The Land of Israel
Moses makes a surprising statement.
Our spiritual journey is just that, a journey. We must be eternally cognizant of where we came from. We must also have a vision of where we are heading . Yet most importantly, we must focus on the journey. We hear the plaintive cry of Moshe (Moses) as he stood by the river Jordan; “O Hashem, G- d, You have begun (Hachilota) to show Your servant Your greatness, and Your strong hand”( Deuteronomy 3: 24).
Moshe Rabbeinu, who had seen so much and experienced so much, says ”You have begun. ” Moshe Rabbeinu ( Moses) is the man who walked between Heaven and Earth. He is the man who spoke to G-d as men speak to each other, “panim el panim”, that is to say,”face to face.” This is the man who walked into the fiery mountain and felt the Glory of G-d pass over him
After 120 years of the most spiritual and holy life ever lived by a mortal, Moshe declares that he has “just begun”?
The Baal Shem Tov teaches that these powerful words tell us that we are always in the process of “beginning” when it comes to spirituality. The spiritual journey is an eternal journey and so one can never lose hope or determination on that long voyage. We are all constantly beginning. Yet Moshe’s plea highlights another important truth. It unabashedly declares the vision and the purpose. Every “beginning “ implies an “ending”. "O Hashem G-d, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand, for who is [like] G-d in heaven or on earth who can do as Your deeds and Your might? Pray let me cross over and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan, this good mountain and the Lebanon."( ibid 24-25). On the one hand the Torah portion clearly indicates that our ultimate purpose in this world is the following; "Hear, O Israel: Hashem is our G-d; Hashem is one. And you shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your means. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart. And you shall teach them to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.(Deuteronomy 6:4-7) Our goal is “love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your means” Yet we immediately receive a clarification ”You shall fear Hashem, your God, worship Him, and swear by His name” ( ibid: 13). Love of G-d without fear of G-d becomes love of self. The method that ensures that understanding is also presented “Diligently keep the commandments of Hashem, your God, and His testimonies. and His statutes, which He has commanded you. And you shall do what is proper and good in the eyes of Hashem, in order that it may be well with you...”(ibid 17,18) Yet on the other hand, we must return to the beginning of Moshe’s plea And I beseeched Hashem at that time, saying: “O Hashem G- d, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness, and Your strong hand; for what god is there in Heaven or on Earth that can do according to Your works, and according to Your mighty acts? Let me go over, I pray to You, and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that goodly hill-country, and Lebanon.”(Deuteronomy 3: 24-25)
Why would that be?
Hashem can be loved and feared anywhere in the world.
Yet it is an axiomatic truth that a vineyard will flourish and grow in one environment and not in another. An oak tree will achieve great heights in one location and be stunted in another. The people of Israel will flourish and achieve their greatest potential in only one location on this earth, That place is “the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that goodly hill-country, and Lebanon.” (Deuteronomy 3: 24-25) People of Israel wherever you may be, Hashem and His land await your return. LeRefuat Yehudit bat Golda Yocheved and yehudit bat Chaya Esther
