Hamas War

Monday, June 14, 2010

Is It Logical to Follow All The G-d Given Mitzvot Commandments?

The ten out of twelve 10/12 tribal leaders who scouted the Promised Land according to G-d's command were very logical.  Their conclusions were rational.  And Korach sounded very practical and down to earth, too.  But they are all considered sinners.

We Jews aren't supposed to be dependent on logic.  In the late 1940's and early 1950's the very logical  doomsayers pulled out all sorts of easy to prove numbers that within a couple of decades demographics would defeat the Jewish State, because Arabs reproduce more quickly.

Surprise!  They erred.  G-d threw in a few surprises like immigrants galore.  And Arab birthrates have gone down while the Jewish birthrate has gone up.

This year when I read Shlach Lecha, the very logical warning of the leaders about rushing into a land populated by frightening giants I had this image of practical, logical, even well-meaning parents in New Jersey, Australia, Argentina or France explaining to their child who's dreaming of aliyah:

"We have nothing against your making aliyah, but you know that you must be totally prepared before you go.  You must have a profession, the tools to earn a living.  Don't expect us to support you forever.  You've already been accepted in the local university.  We'll help with tuition as much as we can.  And then when you're all finished studying and have work experience...  --Yes, of course you must work here a few years or you won't get hired in Israel!-- Then you can make aliyah.  Trust us"

We all know what will happen and probably happened to that kid's parents.  Somehow along the way, getting a degree, racking up experience, the kid never learned Hebrew and got used to the "American way" of doing things.  And aliyah?  on the back-burner, or maybe his kids.  "One must be practical.  You can't live on summer sunshine."

Aliyah is much easier with fluent Hebrew and studying in one of Israel world class universities is just the way to learn Hebrew and aclimate to a new country, Israel.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It sounds like Egypt all over again. The more the nations try to subjugate and limit Am Yisrael the more Hashem differs and makes their plans for naught.

Batya said...

It's up to us, though. My husband and I made aliyah as a young couple. That's easy. We know no other way of living.