Securely In Your Land

It is interesting to note that both in Parshat Behar and in Parshat Bechkotai, we have the verse, וישבתם לבטח בארצכם, “And you shall live securely in your land.”

The comments of the Rabbis on these verses, is that “In your land, you will live securely, and not outside the land.”

In light of what Israeli citizens have gone through since October the seventh, this is an amazing statement. How many countries are there in the world, where rockets are flying aimed at civilians? It has certainly not been easy having to run into shelters and sealed rooms. Yet, if you ask most Israelis where they feel the most safe, they will say that it is Israel.

This is truly remarkable. Perhaps it is a subconscious acknowledgement that we believe Hashem’s promise, that this is the only place on earth where a Jew can feel safe and protected. This is because this is the only home for the Jew.

This is not logical by any means. Those living in the land understand that this part of our Jewish destiny. We need to be here so that we can continue to survive as a nation. We are the anchor for Am Yisrael.

There is a different challenge than that of the exile. It was a different struggle of survival when we didn’t have Israel. Jews needed to hold onto the Torah and traditions and not waver.

Today is different as we see Israel playing its role among the nations. We are emerging as a superpower not of might, but of values. We are able to fulfill our destiny of teaching that which is sacred and pure. We are here because we need to be here. We don’t want to live anywhere else because we know in our hearts that this is where Hashem wants us to be. We truly understand that we can live securely in our land, but not outside of it.