YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Bamidbar
We continue this week by delving into the connection to Parashat Bamidbar and Yom Yerushalayim. In Avraham’s "second aliya" at age 75, he became "shomer mitzvot" and went to the "place that Hashem will choose." Yerushalayim turned into the future capital of Israel, where Am Yisrael would come three times a year to the Beit Hamikdash.
The Land that Avraham was drawn to originally was the place that Hashem had chosen. Let us now return to our parasha and see how this piece completes the picture. The counting at the beginning of Bamidbar is repeated nearly 40 years later with almost exactly the same numbers, yet they had two very different goals.
The second counting was in preparation for the conquest which would turn the Land of Canaan into Eretz Yisrael. The first counting, in our parasha, was done regarding "the army of Hashem." Rashi explains that when Hashem brought down His Divine Presence, he counted the nation, one month after the opening of the Mishkan. The army of Israel has to include these two elements – conquest and sanctity – as the pasuk says: "Your camp shall be holy" (Devarim 23:15).
The Exodus had two end goals: 1) Acceptance of the Torah at Sinai as a holy nation; 2) Entering Eretz Yisrael and obtaining the land as a sovereign nation.
On Yom Haatzmaut we celebrate the latter, and on Yom Yerushalayim we celebrate the former. The Divine Providence surrounding the events is fascinating from a spiritual perspective. We first received independence and only nineteen years later were able to free Jerusalem. In the War of Independence, the Jewish quarter fell to the Jordanian Legion, to return only in the Six-Day War to the eastern part of the city and the Western Wall. Many people blamed David Ben Gurion for not allocating enough resources to defend Jerusalem in 1948. By establishing the state, Ben Gurion took upon himself a massive responsibility, knowing that all the Arab armies would attack the fledgling state and try to obliterate it. The strongest and most professional army was the Jordanian Legion, trained by British officers and possessing the most advanced weaponry. If the Legion would have focused on attacking other fronts, there is a good chance they would have prevented the State from surviving. Yet by Divine Providence they focused on Jerusalem, and thus the State survived. Ben Gurion decided to focus the troops on expanding the borders to sustain the State, but the cost was the Jewish Quarter.
Nineteen years later, the Legion once again attacked Jerusalem, bombarding the west from the east. This, through the grace of G-d, allowed us to unite the city. Yom Yerushalayim now joined Yom Haatzmaut. The two countings that we saw in the Torah once again took place. The motif of Pesach and Kriat Yam Suf was joined by Yom Haatzmaut, while Shavuot/ Matan Torah, was joined by Yom Yerushalayim.
This is the day that Hashem made; let us rejoice and be happy!
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 5- "Proofs of G-d"
This may be the most important class of the entire book, where we finally get to the Jewish proof of the existence of G-d and truth of the Torah. We should follow His own direction where He tells us how to get to Him: through the Nation of Israel: Jewish history, Jewish prophets (and today, prophecies fulfilled), and national reward & punishment towards Am Yisrael.
Ein Aya One Humanity, One Creator, One Jerusalem
Rav Kook innovatively and beautifully explains this aggadeta where our sages say that after Jerusalem was destroyed her cinnamon fragrance is only found locked in a particular kingdom's treasury.
Shlach Lecha "Why So Many Don't Make Aliya?" - Parshat Shlach
This short article deals with the weird phenomena that every single time Am Yisrael is meant to enter the Land of Israel, throughout the Tanach, 2nd Temple and until today, they "chicken out" and look for excuses. What's the problem with this mitzvah that proves so challenging. The article, based on sources, suggests that the difficulties of Eretz Yisrael is precisely her secret and beauty!
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 4
The class deals with Islam and how the Muslim tries convincing the King of the Khazars, and why he was also rejected.
Beha'alotcha JEWISH STATE= GUIDE TO G-DLINESS & SELFLESSNESS
A Jewish State not only is a good idea, but educates us towards selflessness, altruism and G-dliness in our daily lives.
Ein Aya In Zion Even the Smoke of the Bark is Sweet
Just as Jewish nationalism is different from others, so too our capitol of Jerusalem is totally different than other national capitols. Rav Kook beautifully explains the passage in the Talmud that the trees of Yerushalayim were cinnamon trees.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 3
The second speaker invited to convince the Khazar King is the Christian, who presents their beliefs. Even before the questions of the King, "between the lines", the author R. Yehuda HaLevi already begins disproving them.
Ein Aya "Intimacy: Love, Life & Giving or Egocentric Taking & Expiration"
Today, many confuse between intimacy in marriage, based on love, giving and life which are diametrically opposed to empty "sex", pornography and prostitution which destroyed the Beit HaMikdash. The practical importance of clarifying this topic in today's western society is obvious, especially for young adults.