Sharona Margolin Halickman - Madricha Ruchanit

Hebrew Institute of Riverdale
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SHARONA MARGOLIN HALICKMAN

Sharona Margolin Halickman
Madricha Ruchanit Religious Mentor

Parshat Masei 2003
The Importance of Settling the Land of Israel

"Hundreds of Americans Move To Israel"

"Despite economic and security worries, North American Jews come home to Israel"

Over the past few weeks, these were the headlines around the world. What possessed close to 1000 North Americans to move to Israel some in conjunction with Nefesh BNefesh during these difficult times?

Roni and Tzvi from Silver Spring, MD explain why they made Aliya: This has been a dream of ours for many years. Israel is our home. There is a certain spiritual depth that you have in the land of Israel and among the people of Israel that you dont have anywhere else.

Roni and Tzvi are fulfilling the mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael, Settling the land of Israel.

The source of the mitzvah can be found in Parshat Masei:

Vehorashtem et HaAretz

You shall inherit the land

Viyashavtem Ba

And you shall settle it

Ki Lachem Natati et HaAretz Lareshet Otah

For to you I have given the land to posess it

According to Ramban, Nachmanides, we learn from this pasuk that it is a Mitzvat Aseh, a positive commandment to live in the land of Israel and inherit it. Since God gave the Jewish people the land, we should accept it and not reject it.

The giving of the land to the Jewish people actually predates the Jewish nation.

In Breishit, God promised Avraham:

Venatati lecha ulezarecha acharecha

I have given to you and your offspring

et eretz megurecha

the land that you have been living in

et kol eretz Cnaan

all of the land of Cnaan

LeAchuzat Olam

As an everlasting possession.

According to Rabeinu Bechaya, only the Jewish people can live in the land of Israel and if they are exiled, they will return. The land of Israel is an everlasting possession for the Jewish people.

In Parshat BeChukotai, in the Tochecha, the admonition which describes the exile of the Jewish people, we still find some comfort concerning the land of Israel:

Vehashimoti ani et HaAretz

I will make the land desolate

Veshamemu aleha oyveychem hayoshvim bah

And your foes who dwell upon it will be desolate

According to Rashi, this is a good thing because our enemies will not be able to settle there and establish roots.

According to Ramban, this is good news since no other nation can be established there.

We see that this promise has come true. When the Jewish people were exiled, no other nation was able to remain there.

The land lay desolate until the Jewish people came back.

Even though the Arabs were involved in agriculture, they couldnt make the land grow, while the Jewish people who came from Europe and were not even trained in agriculture were able to make the land grow.

The mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael is actually made up of two components:

Lashevet Baaretz- to live in the land.

Liyashev et HaAretz- to settle the land, build it up and make it fruitful.

Those who perform the Mitzva of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael will receive a great reward.

We learn this from the Gemara in Sanhedrin:

Amar Rabbi Yochanan

Rabbi Yochanan said:

Mipnei mah zacha Omri lemalchut?

Why did Omri deserve to have one of the longest lasting dynasties? After all he was a well known wicked personality.

Mipnei SheHosif krach echad beretz Yisrael

Because Omri added a fortified city in the land of Israel

Sheneemar

As it says in Melachim

Vayeeken et HaHar ShomronVayeeven et HaHar

He bought the mountain of Shomron, he built a city on the mountain.

If a wicked person was rewarded for the mitzvah of Yishuv eretz Yisrael, how much more so would a good person be rewarded.

Aside from the aspect of lashevet baaretz, living in Israel, how is the aspect of liyashev et HaAretz, to build up the land and make it fruitful, observed today?

One major way is through agriculture. Israels agriculture has developed in three forms: The Kibbutz, the Moshav and the Moshava. These three forms were set up by the pioneers before the establishment of the State of Israel. For the pioneers, agriculture was the fulfillment of the ideal of settling the land.

The Kibbutz and the Moshav account for 79% of Israels fresh produce.

When the first Kibutz, Deganya, was established, life was harsh and the work centered on agriculture which consisted of draining swamps, removing rocks and transforming the desert into farmland.

Today in the Moshav of Itamar, one of the main goals is working the land. Their farming is completely organic. They have hot houses that grow vegetables and strawberries. They have olive tree orchards and vineyards. Goats are raised for cheese and milk and chicken coops supply eggs. They also have fish farming and honey bees.

The Avnei Nezer, Rabbi Avraham Bornstein suggests that the Mitzvah of Yishuv eretz Yisrael is not just to physically live in the land. The mitzvah includes contributing to the economy and improving society as well.

This opinion does not limit the working of the land to agriculture. Today many Kibbutzim are blending industry and agriculture in order to make ends meet.

Kibbutz Beerot Yitzchak makes Subway brand sandwiches for El Al, army bases and schools. Kibbutz Naot Mordechai has a shoe factory which produces the famous Naot footwear.

Kibbutz Kalia runs the Atractzia Water Park, a classic water park with slides, sports and pools. They even offer separate days for men and women in order to accommodate the religious community.

How can those of us who are not yet ready to make Aliya at least partially observe the mitzvah of Yishuv eretz Yisrael?

Visit Israel- The Magen Avraham brings the opinion that we may partially be observing the Mitzvah by visiting Israel, depending on the length of our stay.

Buy Land in Israel- Rabbi Yaakov Reines, founder of the Mizrachi party in the early 20th century said that buying land in eretz Yisrael is an act of great merit and those who do so participate in this holy endeaver.

Planting trees in Israel- Most of the forests in Israel today have been planted since the beginning of the 20th century. Since 1948, 196 million trees have been planted.

Supporting Israels Economy- Buying Israeli Bonds, Buying products made in Israel.

Supporting the people of Israel- Sending donations to support Torah study in Israel, supporting the IDF, supporting victims of terror and their families who so many of us got to know last week, as well as supporting needy Israelis, many of whom are living below the poverty line.

I would like to conclude with a misheberach for those settling the Land of Israel which some congregations recite on Shabbat and holidays (Shanah be-Shanah 1996, p.298):

May He who blessed our forefathers Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov bless all those who settle the expanses of our land and are engaged in redeeming its precious regions, and bless all those engaged in strengthening Israels hold on her land, in promoting immigration and absorption, teshuvah and exalting the reputation of Israel. May the Holy One, blessed be He, bless the work of their hands and send deliverance to their bastions. May He place our lot with them and show us deliverance of His land and the people that are His inheritance, and let us say Amen.