במדבר, פרק ל״ד, פסוק י״ב

The final stretch of the eastern border traces a southern route along the Jordan River, ultimately coming to an end at the Dead Sea [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This geographical boundary not only marks the physical edge of the territory but also establishes the unified nature of the land as a whole.

Beyond the simple topography, the description of the border descending southward carries a deeper message. It serves as a subtle hint to the state of the Israelites, who were experiencing a period of decline at that specific time [שפתי כהן].

The summary of these boundaries reveals an essential principle about the nature of the land itself. Even though the territory is internally divided into distinct inheritances with specific borders for each tribe, the entire land remains a single, undivided domain. This concept carries practical legal weight, particularly concerning the commandment to tithe animals. A person who owns ten lambs, for example, is required to gather them and separate a tithe. If five lambs are located within the land and five are outside of it, they cannot be combined to meet the minimum requirement. However, if five lambs are in the territory of one tribe and five are in the territory of another, they are counted together to fulfill the tithing obligation, provided they are within a reasonable distance of sixteen miles from each other. This law highlights that the entire land, despite its internal tribal divisions, functions as one cohesive space [תורה תמימה].