More Discussions for this daf
1. Chalukas Eretz Yisrael 2. How the land of Israel was Divided? 3. Age Of Bnei Yisroel At Census
DAF DISCUSSIONS - BAVA BASRA 117

Rafi Goldmeier asks:

In today's daf, the gemara discusses chalukas Eretz Yisrael and how it relates to the process of yerusha. The discussion being on whether those who entered Eretz Yisrael received a portion or those who left mitzrayim received a portion.

My question is a side point of this. The gemara suggests an option of a combination - those who left mitzrayim (between 20 and 60) qualified and who entered eretz Yisrael. How is this possible - after all there was a gezeirah that all those between 20 -60 would die in the midbar?

I wanted to suggest: it is brought that in the last year, they laid down in their graves and awoke the next day and realized that the gezeira had been cancelled. Those (I think) 15,000 people were the ones who left mitzrayim between 20 and 60 and still entered Eretz Yisrael. I say this because they would only have laid down on the graves and awoken the next day realizing the gezeira was canecelled if the gezeira applied to them. Those who it did not apply to, would not have been involved in this.

My question is, do we have any indication as to the status of those people who did not die in the last year of the midbar viza vie the age they left mitzrayim..?

Thank you,

Rafi

The Kollel replies:

TOSFOS (121a, DH Yom) cites RABEINU TAM who says what you say, that in the last year the Gezeirah was annulled and 15,000 of Benei Yisrael (who were over the age of 20 when they left Mitzrayim) did not die.

Regarding the actual question itself -- how did a person who left Mitzrayim merit to enter Eretz Yisrael -- the RASHBAM discusses this. He first explains that we are not referring to one person who left Mitzrayim and then entered Eretz Yisrael. In the end, though, the Rashbam retracts this explanation based on the Tosefta which says that the Beraisa is discussing Yehoshua and Kalev, both of whom left Mitzrayim and entered Eretz Yisrael. This is also the view of Tosfos. Tosfos adds that according to the second explanation of the Rashbam, it must be that anyone who was above the age of 60 when he left Mitzrayim (such as Machir ben Menasheh, as the Gemara mentions on 121b) also received a portion in Eretz Yisrael, and not like the Rashbam explains originally, before his retraction.

M. Kornfeld

P.S. Best regards from Ya'akov (Chanan) Tavin.