We are taught that you’re always supposed to have two yardsticks. מאין באת to remember where we came from and remember ולאן אתה הולך where you are going.
In this week’s Torah parsha, the Jewish nation continues their march into the desert. Every tribe encamped around the Tabernacle. Every tribe with their flag.
In the middle of this whole explanation the Zohar starts talking about the concept of rejoicing in the city of Yerushalayim — rejoicing in her. Sisu et Yerushalayim, gilu vah, ba daika.
This week we commemorate the 59th year of liberation, the victory of the Six Day War, the unification of Yerushalayim, the Har HaBayit once again coming under Jewish control. A return to prayer at the Kotel Hamaravi and at Kever Rachel.
Here in Hebron I’ve had the privilege to live 31 years and to daven daily at the Maarat HaMachpela.
For over 700 years Jews were forced to be outside the building. And now, once again, we have the chance to show our gratitude to Hashem and to thank him for the great miracles.
Rabbi Shlomo Goren came here and single handedly liberated Maarat HaMachpela. It took Yehoshua Ben Nun seven years to capture the Biblical borders of Israel but in 1967, Hashem opened the gate to the IDF in just six days.
At the same time a Jew always has to be מודה על העבר וצועק על העתיד
Be thankful for the past, always be crying out and be seeking the future.
There’s so much to be grateful for. When we think about where the Jewish nation came from, where we were 90 years ago and where we are today — where we were in 1948, and where we are today.
At the same time, there’s so much tefila we still need. There’s so much fixing we still need to do. There’s so much of Eretz Yisrael that still needs to be defended. Soldiers are fighting on the northern borders, on the southern borders, and there’s internal battles, and fighting anti-Semitism abroad.
Be’ezrat Hashem, God has always been with us and helped us until now ואל תטשינו ה’ אלקינו לנצח
God should never abandon His people. We should be able to reach this higher level here in Eretz Yisrael. Yerushalayim gilu vah. The simcha of coming back to Eretz Yisrael. The joy of being in the Holy Land. And God willing, we’ll have the ultimate joy. Eretz Yisrael rejoices. Yerushalayim rejoices with their children.
Here in Hebron every grandparent rejoices when her grandchildren come to visit her. And Be’ezrat Hashem when all of Israel comes back here, we’ll be zocheh to live in peace and tranquility with the third temple, amen and amen.
