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Key Tavo- Take me home to the place I belong 

8/22/2013

1 Comment

 
Picture
In this week's Parsha Moshe is speaking to the Jews about entering a new environment. The Jews will face new challenges and will need to adjust to a new lifestyle when they enter the promised land. 

Why do the Jews have to go into Israel ? Why can't they live in the desert? 

Penguins are the only bird that can't fly, but can swim. When you see a penguin walking it is awkward and uncoordinated, then as they dive into the water they turn into precision missiles. With grace and beauty the penguin navigates the waters, something you would never guess if you saw them walking.The birds belong in the water.

The natural environment for the Jewish people is the land of Israel. We waddle akwardly in the diaspora and breathe freely in the holy land. 

Both fish and humans breath oxygen, but humans drown in water and fish suffocate when on land. They both need the same thing but are only able to derive it from different environments because fish have gills and humans have lungs. 

In order to do many of the mitzvot and reach our full potential we must be in our homeland.  

The Gemmorah (talmud) mentions the story of  Rav Yirmiyah, a student in Babylon. In Babylon, he was not considerd very wise and was thrown out of school for asking ridiculous questions. He moved to Israel and in time was allowed to call the Sages in Babylonia simpletons. One of the explanations - the air in Israel makes one wise. 


1 Comment
Seth
8/23/2013 05:36:03 am

It makes me think of Yosef and his story. Yosef is much more successful in chutz laaretz than he was in Israel. Of course, God never speaks to him directly....But Yosef is able to thrive in that kind of environment. Does Yosef's life in Egypt foreshadow the Jewish people's time in galut and chutz laaretz? Are there Yosef-like people, who need to be in galut to do great things, and who don't do well among their brethren? If there are Yosef people, then what is their place or role in Israel?

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