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Weekly Torah LearningEkev07/30/10Torah Portion: Ekev Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel writes, “The most important decision a thinker makes is reflected in what he comes to consider the most important problem. . .there is only one serious problem: And that is martyrdom. Is there anything worth dying for? We can only live the truth if we are willing to die for it.” Rabbi Brad Artson explains this statement to mean, “Our lives derive their ultimate value and sense of purpose not necessarily by what receives most of our time, but what commands our deepest commitment.” Most parents would probably be willing to sacrifice their lives for those of their children. We are continually reminded of young soldiers sacrificing their lives for the preservation of freedom. What, in fact, is the Jews “deepest commitment”? For many, it is Eretz Yisrael/The Land of Israel. There are any number of Jews-in and outside of Israel-willing to give their lives to protect, defend, and preserve the Holy Land. In this Torah portion, the Israelites are told by Moses, “You shall faithfully observe all the commandments that I enjoin upon you today, that you may thrive and increase and be able to possess the land that the Lord promised on oath to your fathers (Deut. 8:1).” What remains ambiguous in the Torah is what is of ultimate importance: Faithfully observing God’s commandments (mitzvot) or possessing the Land of Israel? Rabbi Artson writes, “The Land is of importance, not as an end in itself, but as the necessary backdrop for the fullest possible encounter with God. . .Yet, the significance of the land is not intrinsic to the land itself. The land is not the goal, but rather a sacred means to an even more sacred end. The ultimate goal is to observe all the commandments.” Today, more so than at any point in the modern State of Israel’s existence, debate rages with regard to the place of Israel in the pantheon of Jewish life. Does the committed Jew pledge his/her life to protect the existence of the modern state or is the existence of Israel a “means” and not an “end.” Artson continues his commentary by noting, “To the extent that we engage the promise of the land to become more compassionate, more loving, and more just-to that extent alone do we merit inhabiting the land. And only to that extent do we fulfill the purpose of being there in the first place.” The ultimate goal of Judaism is to create godly Jews who-through doing God’s bidding (mitzvot)-can make a positive difference in a troubled world. The Land of Israel is one of the important elements in achieving this, but it, alone, is not the goal. Rabbi Howard Siegel Click to view the Archived Torah Learnings |