Parashat Ki Tisa: What Can We Learn from Parashat Ki Tisa About Israel’s Current War?

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Parashat Ki Tisa
What Can We Learn from Parashat Ki Tisa About Israel’s Current War?

What Does it Mean that Jews are Called “A Stiff-Necked People”?
This week, in Kuzari class, we discussed proof for the authenticity of the Torah. I asked my students to imagine the possibility that Moshe came to his people and told them that 500 years ago everyone in the world spoke only one language – the language of Ever. In one day – when they built the Tower of Babylon – the whole of humanity became separated into different peoples, each one with his own individual language. In the same breath, Moshe spoke in detail about the relationship of each nation with its forefather, whether Shem, Cham, or Yafet. Would the people, known for being stiff-necked, critical, and skeptical, accept such revolutionary claims about human history if they had never heard of them before? I have personally experienced this difference between Jews and gentiles. For example, when a Jew from a secular home decides to embrace a Torah-observant lifestyle, they often encounter strong resistance from family members. Arguments like “Why would G-d care about all these nitty-gritty details of observance?” or “Why are you regressing to a medieval lifestyle?”  have been hurled at many a good ba’al teshuva (newcomer to Judaism) by his or her family. In contrast, I recently interviewed a potential conversion student whose parents, though atheists with no Jewish background, were willing to support her conversion in Israel with a $500 monthly stipend. Even after funding her college education, they wanted to continue supporting her, despite their disagreement with her religious choice. The following day, when I taught Rambam on Character Development, Nutrition, and Health, we discussed how the same trait can be either a gift or a detriment depending on how it is employed. This concept also applies to the notorious Jewish stiff-necked character trait explicitly addressed in Parashat Ki Tisa.

Does Being a Stiff-necked People Justify Divine Withdrawal or Divine Attachment?
Whereas stiff-neckedness is typically seen as a stubborn flaw, the Eish Kodesh offers a different perspective. Following the sin of the Golden Calf, Hashem tells Moshe that He will remove His Shechinah (Divine Presence) from accompanying the Israelites:

ספר שמות פרק לג פסוק ג אֶל אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ כִּי לֹא אֶעֱלֶה בְּקִרְבְּךָ כִּי עַם קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף אַתָּה פֶּן אֲכֶלְךָ בַּדָּרֶךְ:

“[Go ascend] to a land flowing with milk and honey, for I will not go up in your midst, because you are a stiff-necked people, lest I destroy you on the way” (Shemot 33:3).

Due to their disobedience and stiff-necked worship of the Golden calf, Hashem intends to punish them by withdrawing His Presence from them on their journey to the Promised Land. However, Moshe later uses this same trait as a justification for Hashem’s continued presence: “Let Hashem go in our midst, for they are a stiff-necked people” (Shemot 34:9). How can the same trait justify both divine withdrawal and divine attachment? Hashem declares that because they are stiff-necked, He will not go with them, yet Moshe argues that precisely because they are stiff-necked, they deserve His presence! The answer is that קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף /ke’shei oref – ‘stiff-necked’ can be one of the greatest virtues. Someone who lacks this trait is fickle – easily swayed in different directions. At one moment, he may wish to serve Hashem, and the next moment, he might abandon that commitment. Such a person cannot withstand tests of faith. By contrast, a stiff-necked person – stubborn and strong-willed – is resolute and dependable. Once he makes a firm decision to serve Hashem, we can trust that he remains steadfast when facing trials. Therefore, Moshe Rabbeinu argued that being stiff-necked makes the Israelites worthy of Hashem Himself dwelling among them. However, stubbornness can be destructive when misused. If directed toward negativity – stubbornly clinging to bad behaviors and corrupt character traits – becomes a liability (Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira, Piaseczner Rebbe, Sefer Eish Kodesh, Parashat Noach).

Why is Emigrating to Israel Called: “Making Aliyah”?

Parashat Ki Tisa is most often associated with Moshe’s fervent intercession for the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf.  Yet, interwoven within the Parasha are powerful messages about the holiness of Eretz Yisrael and its role in the divine covenant, as a conduit for spiritual elevation. The unique bond between the Land of Israel and the Jewish people reveals how Eretz Yisrael is not just a physical inheritance but a reflection of divine reality. When a Jew emigrates to the land of Israel, it’s called to make ‘Aliyah.’ Literally, to ascend. The source for this expression may be found in Parasha Ki Tisa:

ספר שמות פרק לג פסוק א

עֲלֵה מִזֶּה אַתָּה וְהָעָם אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלִיתָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב לֵאמֹר לְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה:

“Go, ascend from here, you and the people you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land that I swore to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya’acov, saying: ‘I will give it to your descendants’” (Shemot 33:1). 

Rashi, citing Babylonian Talmud, Zevarim 54b) notes that the land of Israel is higher than all [other] lands. That is why it says, ‘ascend.’ This concept of ascending to the Land of Israel is not limited to typography. Rather, it alludes to the spiritual heights that can be attained in the Land of Israel. The Torah is replete with references to how the Land of Israel is intrinsically connected to the Shechinah, the Divine Presence. See for example, “You shall not defile the land where you reside, in which I dwell, for I am the Hashem Who dwells among the children of Israel (Bamidbar 35:34). Eretz Yisrael’s very identity is as a dwelling place for Hashem’s Presence. Thus, the absence of the Shechinah would not simply mean a lessened experience – it would undermine the very essence of the land. “…This is why Eretz Yisrael is called אֶרֶץ הַחַיִּים – the Land of the living. One who emigrates to Israel is called an עוֹלֶה/Oleh – ‘one who ascends,’ and one who leaves the Land is called a יוֹרֵד/Yored – ‘one who descends,’ just like hell is called She’ol, the underworld, which involves descent (Maharal of Prague, Be’er HaGola 6:13).

Why Would Sending an Angel to Accompany the Israelites be Catastrophic?

At first glance, Shemot 33:1 - 4 appears to focus on the punishment for the Israelites’ sin,  depriving them of direct divine accompaniment. However, we can also read this passage as a revelation of Eretz Yisrael’s true nature: a land inherently linked with the Shechinah. The very essence of the Holy Land is G-d’s Presence within her. Hashem’s statement, “I will not go up in your midst,” (Shemot 33:3) signified a devastating withdrawal of divine intimacy. The Jewish people mourned not just because of a punishment but because they understood that entering the land without divine closeness would be an empty, incomplete experience. The Bat Ayin expands on this idea, explaining that Eretz Yisrael is the only land where divine revelation is fully manifest in the physical world. Just as Shabbat is the spiritual core (nekudah penimit) of the week, so too is Eretz Yisrael the spiritual core of the world. Within Eretz Yisrael, Jerusalem, the Beit Hamikdash, and the Kodesh HaKodashim radiate holiness throughout the land and beyond (Bat Ayin, Parashat Masei). Thus, the land reflects the Shefa Eloki (divine influx) while this revelation is concealed outside the Land. Moshe protested against Hashem’s decision because an intermediary (an angel) would imply a spiritual distance, which is uncharacteristic of the holy Land. “Eretz Yisrael is beloved, for Hashem chose it. When He created the world, He assigned each land to an angelic minister, but He reserved the Land of Israel for Himself…” (Midrash Tanchuma, Parshat Re’eh 8). There are no angelic intermediaries in the Holy Land. Whereas angels are appointed in charge of Chutz LaAretz (Outside of Israel), in the Land of Israel only Hashem is in charge of Eretz Yisrael.

Eretz Yisrael as the Conduit of Redemption

ספר שמות פרק לד פסוק י

וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי כֹּרֵת בְּרִית נֶגֶד כָּל עַמְּךָ… הִנְנִי גֹרֵשׁ מִפָּנֶיךָ אֶת הָאֱמֹרִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַחִתִּי וְהַפְּרִזִּי וְהַחִוִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי:

“Behold, I will form a covenant in the presence of all your people… For I will drive out before you the Emorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite” (Shemot 34:10-11).

This promise is not just about physical conquest – it reflects a metaphysical process. According to Lurianic Kabbalah, Yisrael is the epicenter of tikkun olam (cosmic rectification). The process of elevating divine sparks begins in the Holy Land (See Arizal, Sha’ar Hamitzvot, Parashat Re’eh). The tikkun (rectification) of the world begins in the Holy Land. The expulsion of the seven nations occupying the land is not merely a military event but a necessary step in preparing the land to be a vessel for divine light. Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook emphasized that every war for the land is a phase in Israel’s redemption. Moshe’s plea for divine presence reminds us that Eretz Yisrael is far more than a physical inheritance – it is the very place where heaven and earth can meet. As we navigate our own journey toward spiritual fulfillment, we look to the Land of Israel as a guiding light, a reminder that our highest purpose is to bring divine consciousness into the world.

Parashat Shemot: What Can We Learn from Moshe About Defining Who is a Native Israeli?

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Parashat Shemot
What Can We Learn from Moshe About Defining Who is a Native Israeli?

Why Does Any Jew Living in Israel Deserve to be Called an Israeli?

When people, detecting my slight foreign accent, ask me where I’m from, I always answer, “I’m from Israel!” Most people don’t really buy that and keep asking for my ‘true’ identity and place of origin. So, I must insist that I truly am from Israel. As a Jewish woman, I stem from the Holy Land and have deep roots here. I only happen to have been born in Denmark, which is completely inconsequential to who I am. It is a minute part of my extensive Jewish family tree. From the vast genealogy of our family, only my parents were born in Denmark, whereas each of my grandparents originated from somewhere else. Moreover, I gave up my Danish citizenship to become Israeli so I’m 100% Israeli and I will protest against anyone calling me a chutznik (someone from outside Israel). Actually, no Jew living in Israel should be called by that appellation. I object vehemently whenever I hear the term chutznik. Just as it is prohibited to remind a Ba’al Teshuva or a convert that s/he didn’t always keep the Torah (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Metzia 58b) so do I venture to say that calling any Jew who wasn’t born in Israel a chutznik is included in the Torah prohibition of verbal mistreatment (Vayikra 25:17). Most people making Aliyah to Israel make great efforts and sacrifice much to be able to leave everything behind and join their people in the holy land. Therefore, rather than reminding them that they aren’t born and bred Sabras by calling them chutznikim (outsiders), Israelis must acknowledge the loyalty of newcomers to Israel and their willingness to acquire the land of Israel through suffering, as taught in the Talmud: “The Holy One, blessed be He, gave Israel three precious gifts, and all of them were given only through suffering. These are they: The Torah, the Land of Israel, and the World to Come” (Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 5a).

How does Parashat Shemot Teach us the Importance of Calling Ourselves Israelis?

In Parashat Shemot, we learn the importance for any Jew to call himself Israeli even if he never set foot in Israel. The midrash admonishes Moshe for allowing himself to be called “an Egyptian man” without correcting Yitro’s daughters, telling them he was a Hebrew. Therefore, as a consequence, he was not buried in his Land. When Yitro questioned his daughters why they were able to return home with the sheep so quickly his daughters replied:

ספר שמות פרק ב פסוק יט וַתֹּאמַרְןָ אִישׁ מִצְרִי הִצִּילָנוּ מִיַּד הָרֹעִים וְגַם דָּלֹה דָלָה לָנוּ וַיַּשְׁקְ אֶת הַצֹּאן:

“An Egyptian man rescued us from the hand[s] of the shepherds, and he also drew [water] for us and watered the flocks” (Shemot 2:19).

Moshe said before Him: ‘Yosef’s bones will enter the land, but I will not enter the land?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘The one who acknowledged his land will be buried in his land, and the one who did not acknowledge his land will not be buried in his land.’ Yosef acknowledged his land; from where is this derived? His master’s wife said: “See, he brought us a Hebrew man…” (Bereishit 39:14), and he did not deny it; rather, “I was stolen from the land of the Hebrews” (Bereishit 40:15). He was buried in his land. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The bones of Yosef, which the children of Israel took up from Egypt, they buried in Shechem” (Yehoshua 24:32). ‘You, who did not acknowledge your land, will not be buried in your land.’ How so? Yitro’s daughters said: “An Egyptian man rescued us from the shepherds” (Shemot 2:19), and he heard and was silent. That is why he was not buried in his land (Midrash Devarim Rabbah 2:8).

Why did Moshe our Rabbi not Merit Being Buried in Israel?

When I mentioned this Midrash to my husband, he right away countered, asking how Moshe could know that Yitro’s daughters called him an Egyptian man, which obviously didn’t take place in his presence. The following Torah verse testifies his point: “He [Yitro] said to his daughters, ‘So where is he? Why have you left the man? Invite him and let him eat bread’” (Shemot 2:20). As I was in the middle of preparing Shabbat salads, I retorted that I was just repeating what the midrash said. Later I read that it is still possible that the appellation “an Egyptian man” was given to Moshe at his first meeting with Yitro. Moshe, who was raised at Pharao’s castle, most likely would give off the impression of an Egyptian, both through his dress and accent. Yitro therefore naturally would have assumed Moshe to be an Egyptian, and Moshe did not challenge Yitro’s assumption by clarifying that he was a Hebrew. Furthermore, while Moshe may not have heard the daughters’ reference to him as an Egyptian, Yitro – looking for a husband for one of his daughters – would undoubtedly have questioned Moshe about his national identity, allowing Moshe to respond that he was a Hebrew rather than an Egyptian. Therefore, since Moshe should have been aware that Yitro would assume him to be an Egyptian, without correcting this misconception, he didn’t merit being buried in Israel. In contrast, the Rambam who lived his last 45 years in Egypt, is known to have signed his letters as, “Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, who violates the commandment not to dwell in Egypt every day.” Indeed, there are many parallels between Moshe Rabbeinu and Moshe ben Maimon: Both lived most of their years in Egypt, both were great Rabbis and teachers who had concern for those much lesser than they, and they both acted on behalf of their emunah and their people – before the entire world – with dignity, wisdom, and sensitivity. Perhaps Rambam’s public penitence for living in Egypt is a rectification for Moshe’s tolerance of being called an Egyptian. This could be why Rambam did merit burial in Israel. The spiritual connection between Moshe Rabbeinu and Moshe ben Maimon is highlighted by the inscription on Rambam’s tombstone stone in Tiberias, where it states, “From Moshe to Moshe, there arose no one like Moshe.”

Why is Every Jew a Child of Eretz Yisrael?

Rabbi Meir Yechiel of Ostrovtza asserts that from the moment G-d promised the Land to Avraham Avinu, every Jew must regard himself as a native of Eretz Yisrael. Therefore, whenever we are asked where we are from, we must answer “I am from Eretz Yisrael.”  The Rabbi is known for introducing himself as follows: “I am from Eretz Yisrael, though as the result of our sins we were exiled from her, and I find myself in Ostrovtza (To Dwell in the Palace, Feldheim Publishers, p. 135). Thus, Hashem expected Moshe to say something like this: “Although I have lived all my life in the land of Egypt, my true ties are to the Land of Israel.  Like Yosef before me, I have unfortunately been exiled by circumstance. I am not an Egyptian at all” (ibid., p. 116). In the speech he gave upon receiving the Nobel Prize for literature, Shai Agnon paraphrased the Rebbe of Ostrovtza: “Due to the historic catastrophe in which Titus, king of Rome destroyed Jerusalem and exiled Israel from its Land, I was born in one of the towns of the diaspora. However, I have perpetually considered myself as one as born in Jerusalem…” The connection between every Jew and Eretz Yisrael is so deep and so basic that even one who was not born in her or never visited the Land is indeed a (spiritual) native of Eretz Yisrael. Thus, we understand that Eretz Yisrael is not merely a geographic location, or simply the dwelling place of Am Yisrael (the Nation of Israel), where the nation established its state. Israel is the spiritual homeland of every single Jew. “Eretz Yisrael is an independent unit, bound with a living attachment with the nation, bound with inner segulot (auspicious properties) with the nation’s existence” (Rav Kook, Orot 1). Even if certain circumstances require a child to be raised by a foster family, won’t that child always be connected to and identify with his biological parents? This is the connection between every Jew and Eretz Yisrael, and the reason why every Jew is from Eretz Yisrael as Rav Kook teaches, “Every Jew is a Child of Eretz Yisrael.”

What is the Halachic Implication of “Every Jew is a Child of Eretz Yisrael”?

During the First World War, the Ottoman Empire decreed that citizens of countries at war with her would be exiled from Israel. However, one born in Israel was entitled to Ottoman citizenship and would be allowed to remain in Israel after filing an affidavit that he was in fact born in Israel. Rabbi Y. L. and his friend Rabbi Citron were both Russian-born; the rabbis neither wanted to be exiled from Israel nor to swear falsely that they were born in Israel. Rabbi Citron addressed the question to his father-in-law, the Rogatchover Gaon (Rabbi Yosef Rosen 1858-1925). Who explained that the Talmud elucidates the verse “Of Tzion it shall be said, this man and this man were born in her…” (Tehillim 87:5) as follows: “Both one who was (actually) born in her and one who looks forward to seeing her (are equally considered children of Tzion),” (Babylonian Talmud, Ketubot 75a). Thus, the Rogatchover ruled, as a practical halacha, that regardless of where he was physically born, a Jew may honestly swear that he was born in Eretz Yisrael. (Based on Avrum Leeder and Ori Engelman, Eretz Yisrael Yomi, Why Moshe was not privileged to be buried in Eretz Yisrael).

Where is the Mitzvah of Making Aliyah to Israel Hinted in Parashat Shemot?

Rabbi. Meir Yechiel of Ostrovtza pointed out that the first commandment ever given to a Jew (Avraham Avinu) was to go to Eretz Yisrael. Similarly, the very first mitzvah that G-d mentioned to Moshe Rabbeinu was Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael:

ספר שמות פרק ג פסוק ז וַיֹּאמֶר הַשֵׁם רָאֹה רָאִיתִי אֶת עֳנִי עַמִּי אֲשֶׁר בְּמִצְרָיִם וְאֶת צַעֲקָתָם שָׁמַעְתִּי מִפְּנֵי נֹגְשָׂיו כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת מַכְאֹבָיו: (ח) וָאֵרֵד לְהַצִּילוֹ מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם וּלְהַעֲלֹתוֹ מִן הָאָרֶץ הַהִוא אֶל אֶרֶץ טוֹבָה וּרְחָבָה אֶל אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ אֶל מְקוֹם הַכְּנַעֲנִי וְהַחִתִּי וְהָאֱמֹרִי וְהַפְּרִזִּי וְהַחִוִּי וְהַיְבוּסִי:

“Hashem said, ‘I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of their slave drivers, for I know their pains. I have descended to rescue them from the hand[s] of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land, to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Chittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Chivites, and the Yebusites’” (Shemot 3:7-8).

Only afterward did Hashem allude to Matan Torah, saying, “This is your sign that I have sent you: when you take the people out of Egypt, you will serve G-d on this mountain (Shemot 3:12). Why did Hashem make the giving of the Torah secondary to bringing the Children of Israel to the Land of Israel? As is well-known, many mitzvot cannot be fulfilled outside the Land, and the rest are more complete in the Holy Land. Therefore, when Hashem promised to bring the Jews out of Egypt to a Land flowing with milk and honey, He promised, in essence, to enable the Jews to keep the entire Torah. This clarifies why Matan Torah is considered merely a preliminary sign to entering the Land, for without the Land, the Torah is incomplete (Rabbi Moshe Tzuriel, Eretz Chemda). Even if our lives in exile seem quite safe and comfortable, we should yearn to be with our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land, despite the suffering we might have to endure for the privilege (Rabbi Moshe D. Lichtman, Lights on Shemot). How heartwarming it is to learn about the massive increase in the opening of Aliyah files in Western countries. About 35,000 Jews from a hundred different countries (but of course from Israel😊) have made Aliyah between October 7, 2023, and December 2024, according to figures published by the Jewish Agency for Israel. A third of all immigrants were aged 18-35 years old. The Massa organization, jointly created by the Jewish Agency and the Israeli government, has meanwhile continued to bring thousands of young Jews to Israel despite the war (35,000 Jews immigrated to Israel since the October 7 massacre). We pray that more and more of the Children of the Land of Israel will truly return to our homeland so everything will keep getting better and better! 

Parashat Vayeshev: How do We Solve the dilemma of Making Aliyah and Caring for Elderly Parents?

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Parashat Vayeshev
How do We Solve the dilemma of Making Aliyah and Caring for Elderly Parents?

Are you Permitted to Make Aliyah While Leaving Elderly Parents Behind? 

When I made aliyah in 1980 it was the best thing I ever did. It was clearly what I had to do, it was simple, and it was smooth without any conflict. My parents were young and strong and definitely didn’t need my help taking care of them. On the contrary, it was a relief for them no longer to have to worry so much about their rebellious teenager. Having just turned 20, I was eager to forge a different life path away from my parents and with enough distance to avoid their constant surveillance. On the other hand, Israel wasn’t so far away from my parents’ abode in Denmark, so we could still relatively easily visit each other a few times a year and for special occasions. I understand that not everyone has such an ideal situation when making aliyah doesn’t conflict with family ties and obligations, which is one of the main justified deterrents from moving permanently to Israel. Making aliyah against a parent's wishes is certainly a huge moral dilemma. I heard about a family who wanted to make aliyah, but they were concerned about leaving their elderly parents behind. They asked their Rabbi, and I was surprised that he advised them against making aliyah for this reason. In my understanding, the mitzvah of honoring parents is vital unless their wishes infringe on the rest of our mitzvah observance. We learn this from “Each person shall revere his mother and his father, but you shall observe my Shabbats” (Vayikra 10:3). Our Sages (Babylonian Talmud, Bava Metzia 32a) learned from this verse that honoring parents is never at the expense of other Torah obligations, as the parent is also obligated to carry out the mitzvot (Rashi). The mitzvah of living in the Land of Israel is not only central to keeping the Torah, but it is a Torah command: “You shall possess the Land and settle in it” (Bamidbar 33:53). Thus, the mitzvah to live in Israel overrides parental wishes. The question of whether to move to Israel despite parental opposition is subject to a dispute among the poskim (halachic authorities). It depends on how we understand the mitzvah of yishuv ha’aretz (to settle the land).  Rav Moshe Feinstein claims that no obligation exists requiring an individual to pick up and move to Israel. Rather, he classifies this mitzvah as kiyumit -  one fulfills a mitzvah by moving to Eretz Yisrael, but is not considered as having neglected a mitzvah if he refrains from doing so (Igrot Moshe, E.H 1:102).  However, the Beit Yehuda (Yoreh De’ah 54) follows the Mabit’s ruling, that one need not heed his parents’ objection to making aliyah. Rav Ovadya Yosef, (Yechaveh Da’at 3:69), cites the ruling of the Maharam of Rutenberg (Berlin edition, 28), that given the mitzvah involved in moving to Israel, one may do so even in the face of parental opposition. 

What is the Halacha Regarding Leaving Eretz Yisrael for Chutz La’aretz (Outside of the Land)?

Rabbi Yochanan said to Rav Asi: It is prohibited. Rav Asi further asked: If one is going to greet his mother, what is the halacha? Rabbi Yochanan said to him: I do not know. Rav Asi waited a little while and then came back to him. Rabbi Yochanan said to him: Asi, you are evidently determined to leave. May the Omnipresent return you in peace, and he said no more (Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 31b).

The Gemara relates that Rabbi Yochanan first tells Rav Asi to return the next day. After assessing Rav Asi’s mood, he tells him to go and return in peace. Why did Rabbi Yochanan wait a day before answering? Rav Shaul Yisraeli explains that the mitzvah to live in Eretz Yisrael is called יִשׁוּב/Yishuv – ‘settling.’ The mitzvah of settling Eretz Yisrael is to make a life here, rather than just having a physical presence. Thus, when Rabbi Yochanan saw that Rav Asi’s mother’s well-being was weighing heavily on him, he permitted him to leave Eretz Yisrael for a visit, as he was rather unsettled in Israel unless he could visit his mother (Amud HaYemani 22).  The decision will ultimately be based on a variety of factors, depending on the reason for the parent’s disapproval. Perhaps their disapproval is temporary or based on unwarranted concerns.  Perhaps they can be assuaged by frequent visits (Rabbi Elli Fischer translator, writer, and historian, edits Rav Eliezer Melamed’s Peninei Halakha in English). I personally know many people who made aliyah that visit their parents regularly to honor or care for them. It’s not either/or.

Who Will the Land Absorb and Who Will it Vomit Out?

Ya’acov was blessed that honoring his parents and settling in the Land of Israel coincided.  Parashat Vayeshev begins by offering two reasons for Ya’akov’s choice of where to settle in Israel.  One is because it was the land of his father’s dwelling, his family home.  The other is that it was the land of Canaan, as Ibn Ezra highlights, ‘the chosen land.’

ספר בראשית פרק לז פסוק א וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵי אָבִיו בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן:

“Ya’akov settled in the land, where his father sojourned, in the Land of Canaan” (Bereishit 37:1).

What need is there for the seeming repetition about where Ya’acov settled? Ya’acov was drawn to Israel not just because it was the family homestead, but because of its inherent qualities, its uniqueness, and sanctity.  Though, unlike his father, Yaakov had been forced by life’s circumstances to dwell elsewhere for a period of time, nevertheless, his desire and aspiration were to settle in Eretz Yisrael.  When the question of permanence came up not just living a couple of years here or there it was clear to him that it could be only in one place, namely, Eretz Yisrael.  This aspect of his relationship with the land stemmed from its holiness and it was independent of the fact that it happened to be where his father dwelled (Rav Menachem Mendel Kasher, Torah Shelema quoted by Rabbi Pesach Wolicki). Midrash Lekach Tov elaborates on the goodness of the Land of Israel:  The Land of Israel called טוֹבָה/Tovah – It is “a good and spacious land” (Shemot 3:8). It also states, “…this good mountain…” (Devarim 3:25).  After all, Esav fled from before him, “and he went to a[nother] land, because of his brother Ya’acov (Bereishit 36:6). The Land of Israel vomits the wicked, whereas the Land of Israel absorbs the righteous people (Midrash Lekach Tov (Pesikta Zutra) Bereishit 36:1). To live in the Holy Land, we need to be a holy people. Just like we choose the Land of Israel as our permanent residence, so does the Promised Land choose the Children of Israel, who keep the Torah. I find it interesting that 90% of aliyah from North America are Torah observant (https://aish.com/mitzvah-to-live-in-israel/). The Land absorbs those who want to keep the mitzvot here. Yet, Esav and his descendants, who refuse to keep the Seven Mitzvot of B’nei Noach do not belong in the Holy Land. Due to our long winding exile, the Divine placement has become mixed up. Unfortunately, many Torah-observant Jews are still living outside the Land, while idol-worshipping Christians and Muslim murderers somehow got a foothold in various places of the land of Israel. Yet, we are in the midst of shifting the inhabitants of the Promised Land to coincide with Divine order. Before long, G-dwilling, the land will vomit those who don’t belong here, whereas all the exiled Children of Israel will merit returning to settle the land of their Fathers!

When Will Our Parents Return Back Home Through Their Children?

The reason why anyone’s parents or any Jew lives outside of Israel today is that this shifting has not yet been completed. We are still awaiting the time when the Children of Israel will live peacefully under the sovereignty of G-d in Torah communities within the Holy Land. We, Ya’acov’s descendants are working toward fulfilling the Divine vision of the perfected nation shaping our own destiny in the Holy Land based on our deepest aspirations and ideals of the Torah lifestyle. During all our thousands-year exile, we have never relinquished the dream of return. Wherever we were, we prayed about Israel and facing Israel. Only in Israel does the calendar track the rhythms of the Jewish year. Only in Israel can we fulfill all the mitzvot of the dependent on the land. Only in Israel is Judaism part of the public square, not just the private, segregated space of synagogue, school, and home. Jews need a land because we are a nation charged with bringing the Divine Presence down to earth in the shared spaces of our collective life. This message, that Jews need a land to create our society and follow the Divine plan, contains a message for Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. To Christians and Muslims, it says: you must believe that the G-d of Avraham, grants the children of Avraham the right to the Land that He promised them. To Jews, it says: that very right comes hand-in-hand with a duty to live individually and collectively by the standards of the Torah in justice and compassion, fidelity and generosity, love of neighbor and of the stranger, that alone constitute our mission and destiny: a holy people in the Holy Land (Based on Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Holy People, Holy Land Acharei Mot • 5771, 5784. The more we settle the land in holiness, the more our parents will follow, as I know so many families whose aging parents made aliyah and came to live with their children to be near their grandchildren and get nachat (pleasure) from their great-grandchildren here in Israel. We are living in times when prophecies are being fulfilled “that he may turn the heart of the fathers back through the children, and the heart of the children back through their fathers…” (Malachi 3:24).

Ya’acov’s Return to His Father Goes Hand in Hand with Returning to the Holy Land

Ya’acov settled in the land where his father lived. This is the fulfillment of his prayer: “If I return in peace to my father’s house, and Hashem will be my G-d” (Bereishit 28:11).  According to Rashbam, Ya’acov wanted to be near his father after a twenty-year exile.  He wanted to make restitution for all those years of separation, to support his elderly and sickly father, and also to draw spiritual sustenance from him.  Second, he wanted to live where his father lived, to have a sense of rootedness, of tradition, of continuity, and, consequently, a sense of permanence.  This was especially important to him after his years of impermanent residence at Lavan’s house in Aram, where a visit intended to last a few years became extended to 22 years. Ya’acov’s integration between returning to his father’s house and returning to the Holy Land is a paradigm for the way of life for his descendants – the Children of Israel.  For centuries Jews worldwide prayed and yearned for the day that would herald the possibility of returning to Eretz Israel. If we do not long for the same, we are forsaking the value system of Judaism. The Rambam states: “The great Sages used to kiss the borders of Eretz Israel, kiss its stones, and roll around in its dust” (Hilchot Melachim 5:11). He teaches us to develop a love for Eretz Israel. Just as those who came before us kissed its stones and rolled around in its dust, so too must we cultivate that love and yearning (Rabbi Pesach Wolicki). If we remain in exile to care for our parents, then what would prevent our children and children’s children from experiencing the same obstacles to making aliyah?  Someone must be the first generation to break the pattern. The dilemma regarding leaving parents to make aliyah would never occur in the ideal Torah world. When we all emerge from exile (may it be soon), there will no longer be a conflict between living near our parents and fulfilling the mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel.

Parashat Va’etchanan: What is so Special About Living in Israel Even During These Times of War?

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Parashat Va’etchanan
What is so Special About Living in Israel Even During These Times of War?

Divine Promise and Increased Aliyah Rates
I am always moved to tears whenever we get up to Parashat Va’etchanan where Moshe expresses his deepest love and yearning for the land of Israel, and the pain that he won’t be able to live here. This Parasha is also permeated with words of the overflowing goodness awaiting those of us who merit to make Aliyah to the Promised Land. If you feel afraid of Iran, Chamas, and Hezbollah, the end of Parashat Va’etchanan brings strength and encouragement: “When Hashem, your G-d, brings you into the land to which you are coming to possess it, He will cast away many nations from before you… nations more numerous and powerful than you. But Hashem, your G-d, will deliver them to you, and you shall smite them. You shall utterly destroy them; neither shall you make a covenant with them, nor be gracious to them” (Devarim 7:1-2). Rashi explains, וְלֹא תְחָנֵּם NOR BE GRACIOUS TO THEM - Do not grant them a settlement (חֲניָּה) in the land (Babylonian Talmud, Avodah Zarah 20a). How pertinent is this divine message to the present political conflict! Even during the current long-winded war, I’m so grateful to be one of the 7,427,000 Jewish residents of Israel! I feel so privileged to be living under Hashem’s direct supervision and much safer than anywhere else in the world, as international antisemitism is on the rise. Although sadly European Jews are canceling their flights to Israel these days, it turns out that the current war is not deterring Jews from the USA, Canada, and Mexico from making Aliyah to Israel, rather, interest has only increased. After years of a consistent Aliyah decline from these countries, since October 7, we have seen an Aliyah surge from North America. These are numbers we haven’t seen in decades. Compared to last year’s 7.2 million Jewish inhabitants in Israel over two hundred thousand more Jews live here today! I find it especially touching that several parents of fallen lone soldiers decided to make Aliyah to honor the memory of their sons. Many of the women who attended my annual lectures in North America over the years are now either building homes here or streaming into Israel with their families as it is becoming clearer than crystal that Israel is the only place for every Jew. I look forward to welcoming such a new family to Bat Ayin next month B”H (With Hashem’s help)!

Waking Up to Sing Hashem’s Praises With the Birds of Our Homeland! 
Moshe’s personal repetition of the Torah is sprinkled with words of encouragement describing the goodness to be enjoyed in the Holy Land and his yearning for it: “Pray let me cross over and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan, this good mountain and Levanon” (Devarim 3:25). “For I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan, but you will pass over, and you will possess this good land” (Devarim 4:22). With words like these Moshe instills in us the gratitude for being able to enter the Land of Israel and even more so to conquer it and to live permanently within it. He also admonishes us that the privilege of living in Israel comes with strings attached to keeping the laws of Hashem’s holy Torah. This too, is a great advantage for us as “what great nation is there that has G-d so near to it, as Hashem our G-d is at all times that we call upon Him? Which great nation has righteous statutes and ordinances, as this entire Torah, that I set before you this day? (Devarim 4:7-8). When I think back to all the pogroms, exploitation, and poverty my ancestors have lived through on foreign soil, how can I not wake up singing Hashem’s praises with birds of my homeland, enthusiastically jumping into the mitzvot of being involved in Torah and tending the Land of Israel?  How can I not keep my windows clean and let all the light of the holy land shine through? How can I not continue to thank Hashem all day long for taking me under His wings and bringing me close to Him? We must strengthen our emunah that every single day, Hashem performs miracles for His Chosen People, even if it isn’t written in the daily news. Learning about some of the recent miracles teaches us to extrapolate and believe that G-d, the Almighty does many more hidden miracles to protect his people. Even if we don’t deserve it – if we don’t all keep his mitzvot or don’t keep them well enough – we do deserve Hashem’s love and protection! This is due to all the suffering we have been through during the last century and all the brave soldiers and pioneers who have sacrificed their lives so that we can live relatively safely in our homeland. We must stop having guilty consciousness – let us stop being afraid, negative, and fearful. Our attitude of hope, prayer, and faith will attract deliverance and bring about the final redemption!

Ensuring Perpetual Goodness for the Jewish People
In Parashat Va’etchanan, Moshe’s Repetition of the Ten Commandments includes several changes. There are two views in the Talmud regarding these changes. According to Rabbi Tanchum bar Chanilai the Ten Commandments mentioned in Shemot were written on the first set of tablets. Whereas the repetition in Devarim represents what was written on the second tablets. According to the other approach, the Ten Commandments as recorded in Shemot is the exact quotation of G-d’s words, while in Devarim they are Moshe’s personal paraphrasing (Babylonian Talmud, Bava Kama 54b-55a). One of the changes that strikes me is that in Devarim during the fifth commandment to honor your parents the phrase “that it be good for you” is added:

ספר שמות פרק כ פסוק יב כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ לְמַעַן יַאֲרִכוּן יָמֶיךָ עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ:

“Honor your father and your mother, so that your days be lengthened on the land that Hashem, your 

G-d, is giving you” (Shemot 20:12).

ספר דברים פרק ה פסוק טז 

כַּבֵּד אֶת אָבִיךָ וְאֶת אִמֶּךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוְּךָ הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְמַעַן יַאֲרִיכֻן יָמֶיךָ וּלְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר הָשֵׁם אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ:

“Honor your father and your mother as Hashem your G-d commanded you, so that your days be lengthened, and that it may go well with you on the land that Hashem, your G-d, is giving you” (Devarim 5:16).

It does not mention the word good in the first tablets, since they were ultimately destined to be broken… If this term had been mentioned in the first tablets, all good would have, G-d forbid, ceased from Israel once they broke (Babylonian Talmud, Bava Kama 54b-55a).  Therefore, only the second version, written after the breaking of the tablets, contains the word ‘good,’ so that there would always be good for the Jewish people. Moshe adds to the individual reward for honoring parents – longevity – the general reward for fulfilling all the mitzvot. Thus, the mitzvah to honor parents becomes a model for all the mitzvot and its reward similarly is the model of the reward for fulfilling them all as it states, “In all the way which Hashem, your G-d, has commanded you, you shall go, so that you may live and that it may be well with you, and so that you may prolong your days in the land you will possess” (Devarim 5:30). 

Only in the Land of Israel is it Surely Good for the Jews
As is well known, the mitzvah of honoring parents is the only one of the Ten Commandments whose reward is explicitly stated both in er Shemot and in Devarim: “So that your days be lengthened.” This reward for honoring parents makes sense: When we honor our parents, who gave us life, we too will merit life – i.e. to live a long life. Yet, it strikes me that both Torah verses mention an additional aspect of the reward for honoring parents, which is often overseen. The reward of a long life is promised specifically “on the land that Hashem, your G-d, is giving you.” Not only is the reward for honoring parents to live a long life, the reward also includes the privilege of living in the promised land. This second lesser-known reward for honoring parents is surely no less valuable than the first. But what is the connection between honoring parents and being fortunate to live in the land of Israel? Perhaps we can explain that living in the land of Israel is the greatest honor. Rather than bowing our heads with a hunched over back through the effect of millennia of exile antisemitism, here in Israel we live to see the fulfillment of the prayer, “May the Merciful One break the yoke of exile from our neck, and may He lead us upright to our land” (Grace after Meals). As a reward for honoring our parents, we become honored to live an upright life in our homeland also called our Motherland and Fatherland. In a certain sense, the land of Israel is our parent, as all human souls are created at the Temple Mount. The Temple below is connected to the Temple above. From this place, the souls descend and ascend on the ladder (Kli Yakar, Bereishit 12:1). Since the land of Israel is linked to goodness in several Torah verses such as “For Hashem your G-d is bringing you to a good land…” (Devarim 8:7); it may also be that Moshe added the phrase “that it be good for you” in the book of Devarim because now that the Israelites are on the verge of entering the Holy Land, only now will it surely be good!

Gratitude Focus for the Week of Parashat Va’etchanan – 

Some Tips for Appreciating the Land of Israel Even During Times of War

Friends from abroad often ask, “Are you ok? Is your life in danger?” “What’s it like to live in Israel now in times of war?” Especially during wars or trying times, people question, “Isn’t it scary to live in Israel?” Of course, there are challenges, as with all good things in life. Indeed, our rabbis teach that the Land of Israel is acquired through tribulation (Babylonian Talmud, Brachot 5a). There are many strong positives about living in Israel. The strongest is very much a sense of belonging – of a shared destiny. Even with people you don’t know or don’t agree with there is a strong sense that we are all in it together. People are also truly friendly in Israel. I am not talking about the American friendliness of smiling and saying, “have a nice day!”
The population is both diverse and similar at the same time. I have never come across such a sense of community in any other place. Imagine, on Yom Kippur, most Jews (both religious and secular) fast for an entire day and stay away from any electronics. In almost all of Israel, everything shuts down, stores, businesses, cars, and more.  The whole country stops, and there is no traffic in the Jewish areas whatsoever. When you believe that Israel is the destiny of the Jewish people, living here you have a sense of history, and being part of it.

Tips for Loving the Land

• Israel is One of the World’s Safest Countries – The media is continually reporting that Israel is at war, that there are explosions, terrorist assaults, rockets, and so on. This is quite rare. The benefit of Israel is that the country is always prepared for a military emergency; the Iron Dome system shields us from the sky, and soldiers are stationed on the borders, ready to defend. Simultaneously, homes in Israel are outfitted with bomb shelters, and in new homes, there is a security room located in the apartments, so inhabitants do not have to run far to find cover. All of the people of our small country are united by war. It is a fantastic sensation when everyone becomes more tolerant and considerate of one another.

• There Simply isn’t Another Country for Jews – If Russians, Germans, British, Americans, Swedes, and other nations may live anywhere in the globe without encountering hostility, the tendency to reject Jews and occasional outbreaks of violence against us is concerning. In this aspect, “we have no other country. As a result, we cleave to this small piece of land, we love it so much, we raise families here, and we wish each other to live to the age of 120. Without Israel, where would we be?  There simply would be no place for us, G-d forbid.

• Israel Gives Me the Feeling of Being at Home – What does it feel like when you land at Ben-Gurion International Airport, and everyone claps? The clear Tel Aviv sky stretches before you; the warm air of Israel surrounds you like a cocoon. The palm trees wave in the breeze as if greeting your arrival. To me and so many others, it feels like home. In Israel, wherever you go and whatever you do is a Jewish experience. From shopping to using public transportation, you are bound to mingle with fellow Jews and learn something special about them in the process. A person on the bus sitting next to you, may ask you to listen to her blessing over her drink and to answer, “Amen.” I am grateful that our children grew up in an atmosphere where being Jewish is the most natural thing in the world, where we can feel at home among fellow Jews.

• You Really Experience Jewish Holidays in Israel – When winter approaches we are surrounded by Chanukah menorahs and decorations that bring the festive atmosphere to highways and malls. Even the radio stations air familiar Chanukah songs. Around Pesach, the soda bottles have an attractive new design and bear the words, “Chag Sameach!” (Happy Holiday). On Lag B’Omer, traditional bonfires illuminate almost every park and lot throughout the country. Yom Kippur is particularly heartwarming. The roads are car-free, as the sanctity of the day pervades all of Israel. White-clad Jews of every religious denomination mingle in the streets, wishing each other a happy and blessed year.

• Miracles Are the Norm – In Israel, G‑d’s Divine Providence is apparent. The numbers don’t always seem like they will work out on paper; but somehow, things miraculously fall into place. We experienced this personally after we made aliyah. I recall making a budget and writing all our expenses on one side of the paper and our meager income on the other. The numbers didn’t match up. In the end, I just tossed the paper and somehow we never lacked the essentials even though we both learned full-time and none of us worked consistently. We tasted G‑d’s blessing to the Land of Israel: “Forever are the eyes of Hashem your G‑d upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year” (Devarim 11:12).

• Experiencing Jewish Unity – One of the best things about living in Israel is witnessing the kindness and unity of our people. This is especially evident at the holy sites in Eretz Yisrael. At King David’s and Rachel’s Tombs, drinks and pastries are distributed in abundance. Children offer books of Tehillim as gifts to passersby. At the Kotel (Western Wall), young girls may share packages of homemade challah and treats, soothing crying youngsters and warming the hearts of all those present. Wherever we go in Israel, while the styles of dress and religious backgrounds are different, the look of excitement and belonging in every pair of eyes is alike. These experiences strengthen our love and passion for being here. We pray for the time when G‑d will gather all Jews from around the world and return us as a nation to our beloved homeland! (Inspired by Nechama Dina Hendel, Three Reasons I Love Living in Israel).