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BOOK REVIEW

The Dawn of Redemption

by Rabbi Yaakov HaLevi Filber
Goel
Translated by Rabbi Moshe Lichtman Jasper

ToraTzion, 2022

calling us to return to the Land (think lowly, and forgetting ourselves is
Eim Habanim Semeichah or MeAfar Kumi). forgetting our greatness…”
When I cracked open Rabbi Moshe While reading these words, I grasped
Lichtman’s new translation of Rabbi the purpose of this book. It was not
Yaakov Filber’s Ayelet HaShachar, written to inspire anyone nor to
translated loosely as The Dawn of prove anything, but as a guidebook
Redemption, I was sure it would be for the generation – our generation
another collection of comments, so to – that Rabbi Filber clearly believes is
speak, about Aliyah. And it is – but it’s responsible for completing the process
also so much more. It is a book that of geulah (redemption).
can only have been written for our
generation. As I continued to read, page after
or anyone who is a student of page, topics like “Love and Rebuke”,
Aliyah – and I consider myself Rabbi Yaakov HaLevi Filber, a student “Rebuilding the Nation Through
one – the book titles of note of Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah Kook and Baseless Love”, and “A Nation that
F are well-known. founder of Yeshivat Yerushalayim Dwells Alone”, I began to understand
L’Tzeirim (YashLatz), wrote this book what each of us must do to play our
It all begins, of course, with the over the course of 35 years. Originally
Tanach. As a friend of mine once said, individual and collective roles in
“If you aren’t clear on the imperative written in 1966 as a pamphlet entitled completing the redemption. The Dawn
“Kochvei Ohr,” it was expanded several
of Aliyah, you haven’t paid attention times: following the Six Day War and of Redemption is a must-have for every
to Sefer Devarim.” It continues with Yom Kippur War, after the Yamit Jewish home.
the Mishnah and Gemara, of course, evacuation and the Lebanon War, One final note: I and many others
both of which describe the many and finally, for the last time, after the owe a tremendous debt to Rabbi
mitzvot that can only be fulfilled in the ingathering of Soviet Jewry to Israel. Lichtman for all of his hard work
Land. And then we have the medieval in bringing critical Israel-related
authorities like Rambam and Ramban, Written in five sections – The Land of texts, including Ayelet HaShachar, to
who debate the status of Aliyah and Israel; The Eternal Nation; Loving All the English-speaking world. His Eim
whether it is a positive commandment Jews; The Third Return to Zion; and Habanim Semeichah, An Angel Among
or an “uber-mitzvah” upon which many Dawn Has Broken – the entire book is Men, A Question of Redemption, What’s
other mitzvot depend. Later on, the filled with teachings from the Sages the Purpose? and Rise From the Dust,
Vilna Gaon and many others had much on Aliyah and redemption, each section all of which are Rabbi Lichtman’s
to say about the need for our people to punctuated by the beautiful words of translations of Hebrew-language
return to the Land. Rav Kook.
classics, play a uniquely important
Modern Aliyah literature falls into two In Rabbi Filber’s treatment of The role in strengthening the English-
categories. The first group consists Eternal Nation, he cites Rav Kook on speaking community during this time
of books designed to inspire people the need to be clear about our people’s of redemption. May he continue his
to make the big move (such as To unique role in this world: “If we know holy work as the ingathering of the
Dwell in the Palace, It’s Time to Come our greatness, we know our (true) exiles continues!
Home or Eretz Yisrael in the Parashah: selves; but if we forget our greatness,
The Centrality of the Land of Israel in the we forget ourselves. And a nation that Rabbi Lichtman’s books are available at
Torah), while the second category seeks forgets its essence is certainly small toratzion.com
to demonstrate, through a thorough and lowly. Only by way of forgetting Goel Jasper lives in Beit Shemesh and is the
reading of classical sources, that G-d is ourselves do we remain small and host of the Return Again podcast.

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