Shabbat comes in at 8.24 pm; goes out at 9.31 pm _____________________________________________________
With the trouble and turmoil going on in Israel these days, I am reminded that in Parshat Ekev we read: “Not because of your righteousness and the uprightness of your heart are you coming to inherit their land. Rather, because of the wickedness of these nations is G-D expelling them before you, and in order to fulfill the matter that G-D swore to your forefathers- to Avraham, to Yitzchak and to Yaakov.”
Indeed, when B’nai Yisrael entered Israel with Joshua they were far from perfect. They were a stubborn people that defied G-D. They worshipped the golden calf and “forgot” that G-D took them out of Egypt with an outstretched arm.
This week I read an article day by a woman who lives in the United States who said that she will never make Aliyah because she doesn’t like the way that Israel’s politicians are running the country. She made it sound like a done deal that Israel and Israelis only act immorally. Perhaps if she were to move to Israel, she could, in her own small way, be able to make an impact and improve society there.
Israel was not given to the Jewish people because they “deserve it” because they are so good. Rather it was because we agreed to work hard to perfect the world in the image of G-D. And there is a lot of work to be done.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Paul Arberman
