How is this terrible situation rectified? The Prophet continues: “And I will sanctify My great Name which was profaned amidst the nations, which you have profaned in the midst of them. And the nations shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes”(Ezekiel, 36:23-24).
How does this come about? Ezekiel answers: “For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all the countries, and I will bring you into your own Land” (Ibid).
The Rosh Yeshiva at the Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva in Jerusalem, HaRav Tzvi Yehuda Kook, z’tzal, would emphasize that the return of the Jewish People to the Land of Israel is the greatest sanctification of God there is:
“This Kiddush Hashem, which comes through the instrument of His Nation, isn’t limited to the Orthodox and Haredim,” Rabbi Kook taught. “This great sanctification of God comes through all of the House of Israel, the righteous and the non-righteous alike. Today, we see that the national body of Israel is returning to its health, and to its healthy Land, from amidst the impurity of the nations. This is the highest sanctification of God that we can find.”
While there is a lot of criticism about the level in Yiddishkeit in Israel, the fact remains that there are more yeshivot, hederim, Talmudei Torah, religious ulpanot for girls, dati colleges, and Torah Gedolim in Israel than in every other place in the world.
“Kollel,” Rabbi Rosenblatt writes, “was an idealistic endeavor for my parents’ generation. It was a rite of passage for my generation. It is a lifestyle for the current generation. It is a commendable lifestyle, without doubt. But it is hardly a choice that captures their hearts and minds.”
What could capture the hearts and minds of Jewish youths more than taking their place alongside Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaakov, Yehoshua Ben Nun, and King David, in settling and building the Promised Land?!
Rebuilding Jerusalem – what more could capture their hearts?
Rabbi Rosenblatt correctly notes that “Each year on Passover we say, ‘A person is obligated to view himself as if he was one who left Egypt’ (Hagaddah, Pesachim 116b). But the Hagaddah also states, “This year we are slaves to Pharaoh in the land of Egypt. Next year free men.” Where? In the Land of Israel. A Jew cannot be free in a foreign land, even if it’s America.
Yes, on Shavuot, as the author writes: “We remember the time we attained freedom and relive the decision to commit that freedom to a Godly discipline and an inspired life.” But at Sinai, our freedom was not yet complete. Sinai is not our final destination. The Torah is not meant to be practiced in the wilderness. “You have dwelt long enough in this mountain,” Hashem tells us. “Behold, I have set the Land before you – go in and possess the Land” (Devarim, Ch.1).
Indeed, “We need a new mission: something as great as kollel was for my parents’ generation, and the advent of “yeshivish” was for ours. We need something that will capture the imagination of our children. We need something that will capture the creativity of the best and brightest of our youth.”
This is certainly true. But the answer and real Kiddush Hashem doesn’t lie in encouraging the Haredim and Kollelniks of America to widen their fields of secular studies and take their place beside their gentile countrymen in securing a better livelihood for themselves, while spreading the values of Judaism. We don’t bring “glory to the name of Hashem throughout America,” as the article staunchly maintains. We bring glory to God’s Name by building a thriving Torah society in Israel, as the Prophet declares: “For from Zion will go forth the Torah and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Yeshayahu, 2:3).
Just how long do you think that your new army of “laypeople” Haredim would stay Haredim by leaping wholeheartedly into the melting pot of American culture, working alongside Sally, Cindy, and Jill, constantly having to make compromises in the ruthless competition to succeed
“Today, a window has opened. We have the opportunity to stand up and be counted, to step forward and lead. We have the opportunity to sing a new song. We have the opportunity, indeed the blessing, to be the generation that sings to God a New Song, that sings to God throughout the Land (Psalm 96).
Throughout the Land of Israel! Not in America and other foreign places. The time has come to return to the first rallying cry of our People – “Rise up and possess the Land!”
