“When You Come into the Land”

When God planted a garden in Eden, this was not just a grove of trees, but rather laying the foundations of the world. We are commanded in the Land of Israel to develop agriculture and plant trees, not only to fulfill mitzvot like orla or neta revai, but also to the build the nation and to ensure its viability. Just as God constructs the entire world on the basis of the planting of trees, we are commanded to plant trees in the Land of Israel, so that there will be a healthy economy and strong society in the Land of Israel.

Based on a Shiur by Harav Aharon Lichtenstein zt"l  (Adapted by Lavi Bigman and translated by David Strauss)