The danger in Eretz Yisroel is at a very high level, yet its residents are walking the streets calm and cool. If we ask them why they aren’t fleeing the country, they will ask us why we aren’t going there. Rabbi Menashe Reisman explained this phenomenon based on a Sefas Emes in Parashas Behar who says that there is a special blessing in the Land of Eretz Yisroel that even the common citizen has a very high level of bitachon there. He quotes a Medrash on the pasuk: וישבתם לבטח בארצכם – “in Eretz Yisroel the people will dwell in security.” With this, he explains that the mitzvah of shemita is only in Eretz Yisroel, because only there can every farmer have the bitachon to leave their lands fallow for an entire year. Something that seems reckless to the common person is a matter of fact to those who live in Eretz Yisroel.
The Bas Ayin extends this tranquility even outside of Eretz Yisroel to those who keep Shabbos properly. He says they can get that same segula of feeling secure at least on the day of Shabbos. Rav Yechezkel Levenstein was living in Eretz Yisroel during a very dangerous time and he wrote a letter to his children who lived in Chutz La’aretz. He told them, “the fear and trepidation that everyone is talking about is only outside of Eretz Yisroel. Where we are, boruch Hashem, there is no fear. Especially us living in Yerusholayim. And if you’ll ask me what is the cause of this, I would say perhaps it is the blessing in the Torah of וישבתם בארץ לבטח.”
Rav Yechezkel Sarna was also living in Eretz Yisroel during that dangerous time and he wrote in his sefer Dalios Yechezkel the following: “Eretz Yisroel is in extremely troubling times now, but everyone here is calm and tranquil.” He admitted that it seemed very strange that all those who lived outside of Eretz Yisroel were living in extreme fear and those living in Eretz Yisroel, where the danger actually existed, were completely calm.
The same phenomenon exists today. Gedolei Yisroel even told those in Chutz La’aretz to come back to Eretz Yisroel to learn, even though Eretz Yisroel is a makom of sakonah and the rabbonim are always so careful when it comes to life. It is a strong question of how they can say this, but the question would only come from someone living outside of Eretz Yisroel. Those living in Eretz Yisroel have a completely different perspective. It can’t be explained, it’s a special segula of the Eretz Yisroel.
Of course the people in Eretz Yisroel have to be careful and heed all the warning sirens and make the proper hishtadlus to be safe, but we are happy to know that their everyday lives are even calmer than ours. They are enjoying the special berachah of the Land. May Hashem bring us all there with the coming of the Moshiach bekarov. Amen. (R’ Dovid Ashear)
