Parshat Bo
By: Moshe Goodman, Kollel Or Shlomo, Hebron
It is well known that God commanded us 613 commandments at Sinai. It is also well known that unfortunately a large portion of these commandments we are unable to observe today for security, political, or other reasons. The primary groups of mitzvoth that we yearn and pray to keep but are still not in our grasp as a people include: mitzvoth of the Beis HaMikdash (app. 160 mitzvot), mitzvoth pertaining to the Land of Israel (app. 50), and full Judicial and political power according to the Torah (app. 40).
However, unlike just 65 years ago, the primary requirement in mitzvoth pertaining to the Land of Israel, i.e. the majority of worldwide Jewry living in the Land of Israel, is not only not limited, but encouraged by many organizations that aid in Aliyah. With God's kindness, we have merited that, according to a recent census, the Land of Israel has the most Jews than any other country in the world. Indeed, the ultimate goal of the majority of worldwide Jewry living in the Land of Israel is closer and more realistic than it has been for about 2500 years (according to one census we need about another million/million and a half Jews to shift the balance). If we cooperate in unity, both Jews who are able to come and Jews who are unable to come to the Land of Israel, we can, with God's help, make this great dream a reality more speedily than ever.
The Torah promises us that the mitzvoth are "not beyond the sea" nor "in the heavens". Rather , "the matter is extremely close to you in your mouth and heart to do it" (Deut. 30, 14). It is by communicating to each other, and imbibing within our hearts the meaning and importance of this dream that we can make this dream reality. It is for this reason that "Leshichno tidrshu" has set out to greater awareness to this matter to hasten the realization of this dream.
We have also made efforts "to return to God", by publicizing awareness to the Holy Presence. We hope that through all this, we can come to contemplate the ways of God, so that we may complete these steps to the in-gathering of exiles in the fore-mentioned verses. The goal is not to show miraculous stories, or grandiose wonders, but rather to show ways of contemplation of everyday events, to open our hearts to see the ways of God in both blessing and, God forbid, curse. By doing such we become more aware to the concept of Providence in our daily lives. By contemplating God's Providence, we become more aware to God's Holy Presence and live and experience the spirit of the Holy Land, where the "Eyes of HaShem Your God are upon it from the year's advent till its end." This idea is definitely not novel, as we see that King David pleads many times to God in Tehilim that he may tell of God's Providence upon him to others.
This brief supplement completes one of the primary messages of Hebron, bringing unity among the people by tapping into our common roots, the Patriarchs (Hebron also means to unite - lehaber). In contrast to the study of the mitzvoth of the Land in our first section which is catered mainly for those familiar with Torah sources, this new supplement is catered for the general public, religious and non-religious alike. We believe that the message of the Land of Israel can and should be delivered to the general public in unison as a way of experiencing God's Presence in daily life. We hope that these stories will give inspiration to others to contemplate God's Providence in general, and especially in the Holy Land.
