Gather us together from the 4 corners of earth

As we watch the rockets fall, the explosions, the destruction, the loss of life and injury, our hearts ache for our fellow Jews in Eretz Yisrael just as they cheered the devastating blows Israel landed on Iran and its nuclear threat.

But as we sit here in America, what can we do?

The familiar dictum, “Teshuva, tefilla, u’tzedaka maavirin et roa hagezera (Repentance, prayer and charity avert the evil decree,)” that we recite on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur comes to mind. Add to that the performance of other mitzvot and fully engaging in ahavat achim (love of our fellow Jew).

And beyond giving tzedakah, there is one more requirement: kibbutz galiyot (the ingathering of the Jewish people to the land of Israel).

Look at the text of the amida prayer. After we respectfully request an audience with the King of the Universe, to make our supplications by invoking the zechut avot (the merit of our forefathers), we declare the Holiness of G-d and His name.

We then begin our requests, first for bina (insight or knowledge), then teshuva (repentance,) then selicha (forgiveness), followed by the requests for geulah (redemption), refuah (healing), birchat hashanim (prosperity), and kibbutz galiyot (the gathering of the exiles from the four corners of the earth.)

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These all appear to be passive requests; we are beseeching G-d to grant them to us. But in actuality, each one requires effort on our part.

We don’t get bina without Torah study. We don’t perform teshuva without our acknowledgment of wrongdoing and a decision to change, at which point we would receive selicah (G-d‘s forgiveness).

Note that all these brachot are bakashot (requests) and form a progression, one leading to another.

After selicha comes geulah (redemption) which is actually a request for G-d’s assistance in healing our rifts as well as the daily oppression from our enemies in exile — but we have to do the heavy lifting of ahavat achim.

Refuah follows, and though Hashem is the ultimate healer, he wants us to go to the doctor (“v’rapo yerapeh,”Shmot 21:19), with birchat hashanim (seasonal prosperity) coming only if we put in the work in the fields.

But then seemingly out of order comes kibbutz galiyot (ingathering of exiles). Shouldn’t that be before geulah? One explanation offered by Chazal is that the first geulah prayer is for physical redemption from the daily oppressions of everyday life while the second geulah is the spiritual redemption, bringing us to the Holy Land. 

But shouldn’t it be the other way around? Shouldn’t our spiritual deliverance come first?

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In fact the latter kibbutz galiyot implies a physical act of being picked up and moved to Eretz Yisrael. Furthermore, if so, then it appears that this is one request that seemingly Hashem must grant to us all on His own, without effort on our part!

The answer, of course is that all these requests require our active participation, our efforts, a partnership if you will with Hashem. “You’ve got requests?” Hashem says to us, “then do your part.”

We can’t just sit back and wait for Hashem to scoop us up and deposit us gently and safely in the Holy Land. Even if going for a visit, we have to buy a ticket!

Like everything else in the Shmoneh Esrei, payer is not enough — we must make kibbutz galiyot happen. That means that, if we can, we should buy property or a home in Israel, even if we can’t move there now or soon. (And believe me you won’t be sorry. Your investment will go up many fold. You buy for your neshama and G-d makes sure your pocketbook grows.) If not buy, then rent. We must start actively thinking, feeling and talking about moving to Eretz Yisrael.

Now, as we minute by minute, identify with the terror and pain felt by our brethren there, and their joy and elation when they succeed, we at the same time, are painfully aware of the physical and spiritual dangers in the galut, even here in the United States. We must fulfill our part of this request.

We and our families must have the urge, the thought, the overpowering desire to make that move and now have that conversation.

Im lo achshav ematai (if not now, when)?

Shabbat shalom.

Dr. Alan A. Mazurek is a retired neurologist, living in Great Neck, Jerusalem and Florida. He is a former chairman of the ZOA.

Write: Columnist@TheJewishStar.com