"The Lord will not cast off His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance"

by HaRav Dov Begon
Rosh HaYeshiva, Machon Meir

“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).

Rashi explains that those nations will be like “pins which prick out your eyes,” forcing Israel to hide behind fences such that no one can leave or enter, and our enemies will torment us.

What is the idea behind metaphors in which the eyes are threatened? It is known that the eyes symbolize wisdom and understanding. Therefore, the leaders and wise men of the people are called “the eyes of the people” (see Bamidbar 15:24).

From here we learn that if we leave a foreign people in our land, our leaders’ eyes will be “pricked out,” i.e., they will lose their wisdom and understanding...

Ohr HaChaim adds, “Not only will your enemies take hold of part of the Land, but even in the part that you have settled, ‘your enemies will cause you trouble,’ saying, ‘Get up and leave the Land!"

The crystal clear words of our holy Torah and the unequivocal explanations of Rashi and Ohr HaChaim regarding the harsh results of a foreign people ruling over part of our land require us to wake up and open the eyes of our leaders and of the Jewish masses. We must rise as one man with one heart against the counsel of our enemies who wish to banish us from our land, and from Jerusalem the nation’s heart. Then we will be living in the fulfillment of Bamidbar 34:2: “This land shall fall to you as your inheritance, the Land of Canaan to its borders.” Rashi explains, “G-d cast down from heaven the angelic princes of the seven nations of Canaan and placed them in fetters before Moses.

G-d said to Moshe, ‘See, there is no more strength in them.’” We shall see with our own eyes how “there are many devices in a man’s heart, but it is G-d’s counsel that shall endure” (Mishlei 19:21), for “the L-rd has chosen Zion, He desired it for His habitation” (Tehilim 132:13). Moreover, “The L-rd will not cast off His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance” (Tehilim 94:14).

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