This season’s Jewish holidays went out with a bang, as far as I’m concerned. Several days ago we celebrated the holiday of Simchat Torah in Israel.
There are several aspects to this holiday. One aspect involves the fact that it is the conclusion of almost two months of special prayers, asking forgiveness, fasting and feasting, singing, dancing and getting closer to G-d. One who really “gets into it” feels a mixture of joy, sadness, relief, excitement, hope and a few other emotions, all rolled into one. Since this is my first Simchat Torah living in Israel, it is especially moving.
I’ve been in touch with people in the United States lately, and having lived there all my life, I know that my feelings of being here in Israel for these holidays are way far above anything I’ve ever experienced before. I invite all of you, Jews and non-Jews to come and experience the joys of praying in Israel.
Every day, several times a day, Irma and I thank G-d for giving this experience to us.
Another aspect of this holiday is the fact that on this holiday we complete one annual cycle of reading of the Torah and start reading the Torah from the beginning again. In many ways, beginning that cycle again signifies the rebirth of a new year, with all the hopes and promise of things to come.
In my own case, there were a couple of added features to this season. For one thing, I see my new life in Israel as a kind of culmination of 2000 years of searching and desire by many generations that preceded me to return to my people’s homeland.
For another thing, for some unknown (to me) reason, members of my new congregation decided to give me a special honor on that day. That honor, Chosen Beresheis, is the first aliyah (first person called up – feel free to ask for an explanation, if you wish) for the Torah reading for the beginning of the new cycle. Basically that honor amounts to a prayer from the congregation that the honoree have a fruitful and creative year. It was a surprise and an incredibly emotional thing for me.
I take that event to be recognition of my move to Israel and a challenge from Above to do something worthwhile with my time this coming year. My best guess at this moment is that I need to use my writing as a medium for education and enlightenment. I think that means not only to continue the writing that I have started with these blogs, but also to take their content more seriously and to add more writing projects that will spread the story of Israel and a bit of the Word of our Creator.
The annual Torah reading cycle starts with the story of the creation, telling us that G-d created the world and all that exists, and goes through Adam and Eve and that generation. That should be a reminder to all of us to think about he Creator of all things when we do and see what we do every day.
The second week’s portion tells us about Noah, the flood and those generations, to remind us that the world is G-d’s and is His to rule as he sees fit. He has given us rules to follow and has ways and the inclination to enforce those rules.
In this week’s portion, Lech Lecha, G-d tells Abram (later renamed to Abraham) to pick himself up and move from his homeland to this other place – a place that became the land of Israel.
In reading various commentaries about this week’s portion, I came across an article by Rabbi Berel Wein that I’d like to share with you. Because it’s an article from a copyrighted website, I’m adding the copyright information at the end.
Why The Land of Israel?
"The Torah teaches us that our father Avraham was told to leave his home in Mesopotamia and to travel to an unknown land, which eventually turned out to be the Land of Israel. Midrash points out to us that the entire success of Avraham’s mission in life – to spread the idea of monotheism and the universal God – was dependent on his living in the Land of Israel.
The question naturally arises why this should have been so. After all, he could have been successful in so doing had he remained in Mesopotamia, which then was the center of human civilization and culture while the Land of Israel was somewhat of a backward, out of the way place.
There are many possible answers to this question but the one that intrigues me most is as follows. Being successful in spiritual missions and growth always requires sacrifice and some physical discomfort. The prophet castigates those that are complacent and comfortable in Zion.
A person is born to toil and accomplish, to be busy and productive. Without undergoing the arduous and potentially dangerous journey to the Land of Israel, Avraham will never fulfill his spiritual destiny. Avraham is the symbol of challenges in life.
The ten tests that he undergoes shape him and mold him into the father of our people and the symbol of human civilization and monotheistic progress. Only by leaving his comfortable and familiar surroundings can he achieve greatness. It is therefore imperative for him to leave and to wander, to be a stranger and an alien in foreign society in order to grow into his great spiritual role of influence and leadership.
But why the Land of Israel as the desired destination for Avraham? Jewish history provides us with this insight. It is in the Land of Israel that a Jew can truly achieve spiritual elevation and development. The Land of Israel provides greater challenges to Jewish development than any other location on the face of this earth.
Throughout Jewish history, the Land of Israel has posed the greatest challenge to Jewish communal living. It is no surprise therefore that we who live in Israel find it to be a daily struggle in our lives. Nevertheless, it is the place for the greatest Jewish accomplishments and achievements. And therefore it is the destination for Avraham in his quest for spiritual growth and attainment.
He will find it to be a difficult place to live in. But as he struggles with his tests in life and rises to each challenge and occasion the Lord promises him that the Land of Israel will be his place on earth for all of his generations.
The challenge of living in the Land of Israel has never waned but God’s promise to the Jewish people has always remained in force as well. It seems obvious that the ultimate fulfillment of Jewish life can only be realized in the Land of Israel. The problems faced there sometimes seem overwhelming. But the rabbis stated that according to the pain and difficulty so is the reward. As the children of Avraham and Sarah we are bidden to rise and overcome all of our tests and challenges as well."
Rabbi Berel Wein
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Be well, Y’all
Mel
