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Parshat Vayeitzei
By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
בס"ד
לשכנו תדרשו
Bonding with the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land
"והנה אנכי עמך ושמרתיך בכל אשר תלך והשיבותיך אל האדמה הזאת"
"May it be Your Will HaShem our God and the God of our fathers that You guide us to peace... and guide us to our destination to life, happiness, and peace... Blessed are you HaShem who hears prayer." (Wayfarer's Prayer)
Our Sages enacted this special prayer in order to protect the wayfarer, as they taught "all pathways are susceptible to danger." According to the Arizal, Maharal, and others, this teaching does not only mean that on a practical level traveling deserves extra caution, but also that spiritually speaking places that are un-settled are more prone to negative spiritual influence, and as such they pose a greater danger to the wayfarer.
The teaching that greater spiritual potency brings one to greater protection is especially poignant in context of our title quote of this week's parsha in which Yakov is blessed by HaShem to be protected in all his ways and not to leave him "till I will do what I have told you". RaShbam explains that "what I have told you" refers to the promise to Yakov to "return you to this Land", referring to the Land of Israel, since HaShem's explicit promise of protection was only needed throughout the period Yakov was a 'wayfarer' in the Diaspora. However, once Yakov returns to the Holy Land he is already under greater protection, as if "under-wing" of the Holy Presence and the special angels that reside in this Land.
Halachically speaking as well, the Land of Israel is considered to be especially safe-guarded more than any other location, as we see in the laws of the three weeks before Tisha Bav, which are considered to be more prone to danger. Halacha mandates that although one should be especially careful in traveling during these three weeks because of the fore-mentioned "danger" in journeying, nevertheless one can and should come to the Land of Israel since "the eyes of HaShem are upon it, etc." Conversely, traveling from the Land of Israel to the Diaspora should be especially avoided during these weeks, even if one has a halachic permit to do so during the rest of the year. In this way, any troubles in this Holy Land, are not due to a lower level of Divine intervention or protection, but are, on the contrary, a more direct Divine communication to better ourselves or the like and to become evermore "under-wing" of the Holy Presence.
Ultimately, as we see in next week's parsha, Yakov's full return to the Land, i.e permanent settlement in the Land, and end to his 'wayfaring', culminates only in Hebron where Yakov meets his father Yitzhak in the vicinity of Avraham and Sara's burial place in Maaras HaMachpela.
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Real Stories from the Holy Land #98:
"In a new card-game there were supposed to be 55 cards. One day, my baby sucked one of the cards and ruined it. However, it 'happened to be' that, after checking number of times, this card was the 56th card, and was extra..."
Sources: Brachot 34b, Mikraei Kodesh - Bein Hametzarim ch. 8, 7, R. Moshe Harari, Netiv HaTorah (Maharal), 1,
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. Parshat Toldot
By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
בס"ד
לשכנו תדרשו
Connecting to the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land
"ועתה בני שמע בקולי וקום ברח לך... חרנה... ימים אחדים עד אשר תשוב חמת אחיך... ושלחתי ולקחתיך משם"
“Our God and God of our Fathers, because of our sins we have been exiled from our Land, and we are unable to ascend... to Your Chosen House, because of the hand that has been sent at Your Temple. May it be Your will HaShem... that You build it build it speedily... quickly ingather our exiles and raise us to Zion with rejoice and Jerusalem City of Your Temple with eternal happiness...” (Musaf three festivals)
“The hand that had has been sent at Your Temple” simply means the hand of the Roman Empire, who, according to our Sages, are the descendants of Esau, twin brother of Yakov our Father. This exceedingly long exile (close to 2000 years), called by our sages ‘the Exile of Edom (i.e Esau)’ seems to have its prototype hinted to in this week’s parsha, ‘as the actions of our Forefathers are signs (prototypes) for their descendants’, when Yakov is sent by his parents, in fear of Esau’s wrath, into exile, to what becomes the longest exile known by all our Forefathers (20 years). Nevertheless, this exile, already at its onset, is given its limits - “a few days, till the wrath of your brother subdues”. Similarly, according to the Zohar and the Kabbalists, the period of time for the ‘Exile of Edom’ was pre-determined for a thousand years after the Destruction of the Temple and no more.
According to many halachic opinions as well, once ‘the wrath of our brother’ Edom subdues and no longer forces Jews out of their Land, the decree on exile, known as the ‘three oaths’, ceases to have any halachic validity (many opinions hold that it never had halachic validity), and Jews can and should return to our Holy Land. When examining this episode, we notice that not only does Esau’s wrath have a dominant role in causing this exile, but with the same token, the command of Yakov’s parents, Yitzhak and Rivka, also have a dominant role in this exile. As such, one halachic question that arises from this episode is: does one need to listen to one’s parents to leave the Land of Israel in the commandment of ‘honoring parents’, or is one exempt to do so, because of the mitzvah or importance of living in this Land?
To begin with, in regard to ‘honoring one’s parents’, when it negates committing a different mitzvah, halacha’s stance is clear: one is obligated to commit the mitzvah even if it negates the parent’s command. Therefore, if settling the Land of Israel is a positive mitzvah, as is the opinion of much of the poskim, then it is clear that one is not to listen to one’s parents to abstain from or stop committing this mitzvah, even if Rabbinic. If settling the Land is not enumerated as one of the 613 mitzvot, as is the opinion of the Rambam, which value supercedes? According to Rambam one is to leave the Land only for the purpose of Torah study, marriage, salvation from enemies, and livelehood, and afterwards return to the Land, while ‘honoring one’s parents’ is not mentioned. Many ask why Rambam did not include ‘honoring one’s parents’ since both the Babylonian and Yerushalmi Talmuds mention a story (albeit unclear) in which it seems that one of the Amoraic masters was given permission to go to the Diaspora to greet his mother. One of the dominant answers to this question explains that this story/passage comes in the Talmud in context of Rabbinic impurity in the Diaspora that a Cohen is bidden not to be defiled by. It is known that the fore-mentioned Amoraic master was a Cohen, and his question was specifically on a permit to be Rabbinically defiled for the sake of greeting his mother, after already having received a permit for leaving the Land in general for Torah study, marriage, etc.
Therefore, it seems that if we are to infer anything from the story of Yakov’s flee to the Diaspora, we cannot infer that one must listen to one’s parents to leave the Land, but rather that one can leave for the sake of marriage (one of the major motives in Yakov’s flee) and also in case of life-danger (Esau’s wrath). As for our primordial parents, our Patriarchs and Matriarchs, their ‘will and testament’ for their descendants, as shown in their prayers from Hebron in Midrashic literature, is clear - to return their offspring from the corners of the earth to the Land of the Holy Presence.
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Real Stories from the Holy Land #97:
“At one wedding I randomly and jokingly said about one of the guests ‘Yeah, this is my ‘hatan’ (son-in-law)!’ ‘It turns out’ that he really became my ‘hatan’! (BILLER)
Sources: Kiddushin 31b, Yerushalmi Nazir ch 7, Rambam Mlachim veMilchamot 5, 9 and Mamrim 6, 12-13, Yoreh Deah 240, 15, Zohar Shlah 172a-b, Intro. to Etz Haim, Prayer at Maaras HaMachpela
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. Parshat Vayeira
By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
בס"ד
לשכנו תדרשו
Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land
"וירא אליו ה' באלוני ממרא"
"My Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall shall utter Your praise."
With these words we begin our prayer before the Holy Presence, beforehand directing these lips towards the Holy Land, Land of the Holy Presence. In addition to directing one's body to the Holy Land, halacha teaches us that one should also direct one's heart to Jerusalem and the Holy of Holies.
This is not the only stipulation halacha puts on one's intent in prayer, 'the service of the heart'. In addition to this, one is obligated to have intent in the 'blessing of the Forefathers', meaning that one is to connect to this Holy Presence in the Land, specifically through our Forefathers. Of course, the most obvious crossroads of these two intentions, the Holy Land and our Forefathers, lies in turning our hearts towards Hebron. Yet still, halacha mandates that ultimately we are to turn our hearts towards Jerusalem, and ultimately to the Holy of Holies in the Bais HaMikdash.
Through these intricacies of intentions, we can understand the saying 'that all prayers ascend via Maarat HaMachpela' and with the same token King Solomon's saying that all prayers ascend via the Bais HaMikdash in Jerusalem. We can say that all our prayers initially connect to heaven through the roots of our souls in Hebron, bastion of our holy Patriarchs with whom the Holy Presence rests always. Through our Patriarchs of Hebron, our prayers then ascend via Jerusalem, City of the Holy Presence and the 'Holy of Holies'.
It is important to note that these 'crossroads' of intentions are not just 'one-sided streets' so-to-speak, but rather 'two-way highways', as our speaking before the before the Holy Presence allows in turn the Holy Presence to speak to us, an experience no other than full prophecy, reached in reality by the truly righteous.
In this way we can understand how the initial revelation in the first words of this week's parsha develops into a full conversation between Avraham and HaShem in regard to the saving of Sdom. Based on what we just explained, it also becomes clear why this conversation develops specifically in 'Elonei Mamreh', i.e Hebron, City of the Connecting (lehaber - connect) Channels to Heaven. In this way we can also better understand how Hebron conducts as the the Gateway to the Garden of Eden for the ascentof all souls to Heaven.
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Real Stories from the Holy Land #95:
"In previous years I made our Sukka with the external walls of the building we used to live in. However, since our move to Kiryat Arba this past year, I could not use this solution in our present apartment, but rather needed to attain walls to the sukka. I trusted in HaShem to help us, but yet still as time passed, since I didn't have the wherewithal to make such an expense, I made a full decision to take a loan to buy a sukka. Just then I talked with my neighbor, and he happened to mention that he has a sukka he does need for this year, and I can use it free of charge..." (S.B.K)
Sources: Orah Haim 101, 1 and 93, 1, Shaar Hhatzer 380, see Tikunei Zohar 126b
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. Parshat Chayei Sarah
By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
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Uniting with the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land
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"Quickly, HaShem our God, shall it be heard in the cities of Judah and the outskirts of Jerusalem the voice of joy, the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the voice of the outburst of joy of grooms from their weddings and lads from their festivities of music. Blessed are You HaShem Who gladdens the groom with the bride."
The capital of the "cities of Judah" is no other than Hebron, as David is told by HaShem to take rule of Judah specifically in Hebron. In this way, Hebron, in a hinted manner, and Jerusalem, in an explicit manner, are joined together in this blessing on the joining of the groom and the bride.
The ancient and deep relationship between these two cities is fascinatingly explained by the Zohar and the Arizal in context of God's command to rule in Hebron even before Jerusalem. According to the Zohar, it was necessary that David's rule first connect to the Patriarchs in Hebron, and only afterwards could it succeed in Jerusalem. The Arizal goes even further to explain that Hebron and Jerusalem represent the two primary revelations of the Holy Presence, called in scripture Zion, which corresponds to Hebron, and Jerusalem, which corresponds to Jerusalem itself. The Arizal explains that the order of David's and all man's spiritual work between these two centers flows first through Zion-Hebron and only afterwards one can reach via Zion the revelation of "Jerusalem" (this however does not mean that every person must in practice first live in Hebron and then Jerusalem).
In this way we can understand why the Zohar determines that Maaras HaMachpela means 'the cave that both Jerusalem and the entire Land of Israel are folded (kipul-folded) under it', as Maaras HaMachpela is the spiritual gateway to Jerusalem and the entirety of the Holy Land. Therefore, it is no wonder why Maaras HaMachpela was the first purchase of Avraham in the Holy Land, to such a level that, according to the Midrash, by doing so he forfeited the right to his descendants to conquer Jerusalem by force, but rather only by will of the Jebusites (by purchase etc.).
In halacha we may find a parallel to these two aspects in one, the ability to compel a spouse to move from the Diaspora to the Land of Israel also called by the general name "Zion", and two, the ability to compel a spouse to move to Jerusalem in the Land of Israel. Indeed, just as husband and wife can merit in bringing the Holy Presence between them, with the same token we see that halacha emphasizes that this union should be ideally rooted to and harmonized with the Holy Presence of
Zion-Hebron and Jerusalem.
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Real Stories from the Holy Land #96:
"Many times I have run from my house to Maaras HaMachpela. One day, a policeman asked me why I run to Maaras HaMachpela. I answered that there is a special matter/mitzvah to run to the House of God (synagogue, holy places, etc.) Just about an hour and a half later, I 'happened' to be called to the Torah to read the portion talking about how Avraham ran and hurried in greeting the three angels. According to the Zohar he ran to Maaras HaMachpela in the midst of these preparations..."
Sources: Even Haezer 75, 4, Zohar I 128b and 79b, Pirkei DRebe Eliezer ch. 36
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. Parshat Lech Lecha
By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron
בס"ד
לשכנו תדרשו
Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land
"וַיֶּאֱהַ֣ל אַבְרָ֗ם וַיָּבֹ֪א וַיֵּ֪שֶׁב בְּאֵלֹנֵ֥י מַמְרֵ֖א אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּחֶבְר֑וֹן וַיִּֽבֶן־שָׁ֥ם מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַֽה'"
"Fathers of the world! Beloved of above! How can you rest in your tombs, while we, descendants of your offspring captive in hope are wearied and have found no rest, pray unto the Almighty!" (Prayer at Maarat HaMachpela)
Hebron is, as seen in our title quote, both the first place in the Holy Land settled by our first Father Avraham, and is, of course, his last place of rest. If one carefully examines the verses about Avraham before Hebron, one sees that Avraham went to various places in the Holy Land, but the first time the term 'vayeshev' - 'to settle' - is used is none other but Hebron, the roots of our People's connection to the Holy Land. If so, what is the primary definition of 'settling the Land' that sets it apart from traveling, building altars, and other important activities that Avraham did before? Rashi in parshat Tazria explains that the the verb 'vayeshev' refers to staying a considerable amount of time, but, with this said, we are still left with questions such as what is considered a considerable amount of time and/or does the mindset of the individual influence this concept of 'staying'.
To answer these questions let us examine the halachic definition of settlement in context of the keeping of a second day of yom tov in the Diaspora. Although some poskim differ, the main accepted custom is that the individual's mindset does influence his/her status as being 'settlers of the Land of Israel', who observe one day of yom tov or 'settlers of the Diaspora', who observe two days of yom tov. Nevertheless, many poskim have written that the individual's mindset is not the only criteria, and if one lives in a specific location for more than a year, even if he intends to go back from where he came, he must obey the customs of the location he presently resides. This said, 'Nahalat Yakov' suggests that we may say that the criteria for a 2nd day of yom tov, i.e being considered a 'settler (noun) of the Land', may be different than the criteria for committing the mitzvah of 'settling (verb) the Land', which may be solely dependent on the person's motives regardless of time-frame. Nevertheless, according to the Hasam Sofer it comes forth that even among those who intend to permanently settle the Land there are numbers of levels that are dependent on the time-frame one actually settled in the Land, ranging from 1 day, to 30 days - upon which it is said 'one is relieved of all sin', to 12 months or more - upon which one is called a 'son of the Land'.
In truth, our entire People, regardless of where they live, are all called 'sons to HaShem' (Deut. 14, 1), while the settlers of the Land of HaShem's Holy Presence accentuate this identity by becoming 'sons of the Holy Land', 'sons of the Holy Presence', as 'sons' who have returned, after close to two thousand years, to the 'table of our Father in Heaven' (see Brachot 3a).
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Real Stories from the Holy Land #94:
"Several decades ago my parents were friends with family A which moved to Kiryat Arba. About 2 years ago my husband and I almost bought a house in Kiryat Arba, but the deal was laid off just before it was finalized, so the next year we bought a different house very nearby the first. It 'turned out' that the daughter of family A bought the house we almost bought and became a good friend of mine. Only after becoming friends for several months, did I discover that she was no other than the daughter of my parent's friends many years before, hundreds of kilometers away." (M.H.G)
Sources: Piskei Tshuvot 496, 6, see 'Nahalat Yakov' at length p. 646-648
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