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Lech Lecha And Hashem said to Avram: Go on your way from your land and from your birth place and from your father's land to the Land which I will show you The passuk says "go on your way," as Rashi explains, "for your own benefit." One must always be aware that in going to Eretz Yisroel, we are returning to our source and our own identify. A Jewish soul can not find real rest and calm away from its source which is Eretz Yisroel. The Sfas Emes explained nearly one hundred years ago the words "to the Land which I will show you." The true value of Eretz Yisroel does not reveal itself to those unworthy of it. Only to those like Avram was revealed the Land in its unique quality in that it would bind his descendants - the Jewish people - to the it. Explains R' Meir Yechial of Oztrovza: "See how great is the Mitzvah to settle in Eretz Yisroel. The first Mitzvah, to the first Jew - Avraham, was to settle in the Land of Ertez Yisroel. R' Yechial Meir, in addition to his saintliness, Teffilos and exuberant performance of Mitzvos fasted daily for forty years before the destruction of the European Jewish community. Besides his love for every Jew, he had fiery and all consuming love for Eretz Yisroel. He would say; "In truth I am from Eretz Yisroel, just my sins force me to remain in this exile." Hashem said to Abram, Raise up your eyes and from the place where you are now standing, look to the north, to the south, to the east and to the west. For all the land that you see, I will give to you and to your children forever ... Rise, walk through the Land, through its length and breadth, for I will give it all to you. ... Abram moved on. He came and settled in the Plains of Mamre, in Hebron, and there he built an alter to Hashem. Wrote the Meshech Chochmoh 80 years ago: The Land of Israel is different from other lands. Its sanctity does not depart just because it is in the hands of gentiles. So too, in the time of Avrohom, though the Cannanites were resident in the Land and Avrohom had to pay them for a plot in Hebron, it was already permanently given to him and his children. Therefore Hashem told Avrohom, "Raise up your eyes from the place where you are now standing," Though if you look down to the world "where you are now standing" it seems impossible, "raise up your eyes" above and consider the source of the promise that the Land of Israel will be "given to your children forever." Moshe as well, was told just before his death, "go to the top of the cliff and raise up you eyes to see the Land." To really appreciate the Land of Israel one must be able to lift up your eyes and see its greatness. There are those who only look down and only see the physical land - and it is just like that of all the nations. However, an individual, who can raise up his eyes, can see its unique spiritual qualities . Perhaps one can add, to see spiritual qualities one must raise the eyes. To gain and appreciate the physical qualities of the Land needs a lifting of the hands - and doing things. During the 1920's and 30's, it was often very difficult to reach the Western Wall for prayer because of Arab opposition and the lack of support by the mandatory authority, Britain. Attempts by Jews to pray at the Wall often led to riots. Eventually, in the finest British tradition, a commission of inquiry was set up. One of those interviewed by the commission was the Israeli Chief Rabbi , Rabbi Avrohom Yitzchak Kook. "Rabbi," asked one of the commissioners, an assimilated Jew, "what is the fuss over the Wall? All I see is a bunch of rocks one on top of another." Answered Rav Kook, "Just as some hearts are made of stone and do not feel the pain of the Land, some stones have hearts which feel the pain of the people." |
