by HaRav Dov Begon
Rosh HaYeshiva, Machon Meir
Before Israel entered the Land, G-d commanded Moshe to warn them: “When you cross the Jordan into the Land of Canaan, you must drive out the Land’s inhabitants ahead of you” (Bamidbar 33:51-52). Rashi elaborates: “Moshe added the following: ‘Have this in mind when you are crossing the Jordan on dry land. Otherwise, the water will come and drown you.”
The Israelites were supposed to remember the purpose for which they were crossing the Jordan -- to conquer the Land and drive out all of its inhabitants. The Torah adds, “If you do not drive out the Land’s inhabitants before you, those who remain shall be barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, causing you troubles in the land that you settle” (Bamidbar 33:55). Here Rashi comments, “Those that you spare shall be a misfortune for you. They shall be like pins that prick out your eyes. They will hedge you in, enclosing and imprisoning you so that none can enter or leave.” Ohr HaChaim adds, “They will not make do with the territory that they inhabit. They will also want the part that you inhabit.”
Today, we see clearly how the words of Rashi and Ohr HaChaim are coming true before our eyes. Our enemies do not suffice with what they have. Rather, they attack us and murder us, their purpose being to drive us out of the whole Land of Israel. They cause us to imprison ourselves in our settlements and our homes behind sandbags and concrete, despite our having the strongest army in the Middle East. How did our situation deteriorate so badly, and how can we emerge from it strengthened?
Since the State’s establishment, our leaders have all agreed that the Land must remain partitioned between ourselves and a foreign nation. This approach stemmed from a lack of knowledge and understanding of the meaning of the return and rebirth of the Jewish People throughout the length and breadth of our land, as was promised to us by G-d, by means of His prophets, from time immemorial. Only in this manner will we be able to fulfill our historic role of being a light unto the nations. Only out of Zion and Yerushalayim shall the Torah and its light go forth to the whole world. It is this lack of knowledge and understanding which has led us to withdraw silently from the Biblical boundaries of the Land of Israel. That is how we got to where we are.
G-d issued to us a promise and a command: “Clear out the land and live in it since it is to you that I am giving the Land to occupy” (Bamidbar 33:53). We must constantly learn and acknowledge and remember that these words remain in force throughout the generations, as wrote Ramban, father of Israel. This is especially so in our own generation, the generation of rebirth. We must proclaim in a loud voice, to ourselves and to the entire world, especially to our enemies who rise up to destroy us, that all of Eretz Yisrael is ours for the purpose of our benefiting all of mankind. And we must believe it. When a person and a nation believe in themselves, it gives them the strength and the ability to confront their enemies, such that those enemies ultimately make peace with them as well.
Only through G-d’s “giving His people ‘strength’” (Tehilim 29:11), which the Rabbis said connotes Torah, will they be “blessed with peace” (Ibid.). Only if we go back and drink from our deep roots will we be able to believe in ourselves. Then we will be able to face our attackers, and we will continue to flourish and produce our sweet fruits for the whole world, from the midst of our land, and Jerusalem our capital and holy city.
Looking forward to salvation,
With Love of Israel,
Before Israel entered the Land, G-d commanded Moshe to warn them: “When you cross the Jordan into the Land of Canaan, you must drive out the Land’s inhabitants ahead of you” (Bamidbar 33:51-52). Rashi elaborates: “Moshe added the following: ‘Have this in mind when you are crossing the Jordan on dry land. Otherwise, the water will come and drown you.”
The Israelites were supposed to remember the purpose for which they were crossing the Jordan -- to conquer the Land and drive out all of its inhabitants. The Torah adds, “If you do not drive out the Land’s inhabitants before you, those who remain shall be barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, causing you troubles in the land that you settle” (Bamidbar 33:55). Here Rashi comments, “Those that you spare shall be a misfortune for you. They shall be like pins that prick out your eyes. They will hedge you in, enclosing and imprisoning you so that none can enter or leave.” Ohr HaChaim adds, “They will not make do with the territory that they inhabit. They will also want the part that you inhabit.”
Today, we see clearly how the words of Rashi and Ohr HaChaim are coming true before our eyes. Our enemies do not suffice with what they have. Rather, they attack us and murder us, their purpose being to drive us out of the whole Land of Israel. They cause us to imprison ourselves in our settlements and our homes behind sandbags and concrete, despite our having the strongest army in the Middle East. How did our situation deteriorate so badly, and how can we emerge from it strengthened?
Since the State’s establishment, our leaders have all agreed that the Land must remain partitioned between ourselves and a foreign nation. This approach stemmed from a lack of knowledge and understanding of the meaning of the return and rebirth of the Jewish People throughout the length and breadth of our land, as was promised to us by G-d, by means of His prophets, from time immemorial. Only in this manner will we be able to fulfill our historic role of being a light unto the nations. Only out of Zion and Yerushalayim shall the Torah and its light go forth to the whole world. It is this lack of knowledge and understanding which has led us to withdraw silently from the Biblical boundaries of the Land of Israel. That is how we got to where we are.
G-d issued to us a promise and a command: “Clear out the land and live in it since it is to you that I am giving the Land to occupy” (Bamidbar 33:53). We must constantly learn and acknowledge and remember that these words remain in force throughout the generations, as wrote Ramban, father of Israel. This is especially so in our own generation, the generation of rebirth. We must proclaim in a loud voice, to ourselves and to the entire world, especially to our enemies who rise up to destroy us, that all of Eretz Yisrael is ours for the purpose of our benefiting all of mankind. And we must believe it. When a person and a nation believe in themselves, it gives them the strength and the ability to confront their enemies, such that those enemies ultimately make peace with them as well.
Only through G-d’s “giving His people ‘strength’” (Tehilim 29:11), which the Rabbis said connotes Torah, will they be “blessed with peace” (Ibid.). Only if we go back and drink from our deep roots will we be able to believe in ourselves. Then we will be able to face our attackers, and we will continue to flourish and produce our sweet fruits for the whole world, from the midst of our land, and Jerusalem our capital and holy city.
Looking forward to salvation,
With Love of Israel,
Shabbat Shalom,
Chodesh Tov.
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