Page 3 - HaMizrachi Yom HaAtzmaut AUS 2021

TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Doron Perez

Herzl, Hebrew

and Holy Cows

10 REMARKABLE PROPHECIES COMING TRUE IN ISRAEL TODAY

he tiny State of Israel has become 210 years of slavery, whereas the return 3. Land Blossomed Only Once
world-famous for its extraordi- to modern Israel happened after almost Its Children Returned
Tnary achievements in so many 2,000 years. Secondly, all the Israel- ּונ ֵּ ת ִּ ת ם ֶ כ ְּ פְנ ַ ע ל ֵ א ָ רׂ ְ שִי י ֵ ר ָ ה ם ֶּ ת ַ א ְ ו
fields. Jewish immigrants from all over ites came out of one country whereas ל ֵ א ָ רׂ ְ שִי י ִּ מ ַ ע ְ ל ּואׂ ְ ש ִּ ת ם ֶ כְי ְ ר ֶ פּו
the world returned to their Home- in the modern era Jews came from
land, rebuilt its ruins, revived its barren over 100 countries. Thirdly, in Egypt “But you, O mountains of Israel,
sprout your branches and give forth your
wilderness and revitalized its ancient all Jews lived in one confined, culturally
language, creating an economic, mili- segregated ghetto in Goshen, speaking fruits for My people Israel” (Yechezkel
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tary, social, cultural and technological only Hebrew, whereas Israel has seen 36:8).
power of global renown. Amazingly, the return of Jews from every cul- As the Jewish people returned to the
these achievements were all clearly tural, political and ideological back- Land, the Land responded in return.
foretold by our Prophets. ground, speaking over 80 different The desert has become an oasis and
Let us look briefly at the fulfillment of languages somehow forged into one the desolation a blessing. Israel quickly
just 10 of those prophecies: functional society. started developing innovative agricul-
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tural expertise and water conservation
1. The Ingathering of the Exiles 2. The Spiritual Alchemy technologies. The returning Jews have
ָ
ר ֶ ׁש ֲ א םי ִּ מ ַ ע ָ ה ל ָּ כ ִ מ ך ְ צ ֶּ ב ִ ק ְ ו between a Land and a People now planted over 250 million trees
ָ
ָ
ה ָּ מ ָ ׁש ךי ֶ קלֹ־ ֱ א 'ה ך ְ צי ִ פ ֱ ה ם ֶ כי ֵ בְיֹא ָ הי ֶ ל ָ ע ּומ ְ מ ׁ ָ ש ְ ו ץ ֶ ר ָ א ָ ה ת ֶ א יִנ ֲ א י ִ ת ּ ֹמ ׁ ִ ש ֲ ה ַ ו and Israel is the only nation on earth
“...and He will gather you in from all the “I will make the Land desolate, and that entered the 21st century with more
nations to which He the L-rd (your G-d) your adversaries will be desolate on it…” trees than a century earlier. It boasts
has scattered you (there)…” (Devarim (Vayikra 26:32) more than 300 wineries and its wine,
30:3) fruits and other products are exported
Following the Roman conquest in 70CE, all over the world.
Perhaps the greatest miracle of all!
the Land of Israel was conquered by 14
In 1840, there were 6,000 Jews living in different empires over 1,900 years. As 4. Renewal of the
the Land of Israel. By 1917, that number G-d had foretold, the Land remained Hebrew Language
ְ
grew to 60,000. When the State was barren to its conquerors despite ה ָ רּור ְ ב ה ָ פׂ ָ ש םי ִּ מ ַ ע ל ֶ א ך ּ ֹפ ְ ה ֶ א ז ָ א י ִּ כ
declared in 1948, there were 600,000. repeated attempts to make it flourish – “For then I will change the nations [to
And today there are over 6.7 million speak] one clear language…” (Zephania
Jews living in Israel! The Jewish pop- as if the Land itself was pledging fidelity 3:9) 4
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ulation in the Land of Israel climbed to her children, awaiting their return.
from being of 1% of world Jewry to 6% In 1867, Mark Twain famously When the first pioneers returned to
in 1948, to almost half of all Jews in the described the land he saw as ‘a desola- Israel, Hebrew was not a spoken lan-
world today. tion… repulsive and dreary...with hardly guage. No Jewish community and not
The Ingathering of the Exiles is perhaps a tree or shrub anywhere… a land cov- one Jewish family spoke to their chil-
a greater miracle than the Exodus from ered in sackcloth and ashes.” dren in Hebrew. Hebrew was a language
Egypt! Firstly, the Exodus came after Until of course, the return of the Jews. of prayer, Torah and scholarship. Herzl,
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