Address
Beis Tefillah Yonah Avraham
Nahal Refaim 34
Beit Shemesh 99066 Israel
In and Out of Galus
Rashi directly links the seventy years of Babylonian Exile to the seventy specific years of Shmitta and Yovel that Bnai Yisrael failed to keep. This was the divine retribution: since the land was denied its rest while we inhabited it, it would receive that rest while we were in exile.
Galus (exile) is a unique punishment. Usually, if we neglect the mitzvot, the Torah warns that the land will stop producing fruit, leading to starvation. However, in the case of Shmitta, we are sent into exile even if there is plenty of food available. What is the deeper lesson behind this specific punishment?
It is human nature to act as if we will live forever, but Hashem gives us mitzvot to protect us from misusing our lives. Chazal warns us repeatedly that a time will come when we must give an accounting for every day spent in this world.
Hashem intentionally made us dependent on Him. We are physically weaker than many animals and easily defeated by predators; but what humbles us most is the struggle for parnassa (livelihood). Man must rely on Hashem for everything: food, shelter, and clothing.
Being in exile underlines the point that we do not truly own anything. We wander from country to country, often leaving everything behind. In those moments of Galus, we become grateful just to be alive and we turn more readily to Hashem.
Everyone has their own "personal galus." We often "forget" that our possessions are merely on loan and must be used according to Hashem's instructions. By internalizing the laws of Shmitta, we declare our total reliance on Him.
When we realize He owns everything and we put ourselves in His hands, we are always "at home." The foundation of a successful home is built upon a pure emunah that Hashem is taking care of all our needs.
I am excited to share that I have published a sefer called The Great Game of Kashrut, depicting halachic cases through illustration. You can find more information on our website.