In this week's Torah portion (Deut. 7:12-11:25), God assures the people
with a surprising promise, saying that He "will drive out those nations from
before you, little by
little." Would it not be more comforting to know that the
conquest of the Land would be quick? Our verse provides the answer: If all of
the Canaanites would quickly flee, large areas would be left unpopulated,
allowing for wild beasts to roam the Land. To prevent this, God tells the
Israelites that they will capture the Land in stages. In today's world, we are
fortunate to witness the remarkable return of the Jewish people to the Land.
And, here too it has come in stages, just like in the times of the
Bible.
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