Operation HOME Again Newsletter vol. 28 | 3.10.23 | פרשת כי תשא | י״ז אדר |
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With wishes for a Good Shabbos, we at Operation Home Again are excited to share this week's newsletter. From The HOME Desk: Enjoy a brief update from behind the scenes at OHA. Ha'Aretz Asher Areka: In this next part of the series of excerpts from Rav Shnayor Burton's sefer, read about Rav Yaakov Emden's explanation for why we face Yerushalayim when we daven. A Few Minutes From HOME: Rabbi Shimon Apisdorf explains why the Torah could only be given through Moshe Rabbeinu and not through the forefathers years earlier, connecting this to the Purim story.
Please share with family and friends and help us inspire a return HOME. שבת שלום |
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City of David in the Old City, Yerushalayim |
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From The HOME Desk This Week’s Look Behind the Curtain: New Eretz Yisrael Newsletters It is heartening to see the new generation of Am Yisrael growing up in the land of their forefathers and establishing a deep connection with a land which has become their own. We are sharing with you today initiatives started by young men and women in Eretz Yisrael which demonstrate that those who grow up in this land do not take for granted the gift that Hashem has given us. A few months ago, a few yeshiva bachurim came together and started a monthly newsletter called Kedushas HaAretz. The newsletter is full of sources and stories that helps us to appreciate the sanctity of our land. See the Adar newsletter here (Hebrew), Kedushas HaAretz Vol. 3.
Around the same time in another part of the land, a few proactive girls came together and asked multiple Rabbanim to contribute articles about Eretz Yisrael. Since Cheshvan, they have been publishing a monthly newsletter called Bo'er L'Aretz, full of articles, stories, and interviews inspiring a deeper connection with our homeland. See the most recent newsletter here (Hebrew), Bo'er L'Aretz Vol. 5. Kol M'Heichal, an organization dedicated to teaching the mitzvos relevant to when the Beis HaMikdash will be rebuilt, b'meyrah b'yameinu, put out an entertaining Purim newsletter which includes information about the Moshiach's shiurim schedule, where you can get a kosher sheep or goat for the Korban Pesach, along with other very important information. We especially liked the notice from the Rabbinical Council of Shechem. Click below to see the full newsletter.
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A Few Minutes From HOME Rabbi Shimon Apisdorf explains why the Torah could only be given through Moshe Rabbeinu and not through the forefathers years earlier, connecting this to the Purim story. |
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Ha'Aretz Asher Areka In this next part of the series of excerpts from Rav Shnayor Burton's sefer, read Rav Yaakov Emden's explanation for why we face Yerushalayim when we daven. _____________________ By virtue of the obligation to turn to the Land of Israel as the direction of prayer, Rabbi Yaakov Emden developed an obligation for “every Israelite to make an absolute and firm commitment in his mind to ascend and reside in Eretz Yisrael… and to desire to merit and pray there before the King’s palace.” This is, in fact, nothing more than an adaptation of Rabbi Yehuda Halevi’s words in the Kuzari: The king accused the sage and said that “Your bowing and kneeling in the direction of it is either mere appearance or thoughtless worship.” Meaning that making Eretz Yisrael the direction of prayer is not a meaningless act, some magical charm that causes prayers to be accepted. The meaning of turning to Eretz Yisrael in prayer is the assertion that it is the house of our lives, the life of our soul. The longing for it is the core pillar of our spiritual life, and thus so important for prayer, for turning to Hashem. Thus, R’ Yaakov Emden concluded, turning toward Eretz Yisrael in prayer will not be effective for those who are found “where there is no claim of complete unfeasibility” not to go there. It follows, therefore, that in the obligation to turn to Eretz Yisrael in prayer lies a moral and spiritual obligation to return there, and as soon as possible. After these words of truth, it becomes clear that it is a mistake to think that the obligation of residing in Eretz Yisrael depends solely on an explicit command. If redemption depends on loving the land, and if every true and sincere turning towards Eretz Yisrael in prayer is no less than the expression of longing for the land, it is incumbent upon us to love it, long for it and dwell in it as much as possible. It would be possible to summarize the argument in a simpler way: after all, the Sages said, “Anyone who resides in Eretz Yisrael remains without sin”; and that “Anyone who resides in Eretz Yisrael is like one who has a God, and anyone who resides outside the land is like one who does not have a God” (Kesubos 110b). Don’t such statements direct to action based on the foundations of the entire Torah – accepting Hashem as God, loving Him, fearing Him, and being careful to avoid sin? However, these statements need an interpretation in order to understand them; and as will be explained in the next chapter, an obligation generated not by virtue of an express and absolute command – but by virtue of an understanding of the general intent of the Torah – such an obligation depends on the level of a person's understanding. That is why I saw fit to rely mainly on the words of the later sages who interpreted the matter, thereby creating a great and holy obligation for everyone who understood their words well. To the extent that their words are deeply felt, an automatic obligation is generated to return to Eretz Yisrael. |
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Mountains in the Sinai Desert |
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The Parsha Brings Us HOME: Ki Tisa _____________________ כִּֽי־אוֹרִ֤ישׁ גּוֹיִם֙ מִפָּנֶ֔יךָ וְהִרְחַבְתִּ֖י אֶת־גְּבֻלֶ֑ךָ וְלֹֽא־יַחְמֹ֥ד אִישׁ֙ אֶת־אַרְצְךָ֔ בַּֽעֲלֹֽתְךָ֗ לֵֽרָאוֹת֙ אֶת־פְּנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ שָׁל֥שׁ פְּעָמִ֖ים בַּשָּׁנָֽה: (שמות לד: כד) When I drive out nations from before you and I widen your border, no one will covet your land when you go up, to appear before the Lord, your G-d, three times each year. (Shemos 34:24) אור החיים: והרחבתי וגו'. על דרך אומרו (ירמי' ג') ארץ צבי, ואמרו ז''ל (גיטין נ''ז.) כעור של צבי זה וכו:ו Ohr HaChaim: and I will expand your borders, etc. This is in accordance with as it is says in Yirmiyahu "Eretz Tzvi" (The land that is comparable to a deer). This may be understood in accordance with Gittin 57 which teaches that the boundaries of the land of Israel will expand as does the skin of the deer. _____________________ ״ארץ צבי״ כתיב בה, מה צבי זה אין עורו מחזיק בשרו, אף ארץ ישראל, בזמן שיושבין עליה רווחא, ובזמן שאין יושבין עליה גמדא. (גיטין נ״ז ע״א) Eretz Yisrael is described as"Eretz Tzvi" (The Land that is comparable to a deer) because just like a deer's skin stretches in order to cover its whole body, so too Eretz Yisrael, at a time when it is inhabited it expands, and when it is uninhabited it shrinks. (Gittin 57A) _____________________ אמר רב חסדא: מאי דכתיב ״ואתן לך ארץ חמדה נחלת צבי.״ למה ארץ ישראל נשמלה לצבי? לומר לך: מה צבי אין עורו מחזיק בשרו, אף ארץ ישראל אינה מחזקת פירותיה. דבר אחר: מה צבי קל מכל החיות, אף ארץ ישראל קלה מכל הארצות לבשל את פירותיה. אי מה צבי זה קל ואין בשרו שמן, אף ארץ ישראל קלה לבשל ואין פירותיה שמנים? תלמוד לומר ״זבת חלב ודבש״, שמנים מחלב ומתוקים מדבש. (כתובות קי״ב ע״א) Rav Chisda said: What does it mean, "And I will give you a cherished land, a heritage that is likened to a deer." Why is Eretz Yisrael compared to a deer? To teach you that just like a deer's skin is too small for its body, so too Eretz Yisrael cannot hold its great abundance of fruit; just like a deer is the fastest of the animals, so too Eretz Yisrael is the fastest land to ripen its fruit. You might think that just like a deer is thin and not robust, so too the fruit of Eretz Yisrael would not be robust, so the Torah teaches us "A land flowing with milk and honey," that its fruit are rich like milk and sweet like honey. (Kesubos 112A) |
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