This
beautiful, but cryptic, biblical poetry is interpreted
most insightfully by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888,
the great Bible commentator and leader of German Jewry).
Hirsch notes that the operation of the entire world
essentially centers around Israel. We who have been
witnesses to the events of contemporary times particularly
appreciate the centrality of the role that the Jewish
people continue to play. Even though Jews constitute
barely 1/5 of one percent of the world's population,
the contributions that our people have made to civilization
are breathtaking. The central role that the state of
Israel, (population six million) plays in the world
(population six billion) is radically out of proportion
to its numbers.
Rabbi
Hirsch argues further, saying that in ancient times,
even the allocation of the lands by G-d to the various
nations of the world was done in a particular manner
that was much different from the manner in which the
land of Israel was given to the Jews. After the Great
Flood, G-d placed various peoples on specific lands.
These lands then influenced the resident peoples. Depending
upon the nature of the land, the creatures that were
found on the land and the neighboring peoples, the nations
that settled the land were rendered either belligerent
or meek, artistic or war-like, creative or slavish.
The
Jewish people, on the other hand, were not given a land
directly. Instead, the nation of Israel was created
in the wilderness. G-d allowed the Israelites to take
possession of the land of Israel only after the land
of Israel had been fully cultivated and built-up by
others, as if to say, "that which the soil of their
land is to other nations, G-d is to Israel." In
fact, for millennia, Israel was destined to be a people
without a land.
Other
nations' entire existence center around conquering land,
adapting themselves to the land, altering the land by
cultivation, and building the land into a home that
serves as a location for their economic and social development.
This attachment to the land accounts for the peoples'
spiritual, physical, moral, social and cultural personality,
says Rabbi Hirsch. But Israel, Rabbi Hirsch notes, "is
to bring its spiritual, moral and social customs as
formed by G-d with [them] into the land." The life
of the people is fixed by G-d, not by the land. That
is why the root figure of the nation is not Israel,
but Jacob, who was a landless and homeless man.
It
was in the wilderness that G-d founded His nation, in
the desolate territory where there were no verdant meadows
and no bustling towns. There, man was alone, alone with
his inner self and only his G-d.
How
striking is Rabbi Hirsch's description of Israel the
people, and how timely this message is at this time
of Sukkot, the festival where Jews leave their homes
to dwell in the "wilderness" in temporary
huts. Exposing ourselves to the elements, we place ourselves
once again into the loving hands of G-d who will shape
us with His ideas. Even though most Jews today have
homes that are secure and beautiful, our real homes
are where G-d established us, in the wilderness.
Unfortunately,
having been witness over the past several months to
how fragile life really is, we cannot but conclude that
without G-d there is no true security. Tsunami waves
have devastated a host of countries, 1,500 Israeli families
were uprooted from Gush Katif in Gaza, the city of New
Orleans was wiped out by flood, an entire region of
Pakistan has been leveled by the most powerful earthquake
in the history of independent Pakistan. How can we not
but be awestruck when we read the verse in Psalms 127:
"Im Hashem lo yiv'neh va'it, shav ahm'loo bo'nahv
bo." Unless G-d builds the house, those who
build it labor in vain. Unless G-d watches the city,
in vain the watchmen guard it. It is as if the Al-mighty
has given all of humankind a wake-up call.
The
Jewish people are particularly fortunate to receive
this wake-up call every single year at Sukkot time.
Only after entering the sukkah, and absorbing its message
of dependence upon G-d, can we truly appreciate the
security that we are fortunate to have–and having
G-d as our Watchman.
May
you be blessed.
The
Sukkot festival begins at sundown on Monday, October
17, 2005 and concludes Wednesday night, October 19,
2005. Happy Holidays.
