'After the fire line' - the goals to continue

Parasha and its implementation - for Parshat Emor - Lag B'Omer - 5783

Rabbi Eliezer Haim Shenvald

The basic exercises that we were taught in 'individual military tactics', at the beginning of our training, were designed to inculcate in the soldier essential insights and behaviors for combat situations. One of the commands given immediately after completing the conquest of the target is: "Lie down behind the target line!" - Take positions towards the following goals. This is an essential practice because psychologically, after succeeding in conquering the target in a difficult battle, and achieving the 'goal', there is a tendency to see this as the end of the story. To enter a state of complacency, 'rest on one's laurels' and ask for a break. Or sink into idleness as a result of embarrassment or a dilemma that makes it difficult to define what the next goal is. This exercise is intended to instill in the soldier the insight that although they conquered the target and the current battle is finished, it does not necessarily end the overall war. Additional challenges can be expected that must be prepared for immediately: in self-defense against counterattacks, in the continuation of the attack against deep targets. You need to 'take advantage of success' - act immediately and continue the momentum of success. You must not lose precious time and procrastinate in inactivity. The complacency of victory in battle should not result in loss and defeat in the overall war.

A similar principle also exists towards achieving goals and objectives in the personal, public and national sphere. When there is an important goal in front of our eyes, great efforts are invested to achieve it. Especially if it is about efforts invested over time. Once the goal is reached, there is a tendency to stop there. To enter into complacency, to 'rest on the laurels' of success. Or sink into inactivity as a result of embarrassment because there is no value-oriented, general, long-term goal that should guide and define what the next goal is. Such a situation in the personal and national sphere may lead to confusion, crisis and disintegration.

In our Parasha we learn about the Mitzvot of the Omer – to bring the first sheaf of the harvest to the priest (Vayikra 23:10). Before the harvest of the Omer- sheaf, until an offering to Hashem has not been brought, it is forbidden to harvest the grain that grew that year or eat from it.

And regarding the mitzvah of פְּאַ֤ת שָֽׂדְךָ֙ - when the grain of the field is harvested, it is forbidden to reap all the way to the edges of the field, or gather the gleanings of the harvest; it must be left for the poor. (Vayikra 23:22)

The Mitzvah of the Omer was the first Mitzvah -  מִצְוֹה תְּלוּיה בָּאָרֶץ (obligations depending on the Land) that the people of Israel had upon entering the land in the days of Joshua ben Nun (Joshua 5:11 and Rashi ibid).

It was not for nothing that this was the first mitzvah:

וּמֵאֵיזֶה זְכוּת זָכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִירַשׁ הָאָרֶץ, הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר בִּזְכוּת מִצְוַת הָעֹמֶר

"And why did the Israelites merit to inherit the land of Israel? You must say it is because the merit of the Omer" (Vayikra Rabbah 28:4)

The Mitzvah of the Omer reflects the special holiness of the Land of Israel compared to the rest of the lands:

אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְקוּדֶּשֶׁת מִכָּל־הָאֲרָצוֹת. וּמַה הִיא קְדוּשָּׁתָהּ. שֶׁמְּבִיאִים מִמֶּנָּה הָעוֹמֶר וְהַבִּיכּוּרִים וּשְׁתֵּי הַלֶּחֶם...

"The land of Israel is holier than all other lands. And what is the nature of its holiness? That from it are brought the omer, the firstfruits and the two loaves, which cannot be brought from any of the other lands". (Mishnah Kelim 1:6)

Agricultural work is a long and demanding process. As the world turns, when the farmer finally sees the fruits of his labor ripe and ready, he feels that he has achieved his goal, and wants to enjoy his achievement immediately, to harvest it at once, until the last grain and eat from it. The Mitzvah of the Omer comes to teach us that the achievement of the agricultural goal is not the end. There is another goal of holiness before the fruits of success are redeemed. But it is not the end either. Because Mitzvat Pe'a prevents harvesting the entire field until the last grain, and creates the consciousness that the goal is never perfect to the end, there are other goals of charity to be achieved. And so on ad infinitum. Sages emphasized the eternal element of the Jewish people who do not harvest the edge of their field:

כִּי֩ אֶעֱשֶׂ֨ה כָלָ֜ה בְּכׇֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֣ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִדַּחְתִּ֣יךָ שָּׁ֗מָּה וְאֹֽתְךָ֙ לֹא־אֶעֱשֶׂ֣ה...

"I will make an end of all the nations among which I have banished you, but I will not make an end of you! " (Yirmiyahu 46:28)

אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֵן מְכַלִּין אֶת שְׂדוֹתֵיהֶן אֶעֱשֶׂה כָלָה, וְאוֹתָךְ לֹא אֶעֱשֶׂה כָלָה, אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאֵין מְכַלִּים שְׂדוֹתֵיהֶם... לֹא אֶעֱשֶׂה כָלָה.

"The nations of the world that finish their fields, I will finish; but Israel who does not finish their fields …I will not finish" (Vayikra Rabbah 29:2)

After an arduous forty-year journey to Israel, which was full of crises and difficulties, the Israelites entered the land they had hoped for all those years. The Mitzvah of the Omer upon entering the Land came to teach them that inheriting the Land in itself is not the end of the story. If the mind forms that the goal has been achieved, the next logical step is disintegration. From here on, we must continue to build the land and develop it and maintain a Jewish kingdom in it that strives for a life of values of holiness and unceasing progress - going from 'strength to strength'. If it is understood that the achievement of the goal is not the end of the story, and there are many goals to continue, it will exist forever.