Received by e-mail from Neil at Modern Uberdox:
Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook did not particularly care for Hatikvah (The-Dixie Yid
Hope). He objected to its inherent secularism. However, Rav Kook respected the
secular Zionists and felt there was an aspect of holiness to their work, even if
they did not intend it. He therefore abstained from opposing the use of Hatikvah
as an anthem. Nevertheless, Rav Kook wrote an alternate poem in response to
Hatikvah, entitled HaEmunah (The Faith), and hoped that it would ultimately
replace Hatikvah as the Israeli national anthem. That has not occurred and
Hatikvah has since been further sanctified by its continuous use over many
decades. With time, it has taken on a distinct religious patina even for the
Religious Zionist community. It is nevertheless appropriate that we study and
reflect on Rav Kook's poem and the Torah values it embodies, particularly on Yom
Haatzmaut. The text of HaEmuna appears above in Hebrew, English transliteration
and English translation:
HaEmunah (transliteration)
Le'ad chaya bi'lvaveynu
ha'emuna ha'ne-emana
Lashuv el eretz
kedoshenu
Ir bah David chana.
Shama naavod le'goraleynu
av hamon
kana
shama nichye chayenu
chayay adat mi manah.
Shama naavod
Elokeynu
be'chedva be'gila ubirnana
shama na'ale leragleinu
shalosh
paamim be'shana.
Torat chayim chemdateynu
mipi elyon nitna
netzach hee nachalateynu
mimidbar matana.
HaEmunah
(English translation)
Eternally there lives in our hearts,
the steadfast faith
to return to our holy land,
the city where David
settled.
There we shall work our inheritance,
[which the] father of
many [nations] acquired,
there we shall live our life
the life of the
innumerable community.
There we shall serve our God
with joy,
happiness and song
there we shall pilgrimage
three times each year.
Torah of life is our desire,
given from heavenly mouth,
forever
it is our heritage,
A gift from the desert
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3 comments:
Just to clarify, this was sent to me as part of the The Torat Imecha Group, an online Chabura for the study of Eim Habanim Semeicha (EHS) by Rav Yisachar Teichtal:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/toratimecha/
Is it to same tune?
PARSHAS BEHAR
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה בְּהַר סִינַי לֵאמֹר דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם וְשָׁבְתָה הָאָרֶץ שַׁבָּת לַיהוָה שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים תִּזְרַע שָׂדֶךָ
What is the significance of seven years? The Matteh Moshe has an interesting answer. The solar Year is 365 days .Within this time period there are 52 Shabbosim. Therefore it comes out that the number of Shabbosim in a Shmitah cycle is 364 days rounded you get the Shmitah year. The Chida has a more exact answer. The Gemara in Brachos says Rava told his students during Nissan and Tishrei don’t come to Yeshiva to learn, work the fields so you have the means to learn for the rest of the year. If you do the math over the six years it adds up to twelve months. Therefore the seventh Year is Shemita.
וְכִי תֹאמְרוּ מַה-נֹּאכַל בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁבִיעִת הֵן לֹא נִזְרָע וְלֹא נֶאֱסֹף אֶת-תְּבוּאָתֵנוּ.
The question seems to be wrong, in the seventh year we eat the crop of the sixth year so what is the posuk asking what will be in the seventh year, it is the wrong question? The Sefer Peh Kodesh has an amazing Psychological insight. The Gemara in Yoma says
אינו דומה מי שיש לו פת בסלו למי שאין לו פת בסלו .That means that a person who knows that he is provided for in the future is more psychologically fulfilled. Now we understand the Posuk easily. It is talking about the seventh year but since in his mind he is concerned about the upcoming year he is unfulfilled so Hashem in the next posuk
says וְצִוִּיתִי אֶת-בִּרְכָתִי לָכֶם so he knows this year and next year he will be fulfilled.
כִּי-לִי בְנֵי-יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדִים עֲבָדַי הֵם אֲשֶׁר-הוֹצֵאתִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם
Why does the Posuk have a double wording עֲבָדִים עֲבָדַי? There is a din in the Rambam that a slave immerses himself and he has in mind for his freedom he goes out free. The din only applies when he was sold by his previous owner, but if was sold by the government "גבהו הגוי בחובו" his intention by the immersion does not affect the status of the Slave and he does not go free. In our Posuk Hashem is saying I bought you as Slaves but you can't immerse to be free like the din of a slave because I bought you as a governmental purchase מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם.
לֹא-תַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם אֱלִילִם וּפֶסֶל וּמַצֵּבָה לֹא-תָקִימוּ לָכֶם וְאֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית לֹא תִתְּנוּ בְּאַרְצְכֶם לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת עָלֶיהָ כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֶת-שַׁבְּתֹתַי תִּשְׁמֹרוּ וּמִקְדָּשִׁי תִּירָאוּ
The Chasam Sofer asks if Hashem dislikes stone floors why did he command that the Beis Hamikdash be made with them and what is the connection to Shabbos? The answer is simple stone floors in the Beis Hamikdash are needed because of the blood of the Korbanos would muddy a sand floor. The connection to Shabbos is because on Shabbos you would need to clean it up. That would mean you would be Desecrating Shabbos it is this very reason that Hashem wants the stone floors. Therefore the Parsha ends talking about the stone floors and Shabbos.
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