דברים, פרק י״ב, פסוק ט׳

The transition of the Israelites from desert wanderers to inhabitants of the Promised Land brought significant shifts in their spiritual lives. During this intermediate phase, certain practices, such as offering sacrifices on private altars, were temporarily permitted. This leniency existed because the nation had not yet reached its final, permanent destination where God's presence would dwell absolutely. This interim period spanned fourteen years, encompassing seven years of conquering the land and another seven years of dividing it among the tribes [רש״י]. The reference to their incomplete state does not imply they lacked a sacrificial system in the desert, as the Tabernacle was fully operational there. Rather, it indicates that even during their initial years in the land, they would still be in a state of transition, lacking the permanent center required for the complete order of divine service [מזרחי, שפתי חכמים, גור אריה]. As long as the Tabernacle was relocated from place to place, a permanent site for serving God remained unestablished [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Commentators explore the specific milestones of this journey, which are categorized into a state of rest and a state of inheritance. One perspective views these concepts practically: the rest describes an era of tranquility when God grants the nation peace from surrounding enemies, while the inheritance refers to the physical crossing of the Jordan River, the conquest of the land, and the moment every individual safely settles into their designated family portion [אבן עזרא, חזקוני, דעת זקנים, ביאור יש״ר].

The primary approach among commentators, however, interprets these milestones geographically and historically, linking them to the various stations of the Tabernacle in the land of Israel. In this view, the rest refers to the city of Shiloh, where the Tabernacle stood for centuries. It is called a rest because the physical wandering ceased there, and the structure took on a semi-permanent character, built with stone foundations but still covered by tent curtains. Yet, this was only a temporary pause. The inheritance, by contrast, refers to Jerusalem and the Temple, representing the eternal, unchanging spiritual center [רבנו בחיי, גור אריה, רש״ר הירש, בכור שור]. Conversely, an alternative view rooted in Talmudic discussions reverses this identification, suggesting that Jerusalem represents the rest, while Shiloh was the inheritance [מלבי״ם]. Another unique historical perspective broadens the timeline entirely, identifying Shiloh as the rest, the First and Second Temples as the inheritance, and the ultimate gift from God as a reference to the future Third Temple [אדרת אליהו].

This deliberate distinction between different stages of settlement directly reflects the fluctuating laws regarding private altars throughout history. In the desert, private altars were strictly forbidden. Upon entering the land and arriving at Gilgal, they were temporarily permitted during the fourteen years of conquest and division. When the nation reached their rest in Shiloh, private altars were once again prohibited. Following the destruction of Shiloh, during the periods of Nov and Gibeon, the permission to use private altars returned. Finally, with the arrival at the eternal inheritance in Jerusalem and the construction of the Temple, private altars were permanently forbidden [רבנו בחיי, תורה תמימה, רלב״ג].

Conceptually, the temporary permission to use private altars during these intermediate periods was limited exclusively to voluntary and peace offerings. Obligatory sacrifices, which express atonement and the cleansing of sin, were always required to be brought to the central, public altar. This distinction was crucial to ensure that God's law remained the unifying force of the entire nation. Allowing obligatory sacrifices on private altars carried the risk of fostering religious subjectivity, potentially detaching individuals from the collective national destiny. Therefore, only when the Israelites reached their eternal inheritance in Jerusalem was true perfection achieved, permanently uniting the entire nation around a single location chosen by God [רש״ר הירש, העמק דבר].