"Return in mercy to Your city, Yerushalayim"

by HaRav Dov Begon
Rosh HaYeshiva, Machon Meir

From the 5th of Iyar, Yom Ha'Atzmaut, we ascend in holiness to the 28th of Iyar, Yom. And from “With love You led the people you redeemed” (Shemot 15:13), we arrive at the higher spiritual level of “With might, You led them to Your holy shrine” (ibid.) -- Jerusalem, site of our Temple.

Yerushalayim is the heart of Eretz Yisrael, the center of its life, and it is linked to all of Eretz Yisrael. Rav Zvi Yehuda Kook, zt”l, who merited to be among the first to arrive at the Western Wall on the day of its liberation, was requested on that exciting historic occasion, to make a radio address, expressing a few words to the world. In his confident, roaring boys, he proclaimed: Let it henceforth be known to the entire Jewish People, to the entire world and all who inhabit it once and for all, that on orders from the Creator of the universe, on orders of Him who knows all human history in advance, we have arrived and returned home, and we will never leave here!!!"

Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook zt”l, with his deep and penetrating vision, foresaw the opposition -- from within and from without -- that would arise against Israel's returning to the Kotel and Har HaBayit, and his cry has echoed from then until today.

Today, the war over Yerushalayim has not ended. Our enemies have not resigned themselves to Jewish rule over Yerushalayim, and they continue to fight us, with their struggle always taking different forms. Sometimes, it involves an all-out war, like the Yom Kippur war. Sometimes it involves an intifada, and sometimes, they stealthily employ a “peace attack”, like the wretched Oslo Accords, whose purpose was the destruction of the State of Israel. And now, the current US administration plots a division of Yerushalayim.

Our enemy’s goal is to snuff out the light of the Jewish people in Eretz Yisrael, and in Yerushalayim specifically. The Rabbis said, "Yerushalayim is the light of the universe," and the war over Yerushalayim is not just a physical war, but, first and foremost, a war over the revelation of G-d's light in the world. Whoever settles in Yerushalayim, building it and defending it, increases light and goodness in the world. The Jewish people and our political and military leadership need to and have an obligation to learn what Yerushalayim is, and what value it has for the Jewish people and for the entire world. Moreover, they must learn what the essence of Yerushalayim's soul is. By such means, they will draw the strength and fortitude required to face up to the struggles and battles over Israel and over Yerushalayim. On Yom Yerushalayim, we must learn and delve deeply into its meaning. We have to recognize and connect ourselves to it, and we had to go up to Yerushalayim and to rejoice in its happiness. And may we be the living fulfillment of the prayer: “Return in mercy to Your city Yerushalayim, and dwell in it as You have promised” (Shemoneh Esreh).

Looking forward to salvation,
With Love of Israel,
Shabbat Shalom.