Our sages relate that, one time, Ishmael's descendants and Ketura's descendants came as litigants with the Jewish people before Alexander the Great. They announced, "The Land of Canaan is ours and yours, as it says, 'These are the chronicles of Ishmael son of Abraham,' (Genesis 25:12) and, 'These are the chronicles of Isaac son of Abraham.' (25:19)"
One of the wise men, Gevia ben Pesisa, then asked them, "From whence do you bring proof of this?"
And they answered, "From the Torah."
Gevia then said, "I too shall bring proof from none other than the Torah, as it says, 'Abraham gave all that he owned to Isaac. To the sons of the concubines that he had taken, he gave gifts [and he sent them away].' (25:5-6) If a man gave a last will and testament to his sons in his lifetime, and he sent some of them away, do not those who remained have an advantage over those sent away?"
And what are those gifts that Abraham gave the sons of the concubines? The skills of sorcery (see Sanhedrin 91a).
By contrast, to his son Isaac, Abraham gave not only the land, but the ability to bestow blessing, which was a trait unique to Abraham, as it says, "You shall become a blessing.... All the families of the earth will be blessed through you." (12:2-3) As Rashi there explains, "The blessings were placed in Abraham's hands to bless whomever he wished." Indeed, when there is a saint in the land, he is like a wellspring of living waters through whose deeds and blessings all are blessed. (see Malbim, ibid.).
Even in our day, the Arabs argue and demand that the Land must be partitioned. They present their argument before President George Bush and the nations of the world. Yet, we know with certainty that this argument of theirs not only has no basis in the Torah, as our sages said, but it is also a ruse along the way to their true goal, the conquest of Jerusalem and the liquidation of the State of Israel.
The Jewish people are rising to rebirth after two thousand years of exile, to actualize G-d's promise to Abraham, that he would become a great nation and a source of blessing and light to the world ? Israel and Jerusalem being the light of the universe. By contrast, our enemies, in their impurity and sorcery, wish to snuff out the light of the universe. As King David said, "Why are the nations in an uproar? And why do the peoples mutter in vain? The kings of the earth join ranks; the rulers take counsel together against the L-rd and against His anointed." (Psalms 2:1-2)
Yet, the day is not far off when, in the war between the sons of light and the sons of darkness, we will enjoy tremendous victory. As the Prophet Zechariah said (14:3,12,13,16):
One of the wise men, Gevia ben Pesisa, then asked them, "From whence do you bring proof of this?"
And they answered, "From the Torah."
Gevia then said, "I too shall bring proof from none other than the Torah, as it says, 'Abraham gave all that he owned to Isaac. To the sons of the concubines that he had taken, he gave gifts [and he sent them away].' (25:5-6) If a man gave a last will and testament to his sons in his lifetime, and he sent some of them away, do not those who remained have an advantage over those sent away?"
And what are those gifts that Abraham gave the sons of the concubines? The skills of sorcery (see Sanhedrin 91a).
By contrast, to his son Isaac, Abraham gave not only the land, but the ability to bestow blessing, which was a trait unique to Abraham, as it says, "You shall become a blessing.... All the families of the earth will be blessed through you." (12:2-3) As Rashi there explains, "The blessings were placed in Abraham's hands to bless whomever he wished." Indeed, when there is a saint in the land, he is like a wellspring of living waters through whose deeds and blessings all are blessed. (see Malbim, ibid.).
Even in our day, the Arabs argue and demand that the Land must be partitioned. They present their argument before President George Bush and the nations of the world. Yet, we know with certainty that this argument of theirs not only has no basis in the Torah, as our sages said, but it is also a ruse along the way to their true goal, the conquest of Jerusalem and the liquidation of the State of Israel.
The Jewish people are rising to rebirth after two thousand years of exile, to actualize G-d's promise to Abraham, that he would become a great nation and a source of blessing and light to the world ? Israel and Jerusalem being the light of the universe. By contrast, our enemies, in their impurity and sorcery, wish to snuff out the light of the universe. As King David said, "Why are the nations in an uproar? And why do the peoples mutter in vain? The kings of the earth join ranks; the rulers take counsel together against the L-rd and against His anointed." (Psalms 2:1-2)
Yet, the day is not far off when, in the war between the sons of light and the sons of darkness, we will enjoy tremendous victory. As the Prophet Zechariah said (14:3,12,13,16):
Then shall the L-rd go forth, and fight against those nations.... And this shall be the plague wherewith the L-rd will smite all the peoples that have warred against Jerusalem.... On that day, there shall be a great tumult... and every one left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King.Then, through us shall be fulfilled Zechariah's words, "The L-rd shall be King over all the earth. On that day, shall the L-rd be one, and His Name one." (14:9)