Life in Chutz Laaretz: Under the Minister of Gentiles


page 47:

Commenting on the verse, "They went and worshipped other gods," 129  the Rikanati wrote the following:

I do not know why the Torah mentioned in this passage that this occurred in one of your gates, for one who worships idols is liable for punishment even in chutz laaretz.  The great rabbi, the Ramban (Nahmanides), wrote: "In truth, it is likely that the reason within one of your gates is mentioned is because the same verse also mentions to transgress His covenant, referring to the abomination done in the Land…" This means 130 that because the Land of Israel is the land and dominion of the Covenant, one who worships idols in the Land is as one who violates the Covenant - whereas one who lives outside the Land is already under the auspices of foreign ministers' rule, and is therefore as if he committed [yet another level of] idol worship.

 

And on the verse in Parashat Noach, "From these were divided the islands of the nations in their lands," 131 he wrote:

This verse alludes to the fact that in the Generation of the Tower of Bavel, every nation was given a portion of the land, with one ministering angel supervising it, for a total number of 70.  These are 70 branches of the Supreme Tree, 70 ministers encircling the Throne of Glory; in the Song of Songs they are called the "watchmen who patrol the city," 132 because each of them protect their nations from Divine decrees.  Israel, alone among the nations, is not under a minister's dominion; Israel is G-d's portion, as is written, "His nation is a portion of G-d," 133 and "Hashem has chosen Yaakov," 134 and "The Lord is my portion, says my soul", 135 and "The nation that He chose as His inheritance". 136 And among the lands, the Land of Israel is alone in having no minister upon it; the blessed G-d on high alone is its ruler.  This is the Kabbalistic secret of the verse, "For Your name is called upon Your city and Your people". 137

 

Furthermore, our master Rabi Chaim Vital wrote: 138

This exile is greater than the exile of Egypt... This is the meaning of "I shall be full with her that is laid waste", 139 about which our Sages of blessed memory said, "Tyre was built only from the ruins of Jerusalem." (See there at length.)

 

 

Based on all that we have quoted above from the Sages of Truth (Kabbalist scholars), we can understand the Sages' dictum that one who lives outside the Land is as if he is worshipping idols.  For by dwelling in chutz laaretz, he is filling and supporting Tyre, which is the "female of the impure shell." But he who comes to the Land of Israel thus fills and supports Jerusalem, the "female of holiness."  

 

 

The Importance of the Individual


After reading the above, one might ask: "Who am I that I can make the difference in such sublime matters?"  Let us therefore look at what the RaShash wrote in the introduction to Rehovot HaNahar [that I reprinted anew], page 3b, which explains the importance of each individual in the performance of the mitzvot:

This is the greatness of the commandments and the prayers, and everyone improves and raises up various matters according to his own level. In the incense in the Holy Temple, each spice accomplishes what another one cannot; even the lowly galbanum has an effect that the frankincense does not have.  Therefore, every one needs each other, and no one in Israel can do what the other can do. And in accordance with the clarification that is accomplished, power is added above, and... more abundance descends to influence the lower worlds.  And via this abundance that descends, more strength is added in the lower worlds to choose and clarify and raise… [see there]."

 

The rebuilding of Jerusalem is like the rebuilding of the entire world, as is written in the Tikkunei Zohar that I reprinted. 140



Those Who Don't Lift a Finger


And since there are those who don't lift a finger to help settle the Land, encouraging themselves by citing the verse, "G-d is the builder of Jerusalem," 141 I would like to refer them to Chapter 4 of Medrash Shmuel:


Rabi Yishmael and Rabi Akiva were walking on the outskirts of Jerusalem, and a third man joined up with them.  They met up with a man who was ill, who asked the two rabbis, "My teachers, can you tell me how to cure myself?"  They told him, "Take such-and-such medicine until you are healed." 

The man who accompanied them objected, saying, "Who brought the illness upon him?"  They answered: "The Holy One, Blessed be He."  The man countered, "And you intervened in His business?  He made the man sick, and you come along and cure him?!"

They answered him with a question: "In what work do you engage?"  He said, "I work the land; here is my scythe."  They asked him, "Who created the earth and its vineyards?"  He answered: "The Holy One, Blessed be He," whereupon they said, "And you intervene in something that G-d did?  He created the land, and you eat from its fruit?!"

The man answered, "Don't you see the scythe in my hand? If not for me going out to plow the land and fertilize it and uproot the weeds, it would not grow a thing!"

The rabbis then said to him, "Don't you see that a man is similar to the earth? As the verse states, 'Man - his days are like grass.' 142 Just like a tree does not grow if it is not properly taken care of, and does not live if it is not given water, the same is true with man.  What fertilizer and water do for a tree, medicines do for a man; and what the farmer does for the earth, a doctor does for people."


Similarly, every person is obligated to take active part in helping to build the Land. And this is what it means that "G-d is the builder of Jerusalem;" we are to work with G-d in everything that we do.



  1. 129.Dvarim 17,2

  2. 130.according to the Beiur HaLevush commentary, explaining the Rikanati's understanding of the Ramban

  3. 131.Breishit 10,5

  4. 132.Song of Songs 5,7

  5. 133.Dvarim 32,9

  6. 134.Tehillim 135,4

  7. 135.Eichah 3,24

  8. 136.Tehillim 33,12

  9. 137.Daniel 9,19

  10. 138.Etz Chaim vol. 2, page 57

  11. 139.Yechezkel 26,2

  12. 140.end of page 28b; see there.

  13. 141.Tehillim 147,2

  14. 142.Tehillim 103, 15





FOOTNOTES

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