The biblical laws governing the sale ofland in Israel appear in this week's sidrah and the Israelites were commanded that they
were not permitted to sell real estate in perpetuity. Rather, every 50th year, when the Jubilee was celebrated, all land had to return to its original owner families. Often the Torah does not give a reason for any particular law, but in this case an explanation is provided and God told the people: "For the land belongs to Me and you are strangers and residents with Me."

The expression "strangers and residents" is perplexing because the two terms that are used are contradictory in nature; one who is a resident is, by definition, not usually a stranger and vice versa.

An answer provided by the 18th-century scholar Rabbi Moshe Sofer suggests that since the Jewish people are not allowed to sell the land forever, they are regarded as both strangers and residents, but from different perspectives.

That they cannot sell the land on more than a temporary basis emphasises that it is not they but God who is the real owner of the land, and thus they occupy it merely as strangers.

But this law also has the effect of ensuring that a particular family inhabits each particular plot of land from one generation to another, thus giving them the status of long-term residents in the land.

These rules do not apply unless the Jubilee system is operative, but their implications are pertinent at all times. From a certain perspective we inhabit this world as strangers
in the beautiful universe that has been created for us and we must treat our surroundings
with the restraint that is expected from
guests.

But from another perspective we
must see ourselves as residents, and as such we are empowered to build and be creative, preparing the world to be inhabited by future generations.