Israel: The Spiritual and the Temporal

As we celebrate 63 years of Israel’s existence, it’s important to ask ourselves about the meaning of Israel: why we are there: What it means to us; and also to think about what it might mean to God. We know that Israel is precious to us – to our sense of dignity as Jews in the world, that we have our own country back at last, after 2,000 years of exile. It is also a safe haven to those who are persecuted: all Jews, but also, many people of other cultures and nations who are at political risk – risk of death and torture in their countries. The U.N. notes that Israel is a safe haven for refugees. The film, Strangers No More, that won the Oscar for documentary short at the 83rd Academy Awards this February, is about an Israeli School that educates Christian, Muslim, Jewish children from 48 countries.
But for what purpose have we been returned to this very tiny spot on the earth? Is it to demonstrate that a modern, democratic society can flourish in the Mideast? Is it to make peace with our Arab Neighbors and begin to bring about the messianic era? Possibly both of these. The Torah, (Deut 7:7) adds this reason: “Not because you were more numerous than all the peoples did God desire you and choose you; for you are the fewest of all peoples; Rather because of God’s love for you, and because God keeps the oath sworn to your ancestors, has God brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. You must know that the Eternal your God, is God, the faithful God, who safeguards the covenant and kindness with those who love God and observe the commandments to a thousand generations;… You shall keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command you this day, to do them.”
Perhaps one of the reasons we are there is linked the Aleinu prayer: that of giving us a unique mission – of bearing witness to the blessings that flow from the pursuit of holiness in the world. In this week’s Torah portion, Emor, we are given many commandments that, taken together, help us to develop an inner fineness of feeling for each other and for God. We must not be limited by the temporal politics of our time, although they are important. As Jews and as supporters of Israel, we must always keep our wits about us, and have one foot firmly planted on earth while we have the other foot in heaven. We will never be only a temporal society, for if we ever do, we will supersede the very important reason for our existence: to bear witness to the connection between the spiritual and the temporal, to bear witness to righteousness, to preserve Torah, and to be bearers of light, of caring, and of goodness in the world. As we worry about our Arab neighbors, may we pray for them and send them our love, that their peace and prosperity be our peace and prosperity: that their freedom will be turned to goodness and our freedom always be used for goodness and blessing.