What Is Galut

The Haftarah of Parshat Para is taken from the thirty-sixth chapter of the Book of Yechezkel. It is a lesson in Jewish History that has serious ramifications for our times.

It begins with a clear definition of the Galut, the exile, and why we were undeserving to remain in our land. We were repeatedly warned that if we did not obey the laws of the Torah, we would be faced with Hashem’s wrath, and we would be banished from our Holy Land.

This is a very strong statement that the presence of Jews outside Eretz Yisrael, is a curse and punishment for not obeying the law.

The original intention was for all of the Jewish people to be living in the chosen land. We would be able to fulfill the verse, “You will be My people, and I will be your G-d,” only in Israel. It is supposed to feel unnatural that we have been thrust into a situation where we have been strangers in strange lands.

For most of our history, we were unwelcome guests in the places we were forced to live. There were brief periods where Jews lived well, but it always ended in either assimilation, expulsion, or even annihilation.

There must be an awareness by all Jews that there is only one home for the Jewish people. We have witnessed since October seventh, a huge increase in anti-semitism. It has been a wake up call that despite the comforts and affluence that we have enjoyed in certain countries, we are not wanted.

Galut is a curse and as much as we might try to live in a state of denial, reality comes to bite us. We must learn the simple lessons of history taught by Yechezkel. Thankfully, we have been blessed with a thriving Jewish homeland, where all Jews are welcome. We must not only physically leave the Galut and come home, but we must also remove the Galut mentality of denial and being oblivious to reality. Time to wake up and time to come home.