Weekly talk on the Parshah given by Moreinu v’Rabbeinu Hagaon Hatzaddik Rabbi David Chananya Pinto, shlita
"For Hashem, your G-d, is bringing you to a good Land: a Land with streams of water, of springs and underground water coming forth in valley and mountain; a Land of wheat, barley, grape, fig, and pomegranate; a Land of oil-olives and date-honey; a Land where you will eat bread without poverty – you will lack nothing there; a Land whose stones are iron and from whose mountains you will mine copper" (Devarim 8:7-9)
These verses bring to our attention the magnificence of Eretz Yisrael, the Holy Land. The Torah stresses, "For Hashem, your G-d, is bringing you to a good Land" meaning, when you come to Eretz Yisrael you should know you are coming to the Holy Land. It is not simply another land but a land which is holy. What, in fact, makes Eretz Yisrael different from any other land? Why is only this country called the Holy Land while other places are simply 'lands'?
The Holy Torah, together with the special mitzvot specific to this Land alone, are what make Eretz Yisrael holy, and we have the merit of settling in this Holy Land.
If it is the Torah and mitzvot which make the land holy, then it should be that every Jew who makes Aliya finds himself on a spiritual ascent in the merit of his Torah study and mitzvah observance. However, unfortunately, there are those who upon arriving in Eretz Yisrael, about which the verse says (Devarim 11:12), "A Land that Hashem, your G-d, seeks out; the eyes of Hashem, your G-d, are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to year's end", instead of finding themselves elevated, lose heart due to the many challenges strewn in their path.
Since we are discussing the significance of Torah which is what provides us with strength, I wish to say at this point, believe me, the only thing that comforted me after my mother's passing, was the Holy Torah. Sometime after my mother, the Rabbanit a"h, sent my brother Rabbi Ya'akov away to Yeshiva, my esteemed father zy"a suffered a stroke. When my brother heard about it he called my mother and said: "I heard that Abba had a stroke. Can I come visit him?" Ima a"h answered (in Arabic), "Your father can die, your mother can die, but you will remain in Yeshiva!"
This is how our parents instilled in us faith and love for Torah; to live it in all situations, whether good or bad. Indeed, our parents demonstrated self-sacrifice for the sake of Torah study, and they were the ones who encouraged us to constantly elevate ourselves in Torah, without interruption, even when Abba was sick or we faced any other disturbance. Continue studying Torah with self-sacrifice.
I would like to share the events concerning my own aliya to the Holy Land. Before I made aliya, I asked Maran HaGaon Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef zy"a for his opinion, whether I should move to the Holy Land. This was his reply: "Of course, of course. It is a Holy Land which sanctifies its occupants. And you should continue both here and there your involvement with the public. Although here this holy occupation is very difficult, if, with Hashem's help, you are successful, you will enjoy a great merit."
Indeed, as Maran Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef zy"a disclosed, I see clearly how very challenging the work is in the Holy Land. For as long as I have been here, I can think of many families who made aliya but at some point regretted their decision. Either they returned to France or moved to a different country, but they did not stay here, due to the fact that they were not well prepared for their move. Where to live, which schools would be best for the children, and more all require advance thought.
This is a result of believing the Holy Land is a place of tourism, and not of Torah and mitzvah observance. Since this was their thought, they did not prepare themselves in any way for life in the Holy Land. Even if later on they did wish to change, by the time they woke up and opened their eyes to contemplate their situation and decide how to go further, they had depleted all their capital and found themselves in a big mess.
We must realize ours is not the generation of the Exodus and our accomplishments do not come close to those of that generation. Those who left Egypt went into the desolate Wilderness empty handed, without even food and water or any prior preparation. The verse describes this clearly (Shemot 12:39), "for they were driven from Egypt for they could not delay, nor had they made provisions for themselves." All they had was the remnants of the matzah which they ate along the way. In the merit of this faith Hashem showered them with wonders and miracles, which further ingrained faith in Hashem in their hearts.
But how can we compare ourselves to them? We are a simple generation, and so must prepare ourselves appropriately for each and every matter. We are required to invest thought and seek counsel in planning the future of each person involved.
