...לשמות מטות אבותם ינחלו

The twelve sons of Jacob were each granted a territorial allotment, or nahalah, in the Land of Israel for their descendants. Was there some essential connection between the individual natures of the tribes and the territory each called its own?

With an extensive and riveting new foreword by Rabbanit Shani Taragin, Tribal Lands presents a new way of thinking about – and experiencing – the interplay of text and land. Many tour Israel with Bible in hand, but to tour with a deeper understanding of tribal character, and how that character was realized by the contours of its lands, is a rich experience for the serious Bible student. Rise, and walk the land – not just casually, to see the sites, but to sense, and even to participate in, the unfolding of tribal destiny within the twelve nahalot.

 
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What lies within....

STUDY
A discourse on the character of each tribe, woven from classical Jewish sources, is accompanied by a description of the tribal nahalah. Suggestions for conceptual connections between tribe and nahalah demonstrate a purposeful design to land apportionment.
TOUR
The day-tour itineraries provide an enriching accompaniment to the character portraits, allowing the reader to virtually experience some of the outstanding sites in each tribe’s nahalah.
EXPERIENCE
Maps and full-color photographs illustrate the contours of each nahalah, and highlight some of the impressive sites within each nahalah.

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The Testimonials

What people are saying about Tribal Lands.

Rabbanit Malke Bina, Founder and Chancellor, Matan (Machon Torani l’Nashim)

Through “Tribal Lands”, Tamar Weissman takes us on a fascinating journey, seamlessly weaving together sources from the Tanakh and Midrash with the writings of scholars throughout the ages and her own personal and captivating insights. Readers come away with a multilayered perspective of our tribal and territorial roots, which connect us to our beginnings as a nation. Tribal Lands grabs the reader from beginning to end; it makes Torat Eretz Yisrael come alive.

Rabbi Dr. Joshua Berman, professor of Bible at Bar Ilan University and Shalem Center

To read Tribal Lands is to follow Tamar Weissman on a unique journey to a deeper place in your soul. No other guide I know combines her extraordinary command and rich synthesis of biblical, rabbinic and scholarly sources to produce page after page of stunning insights into the land and lives of our forefathers. The sheer beauty of her prose matches the sheer beauty of the land.

Rabbi Ari Kahn, renowned author (Echoes of Eden, Explorations) and international speaker

Tamar Weissman has penned a fascinating book, a work which is true to the spirit of “Yisrael saba” yet adds the binah yitera of the imahot (matriarchs) as well. Tribal Lands is an unusual work, both in terms of the breadth of its source material and in terms of the insights it affords. Weaving together traditional Torah sources – TaNaCh, Midrash and Talmud­ - with the writings of Hasidic masters and contemporary scholars, Weissman enhances and explains by calling upon geography, topography and archaeological findings. The finished product offers the reader unparalleled insight into the “personalities” of the Twelve Tribes, as well as a wealth of information regarding the unique qualities and textures of each tribe’s portion in the Land of Israel. The collective soul of each tribe, and the essence of the tribes’ respective portions in Eretz Yisrael, come together to create a whole; the tribes and their inherited portions come to life on every page. Tribal Lands is “Torat Eretz Yisrael” in every sense of the term. It is beautifully and intelligently written, and, I am certain, will be a valuable resource for both the novice and the scholar. May the Almighty grant the author much strength and further siyaata d’shmayah to produce many more volumes that will educate and inspire Jews the world over.

Rabbi Barnea Levi Selavan, tour guide and co-director, Foundation Stone

Tribal Lands represents a wonderful genre; there are travel books and Torah books, and here the two meet. The author takes us on a unique journey, traveling and learning through the tribal inheritances. Wit, insightful wisdom and field knowledge of Israel and Jordan blend to provide teachings to chew on and incorporate into life. Tamar Weissman must continue finding themes to share and reveal the gems of our inheritance in our land.

Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey R. Woolf, Senior Lecturer, Talmud Department, Director, Institute for the Study of Post-Talmudic Jewish Law, Bar Ilan University

Tribal Lands by Tamar Weissman is a fascinating, engaging and ultimately moving book. Deftly weaving traditional and modern scholarship, together with her own thought provoking insights, she has created a modern Midrash of uncommon power and depth. Anyone who loves Torah and its commentaries, Jewish History, and the Land of Israel will find its essays richly rewarding.

About The Author

Tamar Weissman

Tamar Weissman is a noted lecturer in Bible and Land of Israel studies, and is a certified Israeli tour guide. She lives on her farm in Sde Ilan, a village in the lower Galilee, with her husband and seven children.

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If you leave your contact information, you will be contacted as soon as the book is available for online purchase in US/CA and in Jewish bookstores near you. The book will be available outside of Israel approximately April, 2015.