Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Parashat Hashavua
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Shlach Lecha
King David realized the dream, as he established with Hashem’s help, a united state, whose army liberated Yerushalayim and defended the country’s borders. The next goal was to reach world peace and liberate the world by sharing with it the values of morality and justice. This was behind Shlomo’s building of the Beit Hamikdash and inviting the nations there for prayer and service of Hashem. The furtherance of this spiritual partnership found expression in the words of the prophets Yeshayahu and Micha, after Shlomo did not finish the work.
Unfortunately, the attempt failed and the dream was pushed off. This was impacted by the break among the tribes of the First Temple and the baseless hatred of the Second Temple, so that it must wait for the End of Days.
The beginning of this period of geula was when students of the Vilna Gaon came to Eretz Yisrael 200 years ago. The Gaon taught his students that in order to receive Divine Assistance, it was necessary to act towards the goals and allow the liberation to proceed step by step on the long road of building the Land, establishing Torah centers in Yerushalayim, and, finally, establishing a Jewish state with an army and police force. Then there will be a basis for Hashem’s blessing to take hold on. First, the army must fight the nation’s enemies, like David did.
The second stage is to fulfill Tzefania’s prophecy, to prepare the whole world to serve Hashem together: "Then I will turn to the nations with clear speech so that all will call out in Hashem’s Name and serve Him with one shoulder" (3:9; see Rambam, Melachim 11:4). The Rambam invokes Bilam’s prophecies, which compares Bnei Yisrael to a lion who is rising. It blesses the allies of Bnei Yisrael and curses its enemies, as Avraham was promised (Bereishit 12:3).
The State of Israel and indeed the whole world are in a very special time period. The Middle East has changed dramatically. One evil regime after another have fallen or been greatly weakened. The ring of fire that was supposed to burn the Jewish state now burns itself. Hamas has been brought to returning our hostages and will have to give up its arms and dreams of continuing to rule in Gaza. The nations keep the Noahide laws. The Arab nations will come to have a fair judicial system (dinim). They will move away from cruelty, even to animals (ever min hachai). There will be societies with families with two partners who respect each other, thereby bringing peace to the home. Women will no longer be treated like slaves or prizes for lowly murderers. Lebanon has started to act like a country with one army, aiming to live in peace among its neighbors. Hezbollah will be forced to give up its arms and its satanic plans for Israel and non-Shiite Lebanese. Syria will join the Abraham Accords and humanity. Iran will be freed from its regime of intimidation of its own citizens and others and its development of weapons of mass destruction.
So will we take steps toward world liberation, as Tzefania foresaw. Let us unite as a nation so that we can make this a reality, along with our allies, those who bless us.
Parashat Hashavua: Rachel, Leah, and King David – What Happened? – part IV
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | Shevat 5786
Glory in the Clouds
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | 7 Shvat 5768
PARASHAT HASHAVUA: INDEPENDENCE AND A FREE JERUSALEM BEFORE SHAVUOT
Rabbi Yossef Carmel | Iyar 5786
