- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
The Torah study is dedicated in the memory of
Yaakov Ben Behora
Parashat Devarim
"Come and Inherit the Land"
The Book of Devarim finds the Jewish people camped on the border of Israel about to enter the land. Encouraging the nation to set forth and conquer the Promised Land, Moshe proclaims: "Go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, to give them and to their seed after them" (Devarim 1:8). Rashi, in his commentary to this verse, writes: "No one is disputing [your claim to the land] and you have no need for war. Had you not sent the spies you would not have needed weapons."
It was only because of the sin of the spies that Eretz Israel could only be conquered through war. Had the Jewish people firmly believed that the Land of Israel was theirs, there would have been no need to engage in battle. The spies sinned in that they weren’t sure that Israel was for them. They wanted to check it out first. The Canaanite peoples intuitively sensed this lack of attachment to the Land as an invitation to wage war against us and dispute our Divine inheritance. Had the Jewish people been absolute in their conviction that Israel belongs only to the Jews, than no one on Earth would have dared to dispute our claim to the land.
Our rabbi's teach that this very lack of conviction and certainty that Eretz Israel belongs to the Jewish people was the underlying cause for the destruction and exile, and all of the calamities that came in their wake (Ta’anit 29b).
To our great dismay, this same lack of conviction regarding our rights to Israel exists to this very day, both in the Land of Israel and the Diaspora alike.
At this time of great uncertainty, danger, and upheaval in our Land, let us hope and pray that we will rise up to a true unwavering conviction that Eretz Israel is ours, and thereby deserve the consoling prophecy of Zacharia: "Thus says the L-rd of hosts ... the fast of the fifth [the month of Av] shall become times of joy and gladness" (Zecharia 8:19). Amen.
--------------------------
This is a weekly column contributed by Aloh Naaleh an organization devoted to motivating Jews to make Aliya.
Aloh Na'aleh POB 4337, Jerusalem 91042
Tel: 972-2-566-1181 ext. 320 ~ Fax: 972-2-566-1186
Email: aloh-naaleh@israelcenter.co.il
It was only because of the sin of the spies that Eretz Israel could only be conquered through war. Had the Jewish people firmly believed that the Land of Israel was theirs, there would have been no need to engage in battle. The spies sinned in that they weren’t sure that Israel was for them. They wanted to check it out first. The Canaanite peoples intuitively sensed this lack of attachment to the Land as an invitation to wage war against us and dispute our Divine inheritance. Had the Jewish people been absolute in their conviction that Israel belongs only to the Jews, than no one on Earth would have dared to dispute our claim to the land.
Our rabbi's teach that this very lack of conviction and certainty that Eretz Israel belongs to the Jewish people was the underlying cause for the destruction and exile, and all of the calamities that came in their wake (Ta’anit 29b).
To our great dismay, this same lack of conviction regarding our rights to Israel exists to this very day, both in the Land of Israel and the Diaspora alike.
At this time of great uncertainty, danger, and upheaval in our Land, let us hope and pray that we will rise up to a true unwavering conviction that Eretz Israel is ours, and thereby deserve the consoling prophecy of Zacharia: "Thus says the L-rd of hosts ... the fast of the fifth [the month of Av] shall become times of joy and gladness" (Zecharia 8:19). Amen.
--------------------------
This is a weekly column contributed by Aloh Naaleh an organization devoted to motivating Jews to make Aliya.
Aloh Na'aleh POB 4337, Jerusalem 91042
Tel: 972-2-566-1181 ext. 320 ~ Fax: 972-2-566-1186
Email: aloh-naaleh@israelcenter.co.il

The Chazon of Shabbat Chazon
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | 5774

The Intersection of the Three Eichas
Rabbi Moshe Erenreich | 6 Av 5767
Words and Vision
Rabbi Berel Wein | Av 5768

Is My Stove Kosher?
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | Av 7 5778

Rabbi David Samson
Teaches in the Jerusalem Yeshiva for youth, gave Shiurim at the Beit El Yeshiva.

Mega-Tumah
Aloh Naaleh
Adar 2 5768

The Power of The Will
Chapter Thirteen
Av 5768

Barriers To T’shuva
Chapter Fifteen
Av 5768

Don't Worry! Be Happy!
Chapter Nine
Av 5768
Accident by Design
At the Shabbat Table
Rabbi Daniel Kirsch | Tevet 3 5780

The Need for a Mechitza Without a Minyan
Rabbi Daniel Mann | 5775

Practices of the Tochacha
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | Elul 16 5776

Milk Spoon in a Meat Sink or Dishwasher
Kashrut in a Nutshell
Rabbi David Sperling
Daily Mishna - Shevi'it 5, 7-8
Rabbi Moshe Leib Halberstadt | Iyar 23 5782

Seeing The Mezuzot
No Rabbi | Iyar 23 5782
Daily Mishna - Shevi'it 4, 9-10
Rabbi Moshe Leib Halberstadt | Iyar 19 5782
