Torah and Rabbinical Tradition concerning the Promised Land
A publication of the Yeshivah "Eretz Hatzvi" (Torah Sparks,12 July) quoted a Midrash that Eretz Yisrael's area is almost 2.4 million square kilometers! Indeed there is an opinion that extending westwards to the Atlantic Ocean, and even to the ends of the world, all islands and even continental landmasses contained within the line joining the mountains of Turey Amnon (NMoiuntains of Amanus) to the Nachal Mitzrayim (Brook of Egypt) , are included in Eretz Yisrael (LAND of ISRAEL) i.e. Cyprus, Crete, Rhodes, Malta, Lampedusa, Sicily, southern Sardinia, the Balearics etc, up to and even beyond British Gibraltar (Mishna Trumos 1, Gittin 8)!
Common sense, military exigency and the Halacha (Rabbinical Law) all dictate that no part of Eretz Yisrael can be voluntarily ceded to Gentiles: Avoda Zara 19, Eruvin 45, Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 329, Even HaEzer 75, Minchas Chinuch 425, Rambam Hilchos Mlochim 5 and 7, Hilchos Avoda Zara 10, Chazon Ish Shevi'is 24 etc etc: "Better to amputate one's thumb than to sign away one iota of the Land of Israel" (R.Yaakov Moshe Charlap). "We do not have permission to relinquish our claim over one clod of earth inherited from our fathers to hand it over to foreigners" (R.Tzvi Pesach Frank). Hashem was greatly displeased even with Avraham Avinu (Abraham our Forefather) for making a covenant with the Plishtim (Philistines) that gave them sovereignty over a part of Israel (Midrash Breishis Rabboh 54) - "Hashem was furious over this matter (Commentary of Rashbam, Breishis 22).
"We were commanded to inherit the land....and not to leave it in anyone's hand except our own, or else in desolation" (Nachmandies on Sefer Hamitzvos). "A milchemes mitzvah (An Obligatory War) is the war against the Seven Nations, against Amolek, and saving Israel from an enemy that comes against it.....then all go out to battle....even a groom from his chamber" (Hilchos Mlochim). "These are the public troubles for which we fast and for which the shofar must be blown:....when the nations go to war against Israel either to force them to pay tribute or to take land from them" (Hilchos Ta'aniyos 2). Of all the mitzvos (Commandments) of the Torah, the only one that is inherently dangerous by its very nature is milchemes mitzvah, and it cannot be set aside even for pikuach nefesh (the saving of life). And for a great deal less than giving up land did. Chizkiyah Hamelech (King Hezekiah) lost the opportunity of becoming the Moshiach (SAnointed Messiah). He merely cut the gold from the doors of the Beis Hamikdash (Holy Temple) and sent it to the Assyrians in fear: 'gold for peace'.
On 10 Shvat 1992, the Lubavitcher Rebbe issued a strongly worded statement forbidding even to talk about giving the 'Palestinians' a trial run at autonomy. He warned that divvying up any part of Eretz Yisrael would be a chillul Hashem (Desecration of the Holy Name), a chillul Hakodesh (Desecration of Sanctity) , a dchiya l'doros (an eternal lamentation), and that the ensuing inexorable pressure from the nations could lead to the loss of Yehudah, Shomron, Gush Katif, East Jerusalem, Golan, even parts of the Galil (Galilee) etc, and that the number of terrorist victims would rise in proportion to the amount of land ceded, may Hashem preserve us!