Such is the redemption of the Land of Israel
Rabbi Eliezer Shenvald – The Parasha in our everyday life - Matot - Masei - 5781
We are in the midst of “Bein Hametzarim” -"between the days of distress" and on Shabbat Rosh Chodesh Av, the mourning customs of the 'nine days' for the destruction of the Temple and the land, and the exile will begin. We are privileged to mark the nine days in a generation of redemption, of returning to the Land of Israel and of political independence and sovereignty. After two thousand years of exile. On the one hand we are thankful for the great miracle and the privilege we have merited, and on the other hand we remind ourselves that we are still in the midst of a progressively redemptive process, and have not yet reached אֶל־הַמְּנוּחָה֙ וְאֶל־הַֽנַּחֲלָ֔ה' “because you have not yet come to the allotted haven”. (Devarim 12: 9)
In the age of the redemption of the land, many issues in our private and public lives revolve around 'Eretz Yisrael' as the main 'point’:
"בכל תקופה ותקופה ישנה 'נקודה' מיוחדת שדרך ה'נקודה' ההיא מאיר כל הטוב, ומתוכה מתנוצצים כל קיומי התורה והמצוות שבתקופה ההיא, שיודעים הם שאם יעכבו בעד הפרחתה של הנקודה ההיא ימנעו בזה כל השפעת האורה והקדושה שבאה דרך הצינור הלזה... וב'עקבתא דמשיחא' ה'נקודה העיקרית' היא ארץ ישראל! וממנה נובע הכל. ומבלעדי ההתאחזות בה אין שום השפעה של קדושה בעולם. ואין פלא אם כל העמים רוצים לעכב בעד ביאתם של ישראל בארץ הקודש והתקשרותם בה. וכל כובד ההתנגדות שלהם היא בעיקר על ה'נקודה' הזאת".
"In every single period, there is a special 'point' through which all the good is illuminated from, and out of it shine all the observances of the Torah and the Mitzvot of that period, they know that if they delay the revival of that point, they will prevent all the influence of light and holiness that comes through this pipe ... and in 1*עקבתא דמשיחא the 'main point' is the Land of Israel! And from it everything stems. And without embracing it there is no influence of holiness in the world. And it is no wonder if all the nations want to delay the coming of Israel into the Holy Land and their connection to it. And all the weight of their opposition is mainly on this 'point'" (Rabbi Harlap Mi Merom - Ma'aynei Yeshua pp 196).
Throughout the generations the Land of Israel and Jerusalem have been the nation's desires, hopes and prayers. Because of them, struggles broke out between the people of Israel and the nations. It is difficult to explain rationally why, even though it is a tiny region of land compared to the endless expanses of the countries of the world, the Land of Israel draws the whole world’s attention. What takes place in it, covers news- editions all over the world, even when other dramas take place, on several occasions even larger, at all corners of the globe.
Also in the internal arena, if we make a partial list of the most notable events in the past week, we will find their direct connection to the Land of Israel: This week began with the agreement between the settlers of Eviatar and the government. A compromise that increases the chance that one day, this settlement, which is in a strategic location, will become a flourishing and prosperous permanent settlement, similar to the other thirty-three settlements spread throughout Samaria.
This week the struggle for the land reached a new peak, terrorist rioters tried to set fire to a forest for its inhabitants, a father and his sons, who sought to tour and relax in the forest by the entrance to Jerusalem, as any citizen in his sovereign country is allowed. This is what the terrorist rioters wanted to prevent. As part of their war for the land, they sought to infringe on the freedom of movement and travel of Israeli citizens in their sovereign land.
At the beginning of the week, Col. Sharon Asman, Nachal Brigade Commander, died of a heart attack during a physical training session. A talented and valued officer. The entire country accompanied him on his last journey, with a broken heart, and with gratitude for his work. And the entire country was reminded of how the very best pay the price with their bodies, while devoting their lives to the preservation of the land and the security of the state, to enable the continued building and prosperity.
And then the nocturnal saga surrounding the vote to extend the 'Family Reunification' law designed to prevent the plan from changing the demographic balance in the Land of Israel, and not to allow the “Palestinian right of return” 2** to be covertly exercised.
Both Parashot ‘Matot-Masei’ deal with a number of important issues related to the inheritance of the Land of Israel and its settlement. They deal with the preparations to enter the land, the Gadites and the Reubenites’ request to settle in the Eastern side of the Jordan, and their commitment to cross over with the rest as shock-troops to do battle, to conquer the country and the Western side of the Jordan (Perek 32).
They deal with the demanding commandment to inherit the land and the price they might pay if they are negligent in the task. In the division of the land into estates according to the tribes (Perek 33:50-56). The list of the borders is also included (Perek 34:1-12), as is the list of chieftains from each tribe to lead the people and through whom the land shall be apportioned. (Perek 34:13-29).
And also, the towns for the Levites to dwell in and the cities of refuge in the land of Israel in order to prevent bloodshed that will “pollute the land” (Perek 35). These two Parashot make the closure of the final arrangements for the settlement of the estates in the Land of Israel, in the case of Zelophehad’s daughters and their tribesmen. (Perek 36).
After we finish reading them both - we will stand up and declare:
חֲזַ֤ק חֲזַ֤ק וְנִתְחַזַּק֙
"Let us be strong and resolute"! 'Strong' as we finished yet another Sefer and 'resolute' on continuous Torah study.
Then the thought of Yoav son of Zeruiah, King David's commander of the army in his war with the Ammonites, will come to mind:
חֲזַ֤ק וְנִתְחַזַּק֙ בְּעַד־עַמֵּ֔נוּ וּבְעַ֖ד עָרֵ֣י אֱלֹקינוּ וַֽה' יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה הַטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינָֽיו׃
"Let us be strong and resolute for the sake of our people and the land of our G-d; and Hashem will do what He deems right.” (II Shmuel 10:12)
And we will vigorously begin the reading of ‘Devarim’ - Mishneh Torah.
1*עקבתא דמשיחא -The last generations are called the days of 'Akavta Demeshicha'. This concept is drawn from the Mishnah at the end of Tractate Sota which describes the period that precedes the coming of the Messiah and redemption.
2**The Palestinian right of return is the political position or principle that Palestinian refugees, both first-generation refugees and their descendants have a right to return, and a right to the property they themselves or their forebears left behind or were forced to leave in what is now Israel and the Palestinian territories in 1948 and 1967 (Six-Day War).