Hashem, your G-d, goes before you
Devarim Deuteronomy 1:1–3:22
The purpose of the faithful is to connect the dots and look for heavenly direction. This is true of all of creation but is especially true of the Jewish people...
The thought that anything in this world is random is the spiritual antithesis to a divinely created and directed world. The purpose of the faithful is to connect the dots and look for heavenly direction. This is true of all of creation but is especially true of the Jewish people. In the words of Isaiah the prophet;
"You are my witnesses," declares Hashem, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me." (Isaiah 43:10)
All the major events in the life of this people, then, become a clear and dramatic statement from the heavens. Listening to those "divine statements" and understanding the hidden subtext has been critical in surviving the long and arduous walk of this people.
As it was with the spies that Moshe sent, the Eshkol region becomes a test of faith and purposeful steadfastness. This region was prominent during the painful and mistaken expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif in 2005 and it continued to be prominent in all the subsequent altercations and operations in the Gaza strip that resulted from the expulsion.
It is mainly into this region that rockets have been fired into in the past several years and it is in this area many precious sons have been snuffed out by terror. The cycle of history continues to turn.
When Moshe sums up his journey with his people in the book of Deuteronomy, he reminds them of this failure. He does so with the hope that mistakes will be corrected as the cycle of Jewish history return the people back into similar situations and tests.
“And all of you approached me and said, Let us send men ahead of us so that they will search out the land for us and bring us back word by which route we shall go up, and to which cities we shall come. And the matter pleased me; so I took twelve men from you, one man for each tribe. And they turned and went up to the mountain, and they came to the valley of Eshkol and spied it out." (Deuteronomy 1:22-24)
The spies then gathered the abundant produce but mistook its meaning. The spies declared to the people that they had encountered,
"A people greater and taller than we; cities great and fortified up to the heavens, and we have even seen the sons of Anakim there."
The danger of falling into that same fear exists today. It is a constant struggle between the vision of the seers and the fears of those that cannot see. We see that struggle in the ongoing battle with terrorism. We saw it in the struggles around the Temple Mount. We see it again in the delicate dance that plays itself out between Israel and the nations.
Much has been done by the incredible sacrifice of our courageous and selfless boys to protect the men women and children of this land throughout the history of this land.
Yet the battle is far from over. Am Yisrael needs to gather the strength to go on with the knowledge that they are constantly growing into a stronger and more resolute Israel.The people of Israel are being prepared for something dramatic and empowering.
As a result we need to remember Hashem’s promise as well;
And I said to you, “Do not be broken or afraid of them.30. Hashem, your G-d, Who goes before you He will fight for you, just as He did for you in Egypt before your very eyes." (ibid:29)
