The establishment of Jerusalem as the country’s capital while its inner heart, the Temple mount, is missing, is a miniature reflection of the entire Zionist enterprise―an external cloak of pride that has no inner heart of lowliness; the outer trappings of kingdom, without its inner essence. It’s no wonder that the spirit of Zionism in following generations has begun to wane, and a spirit of negative “post-Zionist” lowliness has begun to replace it. Just like the ocean tides, no arrogant appearance can last without a spirit of humility to balance it. And if lowliness doesn’t arise from faith, it comes from its secular counterpart.
Obviously, the way to rectify the situation is to fill this empty space by breathing a new breath of Jewish faith into the present political enterprise. We must remind ourselves that we haven’t come here just to build a “national home,” but our true goal is to build a “House for God,” as we are commanded, “And they shall make for Me a Temple and I will dwell within them.” How exactly a Jewish country will look through such a prism is a subject that we must determine amongst ourselves as we Jews have always done–by joining together in Torah study. Once we have done this, and the sefirah of kingdom is completed, we will be able to joyfully celebrate Yom Yerushalayim in full.
Inspired by the teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh.
