Parashat Bereishit: How Does the Creation Story Teach Us About the Jewish Right to the Land of Israel?

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Parashat Bereishit

How Does the Creation Story Teach Us About the Jewish Right to the Land of Israel?

Why Can We Only Celebrate the Jewish Holidays Fully in the Land of Israel?

Shabbat Bereishit leaps surprisingly into my lap, and onto my pillow last night waking me up to ponder a new blog theme. Having written a weekly blog for nearly 15 years, I’ve already exhausted many topics. What should I write about that will capture my own interest and that of my readers? I was thinking of “Reincarnations in the Torah” but would I find enough material for each weekly Parasha? I finally settled on Miracles in the Parasha and in Our Lives and made the graphic icon for each Torah book. However, when I sat down to start writing, I just wanted to write about the Land of Israel. I was seized by the fervent feeling that strengthening our bond with the Promised Land – and anchoring our understanding of our right to it – is crucial for fully conquering it.  So, I adapted the graphics and here I come to tell you how and why I love living in Israel right now, and to share the very first Rashi of the Torah with you which so precisely describes our rights to the land of Israel. I have only a very short time as the sweet potatoes, cashews, red peppers, eggplants, olives, and cilantro await me in the kitchen as well as the pecans and the honey, and guests will join us for Simchat Torah and Shabbat to partake in delicious salads, dips, fish and chicken, so this will be brief. Coming out of Sukkot really strengthens our awareness that living in Israel is vital for keeping the Torah to its fullest! How lovely it has been to dwell in the Sukkah at this time, when it’s a bit cool but still pleasant enough for the men to sleep under the stars, in earshot of the prayerful singing of various neighbors. Here in Israel, we really get to experience the Torah indictment: “For a seven-day period you shall live in Sukkot (booths). Every resident among the Israelites shall live in Sukkot” (Vayikra 23:42). This teaches that all of the Jewish people are fit to reside in one Sukkah. (Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah 27b).

The Weather in Israel is a Spiritual Barometer for Our Relationship With G-d

When we lived briefly in the USA, how far we were from feeling that unity of living with all of Israel in one Sukkah? I also recall how the rain started to pour down flooding our Sukkah with all its decorations and heavy sleeping bags, that we were forced to seek shelter indoors. Luckily, our sleeping bags hanging in the courtyard bothered our gentile neighbors enough to throw them in the washer and dryer! In Israel, it rarely rains on Sukkot, but if it does, “It is comparable to a servant who comes to pour wine for his Master, and the Master pours a pitcher of water in his (the servant’s) face, saying to him: I do not want your service” (Babylonian Talmud, Sukkah 29a). In general, the weather in Israel is a spiritual barometer for our relationship with G-d. If He withholds the rains from us, we must pray harder, as it states,

ספר בראשית פרק ב פסוק ה וְכֹל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ וְכָל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִצְמָח כִּי לֹא הִמְטִיר הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהִים עַל הָאָרֶץ וְאָדָם אַיִן לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה:

“Now no tree of the field was yet on the earth, neither did any herb of the field yet grow, because the Hashem, G-d had not brought rain upon the earth, and there was no man to work the soil (Bereishit 2:5).

Although the plants were created on the third day of creation, they waited beneath the earth and didn’t sprout forth until Adam came “to work the soil” which can be understood metaphorically as “to pray for rain.” Until the creation of humanity, no one recognized the benefit of rain, but when Adam came and understood that they were essential to the world, he prayed for them, they fell, and the trees and the herbs sprouted (Rashi, Bereishit 2:5 based on BT, Chulin 60b). If we don’t receive enough rain by Chanukah, it will greatly affect not only farmers but all of us. During such times, we must engage in self-introspection and repent, as we live with the awareness that the rain, or lack thereof is the heavenly response to our actions. “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain [it is] because your people have sinned against You…” (I Melachim 8:35). At such times, the Rabbis institute national fast days and we turn inward to rectify our deeds. During Sukkot when we dwell in flimsy huts exposed to the elements, the weather affects us even more, and through it, we experience our relationship with the Divine on a greater scale. Here in Bat Ayin – through the comfortable, cooling weather – I felt Hashem comforting us during this Sukkot and Simchat Torah. The cold wind only intensified the day we left the Sukkah and Bauch Hashem we were able to dance again like never before! Although we feel the pain of having been at war for a full year now, we are proud of our little country on the mission of eradicating evil from the entire world. On Simchat Torah, we began praising Hashem for rain, by inserting in our Shemoneh Esre Amidah “Who makes the wind blow and brings down the rain.” May all our suffering this year be an atonement for our sins and may Hashem open the sky and shower us with abundant rain! 

The Jewish People Serving Hashem in the Land of Israel is the Purpose of Creation  

The Torah opens by describing Hashem’s creation of heaven and earth: 

ספר בראשית פרק א פסוק א בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ:

“In the beginning of G-d’s creation of the heavens and the earth” (Bereishit 1:1). 

Although it may seem to us a perfect beginning to start the Torah with the creation story, our commentaries feel otherwise. Since the Torah is not a history book but a manual for proper living and serving our creator, Rashi questions why it doesn’t begin with recounting the first mitzvah in the Torah.  Now for what reason did He commence with “In the beginning?” Because of [the verse] “The strength of His works He related to His people, to give them the inheritance of the nations” (Tehillim 111:6). For if the nations of the world should say to Israel, “You are robbers, for you conquered by force the lands of the seven nations [of Canaan],” they will reply, “The entire earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it (this we learn from the story of the Creation) and gave it to whomever He deemed proper. When He wished, He gave it to them, and when He wished, He took it away from them and gave it to us (Rashi, Bereishit 1:1). I find it mind-boggling that Rashi – nearly a thousand years ago when we were submerged deeply in exile before any Zionistic movement had emerged – could predict how the nations will accuse us of robbing the Land of Israel. Moreover, it seems like Rashi also sensed the need to strengthen Israel in knowing our rights to our Promised Land, which is so vital in our time when so many Jews are being influenced by the nations and siding with the ‘Palestinian’ cause. 

The principle of the Jewish people’s right to the Land of Israel is so primary, that according to Rashi, the very first verse in the entire Torah comes to clarify this point. May all Jews in Israel and abroad tune into this clear-cut message that Hashem created the entire world for the sake of the Children of Israel keeping the Torah and the Mitzvot in the Land of Israel. 

How Does the Mincha Offering Teach Us to Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude?

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Parashat Vayikra 

How Does the Mincha Offering Teach Us to Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude?

How Can the Torah be Eternal if Animal Sacrifices May Never Return? 

We have begun the difficult book of Vayikra, most of which is dedicated to describing the various types of sacrifices, many of which seem obscure and irrelevant in our time. There is even a Machloket (dispute) about whether animal sacrifices will be reinstituted when the Temple is rebuilt. Possibly Rav Kook holds that eventually, we will only bring the mincha offering, as written at the end of the Ashkenazi Amidah prayer:

ספר מלאכי פרק ג פסוק ד וְעָרְבָה לַהָשֵׁם מִנְחַת יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלִָם כִּימֵי עוֹלָם וּכְשָׁנִים קַדְמֹנִיּוֹת:

“Then the mincha offerings of Yehudah and Yerushalayim shall be pleasant to Hashem, as in the days of old and former years” (Malachi 3:4). 

“In the future, the abundance of knowledge will spread to and penetrate even animals… and the sacrifices, which will then be from grain, will be as pleasing to G-d as in days of old in yesteryear [when there were animal sacrifices]” (Olat Reiyah, vol. 1, p. 292). If most of the sacrifices were only temporary, how do we reconcile the multitudes of Torah verses describing the details of the various sacrifices with our belief that the entire Torah is eternal? (Rambam, The Thirteen Principles of Emunah, Principle 9). Many greater and wiser people have pondered this question, which is too great for me to fully grasp. Yet, I do believe that all the minutiae of the sacrifices have layers of deeper mystical meanings regarding the inner work of effecting true atonement, which in essence is achieving closeness to Hashem. The word atonement can also be read as, at-one-ment – reflecting the Hebrew word for sacrifice קָרְבַּן/korban – ‘close.’ Since the offering brings us closer to G-d, its root is קרב /kuf-resh-beit – ‘coming near’ (R.S.R, Hirsch). Whereas in the past we could come close to Hashem through our holy intention joined with the detailed exterior service of the sacrifice, when the Temple will be rebuilt we will with Hashem’s help undergo a paradigm shift through which we may attain the same spiritual elevation and oneness with Hashem – or perhaps even higher – solely through our holy intention without necessarily needing to go through all rectifications enacted by the actual animal sacrifices. I believe that the inner layer of each of the Torah verses describing the details of the sacrifices will be revealed to pertain to the various steps of the spiritual work necessary to reach such refined soul rectification. Thus, every Torah verse describing the sacrifices is pregnant with an inner meaning pertaining to all eternity.

 

Stepping Into the Journey of Perfecting Our Attribute of Gratitude

Although the details of the spiritual rectification that will take place during the Third Temple Time are still concealed from us, I believe we are called upon to begin to enact the inner work necessary to prepare for the ultimate oneness with Hashem. Its various steps will be revealed according to our level of climbing the spiritual ladder of cleaving to Hashem. Some sacrifices come to atone and cleanse us from wrongdoing, as to be one with Hashem we must eradicate the Amalek within including its various ego elements that act asblocks and barriers from attaining oneness with Hashem. Other sacrifices are expressions of gratitude, which include innumerable levels to be developed. It is vital to begin the journey of perfecting the attribute of gratitude, especially in our time of ingratitude with its pitfalls of taking our blessings for granted. Now is the time to practice gratitude, reverence, and gift-giving, which are powerful tools for expressing our deepest feelings for everything we have and are. It is well known that since the destruction of the Temple, our prayers have become the substitute for sacrifices as it states “…May You forgive all iniquity and accept good, and let our lips substitute for bulls [i.e., let our prayers substitute for sacrifices]” (Hoshea 14:3-4). Yisrael said, “Master of the Universe, when the Beit Hamikdash stood, we would offer sacrifices and be atoned for. Now we have only prayer” (Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah 18:17). Our prayer book is replete with sentiments of gratitude to Hashem – the ultimate source of our existence. It takes deep spiritual work to tune into this, rather than just paying external lip service. It is truly a meditative challenge to rise every single morning, and not only recite Modeh Ani, “I am grateful” to G-d but to sincerely feel gratitude in the deepest recesses of our hearts for bringing life to us every single day. When we thank G-d for sustaining the world with goodness in Birkat HaMazon, (Grace after Meals) we have the opportunity to tap into immeasurable gratitude for Hashem’s kindness, and mercy through which He sustains us. No matter how hard we work to put a meal on the table, we are challenged to recall that at the end of the day, everything we have, and our entire life is only by Divine grace. When we recite Modim Anachnu Lach, (We are grateful to You) in the daily Amidah prayer let us infuse our words as we bow deeply to Hashem to tune into the words we are reciting and truly thank G-d “for our souls, which are in Your keeping; for the signs of Your presence we encounter every day; and for Your wondrous gifts at all time.”

 

The Mincha Offering Reflecting the Ultimate Purpose of Sacrifices Eliminating Pride

ספר ויקרא פרק ב פסוק א וְנֶפֶשׁ כִּי תַקְרִיב קָרְבַּן מִנְחָה לַהָשֵׁם סֹלֶת יִהְיֶה קָרְבָּנוֹ וְיָצַק עָלֶיהָ שֶׁמֶן וְנָתַן עָלֶיהָ לְבֹנָה:

“If a נֶפֶשׁ/nefesh – soul brings a meal offering to Hashem, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil over it and place frankincense upon it” (Vayikra 2:1).

          

The Torah uses the word נֶפֶשׁ/nefesh – soul regarding the mincha meal offering. This expression isn’t used for any of the other voluntary sacrifices. Now, who usually donates a meal offering? A poor person [because flour is less expensive than birds or animals]. [Hence,] the Holy One Blessed is He, says: “I account if for him as if he has sacrificed his very soul!”- [BT, Menachot 104b]; (Rashi, Vayikra 2:1). The pauper is considered as having offered his nefesh – his entire being – to the Almighty, due to the difficulty his offering entails. Although a person of average means who offers a bull as a sacrifice could incur an expense proportionally equivalent to that of a poor person bringing a mincha, the difference between the two lies in their feelings of pride in their offering. Whenever we do something exceptional in public, our altruism is compromised, if only very slightly, by the admiration we receive. When people see us bring a large, respectable voluntary offering, it is hard to avoid feeling a degree of pride or at least a slight tinge of gratification over the respect we earn among peers and onlookers. Thus, even an idealistically driven offering may be less than perfectly sincere, given the justifiable pride that we may feel. Conversely, the pauper may feel embarrassed as he makes his way to the Mikdash with a meager sacrifice of oil and grain, and he needs to muster courage and resolve to overcome these feelings and proceed with his offering. Perhaps this is why the pauper’s mincha offering is considered as if he sacrificed his nefesh. Hashem cares about the level of sincerity rather than the value of the sacrifice itself. The pauper’s mincha offering is pure and genuine, devoid of any ulterior motiveaccompanying the larger sacrifices. The pauper gains no social benefit or admiration, but brings his offering with pure, untainted sincerity. Feelings of pride undermine the sacrifice’s very purpose, as it is meant to express a keen awareness that we can get closer to Hashem, and a sincere desire to disintegrate the barrier of pride and self-importance that block us from completely cleaving to Hashem.  (The Beit Yisrael (Rav Yisrael Alter, the fourth Rebbe of Ger).

 

Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude Even During Times of Hardship

The Chatam Sofer asks why the pauper didn’t choose to offer the sacrifice of a small bird – a dove or pigeon – which likely would have been the least expensive offering. The mincha offering included a sizeable portion of flour, as well as olive oil and frankincense, which all together likely cost more than a small bird. Then why does the Talmud cited by Rashi assume that the poor would offer mincha sacrifices rather than bird sacrifices? Chatam Sofer suggests that the Talmud refers to a pauper who does not even have money for his basic necessities and relies upon charity for his sustenance. His only access to food is agricultural gifts such as leket, shichecha, and pe’a – the portions of the fields that the owners are required to leave for the needy. As this is the pauper’s sole source of sustenance, his only option for offering a sacrifice is a mincha, which he brings from the grain that he collected from what the landowners left for the poor. Since he does not have money to purchase a bird, the only sacrifice he can offer is a mincha. For this reason, the pauper is considered as having sacrificed his soul to G-d, as he takes a portion of his meager eating rations, to offer a sacrifice to the Almighty. Generally, people enduring difficult challenges are too embittered and distraught to recognize and feel grateful for the good things in their lives to make altruistic sacrifices. If a beggar – who is forced to collect the gleanings of other people’s crops to survive – still feels moved and inspired to offer a portion of what he has to Hashem as an expression of his devotion, then how much more reason do we have to feel grateful for our blessings even in times of hardship. When the pauper allocates a portion of the grain he received through charity for a sacrifice, he shows gratitude for what he has received. This should inspire us to recognize and appreciate our blessings even if they at first seem meager, and to cultivate an attitude of gratitude for what we have even during times of hardship (Rav David Silverberg, Parashat Vayikra, The Israel Koschitzky VBM, Torat Har Etzion, SALT 2018).

 

            

  

Gratitude Focus for the Week of Parashat Vayikra –

Some Tips for Cultivating Gratitude During Hardships

“It’s easy to feel grateful when life is good, but when disaster strikes, gratitude is worth the effort (Robert Emmons, Gratitude Works). Research on gratitude has shown me that when life is going well, gratitude allows us to celebrate and magnify goodness. But what about when life goes badly? Amid the war in Israel, how do we feel grateful under such dire circumstances? Although gratitude doesn’t come easily or naturally in times of crisis, it is precisely under crisis conditions that we have the most to gain from a grateful perspective on life. An attitude of gratitude can help us cope with hard times. In the face of demoralization, gratitude has the power to energize. In the face of brokenness, gratitude has the power to heal. In the face of despair, gratitude has the power to bring hope. 

• Remember the Hardships – Trials and suffering can actually refine and deepen gratefulness if we allow them to show us not to take things for granted. During the good times, people may take their blessings for granted and believe that they are invulnerable. In times of uncertainty, though, we realize how powerless weare to control our own destiny. If you begin to see that everything you have, everything you have counted on, may be taken away, it becomes much harder to take it for granted.

 

• Think about How Far You Have Come – No matter how you’re feeling about life you can practice gratitude by asking yourself some basic questions:

What have I received from ____?

What have I given to ______?

What troubles and difficulties have I overcome? 

The last question forces you to remember the hard times and reflect on them. Think about how far you’ve come. The contrast between good and bad sets you up for finding gratefulness during difficult times.

 

• Develop Gratitude During Grief – If you’re, G-d forbid, dealing with an unimaginable loss of a family member, a chronic or life-threatening disease, divorce, unemployment, or depression, it’s likely difficult to find something that’s positive in your life. However, if you search with strong intent, you will find at least one blessing or kindness on which you can focus. By allowing yourself to turn to gratitude, you can find hope amid despair.

 

• Recall the Good Times – Reflect on your life when you felt a deep sense of gratitude, then write about it in your gratitude journal. You may focus on more than just one event and write about numerous moments of gratitude. Focus on the gratitude takeaways, even if you’re facing a challenging time or circumstance. Out of something terrible – an ailment or adversity – came something good, like a new opportunity or new perspective on life.

 

• Help Those Less Fortunate Than Yourself – Showing kindness to people in greater distress than yourself distracts you from your own hardships and causes you to feel gratitude for your blessings which may seem greater in comparison to those less fortunate. The Talmud tells the story of Rabbi Akiva and his holy wife Rachel, the daughter of the wealthy Kalba Shavua, who disowned her when she betrothed herself to Rabbi Akiva. It was during the winter, but they only had straw to sleep on, and Rabbi Akiva had to pick out the straw from his hair. “If only I could afford it,” said he to her, “I would present you with a golden Jerusalem.”  Later Eliyahu came to them in the guise of a pauper and cried out at the door. “Give me some straw, for my wife gave birth and I have nothing for her to lie on.” “See!’ Rabbi Akiva observed to his wife, “There is a man who lacks even straw” (Babylonian Talmud Nedarim 50a).