The Exact Blessing

God spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: Thus (koh) shall you bless the Children of Israel, saying to them…”             Numbers 6:22-23

            Verse 23 is the source for the positive mitzva requiring ”Kohanim to bless Israel daily.” [Maimonides, Book of Mitzvot, positive mitzva 26] Naḥmanides notes that this mitzva applies for all generations, and with the use of the word “koh” God Himself dictated to the sons of Aaron the exact words of the blessing they are to convey to His nation throughout the generations. Beyond introducing the formulation of the blessing, the word “koh” teaches a series of practical halachot regarding the Priestly Blessing: the Kohanim must be standing while they invoke the blessing; the blessing must be recited in the Holy Tongue; the Kohanim must raise their hands while blessing Israel; they must face the congregation; the blessing must be recited in a loud voice and with the explicit name of God (when invoked within the Temple). [Maimonides, Laws of Prayer and The Priestly Blessing 14:11, based upon the Babylonian Talmud, Sota 38a]

            Homiletically, Ḥassidic Master Rabbi Yisrael of Modzitz applied the word “koh” to refer to the Children of Israel as well, writing that the Torah commanded the sons of Aaron to bless the nation of Israel as it is, without distinguishing between the great ones and lesser ones, or between the righteous and less righteous, “for the Torah’s intent is that the Kohanim bless equally all Jews who stand before them, and thereby the mitzva conveys the great value of the unity of Israel.”

            We can add two comments which support the Master’s homily:

            🔼 The Lord phrased the Priestly Blessing in the singular “May God bless you (singular), etc.,” an expression of the value of each Jew as an individual.

           🔼 Our Sages taught that there is a connection between “Thus (koh) shall you bless the Children of Israel” and “That is (koh) how numerous your descendants will be,” [Genesis 15:5] as we read in Midrash Breishit Rabba: [43:8]

Why did Israel merit the Priestly Blessing? Rabbi Yehuda says: in the merit of Abraham, to whom it was said “That is (koh) how numerous your descendants will be,” therefore God said “Thus (koh) shall you bless the Children of Israel.”

            In God’s statement to Abraham “That is (koh) how numerous your descendants will be” He compared Abraham’s descendants to the stars of the heavens. Our Forefathers received two blessings concerning their offspring: that they shall be as the sand of the sea shore and as the stars of the heavens. Malbim, in his commentary on Genesis [22:17], explains that the blessing as the sand of the sea shore is one of quantity, while that of the stars of the heavens includes f both quantity and quality. The blessing as the stars of the heavens adds the dimension of greatness to the aspect of quantity, namely, “that the Forefathers’ descendants be righteous and each be an entire world unto itself, as each individual star is an entire world.”  Beyond this, if a single star is missing, the cosmos is incomplete.

            Indeed, this is the connection between the two verses’ use of the word “koh,” an expression of the pre-eminent value of the unity of Israel and the supreme worth of every Jew as a member of the nation.

Dust of the Land

Then the priest is to take holy water in a clay bowl, and take some of the dust from the tabernacle floor and put it in the water.                       Numbers 5:17

            The first century Aramaic translation of Yonatan ben Uziel offers a symbolic explanation for the requirement to add dust to the “curse bearing water,” which is used to  test the Sota (a wife suspected of committing adultery): “since the end of all flesh is dust.”

            Based upon Yonatan’s suggestion, it seems that there is no special significance to taking the dust from the tabernacle floor, since all dust conveys the same symbolism. Apparently, the reason to take dust of the tabernacle floor is simply practical, since that is the dust which is immediately accessible to the Kohen.

            Unlike Targum Yonatan, Tzror haMor explains that there is great symbolic meaning to the command to take the dust of the tabernacle floor (and subsequently of the Temple, as the Mishna [Sota 2:2] describes). Our Sages’ tradition is that the dust of which Adam was created was taken by the Creator from the Holy Land, as Scripture states:

Then the Lord God formed a person from the dust of the ground (Hebrew: adama, which can also be translated “land”) and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, so that he became a living being.                                                                      Genesis 2:7

            This dust was taken from the Land of Israel, as the verse says “from the land” – the well known Land. (This comment of Tzror haMor is based upon a statement of Zohar: [Leviticus 46:2] “’Dust of the land’ – this is the dust of the Holy Land, since it is from there that Adam was created.”

            The dust of the Land is holy, therefore the Torah commands taking dust from the tabernacle floor “to test if this woman’s body has the holy dust of man’s creation, or if she has profane dust, rather than that of the Land.”

            That is, the body of a woman who has not sinned is indeed made of the dust of the Land, while the sinner’s body, as it were, is made of the profane dust of the lands outside the Holy Land.

                       

Being a Realist

            Netziv‘s approach is that the primary content of the fourth book of the Torah is the transformation of the nation of Israel from the supernatural lifestyle of the wilderness to living on a natural level when the nation enters the Promised Land, as he writes:

The conduct of the generation which left Egypt was in light of God’s providence, which was apparent to all; while the conduct of the affairs of the generation which entered the Land of Israel was with the Divine Providence hidden. Only one who observed with a keen eye, as one walking carefully at night, would feel that providence. At times God’s providence would be visible to all, as a flash of lighting which lights the night.

            According to Netziv, God’s special providence over His chosen nation did not end with Israel’s entry into its Land, rather it was transformed and became more hidden, though no less real than it had been.

            These words of Netziv, who was a strong supporter of the Zionist movement, and who died more than a generation before the State of Israel came into existence, certainly constitute an accurate description of the reality of the Jewish state from its founding until today.

            Without question, during the Six Day War, we benefitted from a full measure of miracles, and one whose eyes are open has no need to “observe with a keen eye” to see and appreciate those miracles.

            Indeed, David ben Gurion, who certainly did not come from Netziv’s academy, commented that in Israel, one who does not believe in miracles is not a realist.

Returning to a Place You've Never Been 2

Then she arose along with her daughters-in-law to return (vatashav) from the fields of Moab, because while in the territory of Moab she had heard that the Lord had paid attention to his people by providing food for them.                                           Ruth 1:6

            The sixth verse of Ruth marks the turning point in the narrative, with Naomi’s decision to return to the Land after a decade full of travail.

            Without question, the “guiding word” of the chapter is the root word “shov” (return) which appears twelve times [verses 6,7,8,10,11,12,15 (twice),16,21,22 (twice)], seven times in connection with Naomi’s return to the Land, the remaining five times in Naomi’s pleas for her daughters-in-law to return to their mothers, their nation and their gods.

            Alshikh demonstrates, based on verse 7, “they went along the road to return (lashuv) to the land of Judah” that not only Naomi returned, but Ruth of Moab, “who had never been to the Land of Israel” as well “returned” to the Holy Land. Alshikh offers a kabbalistic explanation of this anomaly: since Ruth had a connection to the spirit of her late husband, who was from the Land of Judah, it is appropriate to refer to her return.

            The end result of Ruth’s journey to the Land of Judah was redeeming the fields which had belonged to Elimelech and his sons and to “redeem” (= marry) Ruth, the wife of Mahlon, a procedure similar to the levirate marriage. The Torah expresses the purpose of the levirate marriage: “The first son she bears will carry on the name of the dead brother, so his name will not be blotted out from Israel.” [Deuteronomy 25:6]

            Based upon Alshikh’s commentary on Genesis, it is possible to understand the concept of Ruth “returning” to a place to which she had never been. In the Covenant Between the Pieces, God informed Abraham that “the fourth generation will return here.” [Genesis 15:16] However, that generation was born in Egyptian exile and had never been to the Land. So how can God speak of that generation returning?

            Alshikh answers this question thus:

The use of the word “return” hints that the fourth generation, which had never been in the Land of Israel, will have the spiritual quality of realizing that the roots of their souls are in the Land of the Living (the Heavenly Land), which is opposite the earthly Land of Israel. Thus, even those who were born outside the Land, when they come to her are as if returning, as Scripture states: “It shall be said to Zion this man and that man (ish v'ish) were born in her.” [Psalms 87:5]

            Indeed, our Sages understood the verse from Psalms to mean “this man who was born in Zion and this man who yearns to see her.” [Babylonian Talmud, Ketubot 75a] One who truly sees himself as having been born spiritually in the Holy Land indeed “returns” to a place he had never been!

            Based upon this insight, we can understand that Ruth the Moabite, when she came to join the nation of Israel, indeed returned to the nation’s spiritual quarry.

           

Jerusalem's Influence

Then Melchizedek, king of Salem (Shalem), brought out bread and wine; he was a priest to God Most High.                             Genesis 14:18

            The verse describes the meeting between Abraham and Melchizedek, king of Shalem. Our Sages’ tradition is that Shalem is Jerusalem. [Midrash Aggada] In fact, the name Shalem forms the second half of Jerusalem's name, [Breishit Rabba 56:10] and this is the Bible’s first mention of the Holy City.

            It is most instructive that Melchizedek, who, according to the Sages, is Shem the son of Noah, is described by the Bible as "a priest of the most-high God". Already, a ninth generation ancestor of Abraham, in Jerusalem, reached the conclusion that there is but one Creator.

            Naḥmanides comments:

For the gentiles knew that this place (Jerusalem) is the choicest of places, in the center of the world [Midrash Tanḥuma, Kedoshim 10], or they knew its virtue in being opposite the heavenly temple, where the Shechina, the divine presence is, [Midrash Lekaḥ Tov, Exodus 23:20] which is called zedek (hence the name Melchizedek).

            Apparently, there is something about Jerusalem which inclines mankind toward recognizing its Creator.

The Fourth Book and the Fourth Day

            In the introduction to his commentary of Numbers, Netziv writes that the primary content of the fourth book of the Torah is the transformation of the nation of Israel from the supernatural lifestyle of the wilderness to living on a natural level when the nation enters the Promised Land:

The essential content of this book is the distinction between Israel’s experience in the wilderness and upon entering the Land of Israel. The wilderness experience was entirely above nature, while within the Land, the nation must conduct itself on the natural plane, within the secrets of Divine Providence.

            Netziv asserts that this quantum change preceded Israel’s crossing the River Jordan to enter into its Land, beginning in the fortieth year of the exodus, and the Torah provides the exact date: the first (day) of the fortieth year of the exodus. [Numbers 20:1] Netziv comments on the verse:

This date marks the beginning of a new administration of Israel’s national affairs, unlike that which had applied until now. That is the reason the verse specifies the date.

With the nation’s arrival at Kadesh:

they began to imbibe the spirit of settling the Land, and even though they had yet to reach the “the place of rest and the inheritance” [Deuteronomy 12:9] of the Land of Israel, nonetheless, they had reached its borders.

            Our Sages’ homily sees the fourth book of the Torah as parallel to the fourth day of creation:

“And the Lord separated the light from the darkness:” [Genesis 1:4] this is the book of Numbers, which divides between those who left Egypt and those who entered the Land.                          Breishit Rabba 3:5

            Based upon this homily, we can conclude that Israel’s existence outside its Land is parallel to darkness, and only within the Land is the nation able to live in enlightenment.

Animating the Land

Speak to the Israelites and tell them: “When you enter the Land I am giving you, the Land shall observe a Sabbath to the Lord.       Leviticus 25:2

            While the definition of the Sabbath of the Land is presented in verse 4: “you may not plant your fields, nor prune your vineyards,” by making the Land the subject of our verse, the Torah animates her, it is the Land herself which rests. As Alshikh phrases it, the Land, as it were, has spirit and soul. 

            Midrash Aggada on our verse expands the animation of the Land, which not only rests, but is capable of singing:

When His creatures do God’s will, the furthest part of the Land sings, as the verse states: “From the uttermost part of the Land[1] have we heard songs: Glory to the righteous.” [Isaiah 24:16]

            When humans fulfill the Divine will, the Land sings to God.

            It is to be noted that Yonatan ben Uziel (first century CE) translates “the furthest part of the Land” as “the Temple.” Thus, the Land’s song issues from the holiest spot on our planet, the Temple.

            Alshikh, in his commentary on the verse in Isaiah, quotes the Sages’ homiletic interpretation:

The Holy One, blessed be He, wished to appoint Hezekiah as the Messiah, and Sennacherib as Gog and Magog; whereupon the Attribute of Justice said before the Holy One, blessed be He: “Sovereign of the Universe! If You did not make David the Messiah, who uttered so many hymns and psalms before You, will You appoint Hezekiah as such, who did not sing to You in spite of all these miracles which You performed for him?” Straightway the Land exclaimed: “Sovereign of the Universe! Let me utter song before You instead of this righteous man (Hezekiah), and make him the Messiah.” So it broke into song before Him, as it is written: “From the uttermost part of the Land have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous.”

                           Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 94a

Based upon this we understand that the Land sings on behalf of man and in his stead. When men failed to fulfill their obligation to sing and praise God for the miracles He provided, the Land acted in order to rectify this shortcoming and atone for it.

            Thus, the continuation of Midrash Aggada is clearly understood:

And when they sin, the earth is smitten for them: Adam sinned and the earth was stricken, as the verse states: “He said to Adam: you ate from the tree regarding which I specifically gave you orders, saying, 'Do not eat from it.' The earth will therefore be cursed because of you.” [Genesis 3:17] Cain sinned and the earth was stricken on his behalf, as is stated: “When you work the land, it will no longer give you of its strength.” [ibid. 4:12] The generation of the flood sinned and the land was stricken on their behalf, as is stated: “I will therefore destroy them with the land.” [ibid. 6:13] The Sodomites sinned and the land was stricken on their behalf, as is stated: “He overturned these cities along with the entire plain, (destroying) everyone who lived in the cities and (all) that was growing from the land.” [ibid. 19:25] Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed that (the Land) rest the seventh year.

            Just as the Land sings praise to God in place of man and on his behalf, so too she is stricken in his place and on his behalf.

            We must note that all the examples brought by Midrash Aggada relate specifically to the Land of Israel. The Holy Land is unique among the lands of earth, in that it is only she who is able to sing for man or to suffer on his behalf.

            Our Sages expounded:

Another thing: “when you come to the Land of Canaan” [Leviticus 14:34], there are seven nations (in the family of Canaan), yet you call the land Canaan? The Rabbis say: it is a hint: just as Ham castrated Noah and Canaan was punished [Genesis 8:21-25], so too Israel sins and the Land becomes cursed.                                                            VaYikra Rabba 17:5

            Rabbi Moshe Ḥagiz (1672 – 1750) commented that this Midrash answers the question of how the most blessed land on earth can be named for the accursed Canaan. The Land’s quality of suffering in place of her sons, as a mother who is willing to be struck and to suffer in order to protect her children, is sufficient reason for the Land to be named for Canaan.

            In a similar vein, Tzror haMor posits that the concept of the Land suffering instead of its inhabitants is the underlying idea of tzara’at of houses, whose laws apply exclusively in the Holy Land.

            Among all the lands on our planet, it is only the Land of Israel which is graced with the vitality necessary, as it were, to sing on behalf of its inhabitants or to choose to suffer in their stead, so they not suffer. Rabbi Ḥagiz adds a most enlightening comment: this unique quality of the Land is the reason she is called “the Land of the living.” [Psalms 116:9]

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[1] While the standard translation of the word “haAretz” in the verse is “earth,” Midrash Aggada clearly understands it to mean “The Land,” namely the Land of Israel, hence the non-conventional translation.

The True Definition of Zionism

          Our Sages taught that Jerusalem has seventy names; the second most frequently found name for Jerusalem in the Bible is “Zion,” appearing 154 times.

          In the strict sense, Zion is synonymous with the original Jerusalem, David's City, as we find in First Kings 8:1:

Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chiefs and the fathers of the Children of Israel to King Solomon in Jerusalem, in order to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of the City of David, which is Zion.

          However, the name Zion was expanded by the Bible to include all of Jerusalem, and, at times all of Israel.

          The "daughter of Zion" (30 times) and the "Sons of Zion" symbolize the People of Israel.

          The expanded sense of the name Zion, to include the Land of Israel, begat the term for the movement to re-establish a Jewish state in Israel: Zionism.

          Benny Mazuz, a student of my alma mater, Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavne was taken prisoner by the Syrians on the second day of the Yom Kippur War, and spent more than half-a-year as a "guest" of the Syrians. Benny described his last interrogation thus: the Syrian officer kept attacking Benny for being a Zionist; Benny responded: “You too are a Zionist”; the Syrian officer was quite taken aback and angrily demanded an explanation of Benny's comment; Benny responded: "Zion is simply another name for Jerusalem, you sir, as a Moslem consider Jerusalem to be holy, hence by definition you are a Zionist.” At that point, Benny was escorted out and never again invited for questioning by his Syrian captors.

          Indeed, Rabbi Kook writes:

The source of Zionism is the ultimate sacred source, the Bible, which endows Zionism with the depth and majesty of our traditions and endows this worldwide movement with vitality. Zionism is not merely an echo of the nation despised by the world seeking refuge from its oppressors, but a holy nation, the treasure of all nations, [Exodus 19:5] the lion cub of Judah [Genesis 49:9], awakened from its prolonged slumber to return to its inheritance.

          Zionism, as defined by Benny Mazuz, a love for the Holy Land and the Holy City, has always been a part of Judaism. Without minimizing appreciation of his accomplishments, Theodore Herzl did not create Zionism, rather political Zionism: that is, channeling our traditional love of Zion into practical avenues and working towards the recreation of an independent Jewish state within the Jewish homeland.