Sometimes it just hits you.
Prepare yourselves, this is going to be kind of emotional.
I am not proud of this, but this past Shabbos was the first time I went to shul since we made aliyah. For one reason or another I have not made it for an entire davening these past four months.
So this past week I went to shul. The shul looks out onto a gorgeous view of the hills. I was standing there, and I kept thinking of the various phrases in Chumash where we learn that Hashem has given us this land to live in. It is ours, the land that Hashem gave to the Jews. Very simple truth.
So if HaKadosh Baruch Hu gives you something, what do you do with it? Well, He gave us Shabbos and Yom Tov, and we treasure them and do our best to enhance them. He gave us 613 mitzvos and we work very hard to keep each and every one.
And He gave us this land. To live in. As if to say to us, "THIS is where you should live. I am giving you this place to live in, so live in it." Can't think of many other ways to express it.
I felt embarrased that I was just figuring this out, that I was just letting it sink in, really sink in to my soul. I realized that until now I'd never really, truly internalized that concept. But maybe you can't until you do live here - until you feel that incredible "rightness" of living in the land that was given to us.
To be honest, I still can't believe that I am living here, and this is my home. I'm struck and shocked and thrilled each time I say it to myself.
I hope that never ends. By hearing the love and pride with which so many native Israelis speak of their country, I can imagine that it won't.
Prepare yourselves, this is going to be kind of emotional.
I am not proud of this, but this past Shabbos was the first time I went to shul since we made aliyah. For one reason or another I have not made it for an entire davening these past four months.
So this past week I went to shul. The shul looks out onto a gorgeous view of the hills. I was standing there, and I kept thinking of the various phrases in Chumash where we learn that Hashem has given us this land to live in. It is ours, the land that Hashem gave to the Jews. Very simple truth.
So if HaKadosh Baruch Hu gives you something, what do you do with it? Well, He gave us Shabbos and Yom Tov, and we treasure them and do our best to enhance them. He gave us 613 mitzvos and we work very hard to keep each and every one.
And He gave us this land. To live in. As if to say to us, "THIS is where you should live. I am giving you this place to live in, so live in it." Can't think of many other ways to express it.
I felt embarrased that I was just figuring this out, that I was just letting it sink in, really sink in to my soul. I realized that until now I'd never really, truly internalized that concept. But maybe you can't until you do live here - until you feel that incredible "rightness" of living in the land that was given to us.
To be honest, I still can't believe that I am living here, and this is my home. I'm struck and shocked and thrilled each time I say it to myself.
I hope that never ends. By hearing the love and pride with which so many native Israelis speak of their country, I can imagine that it won't.
Beautiful!!!!
ReplyDelete