Vayeishev 5770

Peretz Part II

(Continued from part one)

Rabbi Zevin quotes from Yaakov's statement to Lavan in Breishit 31:52, "This heap will be witness, and this pillar will be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to you, and that you will not pass over this heap and this pillar to me..," as the paradigm of a boundary that staves off exit and entry.

He says that the boundary between Israel and chutz la'aretz - land outside of Israel serves these two aforementioned functions. One should not leave Eretz Yisrael. Also, one should not bring in to Israel "avir eretz ha'amim" - the air of lands of other nations."