(Devarim 12:29) "When the L-rd your G-d will cut off the nations": Do the mitzvah stated herein, in reward for which the L-rd your G-d will cut off the nations.
"and you inherit them and dwell in their land": Because it is written (Ibid. 19:1) "and you inherit them and you dwell in their cities and in their houses, I might think that you may not add to the building; it is, therefore, written "and dwell in their land" — wherever you wish to build, build.
"and dwell in their land": It happened with R. Yehudah b. Betheira, R. Mathia b. Charash, R. Chanina b. Achi, R. Yehoshua and R. Yonathan, who were traveling abroad and arrived at Paltom, that they remembered Eretz Yisrael, whereupon they raised their eyes and wept and rent their garments, and recited this verse: "Take heed and hearken to all of these things … and dwell in their land" — at which they said: Dwelling in Eretz Yisrael is over and against all of the mitzvoth in the Torah — and they returned and came to their place.
And it happened with R. Elazar b. Shamua and R. Yochanan Hasandler, who were traveling in Netzivim near R. Yehudah b. Betheira to learn Torah from him. Arriving at Tziddon (in Phoenicia), they remembered Eretz Yisrael, whereupon they raised their eyes and wept and rent their garments and recited this verse: "Take heed and hearken to all of these things … and dwell in their land" — at which they said: Dwelling in Eretz Yisrael is over and against all of the mitzvoth in the Torah — at which they returned and came to their place.
(דברים יב כט) כִּי יַכְרִית ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת הַגּוֹיִם, עֲשֵׂה מִצְוָה הָאֲמוּרָה בָעִנְיָן, שֶׁבִּשְׂכָרָהּ יַכְרִית ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת הַגּוֹיִם.
(Devarim 12:29) "When the L-rd your G-d will cut off the nations": Do the mitzvah stated herein, in reward for which the L-rd your G-d will cut off the nations.
אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בָּא שָׁמָּה לָרֶשֶׁת אוֹתָם מִפָּנֶיךָ, בִּשְׂכַר שֶׁתָּבוֹא – תִּירַשׁ.
"whither you came to inherit them, from before you": in reward for coming, you will inherit.
וְיָרַשְׁתָּה אוֹתָם וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בְּאַרְצָם, מִכְּלָל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יט א) ״וִירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בְּעָרֵיהֶם וּבְבָתֵּיהֶם״ יָכוֹל אִי אַתָּה רַשַּׁי לְהוֹסִיף עַל הַבִּנְיָן? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: ״וְיָרַשְׁתָּ אוֹתָם וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בְּאַרְצָם״: כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹצֶה לִבְנוֹת – בְּנֵה.
"and you inherit them and dwell in their land": Because it is written (Ibid. 19:1) "and you inherit them and you dwell in their cities and in their houses, I might think that you may not add to the building; it is, therefore, written "and dwell in their land" — wherever you wish to build, build.
וְיָרַשְׁתָּ אוֹתָם וְיָשַׁבְתָּ, מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתֵירָה וְרַבִּי מַתְיָה בֶן חָרָשׁ וְרַבִּי חֲנַנְיָה בֶּן אֲחִי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְרַבִּי יוֹנָתָן שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹצְאִים חוּצָה לָאָרֶץ וְהִגִּיעוּ לִפְלַטְנוֹם, וְזָכְרוּ אֶת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל; זָקְפוּ עֵינֵיהֶם וְזָלְגוּ דִּמְעוֹתֵיהֶם וְקָרְעוּ בִּגְדֵיהֶם, וְקָרְאוּ אֶת הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה (דברים יא לא): ״וִירִשְׁתֶּם אֹתָהּ וִישַׁבְתֶּם בָּהּ וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם לַעֲשׂוֹת אֵת כָּל הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה״. אָמְרוּ: יְשִׁיבַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה.
"and dwell in their land": It happened with R. Yehudah b. Betheira, R. Mathia b. Charash, R. Chanina b. Achi, R. Yehoshua and R. Yonathan, who were traveling abroad and arrived at Paltom, that they remembered Eretz Yisrael, whereupon they raised their eyes and wept and rent their garments, and recited this verse: "Take heed and hearken to all of these things … and dwell in their land" — at which they said: Dwelling in Eretz Yisrael is over and against all of the mitzvoth in the Torah — and they returned and came to their place.
מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן שַׁמּוּעַ וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הַסַּנְדְּלָר שֶׁהָיוּ הוֹלְכִים לִנְצִיבִים אֵצֶל רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתֵירָה לִלְמֹד מִמֶּנּוּ תּוֹרָה, וְהִגִּיעוּ לְצַיְדָן וְזָכְרוּ אֶת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. זָקְפוּ עֵינֵיהֶם וְזָלְגוּ דִּמְעוֹתֵיהֶם וְקָרְעוּ בִּגְדֵיהֶם וְקָרְאוּ אֶת הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה (דברים יא לא): ״וִירִשְׁתֶּם אוֹתָהּ וִישַׁבְתֶּם בָּהּ וְשָׁמַרְתָּ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת כָּל הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה וְאֶת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים״. אָמְרוּ: יְשִׁיבַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה! חָזְרוּ וּבָאוּ לָהֶם לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל.
And it happened with R. Elazar b. Shamua and R. Yochanan Hasandler, who were traveling in Netzivim near R. Yehudah b. Betheira to learn Torah from him. Arriving at Tziddon (in Phoenicia), they remembered Eretz Yisrael, whereupon they raised their eyes and wept and rent their garments and recited this verse: "Take heed and hearken to all of these things … and dwell in their land" — at which they said: Dwelling in Eretz Yisrael is over and against all of the mitzvoth in the Torah — at which they returned and came to their place.