Page 11 - HaMizrachi #29 Yom HaAtzmaut 2021 USA

TORAT MIZRACHI

out from the place where he is, and he challenges and hardships. Hence the The psalm ends with the sentence: אֹ ּ ב
shall build the Temple of the L-rd.” returnees asked for the continuation וי ָ תֹ ּ מ ֻ ל ֲ א א ֵ ׂשנ הָּנ ִ ר ְ ב אֹובָי, “he shall come back
ֹ
of redemption (the second part of the with songs of joy, carrying his sheaves.”
In the Amidah, as well, we say ח ַ מ ֶ צ ת ֶ א
ָ
ְ
ַ חי ִ מ ְ צ ַ מ ,‘ה ה ָּ ת ַ א ךּור ָּ ב ... ַ חי ִ מ ְ צ ַ ת ה ָ ר ֵ ה ְ מ ך ּ ְ ד ְ ב ַ ע ד ִ ו ּ ָ ד psalm), that the tears be turned to joy. Alumot, sheaves, appear elsewhere in
ה ָ עּו ׁשְי ן ֶ ר ֶ ק, “Speedily cause the sprout Some of the visions of this psalm did Tanach solely in the context of Yosef’s
of David, Your servant, to flourish… come to fruition, at least some of the dreams. As a boy, Yosef had dreams

Blessed are You… Who causes the power time. However, there was certainly no of greatness. But those dreams were
of salvation to sprout.” destroyed by the hatred and animos-
impressive breakthrough of redemption
like afikim in the Negev. Nevertheless, ity between the brothers. Eventually
Why is Mashiach’s Name a Plant? though, after many trials and much
Jews all over the world continued to say
At the beginning of the growth process, this psalm in Birkat HaMazon every suffering, Yosef’s dreams came true,
but in exile.
we see nothing but dry ground. Only Shabbat and holiday, believing and
once the plant sprouts do we realize the expecting its vision would be fulfilled Now, with the Return to Tzion, we pray
process had already begun earlier. The in its entirety. to witness the fulfillment of the great
new growth begins only after the decay dream of the upright alumot of Knes-
of the previous seed. We are almost there. set Yisrael that will in turn lead to the
Redemption comes after destruction, With immense gratitude to the Almighty, realization of the Divine mission in the
after tears. The decay of the seed may we have been privileged to return to our world. These sheaves will stand upright
seem like the end of the process, but it is Land – a much more impressive return through a process of unity, closeness and
specifically there where growth begins. than that of the Second Beit HaMikdash. connection.
Am Yisrael will grow to salvation and Then, the return was after 70 years. We have been blessed with such great
greatness only through despair, destruc- There was hardly any new settlement in abundance in our generation, and we
tion and difficulty. the country. We have rebuilt after 2,000 continue to pray that “the L-rd shall
Chazal said (Yerushalmi Berachot) years! We returned after many years of return us.” We continue to pray for the
that Israel’s redemption is like ת ֶ לֶּי ַ א foreign rule and yet we have succeeded success of the State of Israel, that all the
ר ַ ח ַ ׁ ּ ש ַ ה, dawn. Just as the light of dawn in establishing a State, with economic, people of Israel will know the Name of
comes slowly and almost unnoticed, so scientific and technological prosperity, G-d called upon us, and may Hashem
too Israel’s salvation – a great light will and even spiritually, the quantities of bless us in our beloved country to con-
suddenly burst out of the bleakest dark- Limmud Torah and observant Jews are tinue to make a Kiddush Hashem, fur-
ness. much higher than at many times during ther the Redemption, and bring Mashi-
ach speedily in our days.
our history.
Who is This Psalm About?
Indeed, the world, the non-Jewish world,
The common opinion is that this psalm sees the greatness of the miracle, the
was about those returning to Israel Rabbi Yosef Zvi Rimon is Rosh Yeshiva of
during Shivat Tzion. After Cyrus’ dec- magnificent blossoming of the State of JCT–Machon Lev and Head of Mizrachi’s
laration, the immigrants felt the great Israel through G-d’s grace. We see but Educational Advisory Board.
redemption and were like dreamers. do not believe: “we were like dreamers.”
Slowly, however, they encountered The world is in awe: “The L-rd has done A member of the Mizrachi Speakers Bureau
insurmountable difficulties. Indeed, great things for them.” We are seeing the mizrachi.org/speakers
almost the entire Second Beit HaMik- great Redemption, the mighty streams Rabbanit Sharon Rimon teaches Tanach and
dash period was characterized by in the Negev, in our own days. is Content Editor for the HaTanakh website.

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