"And Moshe said to Chovav...; we are traveling to the place about which Hashem said He will give it to us. Go with us and we shall benefit you, for Hashem has spoken of good things for Israel!" (Bamidbar 10:29). In this emotion-laden call, Moshe attempts to convince his noble father-in-law, Yisro (Chovav), to join the Jewish people in their journey to the Promised Land. In light of the fact that the book of Shoftim (1:27) records that the descendants of Yisro were in the Land of Israel, the commentaries debate whether Yisro himself joined the Jewish people after converting his family or only his children did. (See Rashi to Yisro (18:27) and Seforno on the above verse.)
Rav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik zt"l in one of his more well-known derashos[1] notes that the entire first section of our parasha consists of the final preparations for entry into Eretz Yisrael. Starting with the dedication of the Levites followed by the bringing of the korban Pesach - both highlighting the resting of the Divine Presence among B'nei Yisrael in the mishkan and beyond and then moving on to the description of the traveling of the Cloud of G-d followed by the commandment to fashion trumpets - indicating the march toward the Land of Israel under direct Divine guidance, our parasha carefully choreographs the imminent entry of the entirety of the Jewish people, under Moshe Rabbeinu's leadership, into the Land flowing with milk and honey. Had Moshe succeeded in leading the Jewish people into Eretz Yisrael, Moshe would have been the melech hamashiach and the messianic era would already be here, and no subsequent exiles would have been necessary.
Based on this approach, the Rav explains that the call to Yisro was symbolic of a call to all those interested among the nations of the world to convert and join in this great historical adventure of accepting Hashem Yisborach's master plan for all of humanity - led by the Jewish people, the kohanim of the world - in order to partner with Him in perfecting the world and, by doing so, gain eternal existence granted by their Creator and Master of History.
I humbly attempt to expand upon the Rav's poignant words, based on another dersasha of his, presenting a somewhat different interpretation of Moshe's conversation with Yisro. Rashi quotes the halacha that converts, not belonging to a specific tribe, do not receive land in Eretz Yisrael. What then would be the "benefit" that Moshe promised Yisro? Rashi quotes Chazal that since Moshe knew that a specific place (ultimately Jerusalem) would be chosen as the place of the Beis Hamikdash, the land of the members of b'nei Yisrael living there at that time would have to be expropriated. Consequently, Yisro's descendants would temporarily receive fertile land near Jericho until the time of the expropriation, when they would have to forfeit that land, surrendering it to those Jews originally residing in the place of the future mikdash. This indeed occurred later in history as recorded in Shoftim (ibid.) according to Chazal's interpretation of the verse (see Radak ibid.).
In light of the Rav's interpretation of Moshe's call to Yisro as being nothing short of anticipating the messianic era, perhaps we can suggest a more literal reading of the text based on passages in Yechezkel (47:22-23). There, Yechezkel hanavi informs us that in the messianic era, converts will indeed receive a portion in the Land of Israel in the section allotted to the tribe among which they lived in the exile. (See Rashi (ibid.).) Based on this, if Moshe was indeed anticipating the blessed pinnacle of history with the Jewish people's imminent entry into the Land, then the "benefit" could reasonably be interpreted to mean a permanent portion in the Land of Israel since, in the messianic era, even converts receive an inheritance.
In a different lecture, Rav Soloveitchik asked why we refer to a convert to Judaism as a "ger," a stranger. In light of the Torah's directive to love converts and exert extreme caution not to cause them emotional hurt, why would the Torah refer to one who accepts Judaism as a "stranger?" The Rav's insightful answer greatly illuminates for all of us the Torah's viewpoint on the nature of this world. Avraham Avinu refers to himself as "ger v'toshav - a stranger and a resident" (Bereishis 23:24). One homiletic interpretation of this verse is that Avraham was presenting a Jew's proper dual mindset concerning this world. On the one hand, Hashem has charged us to be a "part of the world:" to cultivate its fields, to develop its industry, to form governments, armies and social systems according to the dictates of the world's blueprint, the holy Torah. But, on the other hand, we are to be "apart from the world," viewing our main destination as the World to Come, the world of ultimate deveikus baShem, cleaving to our very Source of Life in Eternal bliss. From the vantage point of the second perspective, this world is foreign to us and we are just "strangers." In the famous words of the Chafetz Chaim - explaining his meager furnishings to a traveling wealthy man who questioned their frugality, "I'm just a traveler here just as you are." Indeed, when we reflect on the fact that all souls were created at the beginning of time and have existed ever since - with their entrance into this world being only for a relatively short period of time in their eternal existence, the Chafetz Chaim's piercing message becomes all the more apparent. But most people, especially in the world at large, act as if this world is the sum total of existence, not preparing themselves here for the next step of their eternity. The Jewish people are expected to absorb the message of our illustrious patriarch that we are indeed "strangers" as we prepare for another World by simultaneously engaging this world in the proper fashion. When a convert joins the Jewish people, he is crowned with the title of "stranger" as if to tell him: "Welcome to the Jewish people, a community which views itself ultimately as strangers (geirim) in this world!"
Based on the above, perhaps we can suggest one reason as to why converts do not receive inheritance in Eretz Yisrael in the pre-messianic era but do in the post-messianic one. Another group among the Jewish people does not receive inheritance, namely, kohanim and levi'im. Concerning them, the Torah writes, "Hashem is their inheritance" (Devarim 18:2) which can be taken to mean that since they devote themselves to avodas hamikdash and all the intense cleaving to Hashem that represents, their engagement in this world, their status as "toshavim," is limited; they are truly only "geirim." Perhaps, in a converse manner, we can suggest that converts serve as a living example of the attitude that all Jews ultimately should strive for, the status of "stranger" in this world, similar to that of kohanim and leviyim (see Rambam end of the laws of Shemitta v'Yovel). In the messianic era though, with the lessening or elimination of the Evil Inclination (see Ramban, Nitzavim 30:6), the danger that engaging in the matters of this world will cause a disconnect from our primary, spiritual focus ceases. Ownership of land in Israel, the only real estate in our world endowed with sanctity is, in the words of the Ibn Ezra, like owning a share in the World to Come (Bereishis 33:19). Nonetheless, in the pre-messianic era, ownership of even part of that Holy Land and engaging in developing it in a physical way, can bring one to pre-occupation with physicality and is therefore not the lot of the kohanim and levi'im, nor, according to our approach, of converts (cf. the view of R. Shimon b. Yochai, Berachos 35b). But ideally, all should be able to own part of the Holy Land, elevating its physical aspects[2]. Indeed, Yechezkel prophesies exactly that both for converts and seemingly levi'im (ibid. 45:5)[3].
The recently celebrated holiday of Shavuos, in addition to being Chag Matan Toraseinu, is also the holiday of our national conversion. (See Kerisus 9a, Rambam (Issurei Biah 13:1-3). This is one of the reasons for the reading of Megillas Rus on that holiday. The personal experience of recent world events of the past five years and all the more so the study of the tragic events the Jewish people have undergone during the millennia-old exile have taught us how precarious existence in this world in general and specifically that of the Jewish people are without Divine protection. Recent events have underscored the reality as to how tenuous our grasp on the Land of Israel is even with a standing government and army. In a word, the truism of our status as "geirim" is unescapable. The Torah constantly adjures us to not rely solely on our own power and initiative or, in other words, not to view the natural order in this world as the sum total of its essence. Instead, we are directed to seek Heavenly assistance and providence in all of our endeavors while generally simultaneously being active participants in the activities of the world and the defense of our people. This is true of all life events and is certainly highlighted in times of war in which the Jewish people once again find themselves. In the merit of our allegiance to the dual attitude of "ger v'toshav" of our patriarch Avraham, may we merit shalom ba'aretz and the geulah sheleima speedily in our days!
[1] A transcript of this lecture by Rav Yitzchak Etshalom is available at https://torah.org/torah-portion/mikra-5774-behaaloscha/.
[2] See the fascinating parallel of the sanctity Land of Israel to that of the Torah presented by Rabbi Benjamin Yudin, quoting the Arvei Nachal, in his article, The Torah Gives "Allot" to Every Jew.
[3] Kohanim remain landless except for areas designated for residence as was true always (ibid. 44:28). This distinction requires additional study. Above, we followed the view of Rashbam (Bava Basra 122a) and Malbim (Yechezkel ibid.) that leviyim will receive a regular inheritance of land in the messianic era. Others maintain that leviyim, similar to their kohanic counterparts, only receive land for residence. (See Rambam ibid. and Ran to Bava Basra (ibid.).)