Rabbi Rael Blumenthal

If we read the Chumash as a singular narrative, the largest arc could best be summarized as “the story of family trying to come home.”

It begins with Avraham Avinu leaving everything behind to journey to the Land that Hashem would show him. And since that journey began, we, his children, have tried and failed countless times to return home.

Home is our purpose. Home is our relationship with Hashem. Most tangibly, home is Eretz Yisrael. Somehow, only in that place, between the rocks and sea and sand of the Land of Israel, we can truly find ourselves, each other, and the Hidden Creator of it all.

This was the Tefillah of Yaakov Avinu, standing at the bottom of his ladder to heaven: “Hashem bring me back to the home of my father.” It was the desperate yearning of Moshe Rabbeinu, pleading with Hashem to allow him to step foot on that soil. It was the life mission of Ezra and Nechemia. And most recently, the dream of modern Zionism.

It's all the same hope; the deep desire to be in the only place in the world where our future becomes possible.

All of Jewish history has led to Zionism. From Yetzias Mitzraim to Matan Torah, the Chumash is a book about Zionism.

At least it is until this Shabbos.

In Parshas Re'eh, Moshe Rabbeinu reveals that Zionism is not the goal. Standing in the Plains of Moav, Moshe tells us that there is still a long way to go. Years of conquest, settlement, building the land are yet to come. And once we have secured the borders, defeated our enemies, and established a thriving homeland, the real work begins.

כִּי אִם אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר ה' אֱלֹקיכֶם ...לְשִׁכְנוֹ תִדְרְשׁוּ וּבָאתָ שָּׁמָּה There is a place that Hashem will choose... Seek out his dwelling place and come there.

On this, the Ramban writes:

ועל דרך האמת: לשכנו תדרשו – לכבודו תדרשו, ובאת שמה – לדרוש את פני האדון י”י אלקי ישראל, וממנו אומרים חכמים: שכינה. And according to the way of truth [i.e., Kabbalah], “you shall inquire after His dwelling” you shall search for His glory; “and come there” to see the face of the Master, the Lord, God of Israel. And from here [the word לְשִׁכְנוֹ] the Rabbis derived [the term] “Shechinah”.

Rav Soloveichik explained the Ramban's idea of Shechina:

Even when you do come to the realization that He is present in every experience, you will not stop there. וּבָאתָ שָּׁמָּה you will come a little further. Where is the שָּׁמָּה? You will be confronted by God from outside and beyond the universe. You will come further than your destination, to see the face of the Master, the Lord, God of Israel: to see the God who revealed Himself to Israel at Sinai.

That is to say, in the seeking out of the Mikdash, what we are really looking for is the source of everything. The Big Purpose of ourselves, each other, and the world.

Zionism is not the finish line. If anything, it's barely toeing the start line. Seeking Hashem is not achieved when we arrive home; indeed, that's the place where it all begins.

In a fascinating 1920 letter to Rabbi Chaim Hirschensohn, Rav Kook spells out this point precisely. To be a Tziyoni is only the first part of a much greater vision:

“Regarding our national revival movement itself, I think that from the days of Herzl until now, only its secular side has been revealed, which is itself something dear and very worthy, and the secular is destined to become the foundation for the sacred, upon which all the glory of Israel will be built. But in order to complete the revival movement and elevate it to its true stature, we must create the sacred side of the movement, which deserves to be called by the name “Yerushalayim,” like the name of the city in which God's name dwells. Just as the name “Zion” signifies the secular idea of the political [dimension], so the name “Yerushalayim” signifies the idea of sanctity for all the pure ideals destined to emerge from it for Israel and for humanity...

For this purpose, our organization here has now been founded and concentrated under the name “Histadrut Yerushalayim” [The Jerusalem Organization], which holds that every Jew must be a Zionist in order to perform the secular labor of the nation, and must be a “Yerushalmi” in order to perform its sacred labor.” (אגרות הראי”ה חלק ד, לה)

Aside from a few publications, Rav Kook's Histadrut Yerushalayim has yet to come to fruition.

Israel today has undeniably fulfilled the dream of Zionism. The days of exile are over. Klal Yisrael has achieved what Moshe Rabbeinu was denied. We have risen from the ashes of history to reclaim our rightful place as a nation, not just a religion.

But Hashem doesn't want us to settle for settlement alone.

Our life's work is not simply restoring national identity and pride. That's the start, already accomplished by our parents and grandparents.

Our generation is tasked with seeking His Presence. Our next mission is transcending Zionism, becoming “Yerushalmim” as well. To build on the foundations of Tziyonut, to yearn for the Mikdash in our Land and in our hearts.

This is where it becomes personal.

For the past 11 years as the Rabbi and Rebbetzin of BRS West, Aliza and I have yearned to fulfill the dreams of Zionism. We have cheered on every family that made Aliyah. We have davened for our Chayalim, cried for our brothers and sisters in pain, and celebrated our Medina.

All of that is the Avoda before the start line, which, with Hashem's help, we are Zoche to be crossing in a few weeks' time.

For the first time in my life, I think I'm finally understanding what Chazal (ספרי עקב) meant when they said “do the mitzvos, even in Chutz La'Aretz, שֶׁכְּשֶׁתַּחְזְרוּ לֹא יְהוּ עֲלֵיכֶם חֲדָשִׁים, so that they will be familiar to you when you return.” Everything we have been doing until now has been practice in preparation for this point.

It's as exhilarating as it is terrifying.

Who will we be on the other side of Aliyah? Who will our children grow to become?

Truthfully, we have no idea.

What becomes of a seed when it is finally placed in its indigenous soil, watered with its native rains while swaying in the same winds as the trees which gave it life?

That's the opportunity that Moshe Rabbeinu is offering our generation. Take everything you have learned in the Midbar, and cross the Jordan River.

And when you get there, keep seeking.

That's our greatest Tefillah: that Hashem should give us the strength to spend our lives searching for Him in the Land He gave us, and that you should join us there soon.

When we sound the Shofar this Elul, may we merit that Hashem sounds His Shofar as well. Looking forward to dancing with you in the Beis HaMikdash.