It’s OK to be obsessed with the Holy Land

With the miracle of Yom Ha’atzmaut upon us, it’s a great time to ask ourselves an important question: “What does Israel mean to us?”

One of the main features of the unique times we are living in is that there’s so much focus on Israel, watching its every move and smallest development. The news helps us to see minute details of changes in the Holy Land, and every new development evokes so many different emotions globally. Has there ever been a time like this in modern history?

It’s significant because that’s exactly what it says in the Torah about how Hashem relates to Israel.

Devarim 11, 12 states, “It is a land which Hashem, your G-d enquires about; constantly. His eyes are on it from the beginning of the year until the end of the year.”

So, it’s not so bad to be obsessed with Israel, as Hashem is as well! What makes Israel so special? Is it the people? Is it Torah learning? Or is it the land itself that seems to possess supernatural powers, endowed by Hashem?

Bereishit 2:7 states that Hashem made man “dust from the ground”. Rashi asks an interesting question: from which “ground” did Hashem make man? He brings from the sages an amazing answer: man was created from the dust under the place of the altar on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Why? So that it should be an atonement for him when he will sin.

This means that every human being has a part of Israel within them as all of us come from the body of Adam! No wonder that everyone wants a piece of the land of Israel.

Throughout our history, it has been the dream of the greatest to experience life in Israel, from Avraham and Moshe until today. One of the famous leaders who praised Israel tremendously and eventually made it there, was the great 13th century sage Ramban, Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman.

At the age of 72, Ramban made his way to Israel, and eventually to Jerusalem. He found it so desolate, he struggled to find a minyan! Nevertheless he built it up, and today, there’s a shul in the old city named after the shul he founded.

Ramban wrote in Vayikra 18:25 that all the mitzvot are meant to be performed primarily in the Holy Land because our ability to connect directly to Hashem is found only in the land of Israel. Everywhere else, it’s much more difficult to feel Hashem’s presence and connect directly to Him.

Israel is the land of Hashem’s providence. Hashem is more interested in Israel than in any other land. The blessings given to Israel are a source of blessing for the rest of the world. (Rashi Devarim 11,12)

We’re privileged to be living at a time when the holy land of Israel is in our hands.

May we continue to see the blessings and miracles of Hashem on our beloved land now more than ever!

Shabbat Shalom and Yom Ha’atzmaut sameach!