במדבר, פרק ל״ד, פסוק י׳

Setting the eastern boundary of the Promised Land requires a clear and physical marking of the territory. The primary approach among commentators is that the instruction given to the Israelites is a practical one: to establish a definitive border, map out a route, and draw a clear line [רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The very act of setting this boundary is fundamentally about making a physical mark to define the absolute edge of their inheritance [רבנו בחיי, אבן עזרא, אבי עזר]. This line is marked toward the east [ביאור שטיינזלץ], stretching from the area known as Hazar-enan toward Shepham, a point situated on the eastern boundary [רש״י].

However, defining this border is not merely about drawing a perfectly straight line. The nature of the boundary involves a route that naturally bends, turns, and curves along the landscape [רש״י]. Beyond the physical shape of the border, this curving route carries a deeper meaning. Rather than a simple technical task, the act of marking the border is tied to a profound sense of desire and longing. It reflects an ambition to expand the national inheritance and draw additional land into their possession. When the natural terrain forces the boundary to curve outward, it physically represents this eagerness to embrace and include as much territory as possible within the borders of the land [רש״ר הירש].