~Day 40~

40~ the number of years wandering in the desert. The unbelieving generation died and the next generation inherited the promise. A new start. A new life.

40~ the number of weeks of gestation of a human baby's birth. A new start. A new life.

40~ the number of days that Moshe fasted and was on the Mountain, receiving the Torah, the covenant, the renewal of the promises made with Avraham. A new start. A new life. 

40 days with The 2 Spies are not nearly as significant as those listed, but the hope is all the same for the readers. Aliyah.  A new start. A new life.  

The 2 Spies are many. We have come back to the Land. We made a decision for the future generations. We changed the destiny of our children and grandchildren. We are watching as the next generations grab hold of the promise in such beautiful and natural ways. Their fluency in language and culture. Their ability to rejoice in their G-d. They are a part of the fiber of this Land building it and helping shape the future. Their roots are going deep, never to be transplanted again. 

There is a place in the Land for every Jewish person. It already has your name on it. It will remain vacant until you make the decision. We are waiting. Let us know when you are arriving. We will meet you at the airport and rejoice at your homecoming.  A new start. A new life.

This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west.  I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God." Zechariah 8:7,8

~Day 39~ By the Rivers of Bablyon

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.  There on the poplars we hung our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"  How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget [its skill].  May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy. Psalm 137:1-6

diaspora~ scattering of a people from their national homeland.  

Diaspora~ for Jewish people, anyplace outside Israel. 

For various reasons at various times, we were scattered, pushed out, expelled from the Land. In dispersion to Babylon the thoughts of the exiles is voiced well in the verses above. Heartbroken, no reason to sing joyful praises to HaShem, we hung up our harps and mourned. Our hearts pined away over the Glory of Jerusalem and all that we had lost. 

And yet, when the 70 year exile was over, many did not return to Jerusalem. They had forgotten the former Glory. They had enjoyed the exile and would not go up to the Land. They had gained wealth and position and were not willing to leave and be reunited with the true reason for their existence~ to worship G-d and be a Light to the Nations. 

In the Book of Ezra, there is a list, by name, of those who did return to Jerusalem. A detailed telling of the faithful ones who had the joy and privilege to go up to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.

Our question today is, which list would you be on? The ones who stayed back, or the ones who returned?  Oh that your hearts would grasp the depth of the Creator's great love for you to call you His People and give you His best. Israel. 

We will end today with this poem written by a Jewish physican, poet and philosopher ~ Yehudah ha-Levi. He lived in Spain and felt deeply the bonds of diaspora living and the strong passions for Jerusalem. He died just after arriving in Jerusalem in 1141.

 
A Longing to Return to the Land of Israel
A poem by Yehudah ha-Levi

My heart is in the east, and I in the uttermost west.

How can I find savor in food? How shall it be sweet to me?

How shall I render my vows and my bonds, while yet

Zion lieth beneath the fetter of Edom, and I in Arab chains?

A light thing would it seem to me

to leave all the good things of Spain -

Seeing how precious in mine eyes

to behold the dust of the desolate sanctuary.

~Day 38~ Demographics~

Israel National News

According to several news reports, there has been an increase in Aliyah of 16% the past two years after several years of decline. There are many factors for the increase including finally opening the doors to the Ethiopian community and increasing education about Israel to western countries. Even though The 2 Spies are obviously very happy about the increase, let's look at this numbers game in a different light.

A 2001 census placed the number of Jews in the world at 13.3 million.  4.9 million of those live in Israel. That means that 8.3 million live in the diaspora.  If we continue at the rate of 20,000 Jews making Aliyah a year ~not counting the number of Israelis that are leaving Israel or the projected birthrate~ at this rate, the Aliyah will be complete in only.... 415 years!

In the history of the Aliyah, the times when there has been a monumental increase in Aliyah has usually been for two reasons. Those who had long wanted to make Aliyah but couldn't ~ like in the former U.S.S.R, Ethiopians, Bnei Menashe~ once the way was open for them, came in mass. In 1989, the doors to the Russian Jews were open and 500,000 came the first year.

The other reason for a spike in Aliyah is persecution. Any time the antisemitism increases in a country, the Aliyah will also increase. History has shown over and over again, that as long as the Jewish people are allowed to live side-by-side without trouble, we usually do not move to Israel. As soon as the nations become dangerous, we move. (see November 12 blog 'A Safe Place')

Both of these reasons for coming to Israel are understandable, but also a very sad statement to those who have been given the freedom of choice, time and again we choose to NOT come home. We identify more with the Diaspora than with Torah and our G-d. This 40 days of reporting the lovely things about Israel and Aliyah is almost coming to a close. The harsh reality, is that most of you who are reading this, who are Jewish, will still not make a quality decision to prepare to come to Israel. The more harsh reality, is that G-d has not only promised this as our home, He demands it to be so. Because of this, the time will come when your home country will no longer welcome you. The place of your identity and security will reject you. If you wait that long, hopefully it will not be too late.

The 2 Spies deepest desires are that you will hear and be compelled to obey. Come while you are free to make your own choices. Come while you are able to bring your wealth with you. Come in peace and not in flight. HaShem will have His way one way or the other. How much more enjoyable to participate with Him rather than in spite of Him.