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September (6 2006

This Land
Is Our Land

Shabbat Ki Tavo:
Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8;
Isaiah 60:1-22.

D

uring the Israeli war
inheritance? Why
against Hezbollah
is that better than
this summer, the
a gift? While one
Jewish Community Council of
can either accept or
Metropolitan Detroit distributed
refuse a gift, one can-
a wonderful pamphlet through-
not refuse or negate
out our community outlining
an inheritance.
"Talking Points" to help us
Moreover, calling
promote, defend and advocate
Israel an inheritance
for Israel.
speaks to the eternal
The pamphlet stressed a
connection that we
Rabbi Reuven
number of important issues,
have with the land
Spolter
including the fact that Israel
and our unbreakable
Special to the
fought the war as a response to
bond
with it.
Jewish News
ongoing terror, that there can be
While we may not
no equivalency between terror-
have possessed the
ism and the justified response to that
land for almost 2,000 years, it still
terrorism, and that Israel has always
waited for us patiently — for us to
sought to end its conflict with the
claim as our rightful inheritance. And
Palestinians through peaceful negotia - no matter how hard the enemies of
tions.
Israel may try, they cannot split this
It's a great booklet, and it hopefully
unbreakable bond between God's
helped us passionately advocate on
people, His Torah and His land.
Israel's behalf. But to my mind, it's
It is this point that we all too often
missing the most important talking
fail to make in our advocacy for Israel.
point of all: the one from this week's
So many people wonder: even if Israel
Torah portion.
is right; even if it's democratic and
Before presenting the blessings and
simply exercising its right to self-
curses that make up the bulk of the
defense and all the talking points are
portion, the Torah introduces the spe-
true, why do we fight? Why do we
cial mitzvah of mikra bikkurim —
argue about that small piece of land?
the text recited upon the presentation
We fight for Israel because it's our
of first fruits in the Temple, by telling
inheritance. It's a gift that God gave
us, "And it will be when you come (Ki
us so long ago and continues to give
Tavo) to the land that the Lord your
to us today. And no matter where the
God gives to you as an inheritance,
president of Iran tells Mike Wallace we
and you shall possess it and dwell in
should go, we're staying in Israel. After
it." (26:1)
all, it's our inheritance from God. E
What does the Torah teach us by
calling the land of Israel an inheri-
Reuven Spolter is rabbi of Young Israel of
tance? The Midrash explains that
Oak Park.
"God considers four things an inheri-
tance: the Temple, the land of Israel,
the Torah, and the Jewish people. Said
God: Let the people who are called an
Conversations
inheritance, come to the land of Israel
If the Land of Israel is truly
that's called an inheritance, and build
our birthright, why does
the Temple that's called an inheri-
God make it so hard for us
tance, in the merit of the Torah that's
to possess? Why does He not
also called an inheritance?'
just give it to us?
What is the significance of an