Banners festoon the streets of Yerushalayim and flap in the wind, borne aloft by the hands of the youth, whose hearts beat in fervent loyalty to their chosen party. It is election day for the second time now in this storm-tossed State of Israel, and tensions are high. Music blasts from the amp speakers of a kid on a bike, trying to broadcast his political message to the crowds heading for the voting booths. It feels like Yom Ha’atzmaut! For we are one nation, albeit split into various camps: rightwing, leftwing, religious, secular, each one fighting for a voice in the Knesset, a voice to establish the law of the Land according the the truth that emanates within each one’s heart. How will we ever unite?
Actually, this is not a rhetorical question. Harav Avraham Yitzchok HaCohen Kook, zt”l, provides a mindblowing answer to this confusing and painful situation in which many find themselves enveloped, those trying to find peace and truth amidst the politics of our times. The students of Rav Kook shared his Torah in a work called Lights on Orot. His answer pops out at me from its pages, “The Redemption of the Jewish people from the political, cultural, mental, and spiritual bondage of the Galut is a slow, gradual process requiring patience and diligent work.” Elsewhere in the book, it is explained that this means that the ravages and traumas that am Yisrael have endured throughout its almost 2,000-year-long exile has left many spiritually scarred and estranged from their heritage.
A look into our history, however, beckons hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel, as the piece continues, “We should remember that in the days of Ezra, the return of the Jews to Israel was plagued with intermarriage and spiritual decline.” Here we see that spiritual decline is nothing new in Jewish history. Imagine: Even in the days of Ezra, who witnessed the holy grandeur of the Beit Hamikdash and then its destruction, there were Jews who returned to Eretz Yisrael from Galut Bavel but were spiritually maimed. Rav Kook’s teachings continue, “Only gradually did the returning exiles form into a flourishing Torah society.”
Rav Kook teaches that this process of national teshuva, “...can take generations to complete.” He was not teaching this hopeful message for earlier times but for our generation today: “One should not underestimate the wisdom of Israel’s population, even today....It is a wisdom that elevates a man above his private life to the recognition that he is more than his passing, individual existence.” (Lights on Orot, pg. 112)
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We see this phenomenon succinctly nowadays. The day after the elections, I was speaking on the phone to a friend of mine, Chava Vodka in Bat Yam, who shared with me a few holy highlights her teenage boys witnessed while working at the voting booths. In one episode, a secular-appearing woman walked into the voting booth area. Passing by booths promoting non-religious parties, she announced for all to hear that a land without Torah and Judaism is impossible; that we need a state with Torah values. She continued on, surveying the other tables and then, coming across Chava’s boys with their large kippot and peyot, she pointed to them and declared that even though she felt too old to become religious, she was happy that this is the Torah way!
Not only is the older generation gaining understanding and true wisdom but also the youth! In another episode, Chava’s sons saw a group of teenage boys walk in, also dressed in secular attire and, shifting to the secular ideological booths, made a ruckus about how these were not the parties for them. Upon approaching the religious parties and verifying that they uphold Torah values and keep Shabbat, they hooted and cheered, showing that this was for them!
The realization that we are living through times when change is happening, when there is so much reawakening and teshuva coming from the full spectrum of society, can charge us to keep the momentum to create more peace and unity within our environments. As we all realize, election day has now passed. Our big Day of Judgment on Rosh Hashanah is now also in the past, but we are privileged to entreat the Almighty during these days of teshuva, which culminate with Yom Kippur, to look past our misdeeds and find favor with all the good that we do. We too must then focus our attention on the good of others and on the good that emanates from Eretz Yisrael.
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In the last article on holy highlights, the subject was mainly bureaucracy; now let’s share some nice encounters of customer service, another loaded topic.
Over a year ago, when I was looking to buy a car here in Israel, I did not even know where to start the search and what to look out for. Thank G-d for helpful friends, who gave me advice on those questions as well as phone numbers of trusted services. Upon finding a car on a website’s listing that I liked and was within my price range, I brought it, together with the car’s owner, to a reputable Israeli mechanic to look it over for me.
I was not disappointed by my friend’s recommendation of this mechanic. In addition to his expert check of the car and professional attitude, I saw that he had a caring heart. Understanding without me telling him that this was a big purchase and I was proceeding cautiously, he made sure that I was fully satisfied with the car and reassured me it was a good purchase as we took it for a test drive together. Then, when we returned, he quipped out loud for the car owner to hear as well that, even without checking the car, he could see from what kind of an honest, genuine man the owner was that it was truly a trustworthy purchase. In the car ride back after our trip to the mechanic, the car owner mentioned that his wife’s name is Bracha and their only daughter is Sara; being that my name is Sara Bracha, I decided then and there to go through with the purchase. I felt that this car was truly meant for me!
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In another account, when I was moving into my own apartment, my ba’al dira (landlord) had the apartment furnished, aside from one major appliance: a washing machine. Again, not a clue what to look for in terms of brands, models, or where to shop for a good machine at a decent price. After visiting a few stores and comparing their prices to what I found online, I saw that the prices online were markedly cheaper. I disregarded the warnings of some people who cautioned me that if I ordered online, I would encounter problems until it would finally be delivered to my apartment. I am happy to say that I did not heed their well-intentioned advice and ordered online, which saved me a lot of money and showed me some good customer service, too!
Placing the order went well, and when I needed help, the customer service agents from Supersol, the big nationwide chain store that I had ordered from, were easy to reach and helpful on the phone. The delivery men arrived at the appointed time, and I was even happier when the service tech came to install the machine only a few days later. He not only installed the washing machine, he also patiently explained to me in brief how to use it and did a test run to make sure it was working properly. When he left my apartment I joyously thanked Hashem that I was so fortunate to encounter such amazing customer service!
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My good customer service encounters even extend to the Israeli postal service! It came time to renew my American passport, and of course, I was nearing the expiration date fast. I quickly made my trip to the post office and sent the required documents to the American consulate, paying for hand delivery to ensure ultimate speed and security. About a week later, when I inquired from the consulate what was happening with sending me my new passport, they told me that my passport picture was too old (even though taken only a few years ago), and I didn’t sign one of the places on the form. “Okay,” I admitted to myself, “my fault.”
And so I was back in the post office a few days later to pick up my package, which contained my form and old passport that the consulate had sent back to me. A nice tall man showed me where to pick up my special service package, and after locating the right place, I hurried to hand it in to the main post office building to then resend to the consulate, this time with an updated photo and signature in place. As I sat down to wait my turn, glad I had made it in time before closing, the tall man entered the room, noticed me, and asked with surprise why I was waiting there. Had I found the right place to pick up my package? I chuckled and told him that I had indeed picked up my package but had to now send it back.
When my turn came, I half expected that, since it was the end of the day, the man helping me would rush the job of getting my package ready for delivery. But it turned out that he was the same man who had helped me the first time around, and I re-explained to him for the second time that day why I was there, and he carefully took all my information and double checked that the address was correct. He wished me that this time I would be successful and I left the post office, a whole lot calmer and relaxed than when I had entered!
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Longing for and appreciating Eretz Yisrael is a focal point in our tefilot, especially during these days of the Yamim Nora’im. The call to crown Hashem as our King and return to Him in teshuva that is sounded on Rosh Hashanah through the blowing of the shofar also includes a call back to our homeland. As explained from Rav Kook’s teachings, “Like the cleansing blast of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, which stirs G-d’s compassion, the shofar of our yearning for Israel awakens G-d’s grace on his people. A new era of salvation is born.” (Lights on Orot, pg. 167)
This call on Rosh Hashanah does not stop there. Right ahead of us is Shabbos Shuva, where we read the Navi Hoshea implore, “Shuva Yisrael ad Hashem Elokecha – Return, Israel, to Hashem your G-d.” (14:2) Rashi explains that this plea is directed to the Jews living in Eretz Yehuda (Judea) toward the the end of Bayit Rishon era to return to Hashem in teshuva, lest what befell the Jews of the Shomron (Samaria), who were exiled from Eretz Yisrael, would happen to them. Learning this message as we approach Yom Kippur helps put our values back on the scales: to live a life of complete purity of Torah and mitzvot on our holy soil, just as Moshe Rabbeinu reminds bnei Yisrael in the beginning of this week’s parshat Vayailech of his yearning to enter Eretz Yisrael: “VeHashem amar eilai, lo sa’avor es haYarden hazeh – And Hashem said to me, you will not cross this Jordan.” (31:2) Although Moshe Rabbeinu so much wanted to cross the Yarden and enter Eretz Yisrael, Hashem denied his wish.
Let us, who are privileged to enter and settle the Land, remember the real deal of Eretz Yisrael, and treasure and guard her. Let us keep the call of the shofar continually within us, sparking our desire for the ultimate Redemption to be fulfilled speedily.
