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4) THE PRODUCE OF ERETZ YISRAEL

(a) R. Avira and R. Yosi Bar Chanina came to a certain place. They were served peaches measuring 8 Sa'im. They ate 1/3, declared 1/3 ownerless, and gave 1/3 to their animals.
(b) The next year R. Elazar went there. Upon seeing the fruit, he quoted "The fruitful land has become a salty (unfertile) land, from the evil of its inhabitants".
(c) R. Yehoshua Ben Levi went to Gavla. He saw grape clusters the size of calves. He bewailed, 'Land (of Yisrael), take in your fruit! For whom are you producing - for those that stand against us because of our sins?!
(d) R. Chiya went there the next year; the clusters were as goats. The inhabitants asked him to leave, lest he make a similar request.
(e) (Beraisa): When Eretz Yisrael was blessed, the area in which one sows 1 Se'ah of seed produced 50,000 Korin (1 Kor = 30 Se'ah). When Tzo'an was settled such an area produced 70 Kor.
(f) (Beraisa - R. Meir): I saw, in Beis Shan such an area produced 70 Korin.
(g) The best land in Chutz la'Aretz is Egypt - "As the garden of Hash-m, as Egypt"; the best area in Egypt is Tzo'an - there they raised kings;

1. The worst part of Eretz Yisrael is Chevron - it was used as a burial site - and still, it was 7 times better than Tzo'an - "Chevron was built 7 years before Tzo'an".
2. Question: What does it mean "Was built"?

i. Suggestion: If it is understand simply - would a person (Cham) really build a house for his younger son (Kana'an) before a house for his older son (Mitzrayim)?

3. Answer: Rather, it was 7 times better.
4. This applies to the muddy parts of Eretz Yisrael; the other parts produced 500 Korin.
5. In times of blessing, it produces 100 times more -.

(h) (Beraisa - R. Yosi): 1 Se'ah of grain in Yehudah used to produce 5 Sa'im: 1 Se'ah of flour, 1 Se'ah of fine flour, 1 Se'ah of bran, 1 Se'ah Morsan (bran that leaves the sifter later), and 1 Se'ah of inferior flour.
(i) A Kara'ite praised Eretz Yisrael: I inherited an area for seeding 1 Se'ah; from it I get oil, wine, grain, legumes and pasture for my cattle.
(j) An Emori (of the 7 nations originally in Eretz Yisrael) was boasting that he used to harvest 120 Korin from a date tree on the bank of the Jordan.

1. He had not understood that the Yisrael also harvested that much.

(k) (Rav Chisda): Eretz Yisrael is compared to a deer just as the skin of a deer cannot hold the flesh (after flaying), also Eretz Yisrael cannot hold its abundance of fruit.

1. Also - just as a deer is the quickest animal, Eretz Yisrael is the quickest land to ripen its fruits.
2. Suggestion: Perhaps just as a deer is swift but not fatty, also Eretz Yisrael is quick to ripen fruits, but they are not fat!
3. "Flowing with milk and honey" - they are fatter than milk and sweeter than honey.

(a) When R. Elazar came to Eretz Yisrael, he said, 'I was saved from 1 curse'; when he was ordained, he said, 'I was saved from a 2nd'; when he was taught the secret of declaring leap months, he said, 'I was saved from a 3rd'.

1. "In the secret of my nation they will not sit" - this is the secret of declaring leap months; "they will not be written among Beis Yisrael" - this is ordination; "to the land of Yisrael they will not come" - this is as the simple meaning.

(b) When R. Zeira was coming to Eretz Yisrael, he did not find a ferry. He crossed on a narrow beam with a rope above for support.

1. A Kara'ite: You are a hasty nation - you put your mouths before your ears (We will do and hear), and you are still in your haste!
2. R. Zeira: A land that Moshe and Aharon did not merit to enter - who says that I will merit to enter it?!

(c) R. Aba used to kiss the rocks or Ako; R. Chanina would fix places where one could stumble; R. Ami and R. Asi would go to a shady or sunny area, according to the weather.

(d) R. Chiya Bar Gamda would roll in the dirt - "Your servants love its stones, and its dirt"
(e) (R. Zeira): The generation in which Mashiach the son of David will come, there will be accusations against the Chachamim.

1. (Shmuel): There will be decrees upon decrees.
2. (Rav Yosef): There will be looters upon looters.

(f) (R. Chiya Bar Ashi): In the future, all barren trees in Eretz Yisrael will bear fruit - "The tree will bear its fruit, the date tree and vine will give their strength".