Category: Weekly Letters

We see in this week’s parsha that Avraham “works hard” in a long and detailed give-and-take to buy the Ma’arat HaMachpela in Chevron. Like Har HaBayit and Shchem, Avraham refuses to accept it as a gift, for he wants it to be clear forever and to all, that no gentiles can claim Eretz Yisrael (Breishit Rabba 79, 7, see also 1st Rashi in the Torah).

The Ibn Ezra (23, 19) explains that this chapter teaches us that from here and forever we have, not just a Heavenly promise but a tangible and eternal stronghold in the Land of Israel. It also comes “to inform us the outstanding level of Eretz Yisrael above all other lands, for the living and dead, alike”.

Kiddushin, betrothing a wife, is the 1st symbol, tangible, legal and halachic sign of love and eternal bond between the couple. R. Shlomo Riskin pointed out that it’s not a coincidence that Chazal (Kiddushi 2a) learn this from the very first as well as the final buying in Eretz Yisrael. Avraham’s obtaining Chevron, and Yirmiyahu’s buying land in Israel for the final redemption (Yirmiyahu 32, 44), are the source of how to do Kiddushin and marriage, for the ultimate example of eternal love with which we wish to bless the new couple is the similar relationship between Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael. Even when nations forcibly separated us, we knew it was temporary and continuously tried (and did!) return. Like a faithful wife, Israel waited for her lover, not giving her fruits to foreign nations, who all tried but to no avail (Ramban, Vayikra 26). And now that we have returned, “As a young man lives with a virgin, so shall your children live in you (Eretz Yisrael)… (Yishayahu 62, 5).

Rav Kook (Ma’amarei HaReiya, p. 323), in his heartfelt cry, “Come you all to Eretz Yisrael”, stresses that Aliya is the answer to ALL of the problems, both spiritual and physical. Especially today, aside from the many positive religious mitzvot, as well as national and historical reasons to make Aliya (the future is clearly here), and that real estate in Israel is a solid and eternal investment, Jews outside of Israel struggle with assimilation and intense cultural influences (like self-centeredness and gender confusion, not to mention intermarriage), anti-Semitism, the cost of yeshiva education, changing neighborhoods, a lack of Torah leadership, etc. The Torah often points out that the mitzvot are (Dvarim 6,, 24) “לטוב לנו”, for our benefit, and sound advice (Yishayahu 25, 1). Only Hashem can know all of the complex factors involved in such far-reaching decisions, and only He can solve all problems with one concrete command: ISRAEL, “והרושתם את הארץ ושיבתם בה”, “inherit=own the Land and settle her”( (Bamidbar 33, 53).

Friends from NY have informed me that it’s not a rumor but a fact that many who planned to buy homes in Eretz Yisrael, but delayed carrying out their dream, are now, with the election of Madmani, bringing their ideal into fruition. We always preferred that our fellow Jews should come home to Israel out of ideals, and not out of fear, ובאו ציון ברינה””, (Yishayahu 51, 11), and it’s not too late for that (for the assimilated Jews are not coming so soon, not to mention those running to Florida, so those making Aliya now is clearly also out of ideals), but the main point is to come Home! Shabbat Shalom, Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)

Understandably, they all tried to get as far away as they could from the entrance, but only the soldier Anner Shapira, grandson of 2 former MK’s from the Mizrachi (religious-Zionist party) and a graduate of Bnei Akiva, a yeshiva high-school and Mechina, said “Hineni” and stood at the shelter’s entrance and caught and threw-back 8 (!) hand-grenades (until a RPG was fired inside, reaching the crowded back of the shelter)

It’s definitely worth pointing out that the Slutkys, Kalmansons and Shapira are products of religious-Zionist education. In secular education, the iconic Akeidat Yitzchak is sometimes skipped or portrayed as an “outdated” or even “embarrassing” incident (although the extreme leftist Res. General Yair Golan and others did go down in uniform to save many lives on that fateful Oct. 7th, but proportionately it wasn’t wide-spread). In Haredi schools the Akeida’s taught as a singular greatness of our forefathers, and accordingly, I didn’t hear of any Haredi who himself went down to risk his life and fight on that fateful Simchat Torah (only to collect bodies afterwards), for such wide-spread and national mesirut nefesh to save Am Yisrael is not part of their agenda, just as accordingly, guns are not found in their “toolbox”. Only where “Hineni” is taught as a pragmatic lesson to this day, do the practical ramifications speak for themselves.

Many don’t notice that our parsha explicitly pits Avraham Avinu as the ANTI-THESIS of Avimelech. After the Akeidah, Avraham is described: “now I know that you have YIRAT ELOKIM” (22, 12) as opposed to when he answers Avimelech’s question, “what did I do wrong by ‘accidentally’ taking your wife?”: “רק אין יראת אלוקים במקום הזה”, Avraham precisely answers: “it’s just that there is NO Yirat Elokim in this place”. What exactly is that “Awe of G-d” that should typify our actions and get us to even initiate “Hineni”, and conversely avoid the common search for excuses and alibis so prevalent in the western world?

Even when receiving such a surprising and unexpected command to sacrifice his son, Avraham goes out of his way to be PROACTIVE (in Hebrew slang: “Rosh Gadol”), to make sure that he will fulfill the command in the best possible way, making sure there won’t be any snags. “Here I am” is Avraham’s answer. He even wakes up early (22, 3) to make sure he won’t oversleep; he prepares the donkey himself (in case his servants might delay…); he gathers the wood and SHLEPS it 3 entire days from Chevron to Yerushalayim (Ramban: he worries he may not find wood wherever Hashem will bring him!); and even chops them into small pieces 3 days ahead of time- just to make sure that this super-difficult command will run smoothly!

This is the exact opposite of Avimelech’s feigned ignorance (“Rosh Kattan” in slang), “Did he (Avraham) not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she, even she said, ‘He is my brother.’ With the innocence of my heart and with the purity of my hands have I done this.” To call kidnapping a beautiful woman without really checking her out, as an example of “innocence and pure hands and heart”, and even stuttering that “she, even she said”, makes his cry of innocence suspicious. This “playing dumb” is borne out just one chapter later, when searching for an excuse why his servants stole Avraham’s wells, “And Avimelech said, “I do not know who did this thing, neither did you tell me, nor did I even hear [of it] until today,” (21, 26). As the saying goes, “A guilty mind needs many alibis/excuses”, or in the words of Hamlet, “He doth protest too much, methinks” (all in the same sentence: “my dog ate my homework, and I was sick, and my laptop was stolen…)! Avimelech’s characteristic “playing dumb” appears again when “reminding” Avraham of all “the kindness which I did for you, you should repay to me” (21, 23), and it’s unclear whether that kindness is referring to when he stole Avraham’s wife, or stole his wells, or is referring to the land which he offered to Avraham (20, 15, which Avraham actually refused!)!

[How much more so according to R. B’chaye (26, 1, and perhaps Ramban) who write that it may be the SAME Avimelech who AGAIN both takes YITZCHAK’S wife and again his wells in identical (!) situations, repeating the same two “mistakes” twice, proving that even the first time it wasn’t innocent!]

On a practical note, we cannot but be amazed of that same “Rosh Gadol” displayed recently by Avraham’s descendants, as exemplified by so many heroes like the Slutki and Kalmanson brothers (just to mention 4) on that Simchat Torah (Oct. 7th), who were not in uniform, and didn’t wait to be called up. On their own initiative, they sped down south to save whoever they could, endangering and giving their lives without even being drafted (if you don’t know the details, you must read them and tell and show their pictures to your children- to exemplify what great Jews do, not in fairy tales, but today, in real life!).

G-d Almighty, how can You not redeem Your holy, altruistic and G-d-like children, whose Yirat Shamayim was not just one momentary action 3,700 years ago, but hours, and now years, of constant selflessness and Rosh Gadol for Am Yisrael!! Shabbat Shalom, Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)

For someone who grew up in NYC with some 30 years of obviously Jewish mayors like Abe Beame, Ed Koch and Michael Bloomberg, the possibility of a proudly Islamic and anti-Israel Mamdani (who vows to arrest Israel’s Prime Minister if he steps into NY), filling their shoes is a nightmarish reality. A friend of mine suggested publicizing that even if the Jews of NY are not immediately planning Aliya, they should each at least decide in advance what will be their “red-line”, which when the slowly creeping anti-Semitism will cross, they will notice what’s happening. Our mussar books teach that a smart person learns from his mistakes- an even smarter one LEARNS FROM OTHER GENERATIONS’ PREVIOUS MISTAKES.

We read in last week’s parsha that Noach sent the dove to see if the Flood ended, knowing that when she found a “resting place for her feet”, she will not return (Breishit 8, 7-11). Similarly, the Torah PROMISES that by definition, Jews will never find that permanent resting place in exile (“And among the nations, you will not be calm, nor will your foot find rest”, Devarim 28, 65), for “if they would, they would never return to Israel” (Breishit Rabba 33, 6, see also Eicha 1, 3). That doesn’t mean that Europe and NY weren’t comfortable, or that even Torah-believing Jews won’t delude themselves on the issue. Some may even think the solution is moving to Florida, but that clearly doesn’t apply when the return to our eternal foot-hold in Israel is doable! Yes it takes “guts” to detect uncomfortable truths, but especially young people whose entire future is ahead of them, and can especially witness the anti-Semitism on college campuses (even if they personally go to YU/Touro/Stern College…), shouldn’t miss the historical message. Even if the State of Israel solves the problem of where to go when things really get bad, let’s remember that not a few countries, even when they let the Jews leave, defensibly did not let them take their money out from the local economy (you can’t see a Trump-like figure doing so in the name of America…).

Yes, in Israel there are also challenges (as in all of life, Derech Hashem 1, 2), but here they are positive ones, Jewish and historical confrontations which are worth “rolling up our sleeves” to solve PERMANENTLY. This week, we started asking for rain which is scarce in Israel, but G-d has already taught us that part of His answering prayers is through aiding Israel to invent desalination projects, just as He is fulfilling the “flying back to Eretz Yisrael” (Yishayahu 60, 8) via airplanes, and the messianic bracha that even the barren will conceive (Devarim 7, 14), through modern science. Yes, it’s hard to believe that dreams come true, “בשוב ד’ שיבת ציון היינו כחולמים” (Tehilim 126) but these messianic signs, whether fortunate or not, are actually occurring. Rav Drukman often explained that pasuk, that many Jews are “day-dreaming” so they don’t realize the writing on the wall, while others opt to “work with G-d” (Vayikra Rabba 27, 2, see Rav Kook, Ma’amarei HaReiya, p. 78) to hasten the realization of those dreams in their lifetime.

This week’s parsha promises to Avraham that his Aliya to Israel will be for his true benefit (Rashi 12, 1), and even for the benefit of the nations of the world (12, 1-3). I can’t think of a more worthwhile investment and decision than to “work with Hashem”, and be on His side (talk about “going with front-runners”!). “Make His will your will, and (inevitably) He will make your will, His will” (Avot 2, 4)! Shabbat Shalom! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)

Q. My son is serving as a paratrooper and has been ‘traveling’ around (Gaza, Lebanon, Syria) in a very tough, meaningful, scary (*for me) service. He’s now based in the Shomron entering Nablus (Shchem) and ‘other similar places’. Unfortunately, his commitment to ‘Yiddishkait’ has gone down – my guess is that the military burden is too overwhelming to add T&M on top. I wonder IF the Haredim are maybe right after all… IDF service does sometimes take a toll on spirituality in some cases… A. Like you, my sons and SIL are in and out of milu’im already for 2 years. In fact, you can find my friend R. Yehoshua Shapira, Rosh Yeshivat Ramat Gan, on the web, has been speaking a lot over the last couple of years, about how in religious-Zionist circles, we don’t “insulate” children or “separate” enough, and perhaps mix too much with the chilonim and their culture, and perhaps the Haredim have a point on this particular issue of how much to mix… It’s true that in a hashkafa where everything is black and white, and whatever isn’t Torah in it’s simplest form, is seen as bad, it’s a little easier to raise children, without going to the army, without work, without the G-dly-revealed computers, without secular education and modernism, without Zionism. The problem is that the Haredim are still living in the shallow Torat HaGalut (exile), and we and our children and most of today’s generation, have grown out of that simplistic stage. For those who didn’t notice, the Holocaust proved that we need a Jewish army, Jewish State and inevitably Jewish everything!

We see in this week’s parsha that when the world was primitive, “the entire earth was of one language and MONOLITHIC”, simplistic, black and white. The Ohr HaChaim seems to explain (he refers to this “kabbalistic secret”, upon which Rav Kook often elaborates) that just as the individual matures to eventually appreciate the beauty of complexity and harmonizing the different tones and streams, so too mankind needed this “upgrade”, and this was part of G-d’s original plan. In fact, this is part of what “gathering the exiles” back to Israel is about, to show how to “unify the opposites”, where the harmonic symphony of ideas proves the Oneness of the Creator (Rav Kook, Drashat “HaDegel”, Orot HaKodesh ii, p. 439; Orot Yisrael 5, 2). The world today is ready and demands that symphony (HaDor, p. 114).

R. Shapira agreed with me that we can’t change our true hashkafa just because of worries or suspicions, and the mitzvot of Milchemet Mitzvah, Aliya, settling Eretz Yisrael, celebrating Yom HaAtzma’ut etc. are not “going anywhere”, for that’s what we need in the deep and beautiful, and from now on eternal Torat Eretz Yisrael. In fact, these all-important mitzvot are also very spiritual and extremely altruistic (=G-dly)! You are not the first to ask this question, and the Ramban (Dvarim 23, 10-15 · chumash) points out that the Torah already refers to a tendency to slip spiritually even in a religious Jewish army (accordingly, the extra commandment of digging latrines there). Nevertheless, all agree that the Israeli army camp is holy (Dvarim, ibid) and Israeli army service supersedes all other mitzvot, and all agree the boys should (!) drive on Shabbat and even give their lives, if necessary for Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael (Rambam Hil. M’lachim 5, 1). During your son’s time in the IDF, he is actually MORE religious, for he is preoccupied with the most important mitzvot, even more than Shabbat and life itself! He is rejuvenating the return to authentic Judaism after 2,000 years of exile, where all of the heroes of Tanach led the army, spoke Hebrew, and placed the military needs of Am Yisrael above their own needs, even above their everyday religious practice. Our sources say that it’s especially important to davka observe those mitzvot which many in your generation don’t do (like the Chafetz Chaim writes about Shmirat HaLashon, epilogue, ch. 3; Sefer Hasidim 736; Sefer Haredim 1, 6), and IDF service is a classic example, where unfortunately most (!) orthodox men, among Haredi and Jews abroad neglect, thus “reforming” original Judaism.

Obviously this doesn’t mean that one is exempt from Shabbat when not on duty, but it’s important to put things into perspective, appreciating and respecting your son’s religiosity.

Torat Eretz Yisrael is complex, includes the all-encompassing Torah, and reveals Hashem in everything, on the personal and national, spiritual and physical realm. Inevitably, a complex message is going to confuse some of the younger people, especially during their time in the IDF, when they really are stressed and over-loaded (davka because of those neglecting this super-important mitzva!), and often truly exempt from certain mitzvot. Today’s world is complex, and the beautiful and multifaceted Torah has the answers, but life is not black and white anymore, and even the Haredim are slowly revealing that. Exile is likened to DARKNESS (e.g. Zecharya 14, 7), where the MORE FURNITURE in the room- the more you FALL, as opposed to Eretz Yisrael, likened there to light, where those same furniture, plants and accessories add to the beauty, convenience and completion (HaDor, p. 114).

Your patient approach is correct, and keep your connection with and respect for him strong, and eventually there’s a good chance he will return to the entire Torah (maximum, the most common scenario is when they have to choose a school for their children, and clearly see that religious education is by far better on all accounts than chiloni, that’s when they eventually and finally return). Shabbat Shalom, Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)

Statistically, most Americans today are cremated after death, and accordingly, they find it difficult to understand why Israel makes such a big deal about the bodies of our hostages still in Gaza. The answer is found in this week’s parsha that man was created in the image of G-d, and we each have a G-dly soul, so holy that it hallows even the temporary body which houses it. Yes, Judaism is meant to be a Light to the Nations, and here is just another case where the State of Israel is influencing mankind to respect even the dead (KAL VACHOMER the LIVING!). Similarly Israel has by far the highest birthrate of any western country, for again this week’s parsha commands man from the very start: as G-d just finished creating the world, and commands us in the first mitzva: p’ru u’rvu: you are meant to also copy G-d (Imitateo Dei, in His image), and should also create worlds, by having children.

Similarly entire basic topics like tum’a and tahara, totally revolve around the ideology and hallowing of life, as opposed to justifying and sometimes even glorifying murder (where Ramalla streets and parks are named after “Shahidim” based on how many Jews they killed).

Sometimes it seems Hashem sends us the most opposite enemies, in order to contrast and clarify the Jewish view. When we compare our culture with the Hamasniks who filmed themselves decapitating with glee, and giving over their own Gazan bodies to Israel, thinking that we won’t notice that they are not our Israeli bodies, the difference is shocking.

I won’t pretend to be a specialist about Islam, but if Israeli Arabs, predominantly religious Moslems, so often kill each other (almost every day in the Israeli news), as well as even often killing their daughters and sisters throughout the Arab world for “כבוד המשפחה” (which often means wanting to marry someone not chosen by the father…), that’s a problematic sign, that they value love and life totally differently than we do.

I definitely don’t want to make generalizations, but notice we are talking about a widespread different mindset and a cultural and educational problem. I have no idea if this devaluing life is based on Islam or not, but if we live in the Middle East, it would be not only false, but stupid and counterproductive to pretend not to realize how our neighbors see the ideal of life differently than we. When they endanger our soldiers by using their own children and sick as human shields, we cannot pretend and not see the difference. I’m not saying it was correct or not to free hundreds of convicted terrorist murderers to save our hostages (for the lives of the future Jews they will murder are also super important), but just want to point out how and why we fight and even give our lives to save those of our brothers and sisters. As we begin Sefer Breishit once again, we must point out that Hashem is surely proud of the IDF and these are the shining examples of our generation. Even if anti-Semites refuse to note our life-giving Gevura, we have an obligation to teach this eternal morality to the rest of mankind, sometimes even by force. This is what Rav Kook terms “The war against wars”. Shabbat Shalom! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)

Q. I want to be a professional basketball player but I dont know if thats the path G-d chose for me. How could I know if being a basketball player is the path G-d chose for me? I was thinking about asking him for a sign to know, but Im really confused and I dont know what to do. A. Your question reflects deep faith and belief, and true, everything that happens in life is from Hashem and a result of our actions and for our benefit. Nevertheless, we are not prophets, and it’s impossible for us today to know why sometimes things go wrong. A wealthy man once visited Rav Aviner’s yeshiva, and as he was about to write a check for a donation, he found that his pen had run out of ink. He said, “Maybe it’s a sign from G-d that I shouldn’t write the check!”. Rav Aviner replied, “I think it’s a sign that you need a new pen”!

So no, we can’t ask G-d for signs, for we must obey Him, and He doesn’t need to obey us! In general, already in the book of Esther 2,500 years ago, He stopped doing supernatural miracles (to raise us to a higher level of free-will), so you can ask for a sign, but there’s a good chance, you will not receive one. Even when He does intervene, there may be events which you won’t know how to understand properly for we don’t have prophets today to explain them (e.g. it may just be a test, so you may break your shooting hand, but this may just be a gift to strengthen your drive to the left!). In short, G-d wills us to have free-will, and the best directive is to follow and observe the G-d’s commandments, and that way you’re sure to get to the right place! It’s a good idea to check and improve your actions according to the mitzvah “checklist. First, check the obligation checklist, and you’ll probably find things that can always be improved (like not speaking bad about others, praying with proper concentration, etc.). In your case, for example, I understand that you are Jewish, so by observing the Shabbat, it may prevent you from playing in the NBA, but it may just be sending you the idea to play professionally in Israel, where it’s not difficult to observe the Shabbat, and that way can help the entire Jewish Nation! In truth, that’s good advice anyway, for it’s most common and realistic for good Jewish basketball players, for very few, even outstanding players, ever make it to the NBA). All the best and please let me know if I can be of help in the future! Rav Ari Shvat

Israel is faced today with the paradox of, on the one hand totally (!) rejoicing with the (bezH!) returning hostages and their families, while simultaneously cautiously preparing the offensive defense against the replenishing of our enemies with the most brutal and convicted leaders and terrorists of the last decades.

Am Yisrael is the complete nation (Chullin 56b; see Orot Yisrael 8, 6), and as such, must be accustomed to harmonizing the opposites. In fact, Rav Moshe Tzvi Neria summarizes Rav Kook’s philosophy in the term “Uniting the Opposites”. Children think that boys and girls are opposites, but when they mature, they realize that the difference between the two is part of the beautiful and G-d-sent attraction and completion. This is a matter of principle of monotheism, for there is One Creator who created everything, and all apparent opposites are simply an optical illusion, an immature and partial vision and understanding.

We read in Shabbat’s Haftara of Zecharia (ch. 14, as elaborated in Avoda Zara 3a) that G-d will test the gentile nations in the end of days, by seeing which of them can fulfill the mitzva of Sukkot? The obvious questions are: why this mitzva is the “litmus test”, the one “added” to their other 7 mitzvot? The gentiles were not in the desert, and did not benefit from the protective cloud, nor from the Sukkot there, so why should they celebrate and pretend to remember that which they can’t remember?! Also, it seems the mitzva of Sukka is so easy (just eat, sleep and breathe there), so why doesn’t Hashem test them with a difficult mitzva, like fasting on Yom Kippur or donating great amounts to charity? Thirdly, our sages tell us (ibid) that most of the gentiles will fail this easy test- why?

Rav Kook explains that if Hashem would have asked the nations to fulfill a “spiritual-like” mitzva, that wouldn’t be a challenge, for they are already accustomed to “chastity and poverty” (the Christian oaths taken by priests), as religious precepts forbidding physical pleasure. The challenge is whether they are ready/mature enough to unite the apparent-opposites monotheistically, by rejoicing physically in a totally spiritual atmosphere. Of celebrating “Zman Simchatenu”, the holiday of happiness, with wine and meat, wearing new dresses and earrings, etc. Of enjoying a Simchat Beit HaShoeva (basically, a circus, see Sukkah 53a and Rambam, Sukka 8 ), of all places, davka in the Beit HaMikdash, without feeling impious!

That is why Zecharia explains that the test will be who can EVEN “write on the horse bells and Temple pots: Kodesh to Hashem”.

We in Am Yisrael make a bracha on good news (“הטוב והמטיב”) and bad news (“דיין האמת”), and don’t see a contradiction between the two. May we merit to, as soon as possible, see that the continuous war against Hamas and all evil, will davka benefit from this cease-fire. Shabbat Shalom and Moadim l’Simcha! Rav Ari Shvat

Rav Kook points out (Orot HaTeshuva 6, 7) that just as most of the tree is roots, trunk, branches and leaves, despite the fact that the goal of an apple tree is her fruit, similarly most of life is preparations (e.g. eating, dress, work, cooking, raising children), and often one doesn’t even achieve his goal. Does that mean that he wasted his life?! The basic question is, if most of life is “tree” (= a ‘means’ to achieve a goal), and I want to have meaning in life, I have no choice but to find a way to have “taste” in the tree, not just in the fruit. This was the original plan in Eden (where Hashem commanded “let there be fruit trees that produce fruit”, but the earth didn’t listen and just grew “trees that produce fruit”, Yalkut Shimoni Breishit 1), and is meant to be the ideal lifestyle, as expressed in the Etrog where the tree tastes like her fruit (the last remnant of the ideal world, Sukkah 35a). The Vilna Gaon says that living in Eretz Yisrael is like living one’s entire life in a Sukkah (Kol HaTor, p. 470), where even the secular/mundane/”tree” is not just preparation and ‘means’, but also has meaning/taste/holiness, and all that you do is a mitzva!

Usually eating, walking, work, speaking etc. are just a ‘means’ to achieve some higher goal in life, but in the sukkah, whatever you do there is a mitzva. Similarly in Eretz Yisrael, there is spiritual value in producing and eating her holy fruit (Chatam Sofer, Suka 35); in walking 4 steps (Mishna Brura 248, 28); in speaking her Holy Language of Hebrew (Sifre, Dvarim 11,19), and even serving in her army is a Milchemet Mitzva (Rambam hil. Milachim 5, 1).

Rav Kook (Ma’amarei HaReiya, p. 235) points out that Yom Kippur, when we pretend and act like angels and distance ourselves from physical pleasure, is extreme “shock treatment” for the spiritually sick, who temporarily need bitter medicine in order to return to health. But the final mitzvah of Yom Kippur is to go out and build a sukkah, return to living a life of kedusha. Similarly, the Mesilat Yesharim (ch. 26) explains that Tahara (refraining from physical pleasure to the bare minimum), is a lower level than Kedusha (revealing G-dliness in the physical world). Accordingly, Rav Kook explains why we have over 50 Shabbatot and many Yom Tovs over the year, and only one Yom Kippur. This is the Living Torah of Eretz Yisrael which embodies Kedusha (ibid, p. 179), as opposed to the Torah of Chutz laAretz which makes do with Tahara. Accordingly we understand why the Talmud Yerushalmi written in Eretz Yisrael, considers the “preparation” for a mitzvah (like writing a mezuza, building a sukkah or tying tzitzit) as an additional mitzvah (even deserving its own bracha: e.g. “לעשות סוכה”), as opposed to the Talmud Bavli (Tosafot, M’nachot 42b) written in Chutz laAretz, which does not consider the preparation a mitzvah.

Rav Kook similarly explains why the Simchat Beit HaSho’eva (literally: “the party of the water-drawing”) is not called “Simchat Nisuch HaMayim” (the party of the pouring of the water), even though the mitzva was to pour the water on the alter on Sukkot, and the “drawing” of the water was just a “PREPARATION”. Similarly, the Torah mentions the preparation of building a sukka (“תעשה”) and acquiring the 4 species (“”ולקחתם), where in contrast, it doesn’t say “you shall bake matzot”.

For this holiday teaches that the preparations/tree are also important, not just the fruit/goal. This is all fitting for Chag HaAsif, where we worked an entire agricultural year, plowing, planting, irrigating, fertilizing, pruning etc. in preparation for gathering the fruit, the produce. Sukkot teaches us that even if chalila there was a drought and not that much fruit, we did not waste a year, for in Eretz Yisrael, there is “taste/meaning in the tree (e.g. the work), just as in the fruit!” Accordingly, the Abravanel (Dvarim 16) says that just as Pesach celebrates Am Yisrael, and Shavu’ot- Torat Yisrael, Sukkot represents a microcosm of Eretz Yisrael! Chag Same’ach and we should hear Besorot Tovot from all Yisrael (especially the hostages)!! Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)

Q. Yom Kippur of today is a day of heartfelt tefillot, familiar haunting melodies, the congregation and the shul itself all dressed in white. The atmosphere is very special, even holy. Yet while the Beit Hamikdash was here, Yom Kippur was completely different. We were observers rather than participants. We watched the Cohen Gadol perform his Avoda. And when the Cohen Gadol went into the Kodesh Kedoshim, a rope tied around his waist in case he died, the nation waited, hoping, anticipating, davening that his teshuva for the nation be accepted and that he would emerge unscathed. Here’s my question:

Is Yom Kippur meant to be a day of PERSONAL Teshuva and repentance? Or NATIONAL Teshuva and repentance? What is the main focus of the day? Because I find a discrepancy between the atmosphere of Yom Kippur of today and Yom Kippur during the time of the Beit Hamikdash. And since we are rapidly nearing the Geula, perhaps we need to change our focus on Yom Kippur? Thank you.

A. Our sages say that “a wise question is half of the answer” (Ibn Gvirol)! The very fact that you noticed the problem, that’s a sign that there’s a problem. Yes, for the last 1,900 years, Yom Kippur was a focus on the individual, but then again, so was all Judaism! During Galut, the Jew didn’t fight with a sword and battalion, but rather with his passport, and on a passport, you can only save yourself- not even your spouse or children. As recent as my father-in-law, his 3 siblings who did survive the Holocaust, ended up in 3 different continents. In contrast to Yom Kippur, Rosh HaShana was always more focused on Am Yisrael- our forefathers/self-sacrifice/redemption etc., and even there, a latter-day prayer like U’Netaneh Tokef, engrossed us more with ourselves (“בראש השנה יכתבו וביום צום כיפור יחתמו”), “who (in singular) will live and who will die”.

Growing up in Galut, we were taught that Judaism’s reward for mitzvot is to “get to heaven”, but in fact the Torah (see Vayikra 26, Devarim 28, as we say every day in והיה אם שמוע…) almost totally ignores the world to come, rather offering national reward and punishment in this world (rain, victory, peace…). Rav Kook (Orot p. 110; Igrot I, p. 134) explains that during the time of the Beit HaMikdash, we are supposed to care more about the welfare of Am Yisrael, and be less focused on our egoistical selves and needs. We were in fact over (!) occupied with our national security, economy and politics, which were distracting us from spiritual religiosity. As an educational punishment, Hashem sent us to the other extreme, to Galut (Orot p. 114), where Judaism turned into a religion of individuals or local communities, totally neglecting our national land, language, security and economy. Nevertheless, we always knew that “my fellow Jew’s physical needs, are my spiritual needs” (R. Y. Salanter).

Last year’s and this year’s Yom Kippur are inevitably moving every good Jew back to the original authentic Judaism. How can we not focus on Israel’s security when our lives, as well as that of our children and grand-children, depends on the welfare of Israel! Even the anti-Semitism felt more and more by the Jews in America and Australia, is directly connected with our national and international pro-Palestinian enemies. Even the conservative Haredi world is beginning to break out of the Galut-mentality, and recall that in our Milchemot Mitzvah, the Jewish army halachically supersedes MY personal yeshiva learning (I pray they will all visibly and publicly disassociate and chastise the Satmar Hassid recently caught spying for Iran). Just as Moshe Rabbenu, Yehoshua, David HaMelech, and the Maccabees didn’t learn in yeshiva when Am Yisrael was at war, but contrarily, LED the charge against the enemies of the G-d of Israel, the G-d of history is LEADING us slowly but steadily out of Galut.

I admit that the it’s hard to identify with the Yom Kippur service in the Temple. It seems foreign to our western mind-set, to serve G-d through messengers (like the Kohanim and Kohen Gadol), but the women in the ezrat nashim have always done so, and they’re already “one step ahead”. Rav Kook (Orot, p. 159) stresses that in our return to Israel, we must be careful NOT to revert to the problematic national issues which distracted us TOO much from spirituality. Rather take the good from the 1,900 year intensive individual religious seminar, and harmonize it to return to the original and authentic balance of the G-dly Ideal and National Ideal.

At this stage, I wouldn’t worry yet about us shul-goers totally forgetting about our personal and individual needs. Let’s not PRETEND and skip stages in the Ge’ula process. Our prayers must be real and from the heart, and not pretending to already be totally altruistic and national, as if we are already in the Beit HaMikdash (especially when the ideal is both: personal and national!). But praying for our children or neighbor’s children who are in the IDF, today is already sincere and a step in the right direction, for whether in Riverdale or Ra’anana, the RIGHT DIRECTION is Yerushalayim! Shabbat Shalom and Gmar Chatima Tova, Rav Ari Shvat (Chwat)