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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- D'varim
- Ekev
My Bar Mitzva parsha was scheduled to be parshat Pinchas. But, sadly, my Zayde passed away & my mother was in her 11th month of aveilut when I turned 13 & so our rav, David Lieberman zt"l (who would later become chief rabbi of Antwerp) advised the family to wait a month, so that festivities then could be held with no restrictions. As a result, I was Bar-Mitzvahed (yes, it's also a verb) on parshat Ekev, known widely as Parshat Eretz Yisrael. It was an early sign that I would have the z'chut to live in Israel, the only member of my immediate family to do so.
This Sedra is the key to understanding, appreciating & surviving the challenge of Aliya. A few insights:
"œV'Zacharta et kal ha-derech;" you shall remember all the road. Hashem laid out a path for us: It began in Gan Eden - which by tradition is in Israel - & the 1st command given to the first Jew, Avraham, was to pick up & move here. Though we would stray from that road numerous times, there was always only one final destination. So, it's crucial to keep your eye on the road!
It is an "œEretz Tova," a good land. But can a land be "œgood?!" No land can – except the Land of Israel. It has a life of its own; it "œbehaves" when we treat it well & perform Mitzvot upon it, but it reacts harshly when we dishonor it with our poor behavior or sinful conduct. It has both œbika'a & har, valleys & mountains: here we may, unfortunately, experience war & terror, the lowest of lows, but we also will celebrate the highest highs as well.
"œLo techsar kol ba," you will lack for nothing. Israel, as small as it may be, has a bit of everything: sun, sea, sand, even snow. The pasuk highlights the plentiful bounty of the earth, including fruits & vegetables, iron & copper, & we can now add natural gas, even oil to the list. It's a question of our ability to appreciate all that we have here, and not always look over our "global shoulder."
But all this comes with a caveat: "œLo b'miskanut tochal ba lechem," do not eat your daily bread like a œ"miskayn," with gripes, complaints & negativity. Learn to appreciate the miracle right before our "eyes; just note the nations that surround us on all sides & envy all that we have built & how amazingly well we live.
"œV'achalta v'savata," go, eat, be satisfied with what you have, & then there is only one thing left to do: "œU'varachta et Hashem Elokecha al ha-aretz ha-tova asher natan lach," bless Hashem for this amazing land that G-d gave us.
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
Jewish Laws and Thoughts Shul “etiquette:” can we honor Hashem while respecting our fellow congregants?
Rabbis in Midrash
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Israel and the Nations A Few Minutes & Many Innovative Ideas on Antisemitism & What to do About It
As we approach the High Holidays, this short lecture (18 minutes) deals with the unfortunate situation of how Israel and the Jewish People stand against antisemitism, analyzing its cause according to Rav Kook, and how to deal with the issue pragmatically & via our prayers.
Ha'azinu PURSUIT is PERFECTION
p. Ha'azinu, Shabbat Shuva
Rav Kook deals with the question of the seemingly hopeless nature of Tshuva. For G-d Himself knows that He created us with free will, which inevitably means we will sometimes make mistakes and choose wrong. This can easily be frustrating, freezing us into inaction and ye'ush (loss of hope). If one sins even once, does he chalila have no choice but suicide?! Moreover, our Godly conscience demands justice, righteousness and perfection, but we all know this is impossible, so what's the solution? Rav Kook's innovative thinking, strongly based on chazal (our sages), offers an inciteful and important aspect to this topic, especially this time of year!
Sukkot Bug-Free Sukkah: Essential Halachic and Practical Schach Guide
How to inspect, clean, and store bamboo mats and palm branches to protect your mitzvah and holiday meals.
