Page 46 - HaMizrachi YmYm 2020 FLIPv3

Mizrachi in Israel's National Institutions

Rabbi Yechiel Wasserman

My Jerusalem

was born and raised in the city of united together.” This verse was destroyed it.” Asks the Sefat Emet:
Jerusalem. My childhood years explained in the Jerusalem Talmud, as it would be understandable if the
I were spent in a divided Jerusalem, well as in the Midrash, as meaning “a Talmud had said that the “Temple had
with a wall between the New and city that creates fellowship among all not been built,” but why does it say
Old City. I remember those days Jews.” The Babylonian Talmud, how- that the generation “is considered to
fondly, riding our bicycles past the ever, explains the verse differently: “I have destroyed it”? He answers that
wall, going on walks near the wall, will not enter the heavenly Jerusalem the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the
stopping at certain points along the until I can enter the earthly Jerusa- Temple is not a one-time event, but
way that looked out over portions of lem. Is there a heavenly Jerusalem? rather an extended and ongoing pro-
the city that were controlled by the Yes, for it is written, ‘The built-up cess. Every generation adds its own
Jordanians. Over Chol HaMoed we Jerusalem is like a city that is united layer to the structure until the con-
would go to Mount Zion and look out together.” The earthly Jerusalem par- struction is complete and stands as
over the ruins of the Temple Mount. allels the heavenly Jerusalem from the a whole. When understood like this,
perspective of the city itself, not that
During the Six-Day War, the city was of its residents. it is clear that any generation that
bombarded and we spent our days does not add its own layer is consid-
in bomb shelters. The war resulted The two explanations seemingly ered to have destroyed its share of the
in the liberation of the city and sev- differ; however, a deeper understand- process.
eral days later, the two halves of the ing of the sources shows that both
city were united. On Shavuot of 5727 address the same point. Every capital This week, as we all celebrate the day
(1967), the road to the Kotel was city in the world connects and unites of the liberation and unification of
opened and the residents of Jerusa- the citizens of that country. Jerusa- the holy city of Jerusalem, we shall
lem, together with many visitors who lem, the eternal capital of the Jewish add our layer to the rebuilding of our
had arrived from around the country, people, is different. It is the Holy City capital city. We will strive to spread
streamed to the Old City to pray at and the home of the Temple and thus brotherhood and kindness amongst
the Kotel. produces a unique internal connec- ourselves, to bring peace between
tion. The earthly Jerusalem parallels brothers and sisters and thus merit
A year after the Six-Day War, I was the heavenly Jerusalem. A Jew who the realization of the words of Rabbi
blessed to be one of the first stu- travels to Jerusalem is not only travel- Yehoshua Ben Levi in Tractate Derech
dents to study in Yeshivat HaKotel in ing to the earthly Jerusalem, but also Eretz: “G-d said to Israel: You caused
the Old City. I studied there for six to the heavenly Jerusalem. the destruction of My House and the
years and lived opposite the Kotel. expulsion of My sons. Pray for the
The Yeshiva was housed in aban- When one travels to Jerusalem, he peace of Jerusalem and I will give you
doned and decrepit buildings in the cleanses himself of his personal peace.”
Jewish Quarter, which had yet to be issues, from his here and now, and
restored. The beit midrash, in shelters connects to an eternal reality. In this
above the road leading to the Kotel, way, the earthly Jerusalem paral-
produced the sound of Torah study lels the heavenly Jerusalem in that it
for long hours into the night. These brings all of Israel together in a bond Rabbi Yechiel Wasserman is Head of the
sounds of Torah and prayer were of brotherhood. Center for Religious Affairs in the Diaspora
music to the ears of those who came at the World Zionist Organization and one
to visit the Old City or those on their Our Sages expounded on the duty of World Mizrachi's representatives in the
way to the Kotel. of every Jew to strive for the better- National Institutions
ment of Jerusalem: “Any generation
In Tehillim, King David wrote that that does not see the rebuilding of
“The built-up Jerusalem is like a city the Temple is considered to have

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