„ָח∆‡ ר∆ב≈ﬠ≈מ ‡ּהו¿ו „ָח∆‡ ר∆ב≈ﬠ≈מ ֹוּלֻּכ םָלֹעוָה לָּכ – Avraham was called the Ivri because the whole world stood on one side of the world and he stood on the other side (Bereishis Rabba 42:8). And because we walk in the ways of Avraham, so the mishpechos ha’adama, they are our real enemies—our ideological enemies. And, therefore, that’s the bracha that was given to Rivka.
ָךֲﬠ¿רַז ׁ ַ̆ירƒי¿ו – Your seed should inherit, יוָב¿יֹו‡ רַﬠַׁ ̆ ̇≈‡ – the city of the enemies. And finally it happened. Am Yisroel, the ones who knew how to use the land for ruchniyus, they prevailed and the Canaanim either were driven out or became tributaries of the Am Yisroel.
The Culture Clash
Now, we have to understand that this conflict between those who think only in terms of gashmiyus, and on the other side, those who are impressed by nature as the Hand of Hashem, His Wisdom and His Kindliness, that’s the eternal conflict that plays itself out in history, even today. Because that’s what we’re talking about when we say that summer brings the biggest opportunities and the biggest tests. Everything depends on how someone makes use of the happiness of summer, how he utilizes the good weather and the trees and the grass and the sun and the fruits. If stam he becomes enthusiastic about nature by itself, or he’s enjoying the joys of summer for the joys themselves, then Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, “You’re on the wrong side of history.”
Because where they see gashmiyus we are expected to see Hakadosh Baruch Hu. We see in nature the Borei Who created it. We see the wonders of Hashem! And in the midst of the happiness He’s showering us we are not only reminded about Him, but as we become more and more aware of His grandeur we are encouraged in the service of Hashem. That’s what the bnei Avraham see in nature. And what do the others see? Good times, hedonism, taavos, every form of gashmiyus.
Chamisha B’Av Success
And that’s why Chamisha Asar B’Av is smack in the middle of summer, because that’s the time when the two ideologies collide. The goyim tonight are busy in their cars, back and forth in the streets looking for good times, gashmiyus and we are thinking of Hakadosh Baruch Hu; we’re sitting here and studying Hashem’s ways. We’re living in the same world, the same summer, only that we see it differently; we look at the world from the viewpoint of the Borei and they look at the world from the viewpoint of the physical phenomenon themselves. And it’s a difference that means everything because our success is determined by that.
And that’s why בָ‡¿ּב רָׂ ָ̆ﬠ הָּׁ̆ƒמֲחַּכ יםƒבֹטו יםƒמָיּיוָה ‡ֹל. That’s why it happened on this day, all those glorious occasions. Because we’re supposed to awaken ourselves to the happy opportunities of the season. Today is the first day of the rest of the summer and we have to listen now to the voice of Hakadosh Baruch Hu that is speaking to us on all sides.
