The Talmud relates that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi was walking along and meets the prophet Elijah. After returning greetings, Rabbi Yehoshua asks Elijah, when will the Messiah come? Elijah tells him: Go ask him yourself. Rabbi Yehoshua, undeterred, goes in search of the Messiah and finds him by the city gates. He then inquires of him: When will you be coming to redeem the Jewish people?
The Messiah informs Rabbi Yehoshua that he will be coming today. We can just imagine a very happy and excited Rabbi Yehoshua heading for the mikva, changing into his best holiday clothing and preparing his family for the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah.
Well, truth be told, the Messiah did not arrive that day, or as a matter of fact, not any other day since - as we still await his arrival. In any case, the next day, once again Rabbi Yehoshua meets Elijah the prophet and tells him right off the bat, that the Messiah lied to him, informing him that he would be coming that day and not showing up. Elijah informed a bewildered Rabbi Yehoshua, that what was meant was that the Messiah would be coming today, IF WE HEED HIS VOICE.
How easy life would be, how grand it could all be if there were free lunches in this world, and we would have the arrival of our Redemption without working for it, without repentance, without doing our part. But such is not the way of the Creator of this world, and so we find in this week's parsha, the two paths, the two choices in this world. "If you will go in My statutes and observe My commandments and perform them, then you shall merit the blessing".
Or: "But if you do not listen to Me and will not perform all of these commandments and if you will consider My statutes revolting. . . then I too will do this to you."
This has been the call from the beginning of time. Man has free choice, but one must also know that at the end of the day there is a price to pay. The Torah teach us: "He keeps in mind the sins of the fathers", yet it also says: "Sons shall not die because of their fathers." There is no contradiction. The former applies where the sons carry on their fathers' sins, and the latterapplies where they do not. Our Rabbis also taught us: How fortunate you are. O Israel! When you perform the will of G-d, no nation or tongue can rule over you, but when you do not, G-d delivers you into the hand of a lowly nation.
The two paths, the two choices, form two very different realities in this world, for one leads to a blessing and a swift and miraculous Redemption for the Jewish people, and the other, G-d forbid, leads to much needless suffering. This dark reality is seen today in the people who do not follow the proper path, who tell us of how the world is a changing place, and how we also have to adapt to this new reality.
For how can we hold on to land in Gaza, with so many Arab enemies that surround us? One must adapt to the new world order, and heed the words of big Uncle Sam, for we have no choice...And for the one who goes down the path of the Torah? Is this behind the times? Not in the realm of things, not "with it"? Is it realistic to think that some 5 million Jews can live within a sea of over one billion Arabs who want nothing less than to kill us all - for even a moment? Is the Torah out of date, and not realistic today?
Of course not! For the Jew who travels the path of "Im Beruchty"- if you follow My path - there is no greater reality than this. For what was more of a "reality" than haraoh and his chariots of steel that descended upon the helpless Jewish people? Yes, that was the reality, but not the reality of the Maker of this world as He destroyed them all as if they were only one house before Him.
And so, as the world goes crazy and make their "realistic" plans, the Jews of Gush Katif continue to build houses in spite of it all. They continue to grow and work their fields - for this is reality, the only one that counts, as King David long ago said: Man makes his plans and Hashem laughs. And in the end we will see whose reality stands the test of time.
The Messiah informs Rabbi Yehoshua that he will be coming today. We can just imagine a very happy and excited Rabbi Yehoshua heading for the mikva, changing into his best holiday clothing and preparing his family for the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah.
Well, truth be told, the Messiah did not arrive that day, or as a matter of fact, not any other day since - as we still await his arrival. In any case, the next day, once again Rabbi Yehoshua meets Elijah the prophet and tells him right off the bat, that the Messiah lied to him, informing him that he would be coming that day and not showing up. Elijah informed a bewildered Rabbi Yehoshua, that what was meant was that the Messiah would be coming today, IF WE HEED HIS VOICE.
How easy life would be, how grand it could all be if there were free lunches in this world, and we would have the arrival of our Redemption without working for it, without repentance, without doing our part. But such is not the way of the Creator of this world, and so we find in this week's parsha, the two paths, the two choices in this world. "If you will go in My statutes and observe My commandments and perform them, then you shall merit the blessing".
Or: "But if you do not listen to Me and will not perform all of these commandments and if you will consider My statutes revolting. . . then I too will do this to you."
This has been the call from the beginning of time. Man has free choice, but one must also know that at the end of the day there is a price to pay. The Torah teach us: "He keeps in mind the sins of the fathers", yet it also says: "Sons shall not die because of their fathers." There is no contradiction. The former applies where the sons carry on their fathers' sins, and the latterapplies where they do not. Our Rabbis also taught us: How fortunate you are. O Israel! When you perform the will of G-d, no nation or tongue can rule over you, but when you do not, G-d delivers you into the hand of a lowly nation.
The two paths, the two choices, form two very different realities in this world, for one leads to a blessing and a swift and miraculous Redemption for the Jewish people, and the other, G-d forbid, leads to much needless suffering. This dark reality is seen today in the people who do not follow the proper path, who tell us of how the world is a changing place, and how we also have to adapt to this new reality.
For how can we hold on to land in Gaza, with so many Arab enemies that surround us? One must adapt to the new world order, and heed the words of big Uncle Sam, for we have no choice...And for the one who goes down the path of the Torah? Is this behind the times? Not in the realm of things, not "with it"? Is it realistic to think that some 5 million Jews can live within a sea of over one billion Arabs who want nothing less than to kill us all - for even a moment? Is the Torah out of date, and not realistic today?
Of course not! For the Jew who travels the path of "Im Beruchty"- if you follow My path - there is no greater reality than this. For what was more of a "reality" than haraoh and his chariots of steel that descended upon the helpless Jewish people? Yes, that was the reality, but not the reality of the Maker of this world as He destroyed them all as if they were only one house before Him.
And so, as the world goes crazy and make their "realistic" plans, the Jews of Gush Katif continue to build houses in spite of it all. They continue to grow and work their fields - for this is reality, the only one that counts, as King David long ago said: Man makes his plans and Hashem laughs. And in the end we will see whose reality stands the test of time.