The Mitzvah Shiur #500 The Prohibition of Living In Egypt

(14) If, after you have entered the land that the LORD your God has assigned to you, and taken possession of it and settled in it, you decide, “I will set a king over me, as do all the nations about me,” (15) you shall be free to set a king over yourself, one chosen by the LORD your God. Be sure to set as king over yourself one of your own people; you must not set a foreigner over you, one who is not your kinsman. (16) Moreover, he shall not keep many horses or send people back to Egypt to add to his horses, since the LORD has warned you, “You must not go back that way again.”

It is from the roots of the commandment that [it is] because the people of Egypt are bad and sinners. And God, blessed be He, took us out from there and redeemed us, in His kindnesses, from their hand to give us merit, to walk in the ways of truth. And in His great goodness upon us, He wanted that we not return again to become defiled among them, so that we not learn from their agendum and that we not walk in their disgusting ways, in view of our perfect Torah.

From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Sukkah 51b), that it is not just the city of Egypt which is included in the prohibition, but rather it is forbidden to dwell in all of Alexendria. And from the Sea of Alexendria for the length of four hundred parasangs and for the width of four hundred parasangs is [all included] in this prohibition. And the rest of its details are clear.

And this prohibition is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it and establishes his residence there violates this negative commandment. But we do not administer lashes for this negative commandment, since no act is [involved] with it. As at the time of the entry, it is permitted, and there is no act in his lingering there. And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, said (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings and Wars 5:8) that if a king of Israel conquers the Land of Egypt according to the word of the court, it would be permissible for us to dwell in it. And 'the words of the wise are grace.'

The 46th prohibition is that we are forever forbidden from living in the land of Egypt. [The purpose of this prohibition is] so that we should not learn from their heresy and not come to imitate their behavior, which the Torah considers wicked.

The source of this prohibition is G‑d's statement (exalted be He), "[The king must not accumulate many horses, so as not to bring the people back to Egypt to get more horses, and G‑d told you] you must never again return on that path."

This prohibition is repeated three times in the Torah, as our Sages said, "The Torah repeats the prohibition against returning to Egypt three times; on three occasions they returned; and three times they were punished." Of the three times mentioned in the Torah, the first is the verse mentioned above. The second is G‑d's statement,"[G‑d will bring you back to Egypt in ships,] along the way that I told you not to ever see again." And the third is G‑d's statement, "You are seeing the Egyptians today, but you shall not see them again." Although the plain meaning of Scripture is that it is notification, the Oral Tradition tells us that it is actually a prohibition.

It is explained in the end of tractate Sukkah that Alexandria is included in the area in which it is forbidden to settle. From the Sea of Alexandria one measures 400 parsah in length and 400 parsah in width, and that area constitutes the "land of Egypt" in which it is forbidden to settle.

However, one may go there in order to do business or to pass through to another land. The Jerusalem Talmud says clearly, "You may not return there to live, but may return there to do business and trade or to conquer [another] land."