Tuesday, Mar-Cheshvan 4, 5778 / October 24, 2017

The Land of Israel, which was originally called, Land of Canaan, first receives great prominence in this week’s Parsha, Lech Lecha, when G-d promised Abraham that to him and his descendants He will give the land.

The Parsha tells us that G-d commanded Abraham to go to the land of Canaan. When Abraham came to Shchem and Alon Mora. G-d said, to him, “To your descendants I will give this land.”

Later G-d tells Abraham, “Lift your eyes and from the place where you are look north, south, east and west, because I will give you all the land which you see and to your descendants for eternity. I will make your descendants like the sand of the earth, just as a person cannot count the sand of the earth, so too your descendants will not be able to be counted.. Get up and walk the land, across its length and its breadth, for I am going to give it to you.”

Later in the Parsha, G-d tells Abraham, “Look toward the heaven and count the stars if you are able to count them; and He [G-d] said to him [Abraham] so shall your children be."

Thus, the Children of Israel were compared to the sand of the earth and the stars of the heaven. As mentioned yesterday, being compared to the sand is G-d’s promise to Abraham that his descendants will last forever, just as the sand, although walked and trampled on, outlasts them all.

Q.What is the significance of the Jewish people being compared to the stars?

A. According to the Midrash, when Jews study Torah and observe G-d's commandments they are compared to the stars of the heaven. But if they do not observe the commandments they are likened to the dust of the earth.

According to Chassidic teaching: Just like the stars in heaven provide guidance and direction so that one will not get lost and wander in the dark, so too, every Jew can and should be like a star, who influences others and guides them out of the darkness into the path of spiritual light. However, one can only guide others when they themselves know the distinction between light and darkness.   

Also, when one looks at the stars, their size is very deceiving. Although they appear to be small, yet in reality they are very large. The reason they seem small is because the distance between us and the stars is so great.

The same is with the Jewish nation. If another Jew seems spiritually small in our eyes, it is perhaps our own fault, because of our distance from that person. Only when we become closer to each other can we see and truly appreciate the greatness of another.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY & SUCCESSFUL DAY