4. The people (clal) of Israel chosen by HaShem as people for Himself
5. Eretz Israel is chosen by HaShem as place to dwell.
6. Eretz Israel and the people (clal) Israel are undividable connected with
each other.
7. It is a mitswe (good deed) to live in Eretz Israel.
8. Only in Eretz Israel, the people (clal) of Israel can be a holy nation.
9. As long as the people of Israel lives outside Eretz Israel, the Name of
HaShem profaned.
10. Necessary to be back in Israel for the coming of Messiah.
11. In Eretz Israel the people of Israel really can be a light for the
nations.
12. First words of HaShem to the Patriarchs.
13. Return to Eretz Israel begin of final ‘restoration’.
14. Home at the only home.
15. Trust and faith.
The first
time I met Zionist-Religious people it hit me that they were strong, full of
faith and that even in difficult times they remain faithful to HaShem. I
also felt the presence of HaShem very strong in most of the places where
they live in Yehuda and Shomron.
The
question rose in me: What makes them so strong. Why they have such a strong
connection to the land?
I tried to
find out and so tried to find what Religious Zionism is.
Zionism,
itself, according to the Dutch van Dale’s dictionary, is the endeavour to
return the Jewish people to a own independent, national State (the name
Palestine probably has been used as in the time that the (religious) Zionism
grew the land, by the British Mandate rules was called so. At that time the
Jews of Eretz Israel were called Palestines. The Arabs, after 1948, adopted
that name only to justify their claim at the land.
Zionism can
be ‘ordered’ in two groups or two ‘types’; Secular Zionism and Religious
(Orthodox-Jewish) Zionism.
1. ‘Secular’ Zionism
The Secular
Zionism has its founder Theodor Herzl. It began around 1896/1897. Theodor
Herzl was in 1895, as journalist, at the anti-Semitic trail of the Jewish
French officer Dreyfus. This caused Herzl to write his book ‘Der Judenstaat’
(1896). He concluded that the only safe place for the Jewish people would be
a Jewish state somewhere in the world. For him that state should not
necessary be created in Eretz Israel. He himself suggested that it would be
in Uganda. To discuss the idea of a Jewish homeland, he organised in 1897
the First Zionistic World Congress in Basel. The main goal of this congress
was to speak about the establishment of a homeland for the Jewish people. At
the congress he spoke about the necessity of such a Jewish homeland because
of the growing anti-Semitism in the world. The majority of this congress
members agreed and than choose, for practical and historical reasons, Eretz
Israel for such a national homeland.
To reach
the goal of a national homeland in Eretz Israel, the movement used several
methods. First thing they did was to promote the emigration to Israel within
the Jewish world. Second they agreed that an other key to reach this was to
strengthen the Jewish awareness and the unity amongst the Jews in order make
the Jewish people willing to move to such an homeland. These activities were
to emphasise within the frame of the local laws of the land(s). Further they
also did contact their ‘galut’ governments to call attention for the
establishment of a national home for the Jews.
Because the
motive for this movement just was the creation of a save homeland, these
‘secular’ Zionists don’t have strong connection with the land just as the
religious Zionists have. For ‘security reasons’ they easily are willing to
give up (parts of) Eretz Israel as homeland. We saw this already this with
the disengagement of the Jewish villages in the Gaza strip and northern
Shomron. This group easily was ready to give up these areas.
HaRav
Avraham Yitzak HaCohen Kook, the first chief Rabbi of Israel, explains
anyhow that the movement of secular Zionist is a proof for the fact that
each Jew has a inner connection with the land of Israel no matter if he is
religious or not. The longing for a homeland in Eretz Israel comes from
within them and can be the first beginning of national spiritual revival as
is prophesied by the prophet Ezekiel: 37:21-23 “And say unto them: Thus
saith HaShem Elohim: Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among
the nations, whither they are gone, and will gather them on every side, and
bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land,
upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king to them all; and
they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two
kingdoms any more at all; neither shall they defile themselves any more with
their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their
transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling-places,
wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them; so shall they be My people,
and I will be their God.” It tells that first the people will return to the
land and further the will return to HaShem in observing the Torah
instructions.
2. Religious Zionism
The
Religious-Zionist movement of these days began to rise through the efforts
of HaRav Avraham Yitzhak HaCohen Kook, as I mentioned, the first Chief-Rabbi
of Eretz Israel. Actually the ‘Zionist-movement’ never has been diminished
completely. The prophet Jeremiah already instructed the people of Israel to
return to Eretz Israel as soon as the Jewish people would be allowed to do
that 31:21b “Return, O virgin of Israel, return to these thy cities.” Ever
since Joshua with the people of Israel entered Eretz Israel, Jews have been
living in Eretz Israel. And after have been sent in captivity, throughout
the centuries always Jews have been resettling themselves in Eretz Israel.
Amongst them was Yehuda HaLevi who in 1141 CE went home to ‘HaEretz’ (just
like the king of the Khazars in his famous book Khuzari). Than of course the
Ramban,Rabbi
Nachmanides (Moshe Ben Nachman), who after his expulsion from Spain in the
13th Century made Aliyah as he believed it is a mitswes for a
Jew, based at BaMidbar 33:53 to move to Israel. Further there was Moshe
Chaim Lutsato who went in 1747 CE to Eretz Israel to settle over there.
HaRav
Avraham Yitzak HaCohen Kook, awakened the religious Zionism of these days.
(for more information about him see webpage
http://www.mizrachi.org/elearning/View_history.asp?id=128 ). First initiator
however of the nowadays (Religious) Zionism is regarded the Gaon of Vilna.
He, 80 years before Herzls call for a Jewish homeland, he instructed his
talmidiem to make Aliyah to Eretz Israel. Rav Kook was born in 1865 in
Griva, Russia. In 1904 he moved to Eretz Israel. First he was Rabbi of Yaffo
and later chief rabbi of Eretz Israel.
After Rav
Avraham Yitzak HaCohen Kook, the religious Zionism further developed through
the work of his son HaRav Tzvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook. The motivation of the
religious Zionism to be Zionist (and to live in Eretz Israel) is not in the
first place just to create a save place for the Jewish people but to live in
Eretz Israel out of love for HaShem the longing to serve Him through
observing Torah in the best possible way.
3. Torah to show love for HaShem
HaShem gave
the Torah to His people so that they can show their love to Him through it,
so taught us our Rav. Baruch Harnik. Someone who wants to show his love for
HaShem can do so by observing the instructions of Torah. In a love relation
it is normal that one, who wants to show his loves, finds out what is best
to do to show his or her love to the other one. In the relation between
HaShem and His people HaShem let His people know how they can show their
love for Him; by observing the Torah instructions. The nations are not
excluded to observe Torah. Those who want to show their love to HaShem by
observing Torah will be embraced by the nation of HaShem, the nation of
Israel so taught us our Rav Avi Rowe. The ones who want to serve HaShem by
observing the Torah instructions will embraced by the people of HaShem.
The
principle of showing love for HaShem by observing the Torah instructions is
universal. In Ecclesiastes 12:13 is written “The end of the matter, all
having been heard: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the
whole man”. Also the ‘goy’ can show his love for HaShem by observing the
Torah instructions. In Isaiah 56:2-8 is written “Happy is the man
that doeth this, and the son of man that holdeth fast by it: that keepeth
the sabbath from profaning it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.
Neither let the alien, that hath joined himself to HaShem, speak,
saying: ‘HaShem will surely separate me from His people’; neither let the
eunuch say: ‘Behold, I am a dry tree.’ …. Also the aliens, that join
themselves to HaShem, to minister unto Him, and to love the name of HaShem,
to be His servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it,
and holdeth fast by My covenant: Even them will I bring to My holy mountain,
and make them joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt-offerings and their
sacrifices shall be acceptable upon Mine altar; for My house shall be called
a house of prayer for all peoples. Saith HaShem God who gathereth the
dispersed of Israel: Yet I will gather others to him, beside those of him
that are gathered”. From this we learn that a goy may show his love for
HaShem to observe the Torah instructions and to join the people of Israel.
4. The people (clal) of Israel chosen by HaShem as people for Himself
HaShem made
a covenant with Avraham so we can read in the Torah Gen 17:7-11 “And I will
establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout
their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to
thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed
after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the land of
Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.’
And God said unto Abraham: ‘And as for thee, thou shalt keep My covenant,
thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations. This is My
covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee:
every male among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall be circumcised in
the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant between Me
and you.” Avraham was chosen by HaShem. He chooses to leave paganism to
serve the One and only God. Rav Eli Sadan of Eli taught us: He was able to
build a nation who would go in that direction and in that way influence the
world. To influence the world only is possible as a nation when if that
nation observes the instructions of HaShem.
As a part
of the covenant with Avraham, God gave Eretz Israel to the people of Israel
to live in. So the destiny of Gods chosen people is to live in Eretz Israel
and to observe Torah.
Rav. David
Samson writes that Rav Tzvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook said that from Gen.12 we can
learn that HaShem chose the people of Israel as His special nation. HaShem
has a special relation with the people of Israel. That we also can learn
from the following passuks Deut. 7:6-9 “For thou art a holy people unto
HaShem thy God: HaShem thy God hath chosen thee to be His own treasure, out
of all peoples that are upon the face of the earth. HaShem did not set His
love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any
people—for ye were the fewest of all peoples— but because HaShem loved you,
and because He would keep the oath which He swore unto your fathers, hath
HaShem brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house
of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that
HaShem thy God, He is God; the faithful God, who keepeth covenant and mercy
with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand
generations;”, Tehillim 135:4 “For HaShem hath chosen Ya’akov unto Himself,
and Israel for His own treasure.”, Tehillim 33:12 ”Happy is the nation whose
God is HaShem; the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.”, 1
Sam 12:22 “For HaShem will not forsake His people for His great name’s sake;
because it hath pleased HaShem to make you a people unto Himself.”, Isa 41:8
“But thou, Israel, My servant, Ya’akov whom I have chosen, the seed of
Avraham My friend”, Deut. 32:9 “For the portion of HaShem is His people,
Ya’akov the lot of His inheritance” and Isa. 51:16 “And I have put My words
in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of My hand, that I may
plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion:
‘Thou art My people.’”
The people
of Israel (clal) have been chosen to make the Name of HaShem known
throughout the world, chosen to glorify His Name. Isa 43:21 “The people
which I formed for Myself, that they might tell of My praise.”. They will
fulfil this task only while living in Eretz Israel. This we learn from
Tehillim 50:2 “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined forth”
5. Eretz Israel is chosen by HaShem as place to dwell.
HaShem
choose Eretz Israel as special place to dwell. This we learn from Exodus
15:17 “Thou bringest them in, and plantest them in the mountain of Thine
inheritance, the place, O HaShem, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in,
the sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established” and Tehillim
132:13, 14 “For HaShem hath chosen Tsion; He hath desired it for His
habitation: ‘This is My resting-place for ever; here will I dwell; for I
have desired it.”
Rav. Baruch
Harnik explains why HaShem wants the people of Israel in Eretz Israel to
live. “The people of Israel are the eyes of the world. HaShem wants to see
His beloved in the eyes in Eretz Israel, His dwelling place. Further, when
you love someone you stay close to him. You stay in the place where he
lives. HaShem has chosen Israel as His dwelling place. That is why His
people likely want to live in Eretz Israel even though the Temple (Beit
HaMikdash) has not been rebuilt and why HaShem wants the people of Israel in
Eretz Israel.
Also:
HaShem told His people how they can show their love for HaShem. They can
show their love for Him through observing the Torah. One of the mitswes is
to live in Eretz Israel.
HaShem
teaches the nations out of Eretz Israel by the mouth of the people of
Israel. In the future we will see it more clearly. Micha 4:1, 2 ”But in the
end of days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of HaShem
shall be established as the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted
above the hills; and peoples shall flow unto it. And many nations shall go
and say: ‘Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of HaShem, and to the
house of the God of Ya’akov; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will
walk in His paths’; for out of Tsion shall go forth the law, and the word of
HaShem from Jerusalem.” And Isa 2:2,3 “And it shall come to pass in the end
of days, that the mountain of the house of HaShem shall be established as
the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all
nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say: ‘Come ye, and
let us go up to the mountain of HaShem, to the house of the God of Ya’akov;
and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths.’ For out of
Tsion shall go forth the law, and the word of HaShem from Jerusalem.” The
nations will come to Yerushalayim to study Torah.
6. Eretz Israel and the people (clal) Israel are undividable connected with
each other.
According
to the Torah Eretz Israel and clal Israel are undividable connected with
each other. Ezekiel 28:25 “Thus saith HaShem Elohim: When I shall have
gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered,
and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the nations, then shall they
dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob” The Torah is the
soul of Israel. The life-giving words of HaShem have been revealed through
us. It deals with every aspect of life. Some instructions of the Torah only
can be kept in Eretz Israel. Also for that reason the people of Israel needs
to be in Eretz Israel. Actually all instructions of the Torah are meant to
be kept in Eretz Israel. It is a mitzwe it selves to observe Torah in Eretz
Israel. Deut. 6:1 “Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the
ordinances, which HaShem your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do
them in the land whither ye go over to possess it”. The desire to live in
Eretz Israel to observe Torah over there comes from the desire to live
according Torah as much as possible. Whenever someone wants to live
according to Torah, he/she wants to live in Eretz Israel.
Every
nation has its own country. So the people of HaShem also has a country, the
land of HaShem; Eretz Israel. God would like to have His people in His land;
the land of Israel so taught Rav. Kook.
Israel as
people only in Eretz Israel will become whole and in state of completeness.
Living in the land of Israel they have the task to make known to the world
the Name of HaShem. 2 Kings 5: 15”And
he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood
before him; and he said: ‘Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the
earth, but in Israel; now therefore, I pray thee, take a present of thy
servant.’ ”
The return
of the people of Israel to Eretz Israel is an deed of HaShem which He does
with His whole heart and His whole soul so we learn from Jer.32:37-41. In
the Tanach there is no other act of HaShem which is described in this way.
Jer. 32:37-41 “ Behold, I will gather them out of all the countries, whither
I have driven them in Mine anger, and in My fury, and in great wrath; and I
will bring them back unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely;
and they shall be My people, and I will be their God; and I will give them
one heart and one way, that they may fear Me for ever; for the good of them,
and of their children after them; and I will make an everlasting covenant
with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will
put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me. Yea, I will
rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land in
truth with My whole heart and with My whole soul.”
Eretz
Israel is the eternal homeland of the people of Israel. Isa. 14:1 “For
HaShem will have compassion on Ya’akov, and will yet choose Israel, and set
them in their own land; and the stranger shall join himself with them, and
they shall cleave to the house of Ya’akov”
7. It is a mitzwe (good deed) to live in Eretz Israel.
Once again,
according to the Torah it is a mitswe for the people of Israel to live in
Eretz Israel. The (chosen) people of HaShem (people of Israel) can show
their love for HaShem by moving to Israel to observe the Torah in Eretz
Israel. We learn this from Deut. 4:22 is written “but ye are to go over, and
possess that good land.” and Numb. 33:53 “And ye shall drive out the
inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein; for unto you have I given the
land to possess it.”. So also everyone else who wants to take the yoke of
Torah upon themselves should move to Eretz Israel to live over there.
HaShem actually, also for nowadays, gave Eretz Israel to the Jewish people
with the instruction to take it in possession. The Sages, especially from
this verse learn the importance of living in Eretz Israel and the
prohibition to leave the land. Further in the Talmud Ketubot 110b this verse
is discussed.
In Deut.
4:5-40 is written that all mitswes actually are meant to be kept in Eretz
Israel. In that view Zionism is a Torah-principle. HaRav Tzvi Yehuda HaCohen
Kook taught, so writes Rav Samson: ‘The modern Israel of today is in a state
far from perfect but it sure is a step towards final redemption’. About
living outside Eretz Israel is the following written in the Talmud (Ketubot
110b) ‘”Our Rabbis taught: One should always live in the Land of Israel,
even in a town most of whose inhabitants are idolaters, but let no one live
outside the Land, even in a town most of whose inhabitants are Israelites;
for whoever lives in the Land of Israel may be considered to have a God, but
whoever lives outside the Land may be regarded as one who has no God. For it
is said in Scripture, To give you the Land of
Canaan, to be your God.
Has he, then, who does not live in the Land, no God? But [this is what the
text intended] to tell you, that whoever lives outside the Land may be
regarded as one who worships idols. Similarly it was said in Scripture in
[the story of] David, For they have driven me out this day that I should not
cleave to the inheritance of the Lord, saying: Go, serve other gods. Now,
whoever said to David, ‘Serve other gods’?
(1Sam 26:19)
But [the text intended] to tell
you that whoever lives outside the Land may be regarded as one who worships
idols”. See Lev. 25:38 “I am HaShem your God, who brought you forth out of
the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God”.
According to Rav Kook this passuk teaches us that the mitswe of living in
Eretz Israel has the same importance as all the other mitswes together.
To live in
Eretz Israel is a mitswe it selves so teach the Jewish Sages. Every moment
while living in Eretz Israel is fulfilling a mitzwe. Regarding this in the
Talmud (Ketubot 111A) is written “said R. Jeremiah b. Abba in the name of
R. Jochanan, that whoever walks four cubits in the Land of Israel is assured
of a place in the world to come” Four cubits is +/- 2 meter. This they
learned from Isa 42:5 “Thus saith HaShem God, He that created the heavens,
and stretched them forth, He that spread forth the earth and that which
cometh out of it, He that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit
to them that walk therein:”.
Maimonides
teaches, so said Rav Zvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook referred by Rabbi David Samson,
that it not only is a mitzwe to live in Eretz Israel but that it is a mitzwe
the whole Torah is based upon.
In Tehillim
37:3 is written “Trust in HaShem, and do good; dwell in the land, and
cherish faithfulness”. What, according to the Midrash, is the good in this
verse, so writes Rabbi Chaim Avihau Schwartz. It is to live in Eretz Israel,
establish a settlement in the land of Israel, sow and plant.
Rav Meir
Kahane teaches that, based at Deut. 11:31b and 32, “and ye shall possess it,
and dwell therein. And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and the
ordinances which I set before you this day”, it is a duty for a Jew to live
in Eretz Israel. As soon as a Jew is allowed to live in Eretz Israel again,
after being sent in captivity, he should return. Just as in the times of
Cores, king of Persia when all Israel should have returned. Many Jews, by
then, didn’t return because the live for them selves in the ‘galut’ was
good. They had been settled over there too much. It was a comfortable live
over there. The commandment to settle in Eretz
Israel was not only meant for Joshua and the people of Israel by than. It is
an everlasting instruction. It is Christiany which states that (some of) the
Torah instructions nowadays don’t need to be observed anymore. That is not
true. All the Torah instructions are meant to be kept by the people of
Israel as people (clal) forever. HaShem changes not. The Torah has not been
changed. No, we also should not wait for the Messiah before observing this
mitswe. Although the mitswes about the service in the Beit HaMikdash can not
be observed till the completion of the Beit HaMikdash, all they other
mitswes need to be observed without delay. The mitswe of living in Eretz
Israel is not of less value than the others which are observed very
precisely. It is more the opposite. The Messiah is not a goal in itself (as
in Christianity). It is a ‘mean’ to ‘make’ the people of Israel observing
the Torah instructions, a king who teaches his people to observe Torah. We
don’t need to wait for a ‘sign’ to observe the mitswe of living in Eretz
Israel. The goal of the redemption is the observance of the Torah
instructions. Because the Jewish people didn’t observe the Torah
instructions, they were sent in the galut temporarily with the goal to doe
‘teshoeva’ and to come back to the land to observe Torah in Eretz Israel.
At the moment the State of Israel is far from perfect with its (partly)
non-religious government which doesn’t observe Torah but if in this time,
all the religious Jews would make Aliyah to live in Eretz Israel, the
majority would be Orthodox-Jewish and a religious leadership would be on its
way. At least a religious-observant Jew would make the little piece of land
where he is going to live holy by observing Torah in his home and place. By
this he would redeem the land.
In Jeremiah 31:21 is written “Return, O virgin of Israel, return to these
thy cities.”. The prophetical words of the Neviiem in the Tenach are not
only meant for that period. From this verse we can learn that each has to
take his or her responsibility to go to Eretz Israel as soon as, after the
seventy years captivity, someone is in the possibility go. After the seventy
years of captivity in Bavel, no other timeframe is mentioned that the Jews
should stay in the galut. As soon as the ‘prison’ of the galut is opened,
the captives need to step into freedom them selves.
Further we can learn from Jeremia 31 that our Matriarch Rachel waits for the
return of her children back in the land. Jeremiah 31:15-17 “Thus saith
HaShem: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel
weeping for her children; she refuseth to be comforted for her children,
because they are not. Thus saith HaShem: Refrain thy voice from weeping, and
thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith HaShem; and
they shall come back from the land of the enemy. And there is hope for thy
future, saith HaShem; and thy children shall return to their own border.”.
By the return of the people of Israel she will be consoled.
Anyhow, the mitswes mentioned in Deut. 11: 31b and 32 is clear enough “and
ye shall possess it, and dwell therein. And ye shall observe to do all the
statutes and the ordinances which I set before you this day”
8. Only in Eretz Israel, the people (clal) of Israel can be a holy nation.
Only in Eretz Israel, the people of Israel can be a holy nation.
A holy nation means a nation which observes the Torah. In Deut. 4:22 is
written that it is a instruction for the people of HaShem to live in Eretz
Israel “but ye are to go over, and possess that good land”. Next there are
instructions which only can be observed in Eretz Israel. So if the people of
Israel want to observe all of the Torah, it only will be possible in Eretz
Israel.
Rav Baruch
Harnik teaches that by observing the Torah the material and spiritual are
connected. Material activities become hallowed by observing the Torah. So
Eretz Israel becomes holy. When you for example HaShem blesses before eating
an apple by “Baruch
Atta Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha olam boree pri ha Etz”, Blessed are You HaShem
our God, king of the universe Who created the fruits of the tree, you hallow
the eating of the apple. So the eating of an apple from common becomes
hallowed. By blessing you acknowledge HaShem as giver of the fruit. When you
don’t say the blessing is as if you steal it from HaShem. So the Jew is
‘hollowing’ his life when he observes the mitswe to settle in Eretz Israel.
The Jewish
Sages teach that mitswes preformed within the land of Israel have a greater
meaning than as the mitswes preformed outside Eretz Israel. They teach
‘there is no Torah than the Torah of Eretz Israel’. That means that
observing the Torah in Eretz Israel is the highest level of observing Torah.
The Sages teach further (Bereshit Rabbah 16:7. Sifre, Ekev, 1) The Torah is
exclusive in Eretz Israel. They also mean with that, that to observe Torah
within Israel is of greater value than outside Israel. A good example is the
celebration of the biblical feasts as mentioned in Lev. 23. Outside Israel
the first and last day of Pesach and Succoth need to be two for each. One of
the explanations is that outside Eretz Israel you need two days to ‘feel’
the same holiness as in Israel one day. Rav Samson teaches that Rav Kook
said that the Chafetz Chaim said that the level of a mitzwe in Israel (such
as doing Tefillin) is 20 times higher than to perform the same mitzwe in
Eretz Israel. He even teaches that outside of Israel it is not good to sing,
based at Tehillim 137:4 “How shall we sing a song for HaShem in a foreign
land?”.
Within
Eretz Israel the Shechina is natural teaches Rav Samson based at Rav Kooks
teachings about Deut. 11:12 “a land which HaShem thy God careth for; the
eyes of HaShem thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year
even unto the end of the year”. Because of this the Shechina of HaShem over
there is more than at all other places.
The Gaon of
Vilna teaches that a person (of the people of HaShem) becomes complete,
whole in Eretz Israel based at Gen. 33:18 “And Ya’akov (be)came whole(/in
peace) to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came
from Paddan-aram; and encamped before the city”. You can read it as that
Ya’akov became complete upon entering Eretz Israel. So also a descendant of
Ya’akov becomes ‘complete’ after arriving home in Eretz Israel.
The air in
Eretz Israel is clean and pure, teaches Tzvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook according
to Rav David Samson. The air outside of Israel is polluted. Halachicly, the
galut (exile) has the same state of defilement as a grave. This is written
in the Talmud, Shabbat 14 where Yosi ben Yoezer of Tradar and Yosi ben
Yochanon of Jerusalem are cited. Ezekiel described the galut as that
(37:12-14) “Therefore prophesy, and say unto them: Thus saith HaShem:
Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your
graves, O My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel. And ye
shall know that I am HaShem, when I have opened your graves, and caused you
to come up out of your graves, O My people. And I will put My spirit in you,
and ye shall live, and I will place you in your own land; and ye shall know
that I HaShem have spoken, and performed it, saith HaShem.’”
Eretz
Israel is the only land (for a Jew) in which you really can live a
‘spiritually full’ live. Rav Kook teaches this referring to Leviticus 18:5
“Ye shall therefore keep My statutes, and Mine ordinances, which if a man
do, he shall live by them: I am HaShem” and Num. 33:53 “and dwell in the
land; for unto you have I given the land to possess it”. Further is written
in Tehillim 116:9 “I
shall walk before HaShem in the lands of the living.”.
What, according to Rav Kook is the land of the living?. It is Eretz Israel.
The same phrase is used in Tehillim 27:13 “If I had not believed to look upon
the goodness of HaShem in the land of the living!” and Ezekiel 26:20b “…and
I will set glory in the land of the living”. Only in Eretz Israel it is
possible to live a full spiritually life.
Rav. Tzvi
Yehuda Kook teaches that Rav Avraham Azulai (lived in Hevron and died over
there in 1644) told that a person who enters Eretz Israel get a new soul
during his first night in Eretz Israel. After a person has inhaled and
absorbed Israeli air he is transformed. Rav.Kook teaches this based at
Ezekiel 36:24-29 “For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you
out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land. And I will
sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your
uncleannesses, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 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 out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of
flesh. And I will put My spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My
statutes, and ye shall keep Mine ordinances, and do them. And ye shall dwell
in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be My people, and I
will be your God. And I will save you from all your uncleannesses; and I
will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. ”.
A Jew comes to full strength and spiritual renewal by the transforming power
of the land. The land is holy. It is the only land and Mount Tsion is the
only place in the world where the Beit HaMikdash may be build and the only
place where the Jewish people may do their offerings.
Rav Tzvi
Yehuda HaCohen Kook teaches according to Rav. Samson, based at Sifre Ekev
11:18 abd Rashi and Ramban about Deut. 11:18 that actually the goal of
observing Torah outside Eretz Israel is meant not to forget the mitswes for
the time of returning to Eretz Israel. Deut: 11:11-13,16a, 17b-18 " but
the land, whither ye go over to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys,
and drinketh water as the rain of heaven cometh down; a land which HaShem
thy God careth for; the eyes of HaShem thy God are always upon it, from the
beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. And it shall come to
pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command
you this day, to love HaShem your God, and to serve Him with all your heart
and with all your soul…Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived,
and ye turn aside, and serve other gods ….and ye perish quickly from off the
good land which HaShem giveth you. Therefore shall ye lay up these My words
in your heart and in your soul; and ye shall bind them for a sign upon your
hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes.”
In the
galut, the common task of the people (clal) to observe Torah together has
been faded and the individuality in observing Torah has been emphasised. The
essence of the Torah is that it needs to be observed as nation (clal). Only
as nation you can observe Torah as it has meant. Not as a individual Jew.
About the
end of the galut de Talmud (Sanhedrin 98A) and Rashi writes: When the land
of Israel again give his fruits abundantly, the end of the galut is there.
The building of a Jewish society not only will gain respect but also will
testify the truth of the prophets and Torah who foretold the rebirth of
Eretz Israel. It not necessarily need to happen at one day. It may proceed
gradually.
9. As long as the people of Israel lives outside Eretz Israel, the Name of
HaShem profaned.
To live as
people of Israel outside Eretz Israel is a profanation of the Name of
HaShem. Rav Zvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook teaches, referred by David Samson, that
the galut (exile) of the people of Israel is
the most severe profanation of the Name of HaShem.
He teaches this based upon Ezekiel 36:20 “And when they came unto the
nations, whither they came, they profaned My holy name; in that men said of
them: These are the people of HaShem, and are gone forth out of His land.”
Rashi says about this verse that the exile causes an enormous profanation of
the Name of HaShem because through it, it looks like, that as long as the
people of Israel lives outside Israel, God is not strong enough to keep His
promise to the people of Israel. It teaches us that, as long as the people
of Israel live outside Eretz Israel, the Name of HaShem is profaned. For
that reason the people of Israel should make their utmost effort to live in
Eretz Israel as soon they were allowed to live there.
The exile
is a punishment, a place of punishment. One should not stay in a place of
punishment if one is free to leave this place. Rav Nechemia Krakover taught
us: ‘You can make a comparison. For a pupil, who has been sent out of the
classroom as punishment, it is not normal to stay out of the classroom when
he is allowed to come back in the classroom again.
Further the
‘status’ of impurity of the galut for a Jew is the same as the status of
impurity as a grave. This we can learn from the passuk Ezekiel 37:12, 13
“Thus saith HaShem Elohim: Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to
come up out of your graves, O My people; and I will bring you into the land
of Israel. And ye shall know that I am HaShem, when I have opened your
graves, and caused you to come up out of your graves, O My people”. The land
outside Eretz Israel for a Jew is unclean land so we can learn from Amos
7:17 “in an unclean land”. The exile is a curse en never is meant a a place
to stay liberal. The exile was caused because of not observing Torah.
Teshuva, taking the joke of Torah again upon one self and returning to Eretz
Israel are undividable connected with each other.
HaShem did
open the ‘jail’ of the galut and the Jewish people are allowed to live in
Eretz Israel again. Now we have the responsibility to make Aliyah to Eretz
Israel. Jer. 46:27 “But fear not thou, O Jacob My servant, neither be
dismayed, O Israel; for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from
the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall again be quiet and at ease, and
none shall make him afraid”. HaShem open the gates of the jail of galut so
that the people of Israel can go home, their only home. Jer. 30:10b “I will
save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and
Jacob shall again be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid”.
Just as it
is with all the other mitswes, the people of Israel improve, by observing
it, creation. It is just as the same as with observing Brit Mila and
Kashrut. A Jew is meant to be circumcised but the responsibility to do that
is in our hands. Also by eating kosher one makes his live more holy. So also
with making Aliyah, a Jew makes his live more holy. Therefore there is no
argument to delay it, even if the majority of inhabitants would be idle
worshippers. Rav Kook says in Ketubot 110b (Tosefta, Avodah Zahrah, 5:2) is
written “Our Rabbis taught: One should always live in the Land of Israel,
even in a town most of whose inhabitants are idolaters, but let no one live
outside the Land, even in a town most of whose inhabitants are Israelites;
for whoever lives in the Land of Israel may be considered to have a God, but
whoever lives outside the Land may be regarded as one who has no God. For it
is said in Scripture, To give you the Land of Canaan, to be your God. Has
he, then, who does not live in the Land, no God? But [this is what the text
intended] to tell you, that whoever lives outside the Land may be regarded
as one who worships idols. Similarly it was said in Scripture in [the story
of] David, For they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave to
the inheritance of the Lord, saying: Go, serve other gods. Now, whoever said
to David, ‘Serve other gods’? But [the text intended] to tell you that
whoever lives outside the Land may be regarded as one who worships idols.”.
Taking this into consideration, the fact that the State of Israel has been
established by non Orthodox religious Jews, it is not a reason to remain
outside Israel in exile voluntarily. The instruction to live in Eretz Israel
has been given to our patriarchs when there was less than a Jewish State
established by non Orthodox Jews.
10. Necessary to be back in Israel for the coming of Messiah.
A majority of the people of Israel need to be back in Eretz Israel before
the Messiah will come and revealed. The reason is that by then prophets and
prophecy should be back in the land at the time of the Messiah teaches Rav.
Aryeh Kaplan based at Mal. 3:35 (/4:5) “Behold, I will send you Elijah the
prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of HaShem”. Ejijah
is a prophet who prophesizes. This only can happen amongst the Jewish people
in Eretz Israel. This is written in Deut 18:15 “A prophet will HaShem thy
God raise up unto thee, from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto
me; unto him ye shall hearken”. A prophet in Eretz Israel only will be
raised from among the people of Israel over there. Ezekiel could prophesize
in Bavel because he raised as a prophet in Eretz Israel among the Jewish
people). Ejijah is a prophet and only will be able to raise and function
within his ‘brethren’ within the land of Israel. Also there need to be a
prophet as the Messiah is a king in the line of David HaMelech and need to
be anointed as a king by a prophet.
So don’t wait with making Aliyah for the Messiah (that he need) to bring you
back to Eretz Israel. Just as the other mitswes, the mitswes of settling in
Eretz Israel should be observed without unnecessary delay. By observing the
Torah instructions the world is
perfected. Therefore the instructions should be observed without unnecessary
delay. That already is the case with Brit Mila. A Jewish boy needs to be
circumcised at the 8th day. With circumcision man perfect a boy.
The Jew is a ’partner’ of HaShem to perfect the world by observing the Torah
instructions. Taking this into consideration a Jew perfects his live and the
world by making Aliyah to Israel. In the first place he perfects the world
by living in Eretz Israel, observing the Torah instructions.
11. In Eretz Israel the people of Israel really can be a light for the
nations.
In Israel the people of Israel truly will be able to be a light unto the
nations. This we can learn from passuk Isa 2:3 “For out of Zion shall go
forth the law” Eretz Israel is the only place where the people of Israel can
fulfil their task by spreading the light of Torah learns Rav Avraham Yitzak
HaCohen Kook. The exile is a punishment and a mission for the people
themselves to return to HaShem. Not to teach the nations while in the galut.
Deut
30:2,3 “and shalt return unto HaShem thy G’d, and hearken to His voice
according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with
all thy heart, and with all thy soul; that then HaShem thy God will turn thy
captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee
from all the peoples, whither HaShem thy God hath scattered thee”.
Of course the nations can see that HaShem is
righteous because of the galut but the teachings for the nations will come
out of Eretz Israel.
Isa 60:1-5
“Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of HaShem is risen upon
thee. For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the
peoples; but upon thee HaShem will arise, and His glory shall be seen upon
thee. And nations shall walk at thy light, and kings at the brightness of
thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: they all are gathered
together, and come to thee; thy sons come from far, and thy daughters are
borne on the side. Then thou shalt see and be radiant, and thy heart shall
throb and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned unto
thee, the wealth of the nations shall come unto thee.” And further till
63:19.
Read also
Tehillim 50:2 “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined
forth.”
In Gen.
12:1-3 is written “Now HaShem said unto Abram: ‘Get thee out of thy
country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the
land that I will show thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, and
I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing.
And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I
curse; and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’”. Rav.
Kook says that we can learn from this that only while in Eretz Israel they
will be able to be a blessing for the nations. Only if the people of Israel
will go up to Eretz Israel they will be able to express and to generate this
blessing.
To be a
blessing for the nations also the Beit HaMikdash is necessary to be build
again at its place at the Temple mount. This task awaits the people of
Israel. Ex. 25:8 “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among
them”. When the people of Israel again live in Eretz Israel and the Temple
will be rebuilt again, the glory of HaShem will shine all over the world.
The nations will come to Eretz Israel to learn Torah.
Deut
30:9b,10 “”for HaShem will again rejoice over thee for good, as He rejoiced
over thy fathers; if thou shalt hearken to the voice of HaShem thy God, to
keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the
law; if thou turn unto HaShem thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul.
Isa 2:2-5
“And it shall come to pass in the end of days, that the mountain of HaShem’s
house shall be established as the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted
above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall
go and say: ‘Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of HaShem, to the
house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will
walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of
HaShem from Jerusalem. And He shall judge between the nations, and shall
decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against
nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye,
and let us walk in the light of HaShem.”
12. First words of HaShem to the Patriarchs.
Rav Eli Sadan explains the importance of living in Eretz Israel by the first
words HaShem spoke to each of the patriarchs. That teaches the importance of
it in the eyes of HaShem.
The first instruction HaShem gave to Avraham Avinu was “Get thee out of thy
country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land
that I will show thee”. Pleas note that for Avraham first it was necessary
to be separated from the old in order to be a blessing for the old.
The first instruction which HaShem gave to Itschak was “‘Go not down unto
Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of. Sojourn in this land,
and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy
seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I
swore unto Abraham thy father;” Gen.26:2,3.
The first words of HaShem to Ya’akov were: “‘I am HaShem, the God of Abraham
thy father, and the God of Isaac. The land whereon thou liest, to thee will
I give it, and to thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth,
and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north,
and to the south. And in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the
earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee
whithersoever thou goest, and will bring thee back into this land; for I
will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee
of.’” Gen. 28:13-15.
The first words of HaShem to Moshé were: “And HaShem said: ‘I have surely
seen the affliction of My people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cry
by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their pains; and I am come
down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up
out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with
milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the
Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.” Ex.
3:7,8.
The first words of HaShem to Joshua were: “Moses My servant is dead; now
therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the
land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place
that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, to you have I given it, as I
spoke unto Moses.” Jos. 1:2,3.
The first task HaShem gave to them all was or to go to Eretz Israel or
remain in Eretz Israel or to come back to Israel. The importance to live in
the land of Israel was the first thing HaShem spoke with them about when He
gave them instructions. Rav Eli Sadan teaches
that this shows the importance of living in Eretz
Israel. Only in Eretz Israel will they not be influenced by the surrounding
people in the countries they lived. Avraham had to leave his country and to
go to Eretz Israel. Only this way he could be a blessing for the country he
came from. Also the whole people of Israel can only be a real blessing to
the world (the nations where some live right now in the galut) when they
live in Eretz Israel. If the goal is clear than such a step is more easy.
When Avraham went, he even didn’t know his destination but he went.
13. Return to Eretz Israel begin of final ‘restoration’.
Return to Eretz Israel is the begin of the restoration which is foretold by
Moshe and the prophets. It is a in separable part of making ‘teshuva’ For a
Jew his ‘teshuva’ only if he also makes Aliyah after he start to be
religious. Deut 30:2-8 says “and
shalt return unto HaShem thy G’d, and hearken to His voice according to all
that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul; that then HaShem thy God will turn thy captivity, and
have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the
peoples, whither HaShem thy God hath scattered thee. If any of thine that
are dispersed be in the uttermost parts of heaven, from thence will HaShem
thy God gather thee, and from thence will He fetch thee. And HaShem thy
God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou
shalt possess it; and He will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy
fathers. And HaShem thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy
seed, to love HaShem thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, that
thou mayest live. And HaShem thy God will put all these curses upon thine
enemies, and on them that hate thee, that persecuted thee. And thou shalt
return and hearken to the voice of HaShem, and do all His commandments which
I command thee this day”. Without return to the
land the ‘teshuva’ has not been finished. Just as the teshuva, return to
Hashem happens out of ‘free choice’ also return to the land ‘should’ happen
out of free choice. Of course finally HaShem will create the a situation
which ‘forces’ all the Jews to decide to make Aliyah.
The promised (final) redemption might begin with the teshuva to observance
of Torah instructions before return to the land. At the other hand it also
very well might begin with return to the land before one ‘agrees’ to take
all the mitswes upon one selves or even without a longing to return to
obedience to HaShem. Every Jew has an inner connection with Eretz Israel.
Ezekiel 36:20-28 says “And when they came unto the nations, whither they
came, they profaned My holy name; in that men said of them: These are the
people of HaShem, and are gone forth out of His land. But I had pity for My
holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations, whither
they came. Therefore say unto the house of Israel: Thus saith HaShem GOD: I
do not this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name, which ye
have profaned among the nations, whither ye came. And I will sanctify My
great name, which hath been profaned among the nations, which ye have
profaned in the midst of them; and the nations shall know that I am HaShem,
saith HaShem GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes. For I
will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all the
countries, and will bring you into your own land. And I will sprinkle clean
water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your uncleannesses, and from
all your idols, will I cleanse you. 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 out
of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My
spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep
Mine ordinances, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to
your fathers; and ye shall be My people, and I will be your God.” From this
passuk we can learn that the final redemption might begin with a return to
the land before a willingness to return to obedience to HaShem. As soon as
HaShem opens the jail of the galut it is the responsibility to leave the
jail right away without any delay.
14. Home at the only home.
The home of the people of Israel is Eretz Israel. That is their destination.
That also is the destination of Eretz Israel. HaRav David
Samson said that the ‘Admore of Ostrovtza’ said that every Jew should answer
at the question to him where he comes from (when someone want to know were
he lives) “I come from Eretz Israel” a a Jew belongs with all he is to Eretz
Israel. Yoseph said, when he was slave in Egypt “For indeed I was stolen
away out of the land of the Hebrews” (Gen. 40:15a). He said with this that
he belonged in Eretz Israel. Therefore he finally was buried in Eretz
Israel. When the spoke about Moshé: “A Egyptian man saved us” he did not
deny it. Therefore he was not buried in Eretz Israel, the Sages teach us.
Because of the promise and institution of HaShem every Jew can say that he
comes from Eretz Israel. Every Jew, so teaches the Admore, as referred by
Rav David Samson, belongs, with his innermost being, home in Eretz Israel.
Because of this it is quit logic to understand that also a lot of secular
Jews has a inner desire to live in Eretz Israel. That is where they feel
home. A lot of non-religious Jews, when they visit Israel, realize, deep
within them, that this land is the land where they really feel home. This is
why the birthright program brings young Jewish people to Israel for a trip
to Eretz Israel.
HaShem made Eretz Israel perfect of the people of Israel and the people of
Israel perfect to live in Israel to observe Torah over there. The atmosphere
is perfect for them in Eretz Israel. They are undividable connected to each
other; the people of Israel and Eretz Israel. This is an institution of
HaShem (Tehillim 132:13, 135:4).
The enemies of Israel want to rule themselves in Eretz Israel. The Torah
forbids allowing such a thing.
HaShem will come again to dwell in His Beit HaMikdash in Yerushalayim in
Eretz Israel, His dwelling place together with ‘Clal’ Israel in Eretz
Israel. Zech. 2:14-16 “ ‘Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for, lo, I
come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith HaShem. And many nations
shall join themselves to HaShem in that day, and shall be My people, and I
will dwell in the midst of thee’; and thou shalt know that HaShem of hosts
hath sent me unto thee. And HaShem shall inherit Judah as His portion in the
holy land, and shall choose Jerusalem again.”
15. Trust and faith.
To make
Aliyah one need to see the necessity for a Jew to live in Eretz Israel in
order to obey HaShem. Further one needs trust and faith in HaShem to believe
the promises of HaShem. Regarding the danger of not believing HaShem in
this Rav Tzvi Yehuda teaches according to Rav David Samson pictures the
situation of the people of Israel after the twelve spies came back and
because of the bad report ten spies gave the people of Israel didn’t dare to
enter the land. There was a lack of faith. They didn’t believe they, with
Gods help, would overcome the difficulties (and the inhabitants) of the
land. There was no trust in HaShem that He would help them as promised. Also
now the people of Israel, and even great 'Talmidei Chachamim' have fear to
enter Eretz Israel. Still there is the inclination to in fear hesitate to
make Aliyah. Still everyone has a free choice to do good. So therefore still
there is the danger that the people of Israel outside Eretz Israel will make
this mistake again. Nowadays most orthodox Jews against Zionism expect a
miraculous redemption out of the galut. They forget that the redemption also
can take place in a gradual way just as nowadays the Jews return to Eretz
Israel.
HaRav David
Samson refers HaRav Tzvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook when he teaches that the
presence of a sovereign Jewish government, army and calendar based at the
biblical year and festivals are physical manifestations of the Shechina. The
nowadays return of the people of Israel to Eretz Israel is a returning of
the captives of Zion. Tehillim 126:1-3 “A Song of Ascents. When HaShem
brought back those that returned to Zion, we were like unto them that dream.
then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing; then
said they among the nations: ‘HaShem hath done great things with these.’
HaShem hath done great things with us; we are rejoiced.”
Only if the
people of Israel live in Eretz Israel, the Beit HaMikdash will be build. The
Beit HaMikdash can be in Eretz Israel when in Eretz Israel the Jews will live
(again). Lev. 26:11, 12 “And I will set My tabernacle among you,
and My soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you, and will be your
God, and ye shall be My people”. When the Beit HaMikdash will be build again
all of the Torah instructions can be observed.
(Religious) Zionism, based at the service to HaShem is a Torah principle
Deut. 11:31b and 32 “and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein. And ye
shall observe to do all the statutes and the ordinances which I set before
you this day”
So to
conclude. I know why these religious Zionist, I met, are so strong, strong
in faith. Also in difficult times. They love HaShem. They love to observe
His Torah, His institutions. So because of that they also love Eretz Israel.
They love to live in Eretz Israel as it is a part of the Torah instructions.
That makes them strong and powerful. “Blessed is the man that trusteth in
HaShem, and whose trust HaShem is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the
waters, and that spreadeth out its roots by the river, and shall not see
when heat cometh, but its foliage shall be luxuriant; and shall not be
anxious in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding
fruit.”Jer. 17:7,8.
A Song of
Ascents.
When HaShem
brought back those that returned to Zion, we were like unto them that dream.
Then was
our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing;
then said
they among the nations: ‘HaShem hath done great things with these.’
HaShem hath
done great things with us; we are rejoiced.
Turn our
captivity, O HaShem, as the streams in the dry land.
They that
sow in tears shall reap in joy.
Though he
goeth on his way weeping that beareth the measure of seed,
he shall
come home with joy, bearing his sheaves.
Tehillim
126
To Jewish People Come On Home
Sources:
* Tenach
* Orot by Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, translated by Rabbi Bezalel Naor
* Torat Eretz Yisrael, The Teachings of HaRav Tzvi Yehuda HaCohen Kook,
written by HaRav David Samson
* Lights on Orot Eretz Yisrael The Teachings of HaRav Avraham Yitzhak
HaCohen Kook written by HaRav David Samson
* War and Peace, The Teachings of HaRav Avraham Yitzhak HaCohen Kook written
by HaRav David Samson
* Jerusalem, The eye of the Universe, written by Rabbijn Aryeh Kaplan
* http://www.yeshiva.org.il
