as Timnas Cheres
Summary
- The tribe of Shimon receive their portion within the territory of Yehuda.
- The portions given to Yissachar, Asher, Naftali and Dan are described.
Points to Ponder
Why does Dan conquer Leshem?
When describing the portion of Dan there is an unusual description. The Tanach describes how Dan went out and conquered a city called Leshem and then named the place Leshem Dan.
There are variant names of this city. Some call it Laish as well. If one looks at the map, this city was not actually in the natural territory Dan. In fact, in the eighteenth chapter of Shoftim we will learn the subtext to this story. Dan did not have a large enough territory for their population. This was partly because they were a numerous tribe, but also because they were not able to conquer the entire assigned territory around them, as the Emorites who were in their territory were too strong for them.
Instead of conquering the local seven nation Canaanites, they went to this place, Laish or Leshem, which was far North, deep in today’s Lebanon and successfully conquered it. In effect, they were searching for an easy way to conquer more land. This is quite revealing about what took place here. Rather than doing the necessary work which lay immediately in front of them, and the accomplishing their required command of the conquest of the seven nations, they found another more vulnerable nation. They specifically chose Leshem because their allegiances were to another country further North and felt that another country would not come to their aid, making them an even softer target.
This set the tone for something to go wrong, and as we will see Dan ran into problems later with a shrine to idolatry.
Part 2: Yehoshua receives Har Ephraim (19:49-51)
Summary
- Yehoshua himself receives the area of the mountain of Ephraim.
- He builds a city on top of it named Timnas Serach.
Points to Ponder
What is the significance of Yehoshua’s portion?
Yehoshua himself finally receives his own land in a place called Timnas Serach.[1] Evidently the leader of Israel receives his portion last. Only after everything is said and done is the leader given his own territory. This meant that no-one could ever say that he worked for his own gain.
The Radak suggests that the reason why this place was called Timnas Cheres in Shoftim is because at the beginning it was very dry and infertile land. The word ‘cheres’ means earthenware – dry and hard. This highlights how Yehoshua would not take for himself the best portion of land. Here was a person who clearly prioritized the conquest and division of the land, rather than his leadership and/or himself.
Thinking in more contemporary terms, I once discussed politicians with Dr. Yaakov Shalev. He noted that if you can look at all politicians, certainly in Israel and abroad, one of the most telling things to notice about honest leadership is what did they ended up with. For example, does a person end their career with a two-bedroom apartment or millions stored away in accounts and properties across the world? They say about the first President of Israel, a man by the name of Yitzchak ben Tzvi, that there was a point in time where he earned a lower salary than the driver of his car. When confronted about this, his response was that we are required to fulfill two important commandments: bringing in our brethren and absorbing them here and increasing our security independence. He added, “Given the external threats we face we dare not be dragged into raising our standard of living." In fact, surprisingly enough, he was outvoted by the government to raise his salary against his own will.
In our case here, we are learning about Yehoshua, a person whose single focus was the division of the land of Israel. At the end of the day the children of Israel said to him, “Yehoshua, you need a portion,” and they gave him his own land. This outcome was not his focus or the reason he did what he worked so hard on over many years and demonstrates true leadership.
[1] pronounced in Shoftim as Timnas Cheres