"He Will Reconcile His People to His Land”

by HaRav Dov Begon
Rosh HaYeshiva, Machon Meir

The Song of Ha’azinu concludes with the revenge and reconciliation that will be in the future, as it says, “Let the tribes of His nation sing praise, for He will avenge His servants' blood. He will bring vengeance upon His foes, and reconcile His people to His land” (Deuteronomy 32:43). Rashi comments: “In the future the nations will praise Israel, saying, ‘Consider how praiseworthy this nation is! They remained devoted to G-d throughout all the suffering they experienced, and they never abandoned Him. They were aware of His goodness and virtue.’

And why should the nations praise them? ‘For He will avenge His servants' blood. He will bring vengeance upon His foes,’ for the blood of Israel that was spilt like water and for the evil and massacres and the theft and pillaging by the nations from the beginning of history until today, as it says, “The enemy's first punishment will be the blood of the slain and wounded” (32:42. Rashi).

Following G-d’s revenge on Israel’s foes, will come great reconciliation and appeasement between us and our Father in Heaven, as it says, “He will reconcile [vekiper] His people to His land.” Rashi explains that G-d will appease His land and His people for the suffering they underwent, caused by the enemy. Rashi, treats the word “vekiper”, which normally means “atone,” as meaning “reconcile”. Why does it say “vekiper admato”, literally “G-d will reconcile His land”, when it is His people that He will reconcile? Rashi thus explains that “admato”, literally, “His land”, here means “His people.” When the Jewish People are consoled, G-d’s land is consoled. It likewise says, “G-d, You have propitiated Your land” (Psalm 85:2).

Yom Kippur is our day of appeasement, the day of reconciliation between men, and between man and G-d. Yet this is not just so on the personal level, but also on a national level, as it says, “He will reconcile His people to His land.” G-d will appease His land and His people for the suffering they experienced, and which was carried out by the enemy, and all this He will do by way of the revenge that He will return to His enemies (see Rashi, ibid.).

When the Jewish People rise to rebirth in their land, and vanquish their enemies who are fiercely attacking them, G-d’s name will be sanctified in the world, and the nations will praise us, recognizing that our uniqueness is our profundity of spirit. In every generation, the nations rise up to destroy us. In the present generation, the Arabs and Muslims are rising up against us, led by the dictators of Iran with help from the Europeans and the Chinese. And just as G-d saved us from all our enemies and took revenge on them, so too in our day He will take revenge on our enemies, as it says, “For He will avenge His servants' blood. He will bring vengeance upon His foes.” By such means, “He will reconcile His people to His land” will be fulfilled speedily in our day, Amen.

Looking forward to salvation and redemption,
May you be signed and sealed for a good year,
Shabbat Shalom.