"I will sprinkle clean water upon you.”

by HaRav Dov Begon
Rosh HaYeshiva, Machon Meir

In the haftarah of Parashat Parah, we recite the words of Yechezkeil 36:24-26: “I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all countries, and I will bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean... A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away the stony heart of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”

Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook used to explain that this section is describing for us the process of rebirth and redemption of the Jewish People. The first stage is that of the ingathering of the exiles: “I will gather you out of all countries.” The second stage is that of purification and spiritual change: “I will sprinkle clean water upon you.... a new spirit will I put within you.”

Right now, we are at the height of the ingathering of the exiles. Millions have already returned home and millions more will yet return, soon in our day. At this stage, our purity and new spirit are not yet visible. Quite the contrary, our generation is sunken in materialism.

At present, “the soul is contracting and the spirit is sinking down” (Orot, 84). Yet the day is not far off when an enormous change will transpire among the Jewish People, and the second part of the prophecy will be fulfilled: “A new heart will I give you.” Already now, we are witnesses to large portions of the public being greatly stirred up regarding their roots and searching for the truth on their own.

Let us not be startled when we see so much immorality and unethical behavior. After all, it is for this that we immerse and undergo purification, and it is for this that G-d will sprinkle clean water upon us.

Let us not despair upon seeing broken hearts and let us not despair because of our current health situation. It is for that it says, “I will give you a new heart.” We must muster all the faith and patience that we can and “look forward to salvation.” That is, we must look forward to the fulfillment of the words of the prophets, none of which shall return void, as it says, “Faithful are You, O L-rd our G-d, and faithful are Your words, and not one of Your words shall return void” (Haftarah blessings).

Looking forward to complete redemption,
With Love of Israel,
Shabbat Shalom.