THE LAND OF ISRAEL

Dear Family,

I hope everyone is well and preparing for Rosh Hashanah.

Mazal Tov Freida for your birthday next week. Wishing you a wonderful year with lots of new development, and with much joy! Looking forward to seeing you all soon BEH. ( and all the other Family who will be visiting)

Mazal Tov Pesach for passing your exams, which now allow him to do tax returns in the US (in case anyone is looking for a good Accountant!)

Today is Chai Elul (18th of Elul), a very significant day in the Chassidic calendar, as it is the birthday of both the Baal Shem Tov (1698) and The Alte Rebbe (1745), both giants and luminaries in their respective ways.

This week's Sedra is Ki Savo - "When you shall come to the land which the Eternal your G-d is giving to you as a permanent possession.." ERETZ YISRAEL.

And so I found it interesting that this week's Tanya (authored by The Alte Rebbe) was talking about ERETZ YISRAEL, and Rosh Hashanah, in such a beautiful way, which I therefore thought would be suitable to share on Chai Elul.

It is from Letter 14 in the section, Holy Letters, as follows:

"This letter is written to arouse the old love and fondness for the HOLY LAND, so that it burn like fiery flames from the inwardness of man and from the depths of his heart, as if this very day, G-d had set His spirit upon us, a spirit of generosity, so that people volunteer to consecrate themselves to G-d with a full and generous hand, with one increase after another from year to year, continually rising and excelling themselves in keeping with the measure kodesh haelyon (supreme holiness) - Chochma, which radiates to the Holy Land, and is constantly renewed and increased, as it is written "Forever are the eyes of the L-rd your G-d upon it from the beginning of the year to the end of the year"

...But surely it should have said "everlastingly" (instead of "from the beginning of the year to the end of the year"?)

...The Land of Israel which is known as Eretz Chefetz - The land of G-d's desire..and is called by its name Eretz Hachaim - the Land of Life.

..This radiation and efflux from the supreme Chochmah that irradiates the 'land', is renewed annually by a truly new light....which is called 'the Infinite Ein Sof Light...

..And every year there descends and radiates a new and renewed light, which has never yet shone, from the supreme Chochmah.

...For the light of every year withdraws to its source in the essence of the Ein Sof on the eve of Rosh Hashanah when the moon is covered. Afterwards, by means of the sounding of the shofar, and by means of the prayers, a new and superior light is elicited, to radiate to the Eretz elyonah, and those who dwell upon it, ie to all the higher and lower worlds that receive their vitality from it..........

...Its manifestation, however, depends on the actions of those below, and on their merits and penitence during the aseres yemei teshuvah - the 10 Days of Teshuvah. This will suffice for the initiated."

Gut Shabbos to all, and wishing for Klal Yisrael to hold on to every inch of our Precious Land. And wishing all a kesivah vechasimah tovah for a sweet and happy New Year