The Mother Land- Behar 2011

Insights and Inspiration
from the 
Holy Land
from 
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"

May 13^th 2011 -Volume I, Issue 29–9^th of Iyar 5771

Parshat Behar

The Mother Land

It was Mother’s day last week in the States... I forgot to call Mom. Here in Israel as far as I’m aware there is no Mother’s day. Here instead the entire country was preparing instead for Yom Ha’Atzmaut-Israel Independence Day. I know that it is not a legitimate excuse and the “every day is Mother’s day for me, Mom” certainly would never fly (been there- tried that J). So instead I figured I would dedicate this E-mail to my forgiving Mother, who loves her recalcitrant son who moved far away (with her grandchildren) and who truly appreciates her for the endless love, caring, concern and support she continues to shower upon me and our family. Anything I have ever accomplished is due to you and who knows perhaps one day there may even be some merit to that statement in addition to my undying gratitude.

The truth is although the Mother’s day does not have any religious or even Jewish significance, there is certainly something to be said for a day to be set aside when one should step back and think about how much we need to be grateful to our mothers or for that matter anyone who has given us perhaps the most essential tools for life. Jewish mothers more than any other raise their children with the greatest of expectations. You may have heard the joke of the Jewish grandmother who was who was showing off pictures of her grandchildren when her friend commented “Oh, what beautiful children, how old are they?"Well, she kvelled, the lawyer is 6 months, and the doctor is 2 years old”. Although it’s a joke about grandmothers-as Jewish mothers usually wait until their children have achieved their milestones before they allow themselves to kvell,-the aspiration for their children to achieve greatness is certainly engrained in every Jewish child by their mothers.

Here in Israel as well, the day of Yom Ha’atzmaut is always preceded by Yom Hazikaron. The idea being, that if Israel is meant to celebrate its accomplishments and the birthday of its independence, it must do so by recognizing all those that sacrificed and gave their lives to pave the way for our existence here. So much has been built in this country. So much vitality has returned to its desolate mountains, valleys and cities. So many Yeshivas, Torah schools, and organizations dedicated to kindness, peace and the well-being of mankind continue to proliferate. Much of this is due to those who had the vision, faith, dedication and determination to return here against seemingly insurmountable odds and bring their dream to fruition. My years in Yeshiva have given me an appreciation of the great Torah giants who have inspired tremendous spiritual goals for the Jewish people. My living in Israel and studies here have given me an appreciation of all those who have sacrificed, fought and died so that I and my family as well as the entire Jewish people could have a place once again that they might call home and that hopefully soon will see the final return and redemption of our people.

This week’s Torah portion discusses that special connection the Jewish people have to the land of Israel, particularly as it is reflected in two Mitzvos that stand out as a Divine symbol of the special relationship and destiny we share. The portion begins with the mitzvah of Shemitta- the Sabbatical year. For 6 years we are told that we should work the land and the in the seventh it is meant to remain fallow; a year of rest…of Shabbos. Following this mitzvah we are told of the mitzvah of Yovel- the Jubilee year by which we have an additional year after the 49^th year which shall be holy as well. In this 50^th year as well, all land that has been sold returns to its original owner, all slaves are meant to be set free and it is heralded in with a great shofar blast.

These Mitzvos are introduced in the Torah portion as commandments that were given on Mt. Sinai. Although all mitzvos were given to the Jewish people on Shavuot when we stood as a Nation for the first time at the foot of that Mountain, these are particularly noted as having being given to us at that time. Seemingly that Shofar blast as well is meant for us to recall that moment at Sinai when the Torah itself was preceded by the blast of the Shofar. The Torah continues and promises us that if we abide by these commandments, which demand a tremendous amount of faith, than we will merit to stay in the land of Israel and it will flourish. If however we do not adhere to the laws of Shemitta- we are not able to sacrifice and put our faith in the Almighty and recognize that it is He who has provided us with this incredible country, we will not be allowed to stay in the land rather it will spit us out. In fact the Talmud tells us that the years of Exile correspond to the years of Shemitta that were not observed.

The great commentator Rav Ephraim Lunschitz in his work the Klei Yakar discusses the relationship these Mitzvos and the Jewish people have. He suggests that these Mitzvos were given by our loving Father as symbols and reminders of what we are meant to accomplish with our lives. The Land of Israel has a special draw to it. It is like a magnet to the Jewish people. We come here and we want to work. We want to build. It calls us to plant and to prosper. Yet at the same time the land serves as a reminder that our lives are meant to be about much more than that as well. As our bodies and our drive to accomplish need to be satiated and fulfilled, so do our souls. The land tells us that there is a Shabbos for Hashem. The building of Eretz Yisrael must be one that is giving the land its spiritual sanctity and its infusion of our faith. If we dwell and develop it with that faith, than it in turn will produce its spiritual bounty that will fill us with the inspiration to grow.

The mitzvah of Yovel, as well, is meant to remind us of our ultimate goals. Our lives consist of the first 20 years of maturity and development until we are able to accomplish, and then we have 50 years until the age of seventy to achieve our spiritual goals. 50 years to develop our souls and then as the law of the Jubilee teaches us, symbolically, it all goes back. The land that calls to us to work and create is merely there to serve our spiritual needs as we fulfill our true eternal destiny. The physical land will return to its original owner as our bodies will return to the earth from which it was formed. “Plant” “Work” “Prune” and “Harvest” it calls out to us. But always remember that in doing so we have a higher calling, a greater mandate and an eternal, more everlasting mission; a mission, as the parsha began, that started on Sinai 3,443 years ago.

We are blessed to have Mothers that inspire us, help us set our goals and who can never seem to aspire for enough greatness for their Jewish children. We are perhaps even as blessed that we were given a land to live in that until today breathes the spirit of greatness into the Jewish people as we continuously strive to bring it to its ultimate fulfillment. But most of all we should feel fortunate that we were Chosen as the Nation of Hashem that was given His special gift of Torah that teaches us how to live our lives to their fullest and to  experience all of the goodness that there is to achieve in our lives. As we count towards that day of Shavuot it is worthwhile to take the time to appreciate all our special gifts and dedicate ourselves once again to becoming all that we are capable of being.

Have a very uplifiting Shabbos

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL PLACES IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK-
EIN HAROD- THE SPRING OF HAROD
WHAT AN EXCITING SPOT IN ISRAEL! THE SPRING OF HAROD IS A NATIONAL PARK AT THE FOOT OF MT. GILBOA AT THE NORTH EDGE OF THE SHOMRON BY THE JEZREEL VALLY. IT IS THE LOCATION OF THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF GIDEON WHO BATTLED THE PHILISTINES WITH AN ARMY OF 300 MEN IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES. HE CHOSE THESE MEN FROM A GROUP OF 10,000 BY BRINGING THEM TO THIS SPRING (WHICH YOU CAN DRINK FROM ON YOUR VISIT) AND SEEING WHO WOULD BEND DOWN AND LAP IT UP- A SIGN THEY WERE USED TO PROSTRATING TO IDOLS AND WHO WOULD RATHER CUP THE WATER IN THEIR HANDS AND DRINK “LIKE A MENTCH”!

THE SAME SITE WAS THE BATTLEGROUND OF THE GREAT BEIBERS WAR THAT CHASED THE MONGOLIANS OUT ISRAEL. AS WELL AS BEING ONE OF THE MOST CENTERAL SETTLEMENT AND ACTUALLY FIRST KIBBUTZ MOVEMENTS IN ISRAEL. THERE IS ALSO AT THE SITE THE HOME OF YEHOSHUAH AND OLGA HANKIN “THE REDEEMER OF THE LAND” WHO PURCHASED MUCH OF THE LANDS OF ISRAEL AS WELL AS A MEMORIAL FOR PALMACH SOLIDERS WHO PERISHED IN THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE. A GREAT PLACE TO CAMP OUT WITH A SUPER SWIMMING POOL AS WELL EIN HAROD IS DEFINITLY A COOL PLACE TO VISIT.

RABBI SCHWARTZ REMARKABLE ISRAEL STORY OF THE WEEK

ABE WAS VISITING ISRAEL FOR THE FIRST TIME. AS SOON AS HIS PLANE LANDED, HE GOT A TAXI TO TAKE HIM TO HIS HOTEL. THE TAXI DRIVER WAS VERY FRIENDLY AND TOLD ABE ALL KINDS OF USEFUL INFORMATION.
THEN ABE ASKS THE DRIVER,

"SAY, IS ISRAEL A HEALTHY PLACE?"

"OH, YES, IT REALLY IS," THE DRIVER ANSWERED, "WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE, I COULDN'T SAY EVEN ONE SIMPLE WORD, I HAD HARDLY ANY HAIR ON MY HEAD, I DIDN'T HAVE THE ENERGY TO WALK ACROSS A SMALL ROOM AND I EVEN HAD TO BE HELPED OUT OF BED EVERY DAY."

"THAT'S A REMARKABLE STORY, TRULY AMAZING," ABE SAID, "SO HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE IN ISRAEL?"

"I WAS BORN HERE."