Sara Project - Zimmerman copy
The Land of Israel is Acquired with “Yesurin” Prepared By Rabbi Sammy & Dr. Deena Zimmerman
THE SARA PROJECT Shavuot 5776 Leyl Shavuot Learning dedicated to the memory of Sara Lamm Dratch, a”h,
Sara Rivka Bat HaRav Nachum u’Mindel
ארץ ישראל נקנת ביסורים What is the meaning of the word “yesurin”? Source of the phrase: תניא רבי שמעון בן יוחאי אומר שלש מתנות טובות נתן הקדוש ברוך:ברכות דף ה אלו הן תורה וארץ ישראל והעולם הבא.הוא לישראל וכולן לא נתנן אלא ע"י יסורין תורה מנין שנאמר "אשרי הגבר אשר תיסרנו יה ומתורתך תלמדנו" ארץ ישראל דכתיב "כי כאשר ייסר איש את בנו ה' אלהיך מיסרך " וכתיב בתריה "כי ה' אלהיך מביאך אל ארץ טובה" העולם הבא דכתיב כי נר מצוה ותורה אור ודרך חיים תוכחות מוסר
Berachot 5a: Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai taught: Three special gifts were given by G-d to Israel and all of them were only given by “yisurin”. These are: Torah, Israel and the World to Come. From where do we learn this about Torah? From the verse in Tehillim 94 (see below). From where do we learn this about the Land of Israel? From the verse Devarim 8:5 which is followed by Devarim 8:7 (see below). From where do we learn this about the World to Come? Mishle 6:23 (see below)
Context of the proof texts: 1. Torah ,ֹ לְ ַה ְׁש ִקיט לו.תיַ ְּס ֶרנּ ּו יָ ּ ּה; ּו ִמ ּתוֹ ָר ְת ָך ְת ַל ְּמ ֶדנּ ו-ר ְּ ַה ֶ ּג ֶבר ֲא ֶׁש, ַא ְׁש ֵרי:יד-יב:תהילים פרק צד ל ֹא יַ ֲעז ֹּב,ֹיִ ּטֹ ׁש יְ הוָ ה ַע ּמוֹ ; וְ נַ ֲח ָלתו- ל ֹא, ַעד יִ ָּכ ֶרה ָל ָר ָׁשע ָׁש ַחת ִּכי--ימי ָרע ֵ ִמ
Tehillim 94:12-14: Happy is the man whom Thou instructs, O LORD, and teaches out of Thy Torah;That Thou may give him rest from the days of evil, until the pit be dug for the wicked. For the LORD will not cast off His people, neither will He forsake His inheritance.
11. Land of Israel ָ וְ יָ ַד ְע ָּת ִעם לְ ָב ֶב ָך ִּכי ַּכ ֲא ֶׁשר יְ יַ ֵּסר ִא ׁיש ֶאת ְּבנוֹ יְ הוָ ה ֱאל ֶֹה:ח-ה:דברים ח יך ְמיַ ְּס ֶר ָּך וְ ָׁש ַמ ְר ָּת ָ יך ָל ֶל ֶכת ִּב ְד ָר ָכיו ּולְ יִ ְר ָאה אֹתו ִֹּכי יְ הוָ ה ֱאל ֶֹה ָ ֶאת ִמ ְצוֹ ת יְ הוָ ה ֱאל ֶֹה יא ָך ֶאל ֶא ֶרץ טוֹ ָבה ֶא ֶרץ ֲ יך ְמ ִב זֵ ית- וְ גֶ ֶפן ּו ְת ֵאנָ ה וְ ִר ּמוֹ ן; ֶא ֶרץ,שע ָֹרה ׂ ְ נַ ֲח ֵלי ָמיִ ם ֲעיָ נֹת ּו ְתהֹמֹת י ְֹצ ִאים ַּב ִּב ְק ָעה ּו ָב ָהר ֶא ֶרץ ִח ָּטה ּו ּו ְד ָב ׁש,ש ֶמן.ֶּׁ
Dvarim 8:5-8: And thou shalt consider in thy heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. And thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, and to fear Him. For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, springing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey;
111. World To Come ָ ְנצֹר ְּבנִ י ִמ ְצוַ ת ָא ִב:כג-כ:משלי ו ָק ְׁש ֵרם ַעל לִ ְּב ָך ָת ִמיד ָענְ ֵדם ַעל.יך וְ ַאל ִּת ּטֹ ׁש ּתוֹ ַרת ִא ֶּמ ָך ָ ָ ָ ּכי נֵ ר ִמ ְצוָ ה.ׂיחך ֶ ְּב ִה ְת ַה ֶ ּל ְכ ָך ַּתנְ ֶחה א ָֹת ְך ְּב ָׁש ְכ ְּבך ִּת ְׁשמֹר ָע ֶליך וַ ֲה ִקיצוֹ ָת ִהיא ְת ִש.ַ ּג ְר ְ ּגר ֶֹת ָך וְ תוֹ ָרה אוֹ ר וְ ֶד ֶר ְך ַחיִ ּ ים ּתוֹ ְכחוֹ ת מ ּו ָס ּר
Mishlei 6:20-23: My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them continually on your heart, tie them around your neck.When you walk, it will lead you, when you sleep, it will watch over you, when you awake, it will talk with you. For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light and reproofs of instruction are the way of life
What do these three gifts have in common? Land of Israel - Text in context and its dissonance לְ ַמ ַען ִּת ְחי ּון:ת ְׁש ְמר ּון ַל ֲעשׂוֹ ת--ם ִּ ַ ָּכ:ד-א:דברים פרק ח ֹ ֲא ֶׁשר ָאנ ִֹכי ְמ ַצוְ ּ ָך ַה ּי ו,ה ִּמ ְצוָ ה-ל ְ,ה ֶ ּד ֶרך-ל ַ כ-ת ָּ וְ זָ ַכ ְר ָּת ֶא.יכם ֶ ַל ֲאב ֵֹת,נִ ְׁש ַּבע יְ הוָ ה- ֲא ֶׁשר,ה ָא ֶרץ-ת ָ אתם וִ ִיר ְׁש ֶּתם ֶא ֶ ּו ָב,יתם ֶ ּו ְר ִב ָ ָ ָ ָ א ֶׁשר-ת ֲ ָל ַד ַעת ֶא, לְ ַמ ַען ַע ֹּנ ְתך לְ נַ ּסֹ ְתך:ב ִּמ ְד ָּבר--ה ַּ ָיכך יְ הוָ ה ֱאל ֶֹהיך זֶ ה ַא ְר ָּב ִעים ָׁשנ ְ ֲִא ֶׁשר הוֹ ל וְ ל ֹא יָ ְדע ּון, יָ ַד ְע ָּת-ה ָּמן ֲא ֶׁשר ל ֹא-ת ַ וַ יַ ּ ֲא ִכלְ ָך ֶא, וַ יַ ּ ְר ִע ֶב ָך, וַ יְ ַע ְ ּנ ָך.ל ֹא-אם--ו ִ ִּבלְ ָב ְב ָך ֲה ִת ְׁשמֹר ִמ ְצוֹ ָת ָ ֲאב ֶֹת יִ ְחיֶ ה,יְ הוָ ה-מוֹ ָצא ִפי-כל-ל ָּ כי ַע--ם ִּ ה ֶ ּל ֶחם לְ ַב ּדוֹ יִ ְחיֶ ה ָה ָא ָד-ל ַ ִּכי ל ֹא ַע,יע ָך ֲ לְ ַמ ַען הוֹ ִד: יך ָ ָ ָ ַא ְר ָּב ִעים ָׁשנָ ה,זֶ ה-- ל ֹא ָב ֵצ ָקה, וְ ַרגְ לְ ך, ֵמ ָע ֶליך, ִש ְׂמ ָל ְתך ל ֹא ָבלְ ָתה.ה ָא ָדם.ׁ ָ .ּ Dvarim 8:1-4: All the commandment which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers. And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, that He might afflict thee, to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no. And He afflicted thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every thing that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
Rav Hirsch’s Answer “Teaching and culture, spiritual and moral education, accordingly the underlying concept of the root “yod” “samech” “resh”. The forty years of wandering in the wilderness, was nothing other than such an instructive and formative education. “For the “school” of wandering in the wilderness has come to an end. You are about to enter the future for which the whole exceptional condition on earth was to be a preparation. Now you have to prove and confirm in a normal condition of men and nations what you have learned in that wonderful preparatory school.You may not unlearn it in the altered happy conditions if this, the happy future that isnow beginning, is to endure.”
Connection To Description of The Land of Israel ארץ נחלי מים, the land of flowing rivers: “The nature of the country is shown in the sharp contrast to the wilderness by the abundance of water and is a preliminary condition for the richness of the products of fields and trees which is described. נחלis related to עלhas altogether the meaning of leading on, flowing down, and so is the expressive designation of the movement of possessions as heritage from parents to children.”
Yet Another Possible Meaning of Yesurin ָל ֵתת א ָֹת ּה לְ ַא ְב ָר ָהם לְ יִ ְצ ָחק,יָ ִדי-ׂאתי ֶאת ִ ֲא ֶׁשר נָ ָש,ה ָא ֶרץ-ל ָ ֶא,אתי ֶא ְת ֶכם ִ וְ ֵה ֵב:ח:שמות ו ֲאנִ י יְ הוָ ה, ּולְ יַ ֲעקֹב; וְ נָ ַת ִּתי א ָֹת ּה ָל ֶכם מוֹ ָר ָׁשה. ּ
Shemot 8:6: I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it to you for a heritage: I am Hashem ּתוֹ ָרה ִצוָ ּ ה ָלנ ּו מ ֶֹׁשה מוֹ ָר ָׁשה ְק ִה ַ ּלת יַ ֲעקֹב:ד:ּ דברים לג
Dvarim 33:4: Moses commanded us a law, an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.
Shai Agnon, Israel’s Nobel Laureate author from his book “Tmol Shilshom”: וכל שחביבה ארץ ישראל עליו ומקבל עליה יסורים,ארץ ישראל אינה נקנית אלא ביסורים באהבה זוכה ורואה בבניינה The Land of Israel is acquired with “Yesurin” and all who love the Land of Israel and accept its yesurin with love will merit and see its rebuilding.
THE SARA PROJECT Shavuot 5776 Leyl Shavuot Learning dedicated to the memory of Sara Lamm Dratch, a”h,
Sara Rivka Bat HaRav Nachum u’Mindel
ארץ ישראל נקנת ביסורים What is the meaning of the word “yesurin”? Source of the phrase: תניא רבי שמעון בן יוחאי אומר שלש מתנות טובות נתן הקדוש ברוך:ברכות דף ה אלו הן תורה וארץ ישראל והעולם הבא.הוא לישראל וכולן לא נתנן אלא ע"י יסורין תורה מנין שנאמר "אשרי הגבר אשר תיסרנו יה ומתורתך תלמדנו" ארץ ישראל דכתיב "כי כאשר ייסר איש את בנו ה' אלהיך מיסרך " וכתיב בתריה "כי ה' אלהיך מביאך אל ארץ טובה" העולם הבא דכתיב כי נר מצוה ותורה אור ודרך חיים תוכחות מוסר
Berachot 5a: Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai taught: Three special gifts were given by G-d to Israel and all of them were only given by “yisurin”. These are: Torah, Israel and the World to Come. From where do we learn this about Torah? From the verse in Tehillim 94 (see below). From where do we learn this about the Land of Israel? From the verse Devarim 8:5 which is followed by Devarim 8:7 (see below). From where do we learn this about the World to Come? Mishle 6:23 (see below)
Context of the proof texts: 1. Torah ,ֹ לְ ַה ְׁש ִקיט לו.תיַ ְּס ֶרנּ ּו יָ ּ ּה; ּו ִמ ּתוֹ ָר ְת ָך ְת ַל ְּמ ֶדנּ ו-ר ְּ ַה ֶ ּג ֶבר ֲא ֶׁש, ַא ְׁש ֵרי:יד-יב:תהילים פרק צד ל ֹא יַ ֲעז ֹּב,ֹיִ ּטֹ ׁש יְ הוָ ה ַע ּמוֹ ; וְ נַ ֲח ָלתו- ל ֹא, ַעד יִ ָּכ ֶרה ָל ָר ָׁשע ָׁש ַחת ִּכי--ימי ָרע ֵ ִמ
Tehillim 94:12-14: Happy is the man whom Thou instructs, O LORD, and teaches out of Thy Torah;That Thou may give him rest from the days of evil, until the pit be dug for the wicked. For the LORD will not cast off His people, neither will He forsake His inheritance.
11. Land of Israel ָ וְ יָ ַד ְע ָּת ִעם לְ ָב ֶב ָך ִּכי ַּכ ֲא ֶׁשר יְ יַ ֵּסר ִא ׁיש ֶאת ְּבנוֹ יְ הוָ ה ֱאל ֶֹה:ח-ה:דברים ח יך ְמיַ ְּס ֶר ָּך וְ ָׁש ַמ ְר ָּת ָ יך ָל ֶל ֶכת ִּב ְד ָר ָכיו ּולְ יִ ְר ָאה אֹתו ִֹּכי יְ הוָ ה ֱאל ֶֹה ָ ֶאת ִמ ְצוֹ ת יְ הוָ ה ֱאל ֶֹה יא ָך ֶאל ֶא ֶרץ טוֹ ָבה ֶא ֶרץ ֲ יך ְמ ִב זֵ ית- וְ גֶ ֶפן ּו ְת ֵאנָ ה וְ ִר ּמוֹ ן; ֶא ֶרץ,שע ָֹרה ׂ ְ נַ ֲח ֵלי ָמיִ ם ֲעיָ נֹת ּו ְתהֹמֹת י ְֹצ ִאים ַּב ִּב ְק ָעה ּו ָב ָהר ֶא ֶרץ ִח ָּטה ּו ּו ְד ָב ׁש,ש ֶמן.ֶּׁ
Dvarim 8:5-8: And thou shalt consider in thy heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. And thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, and to fear Him. For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths, springing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey;
111. World To Come ָ ְנצֹר ְּבנִ י ִמ ְצוַ ת ָא ִב:כג-כ:משלי ו ָק ְׁש ֵרם ַעל לִ ְּב ָך ָת ִמיד ָענְ ֵדם ַעל.יך וְ ַאל ִּת ּטֹ ׁש ּתוֹ ַרת ִא ֶּמ ָך ָ ָ ָ ּכי נֵ ר ִמ ְצוָ ה.ׂיחך ֶ ְּב ִה ְת ַה ֶ ּל ְכ ָך ַּתנְ ֶחה א ָֹת ְך ְּב ָׁש ְכ ְּבך ִּת ְׁשמֹר ָע ֶליך וַ ֲה ִקיצוֹ ָת ִהיא ְת ִש.ַ ּג ְר ְ ּגר ֶֹת ָך וְ תוֹ ָרה אוֹ ר וְ ֶד ֶר ְך ַחיִ ּ ים ּתוֹ ְכחוֹ ת מ ּו ָס ּר
Mishlei 6:20-23: My son, keep your father’s commandment, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching. Bind them continually on your heart, tie them around your neck.When you walk, it will lead you, when you sleep, it will watch over you, when you awake, it will talk with you. For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light and reproofs of instruction are the way of life
What do these three gifts have in common? Land of Israel - Text in context and its dissonance לְ ַמ ַען ִּת ְחי ּון:ת ְׁש ְמר ּון ַל ֲעשׂוֹ ת--ם ִּ ַ ָּכ:ד-א:דברים פרק ח ֹ ֲא ֶׁשר ָאנ ִֹכי ְמ ַצוְ ּ ָך ַה ּי ו,ה ִּמ ְצוָ ה-ל ְ,ה ֶ ּד ֶרך-ל ַ כ-ת ָּ וְ זָ ַכ ְר ָּת ֶא.יכם ֶ ַל ֲאב ֵֹת,נִ ְׁש ַּבע יְ הוָ ה- ֲא ֶׁשר,ה ָא ֶרץ-ת ָ אתם וִ ִיר ְׁש ֶּתם ֶא ֶ ּו ָב,יתם ֶ ּו ְר ִב ָ ָ ָ ָ א ֶׁשר-ת ֲ ָל ַד ַעת ֶא, לְ ַמ ַען ַע ֹּנ ְתך לְ נַ ּסֹ ְתך:ב ִּמ ְד ָּבר--ה ַּ ָיכך יְ הוָ ה ֱאל ֶֹהיך זֶ ה ַא ְר ָּב ִעים ָׁשנ ְ ֲִא ֶׁשר הוֹ ל וְ ל ֹא יָ ְדע ּון, יָ ַד ְע ָּת-ה ָּמן ֲא ֶׁשר ל ֹא-ת ַ וַ יַ ּ ֲא ִכלְ ָך ֶא, וַ יַ ּ ְר ִע ֶב ָך, וַ יְ ַע ְ ּנ ָך.ל ֹא-אם--ו ִ ִּבלְ ָב ְב ָך ֲה ִת ְׁשמֹר ִמ ְצוֹ ָת ָ ֲאב ֶֹת יִ ְחיֶ ה,יְ הוָ ה-מוֹ ָצא ִפי-כל-ל ָּ כי ַע--ם ִּ ה ֶ ּל ֶחם לְ ַב ּדוֹ יִ ְחיֶ ה ָה ָא ָד-ל ַ ִּכי ל ֹא ַע,יע ָך ֲ לְ ַמ ַען הוֹ ִד: יך ָ ָ ָ ַא ְר ָּב ִעים ָׁשנָ ה,זֶ ה-- ל ֹא ָב ֵצ ָקה, וְ ַרגְ לְ ך, ֵמ ָע ֶליך, ִש ְׂמ ָל ְתך ל ֹא ָבלְ ָתה.ה ָא ָדם.ׁ ָ .ּ Dvarim 8:1-4: All the commandment which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers. And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, that He might afflict thee, to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no. And He afflicted thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every thing that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
Rav Hirsch’s Answer “Teaching and culture, spiritual and moral education, accordingly the underlying concept of the root “yod” “samech” “resh”. The forty years of wandering in the wilderness, was nothing other than such an instructive and formative education. “For the “school” of wandering in the wilderness has come to an end. You are about to enter the future for which the whole exceptional condition on earth was to be a preparation. Now you have to prove and confirm in a normal condition of men and nations what you have learned in that wonderful preparatory school.You may not unlearn it in the altered happy conditions if this, the happy future that isnow beginning, is to endure.”
Connection To Description of The Land of Israel ארץ נחלי מים, the land of flowing rivers: “The nature of the country is shown in the sharp contrast to the wilderness by the abundance of water and is a preliminary condition for the richness of the products of fields and trees which is described. נחלis related to עלhas altogether the meaning of leading on, flowing down, and so is the expressive designation of the movement of possessions as heritage from parents to children.”
Yet Another Possible Meaning of Yesurin ָל ֵתת א ָֹת ּה לְ ַא ְב ָר ָהם לְ יִ ְצ ָחק,יָ ִדי-ׂאתי ֶאת ִ ֲא ֶׁשר נָ ָש,ה ָא ֶרץ-ל ָ ֶא,אתי ֶא ְת ֶכם ִ וְ ֵה ֵב:ח:שמות ו ֲאנִ י יְ הוָ ה, ּולְ יַ ֲעקֹב; וְ נָ ַת ִּתי א ָֹת ּה ָל ֶכם מוֹ ָר ָׁשה. ּ
Shemot 8:6: I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it to you for a heritage: I am Hashem ּתוֹ ָרה ִצוָ ּ ה ָלנ ּו מ ֶֹׁשה מוֹ ָר ָׁשה ְק ִה ַ ּלת יַ ֲעקֹב:ד:ּ דברים לג
Dvarim 33:4: Moses commanded us a law, an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.
Shai Agnon, Israel’s Nobel Laureate author from his book “Tmol Shilshom”: וכל שחביבה ארץ ישראל עליו ומקבל עליה יסורים,ארץ ישראל אינה נקנית אלא ביסורים באהבה זוכה ורואה בבניינה The Land of Israel is acquired with “Yesurin” and all who love the Land of Israel and accept its yesurin with love will merit and see its rebuilding.
