ב"ה 
The Truth About Israel

In the beginning, G-d created the Heavens and the Earth

What is the reason the Torah begins with Creation? Because if the nations of the world say to Israel: "You are robbers because you have conquered with force the lands of the nations of Canaan" Israel can answer: "He created it and gave it to whomever was proper in His eyes. Of His own will He gave it to them and of His own will He took it from them and gave it to us."

-- Rashi on Genesis 1:1

TRUST IN G-D –
and you will have peace.

When the Jewish people will trust in G-d, that the Land of Israel belongs unequivocally to them, and are willing to declare this openly to the nations of the world, then “No one will contest the matter, and you will not need to go to war.” In fact, even weapons will prove unnecessary…” The Rebbe, (Likutei Sichos, vol. 34, p. 8)

 

The Story of the Spies

The Rebbe has said many times – and all Jewish religious leaders of today agree – that this is the long-awaited time of our Redemption.

The AriZal (Shaar HaGilgulim, Introduction 20) explains that the souls of the generation that left Egypt will be reincarnated in the generation before Moshiach comes. With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that many of the challenges we face today are simply extensions of the challenges we faced – sometimes unsuccessfully – then.

Today, at the climax of history, by making the correct choices, we have the opportunity to rectify the errors that our forefathers made long ago.

When Moses was about to usher the Jewish people into the Promised Land for the first time, the seven Canaanite nations were already well-established there. Moses nevertheless sent spies into Israel to ascertain how best to conquer the Land.

But, although the spies were princes of the Jewish nation, all but two of them returned reporting that the land could not be conquered! According to these spies, the inhabitants of the land were simply too big, too strong and too many for the Jews. The spies failed to understand or trust that regardless of the military might of the Canaanite nations, G-d could and would fulfill His promise and bring the Jewish people into full possession of the Land of Israel.

This lack of trust in G-d’s promise was considered a grave sin. Everyone from that generation, because they were unable to see themselves as ‘G-d’s people’, had to wander in the desert for 40 years, until they passed away. Eventually their children inherited the land.

Today, thousands of years later, by no accident, the Jewish people find themselves in a strikingly similar position again. The choice is now ours. We can repeat the mistakes of the past - or put our trust in G-d, stand strong and proud, and allow Him to fulfill His eternal promise to the Jewish people.

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