Torah Portion: Mishpatim
shall not dwell in your Land lest they cause you to sin against Me (Shemos 23:33).
It is a negative commandment that we not allow idolaters to dwell in our Land, as it is written, They shall not dwell in your Land lest they cause you to sin against Me (Shemos 23:33).
Among the roots of the mitzvah is the idea expressed in the verse itself: that we not learn from their ways.
The laws of the mitzvah include: If those gentiles cease serving idolatry, it is permitted to allow them to dwell in the Land of Israel. Such individuals is known as a geir toshav — resident alien; that is, he is a geir-proselyte only with regard to being allowed to dwell in the Land. Our Sages thus said, “Who is considered a geir toshav? One who accepted upon himself to not worship idolatry. But a gentile who actually worships foreign deities, not only is it forbidden to sell him land, it is even forbidden to rent a home to him, because he will bring his foreign worship there. It is, however, permissible to rent a place for him to store his merchandise, as long as the [Jew] does not rent to three people, for three is more of a permanent manner, and it is not proper to give them permanence.
This mitzvah applies to both men and women, in the Land of Israel. One who transgresses this and sold them land, or rented to them in a situation that it was forbidden, violates this commandment.
