JULY 28 • 2022 | 43

SPIRIT
TORAH PORTION

To Better the World
I

t is important to 
distinguish the borders 
of Israel, as many 
mitzvahs such as observing 
the smittah — sabbatical 
year tithing of grain, 
first fruits, etc., are 
performed only 
within Israel. That 
is why the Land of 
Israel is called the 
Holy Land. 
The practical 
borders of the 
Land of Israel are 
delineated in Mattot/
Maasei. The ultimate 
borders of Israel 
are mentioned 
in Mishpatim 
Exodus 25. There, 
the borders are 
defined as the Euphrates 
in the north (Turkey), the 
Persian Gulf to the east, 
the Nile to the south and 
the Mediterranean with 
all the islands to the west. 
Moshe explained that these 
borders were not practical 
to maintain a proper 
infrastructure. At the very 
least, the area would be 
overrun with wild animals. 
Moshe suggested that 
the land be conquered as 
needed. 
The borders mentioned in 
this week’s portion extend 
from Southern Turkey in 
the north to the Negev 
Desert south of Beer Sheva 
and from the coastline in 
the west to Transjordan in 
the east. 
Each individual and every 
country in the Bible can 
be understood as a specific 
character trait within us. 
The (Holy) “land” refers 

to our bodies. Our bodies 
are intrinsically holy. Our 
souls were sent down to our 
bodies to affect the body 
and the world making it a 
better place. This is called 
in the Kabballa tikkun 
olam. 
To facilitate this, the 
Almighty commanded 
the Jewish people 
many mitzvahs. All 
the mitzvahs are done 
with physical objects. 
The soul descends 
from its pristine state, 
totally united with the 
essence of Hashem 
to a body comprised 
of inanimate matter 
to perform those 
mitzvahs. The soul 
achieves a higher level of 
Divine perception once 
the mission is complete. 
Moshiach comes when all 
the souls complete their 
missions (if not sooner). 
Moshe delineated the 
borders so that we could 
understand that only a cer-
tain geographical area was 
to be considered holy. 
Allegorically, we are to 
understand that our bodies 
achieve holiness through 
performing mitzvahs in the 
way the Torah specifically 
delineates them. 
Thoughts on the portion: 
What makes something 
holy? What effect, in the 
long run, does performing 
positive acts have on 
the world? How is the 
term Holy Land applicable 
today? 

Rabbi Herschel Finman is co-direc-

tor (with his wife Chana) of Jewish 

Ferndale, www.rabbifinman.com.

Rabbi 
Herschel 
Finman

Parshat 

Mattot/

Massei: 

Numbers 

30:2-36:13; 

Jeremiah 

2;4-28, 3:4.
 

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